Life can be unpredictable. Even the most cautious individuals can be injured by accident while going about their day. Some equipment at work could malfunction and result in you missing a few weeks of work. You could trip on an uneven walking surface while visiting a store and break a bone. While driving to a friend’s house, someone could pull out in front of you, causing a collision. There is no limit to the number of circumstances that could result in you getting hurt.
When you step onto the property of another person or a business, you should expect that the premises are relatively safe. Property owners are expected to maintain a certain standard of safety to keep visitors from being at risk of injuries. However, negligence by the owner can sometimes result in others getting hurt on their property which may result in a personal injury claim.
In this specific scenario, the personal injury falls under the category of premises liability. It is a specific segment of personal injury law that comes into play when a property owner fails to uphold a standard of safety, putting visitors in danger. What would a case like this look like if you had to make a claim in Chicago?
Damages
For a personal injury claim to be filed, there must be damages that the victim has suffered. An example would be the medical costs of recovering from the injury such as hospital bills. It could also be lost wages if you had to miss time at work to recover. If a victim dies due to the incident, then the person’s family could be facing funeral costs. There are even non-economical damages that can be assessed like emotional suffering, which is harder to calculate an exact monetary value for. When filing a personal injury claim, you’ll have to provide proof of these damages to demonstrate how much compensation you are entitled to from the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Proving Liability
The most important part of your personal injury claim is gathering evidence to prove that liability for the incident lies with the property owner. You will need enough compelling data to show that negligence was involved in the incident and that you were not at fault for the injury you suffered. For example, if you were behaving recklessly while on the Chicago property, your claim is unlikely to be successful. Evidence could include eyewitness accounts, doctor’s notes, pictures of the incident scene, or even camera footage. Collecting this evidence is crucial to your case, which is why it can be helpful to hire a Chicago premises liability lawyer to help. A legal professional is capable of advising you on your claim and deciding what type of evidence will be needed to make your claim. Their expertise could be valuable and make the difference between winning or losing the case.
Pursuing Compensation
The purpose of a premises liability case is to recover compensation for the victim. The damages you have suffered may have completely destroyed your financial outlook, especially if you have a family that depends on your ability to work and provide an income. The settlement in a personal injury case can help cover losses like lost income, medical bills, and non-economic damages. This is a life-saver for injury victims who do not know where to turn after high medical bills and reduced income leave them with more questions than answers. Additionally, pursuing compensation can be a difficult stage in the claim process, as insurance companies will do whatever they can to avoid a big payout. Again, having a Chicago lawyer on your side would benefit you, as this professional can negotiate on your behalf for a fair settlement.
Receiving a Payout
If you win your personal injury claim and have agreed upon an amount with the property owner’s insurance company, it is time for the payout to be distributed. First, a percentage will go to your attorney to cover their fees for representing you. Next, other damages will be paid directly, such as a check to your health insurance for any medical bills. If there is money left over after the damages have been covered, you will receive this money personally. In this case, winning a premises liability case could set you and your family up for the future after the incident.
A Lawyer Can Even the Odds
When going up against insurance companies or businesses, individuals may struggle to win their personal injury claims and receive what they deserve. Hiring a lawyer can even the odds in this matchup and greatly increase your chances of winning. Wouldn’t it make far more sense to work with a professional who has experience serving clients and earning fair settlements for them? Consider the cost of not hiring an attorney and what that could mean for your financial future after an injury on someone else’s Chicago property.