Hurt in an Accident? Call a Personal Injury Attorney in Cook County
For over 30 years, Buttafuoco & Associates has been helping injured victims and their families win sizeable settlements by holding negligent parties legally responsible for the harm they’ve caused. If you or your loved one were recently hurt in an accident, one of the first items on your agenda will be to consult a local personal injury attorney in Cook County. Contact our office anytime to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
What constitutes a personal injury lawsuit?
Personal injury lawsuits are based on the concept of negligence, i.e., someone’s negligence caused another person injury. If someone acted in a way that was negligent or unreasonably careless, and you suffered injury as a result, then you might have grounds to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit against the wrongdoer (defendant) to recover your damages.
There are actually four elements that must be present in order to have a valid case.
- Duty of care – The defendant must have owed you a legal duty of care. This is usually easy to establish. For example, doctors owe patients a duty of care, drivers owe all road users a duty of care, and businesses owe their patrons a duty of care.
- Breach of duty – The defendant must have acted in a way that was unreasonably careless or negligent. For example, driving under the influence or a shop owner failing to warn patrons about a wet floor can be negligent behavior.
- Causation – Your injury must have been caused (at least in part) by the defendant’s negligence.
- Damages – You must have suffered injury, substantiated by medical records and witness testimonies, and damages as a result of the defendant’s negligence.
Building Your Personal Injury Case
If you are considering filing a personal injury case, you’ll need to start gathering whatever evidence you can to support it. You’ll want to collect information and documents that prove liability (that the other party was somehow negligent), as well as evidence that demonstrates your injuries and other damages. Anything that pertains to your accident may be helpful, such as police reports, photos and videos, doctors’ prognoses, an injury journal, and witnesses’ contact info.
Note, when you work with our team at Buttafuoco & Associates, we will assist you in collecting the evidence necessary to build your case. We may try to obtain traffic or security cam footage of the accident scene, for example, or we may need to consult with field experts, such as medical experts and forensic economists. Whatever it takes, we will ensure your case is thoroughly substantiated before filing your claim or lawsuit.
Recuperating Damages
The goal of a personal injury case is not only to hold the negligent party responsible for the harm they’ve caused and for a personal sense of closure, but also to recuperate your monetary and non-monetary losses. Should your personal injury case be successful, you may be able to recover numerous damages, such as the following.
- Medical, hospital, and rehabilitation bills
- Current and future treatments
- Disability and disfigurement
- Lost wages, loss of promotion, and loss of benefits
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- The effect of the accident on your family, social life, and overall well-being
- Funeral expenses and other wrongful death damages
Each case is different, so review the specifics of your case and the types of damages you may recover with your attorney to help you achieve full recovery of damages.
Free Consult with a Personal Injury Lawyer
To discuss the legal aspects of your accident, to estimate the value of your claim, or for help pursuing the highest settlement possible for your injuries, call Buttafuoco & Associates today at 1-800-NOW-HURT.
