Mount Vernon Personal Injury Lawyer

What Qualifies as a Personal Injury?

A personal injury is any accident or incident that causes harm (physical or mental) to an individual or damages their property. The law allows victims of these types of injuries to file for compensation via a personal injury lawsuit.

Common personal injury claims our office has seen include:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Product liability
• Premises liability
• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home abuse
• Workers’ compensation
• Wrongful death

Accidents happen every day, causing devastating injuries and victims to sustain overwhelming damages,  most of which are entirely preventable. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that accidents were the third leading cause of death in Illinois in 2022. Additional statistics from the National Safety Council (NSC) show that of the 122,963 deaths statewide that year, the top three causes of accidental death were poisoning, falls, and suffocation.

No matter the type of accident you’ve had, our expert legal team at Prince Law Firm can help you fight for compensation. You’re not in this alone. Give us a call if you want to discuss the merits of your case.

Essential Elements You Must Prove in a Successful Injury Claim

Even if the details of your accident seem straightforward and you have legal counsel on your side, you may not get a successful settlement if your claim doesn’t meet the legal requirements for a personal injury claim in Illinois. Your attorney will have to prove the at-fault party’s negligence in order to move forward with your case.

That proof comes in the form of these four elements:

1. The at-fault party owed you a duty of care
2. The at-fault party breached that duty by reckless acting or inaction
3. The breach of duty caused your injuries and other damages
4. You have a financial impact due to your damages and injuries

All four of these elements must be present and proven for your claim to be considered valid, and if so, you could be eligible for compensation. Your personal injury attorney in Mount Vernon can assist you if you’re unsure whether your claim meets these elements or what each one means.

Recovering Compensation for Damages

Once your Mount Vernon personal injury lawyer proves that the at-fault party’s negligence caused your accident, you can pursue compensation for economic and noneconomic damages. Simply put, that is out-of-pocket costs necessary for your recovery, and any other emotional or psychological trauma that occurred that may be more difficult to put a price on.

Most of those damages include:

• Medical bills, current and future
• Lost wages, current and future
• Loss of earning capacity
• Disability
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Emotional trauma (such as PTSD)
• Therapies or rehabilitation
• In-home care
• Funeral and burial costs

Although the details and the amount of compensation are different, your lawyer will be able to help you determine which of your damages and injuries you may receive compensation for. In some cases, a judge or jury may award the victim punitive damages in addition to other compensation, such as in situations where the at-fault party is determined to be grossly negligent or intentionally reckless.

Why Hire a Mount Vernon Personal Injury Lawyer?

While you can pursue a personal injury lawsuit on your own against the party who caused your injuries and damages, these cases can quickly become complex and confusing. It’s in the best interest of the success of your case to hire a knowledgeable Mount Vernon lawyer. Your attorney will take a look at the details of your case and assist you with gathering the necessary documentation to file within the Illinois two-year statute of limitations.

It’s bad enough that you’re injured because of someone else’s negligence, so you shouldn’t have to suffer financially, either. So don’t hesitate. Reach out to our office today for your free consultation with a Mount Vernon personal injury lawyer to see how they can help you get the compensation you deserve.