Auto Accident Injuries and Victim’s Righs

Personal Injury and Auto Accident Injuries: Understanding Your Legal Rights in Illinois

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident in Illinois, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Whether you were a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist, you have legal rights that protect you from the negligence of others.

At Crosby and Crosby LLP, we understand the physical, emotional, and financial impact auto accident injuries can have on individuals and their families. That is why we’re dedicated to helping our clients obtain the compensation they deserve for their injuries.

Common Auto Accident Injuries

Car accidents can result in various types of injuries, ranging from minor to severe. Some of the most common auto accident injuries include:

Whiplash: Whiplash is a neck injury that occurs when the head is jerked forward and then snapped back. This sudden movement can cause damage to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.
Broken Bones: Broken bones are a common auto accident injury, especially in high-speed collisions. Broken bones can be painful and can require surgery and a long recovery time.
Spinal Cord Injuries: Spinal cord injuries can result in paralysis, loss of sensation, and other serious complications. These injuries can be life-changing and can require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries can result from a blow to the head, such as hitting the dashboard or steering wheel in an auto accident. These injuries can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage and internal bleeding and can have long-term effects on cognitive function and overall health.
Soft Tissue Injuries: Soft tissue injuries include bruises, strains, and sprains to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These injuries can be painful and can require physical therapy and other forms of treatment.

Personal Injury and Auto Accidents in Illinois: A Guide to Protecting Your Legal Rights

Legal Rights for Auto Accident Injuries

If you have been injured in an auto accident in Illinois, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Illinois law allows injured parties to recover compensation for the following types of damages:

Medical Expenses: You can recover compensation for your medical expenses, including hospital bills, doctor’s fees, medication costs, and rehabilitation expenses.
Lost Wages: If you are unable to work as a result of your injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages. This can include past and future lost wages, as well as lost earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from working in the future.
Pain and Suffering: You may also be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, which includes physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Property Damage: If your vehicle or other personal property was damaged in the accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the cost of repairs or replacement.
Wrongful Death: If a loved one was killed in an auto accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your loss. This can include funeral expenses, medical bills, and loss of income and companionship.

Steps to Take After an Auto Accident

For those injured in an auto accident in Illinois, there are several steps you should take to protect your legal rights and obtain the compensation you deserve:

Seek Medical Attention: Your health and well-being should be your top priority. Seek medical attention immediately after the accident, even if you do not think you have been seriously injured.
Gather Information: Collect as much information as possible about the accident, including the names and contact information of all parties involved, insurance information of the other party involved in the accident, their license number, and the names and contact information of any witnesses.
Save police information: If the police are summoned, get the responding officer’s name and badge number.
Contact an Attorney: Contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible to help you understand your legal rights.

Legal Assistance from Crosby & Crosby, LLP

If you or someone you know has suffered from a personal injury or auto accident injury in Illinois, it is important to seek legal guidance as soon as possible. At Crosby and Crosby LLP, our experienced attorneys, are here to help you understand your legal rights and guide you through the process of obtaining the compensation you deserve.

We urge you not wait to take action. You can reach us online to schedule a free consultation, or you can call us at 815-367-6432. Let the experienced personal injury attorneys at Crosby & Crosby help you protect your rights and get the justice you deserve.

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How to choose the right divorce lawyer?: Choosing the right divorce lawyer, in our mind, comes down to three factors. First, is this lawyer going to be an aggressive advocate for me? Second, is this lawyer a person I can get along with personally? Third, do I trust this lawyer to communicate with me effectively? If you walk away from an initial consultation with a lawyer answering yes to those three questions, you have likely found the lawyer who is right for you.
What should I expect from my divorce lawyer?: Legal work can be extremely time consuming. Your expectations should not necessarily be that your lawyer is someone you can vent to about your personal life, as that would likely result in an unreasonably high bill. But you should expect your lawyer to keep you informed as to the status of your case. You should also expect your lawyer to listen to your wishes and concerns and use those thoughts as a basis for your case. You don’t need to talk to your lawyer everyday, but you should hear from them every other week or so.
What should I expect from the court system?: Expect the unexpected when it comes to the Court dates. The Court system is based on a first-come-first-serve calendar, when the case is not filed as an emergency. All initial Court dates are determined by the Clerk of the Court, not of the lawyer or client. If you have a lawyer, expect the Judges to want your lawyer to do the talking, unless the Judge asks the client a question directly. You should also expect the Judge to keep the Courtroom as orderly as possible. Judges very much look down on people who speak out of turn. As for dress, the Court does not require a strict dress code, but it is always a good idea to dress professionally to show the Judge that you take the system and their Courtroom seriously.
How do I know what assets my spouse has?: There is a process in the law referred to as “discovery” that allows a party to a legal proceeding to discover information about the opposing party. In the context of a divorce, “discovery” is primarily used in the form of written questions and written requests for the opposing party to provide documents to the party that is doing the requesting. These are called “interrogatories” and “requests to produce.” During the process, the party answering the questions or requests must provide a written testimony, under oath, that the documents and answers are true and accurate. It is through this process of “discovery” that we are able to learn what assets a party possesses.

Published on June 16, 2023 by Tyler Crosby

What to Do After an Auto Accident

Personal Injury and Auto Accident Injuries: Understanding Your Legal Rights in Illinois

Common Auto Accident Injuries

Legal Rights for Auto Accident Injuries

Steps to Take After an Auto Accident

Legal Assistance from Crosby & Crosby, LLP

Real People, Real Problems, Real Results

How to choose the right divorce lawyer?

What should I expect from my divorce lawyer?

What should I expect from the court system?

How do I know what assets my spouse has?