When people think of personal injury in the majority of cases they are thinking of an injury sustained in a car accident. Although there are many injuries associated with this, any Chicago injury attorney will tell you that there are also many injuries associated with dog bites, faulty products and medical malpractice. As long as the injury can be proven to be the result of negligence on the part of someone or something else it is considered tort.
If you suffer an injury which is a result of negligence or a willful act on the part of another then you will need to hire a Chicago injury attorney. An injury attorney is experienced in litigating cases of this nature. To find such an attorney, one which has a good track record of winning out of court settlements as well as being a tenacious advocate in court here are a few helpful hints.
* As the injured party you are the “plaintiff.” You will want an attorney who has the reputation of being an advocate for the plaintiff, not a defense attorney. The defendant in the case will be represented by either his or her own attorney or an attorney engaged by the insurance company.
* Study the attorney’s profile, check the skills possessed, the law school attended and the reputation of the school. You will want to know how many cases he or she prosecuted and the number of successful cases he has and the number of satisfied clients.
* Often a Chicago injury attorney attempts to settle on behalf of the client out of court. In the event this doesn’t happen, how comfortable is your attorney in court? If the defendant wants to take the case to trial, is the attorney you are considering confident enough to take on and if need be, threaten an insurance company? An attorney who appears weak and lacks confidence will be sensed by the other side, this is often the reason why the defense forces the matter into court, they know they can defeat his arguments and settle for less.
* It is very important that your attorney is committed to the success of your case. There are attorneys that will literally take any case they are offered, but tort cases can become extremely complicated and you must have a seasoned attorney, one who deals specifically in injury cases.
Once you have identified a Chicago injury attorney whom you feel can represent you, try to negotiate a contingency fee arrangement which means you have no upfront legal expenses as the attorney will be compensated out of the settlement.
It is extremely important that you engage a seasoned Chicago injury attorney, one who will work diligently to see that you receive the settlement you rightly deserve. You are invited to discuss your issue with the Shea Law Group.
