If you were injured in an accident in Illinois, you deserve to understand your legal rights. An experienced Illinois personal injury lawyer at Joel E. Brown, P.C. can help you fight to recover compensation from the at-fault party. You may deserve money for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Our founding Illinois personal injury attorney has over 30 years of experience handling all types of personal injury cases. Our hard work and dedication have helped us recover millions of dollars on behalf of our clients.
Today, our legal team is ready to put our skill and knowledge to work for you. Call our law offices in Illinois at (309) 673-4357 to schedule a free consultation and learn more today.
How Joel E. Brown, P.C. Can Help After an Accident in Illinois
At Joel E. Brown, P.C., recovering fair compensation for injury victims is our top priority. Our team is led by an award-winning Illinois personal injury lawyer with a proven track record of success. For 25 years, satisfied clients and their families have trusted us to help them get back on their feet again.
Our team is here to help when you need help the most by:
- Evaluating every option for recovering compensation
- Collecting any available evidence to build your case
- Identifying all responsible parties and sources of compensation
- Hiring leading experts who can testify about elements of your case
- Determining how much compensation you deserve
- Developing effective strategies to protect you from blame-the-victim scare tactics
- Negotiating with the insurance companies and defense attorneys for a full settlement
- Fighting to protect you at trial
Our Illinois personal injury attorney has been recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer in America and earned a place on the Million Dollar Advocates’ Forum. Contact us today to learn more about how we can protect your interests after an accident.
How Common Are Personal Injuries in Illinois?
People are injured due to carelessness all the time in Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, in 2022, nearly 60,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents across the state of Illinois.
In 2024, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that at least 3,162 people were injured in large truck accidents. Another 800 victims were injured in bus accidents.
How Do I Know Whether I Have a Valid Personal Injury Case in Illinois?
Illinois personal injury laws allow victims to pursue compensation from anyone whose negligent, reckless, or wrongful act caused their injuries. A wide variety of scenarios can give a victim the right to file a lawsuit.
Some basic examples include injuries sustained because:
- A negligent driver caused a car crash
- A doctor made a mistake and failed to diagnose a disease
- A business owner failed to fix a broken handrail, and a customer fell down the stairs
- Someone assaulted a fan at a sports event
If you aren’t sure about your right to seek compensation, call our lawyer in Illinois today. We’ll listen to your story, evaluate the facts and explain your options.
How Much Money Is My Illinois Personal Injury Case Worth?
It’s critical that your lawyer take the time to evaluate your unique losses before estimating your case value.
Relevant factors include:
- Financial losses. We typically begin by evaluating your current financial losses. Medical treatment costs can be shocking. Both past and future financial expenses will be a key element of your financial award
- Lost wages. Severe injuries can completely prevent you from working. They can also make it difficult to earn a living even once you’ve healed to the extent possible. Our lawyers will evaluate both your current lost income and future impairments
- The severity of the injuries. More serious injuries tend to result in a need for ongoing care and treatment. They also take longer to heal and impact your life in more dramatic ways.
- Personal losses. Our lawyers will also evaluate the extent of your physical pain and mental suffering. The value of your pain and suffering damages depend heavily on how the injury has damaged your quality of life
Many other factors can be relevant as we calculate the value of your claim. You can count on our team to conduct a detailed analysis as we’re building your case. Often, we’ll bring in experts who can testify about the expected value of your future costs.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Personal Injury Victims in Illinois?
Compensatory damages in Illinois compensate victims for their financial expenses and personal losses. In legal terms, both economic damages and non-economic damages are available.
More specifically, you may deserve compensation for:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Physical therapy
- Surgeries
- Nursing care
- Assistance around the house
- Lost wages
- Long-term disability
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium in wrongful death cases
Illinois courts rarely award punitive damages. When they do, it’s because the defendant’s actions were malicious or showed an extreme disregard for human safety. Punitive damages don’t compensate for a loss. They serve to punish the at-fault party for their actions.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Illinois?
Personal injury law firms often work on a contingency fee basis. Joel E. Brown, P.C. is no exception. When you hire our attorney, you first agree to pay a percentage of your settlement or verdict. Along the way, you won’t have to worry about paying anything.
The point is simple. With a contingency fee arrangement, victims never have to worry about the cost of legal representation. They only pay when their attorneys win.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed for an Accident in Illinois?
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence law. If the other side proves you were more than 50% liable, you don’t have a right to damages. If your share of the fault is lower than 51%, your compensation is reduced in proportion to your share of the fault.
Our Skilled Attorney in Illinois Handles All Types of Personal Injury Claims
We represent clients who have sustained all different types of injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Eye and facial injuries
- Broken bones
- Chest injuries
- Back injuries
- Concussions
- Shoulder, knee, and other joint injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Head and neck injuries
- Fractures and ligament injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
If you were injured and someone else was responsible, call our team after you seek medical attention. We offer free case reviews–and you don’t have to wait until you’re fully recovered to seek legal advice.
What Causes Most Personal Injuries in Illinois?
At Joel E. Brown, P.C., our founding attorney has over three decades of legal experience.
That gives us the skills to handle any type of personal injury claim, including cases involving:
- Car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dangerous property conditions (premises liability claims)
- Negligent security
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents involving semi-trucks and big rigs
- Bus accidents
- Railroad accidents
- Uber or Lyft accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Dog bites
- Defective products (product liability claims)
- Medical malpractice
- Assault and violence
If someone else was responsible, we’re here to help. Regardless of the circumstances, we have the resources to launch a full investigation. Count on us to identify any party who shares the blame for your injuries.
How Do I Prove Negligence After Suffering a Personal Injury in Illinois?
Negligence is perhaps the most fundamental concept in personal injury law. When people are careless and cause injuries, they can be held responsible based on negligence.
In the simplest terms, someone is negligent when they fail to exercise a reasonable amount of caution. Victims who are injured as a result can take legal action.
The four distinct elements that you must prove are:
- The defendant had a duty of care. For example, all drivers have a duty to obey traffic laws and drive carefully. Doctors have a duty to adhere to a medical standard of care
- By some act or omission, they breached their duty
- The breach of duty was the direct cause of an injury or harm
- The specific damages you have suffered as a result
The relevant legal standard is a “preponderance of the evidence”. That means there must be evidence to show that each element is more likely than not true.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After an Accident in Illinois?
The statute of limitations is the deadline for filing a lawsuit. While the statute of limitations can vary depending on the circumstances, most injury victims have two years. Failing to file a lawsuit within two years of the injury generally means you forfeit your right to damages.
Contact an Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Do you have questions about your legal rights after an injury? Call an Illinois personal injury lawyer at Joel E. Brown, P.C. Because your case review is free, there’s never any risk.
