2THEADVOCATE.COM reported that on November 29, 2009, a 2000 GMC Safari Minivan carrying 15 people went out of control and rolled on a highway, striking a delivery truck, and then leaving the driver and 5 children dead, and 10 other people critically injured.
If you are involved in a car accident in Chicago, you may be entitled to recover damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical, loss of earnings, and property damage if (1) your injury is a direct result of the car accident, (2) the accident was caused by another person’s carelessness, and not your own.
Engage an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney to help you evaluate the worth of your claim when your injuries are long term, the legal rules are complex, or liability is disputed.
The severity of injuries is measured by the amount of medical bills, length of time to recover, and types of injuries. Soft tissue injuries are difficult to prove. They are not permanent. There is discomfort to the muscles or nerves, but you cannot pinpoint them like broken bones that cause life disruptions. Diagnosis of the injury may run up the medical bills with tests and exams, but bills relating to treatment determine the seriousness. Medical bills from doctors, hospitals, clinics are given more weight than physical therapy and chiropractors. Physical therapy under a doctor’s referral and control is more likely lumped as part of medical specials than physical therapy that was not recommended. If a doctor prescribes medication, convince the responsible party the injuries are serious depending on how strong and how long the medication is prescribed. Taking prescription drugs indicates a doctor viewed an injury as painful.
Claims where the legal rules are complex include toxic exposures. Exposures to contaminants to air, water, or soil require expert scientific data to prove. Liability may be disputed when an insurance company or government entity refuses to make a fair settlement.
If you are a survivor of a parent, spouse, or child who died in a car accident, you may have claims for loss of consortium, including loss of companionship, sexual relations, financial losses, and pain and suffering. You need to establish (1) the death was caused by the careless actions of the defendant, and (2) happened as a result of the car accident.
When injured in a car accident in Chicago, obtain the following information from the other driver: name, address, phone numbers, name of liability insurance company. Read up on statute of limitations for car accident cases. The injured party is allowed to file suit from one day after the accident against a careless party until the statute of limitations expires after the accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident, contact us today to help you get the ruling you deserve.
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