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A car accident can cause traumatic and life altering injuries, and we at Langdon & Emison promise to represent you effectively and professionally with our experienced and resourceful attorneys who will ensure you get the compensation that you deserve.
A car accident can cause traumatic and life altering injuries, and we at Langdon & Emison promise to represent you effectively and professionally with our experienced and resourceful attorneys who will ensure you get the compensation that you deserve.
Choosing the correct Chicago, IL car accident lawyer could be the difference between getting fair compensation and feeling as if you were cheated. Langdon & Emison will ensure that you are heard, are represented to the fullest, and understand the full limits to your rights in your car accident case.
If you have questions about your Chicago car accident, but aren’t sure where to start, call a Langdon & Emison car accident lawyer to guide you through the claims process. And if the insurance company won’t fairly compensate you, we are prepared and trial-tested attorney’s with a proven track record, and we will take them to court.
We’ve been representing car accident victims for more than 30 years, so we know exactly what your Chicago, Illinois car accident case needs. We have been nationally recognized as some of the best in personal injury litigation and have earned our clients almost $1 billion in verdicts and settlements.
Our secret is simple: we treat our clients as people, not cases. We are a team of highly experienced and compassionate attorneys committed to earning you the highest possible compensation for your injuries and damages as a result of a negligent driver or company’s actions. Our practice stretches beyond Chicago, including Cook County, DuPage County, Will County, Kane County, Lake County, and all points in Illinois. Give us a call at (866) 931-2115 and we will review your case with no obligation to you.
Illinois follows a fault-based system, which is also called a tort liability system. So drivers who cause car accidents are held accountable to paying for them. Illinois is also a comparative fault state, meaning the under 735 I.L.C.S. § 5/2-1116, drivers may each be held partially liable for an accident and that awards are diminished based on the amount of fault.
No, Illinois is not a no-fault state. Illinois allows car accident victims to pursue lawsuits against negligent drivers.
As the largest city of the American Midwest, Chicago is a city full of interesting sights, beautiful buildings, and bad drivers. Chicago survived the Great Fire of 1871, rebuilt quickly and continues to thrive with bustling people from all over. While the city has a history of bringing itself from the ashes, its car accident statistics are scary to look at.
Cook County and DuPage County accounted for 57% of all car crashes for Illinois in 2018 according to the 2018 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics report. Chicago had 183,315 accidents with 282 crashes resulting in a fatality, 36,236 crashes resulting in injuries not permanently incapacitating, and 3,911 resulting in a life altering injury to the victim.
That adds up to over 500 accidents per day in just Chicago. With those odds, it’s only a matter of time before a negligent driver could change your life forever.If the negligence of another driver has left you hurt or resulted in the wrongful death of a loved one, you may seek financial compensation in a lawsuit against the negligent party.
Even when your injuries are minor, a car accident can significantly alter your life. We know that the financial cost of an accident (the car, the medical cost, the lost wages) is only a portion of the cost associated. We will make sure the invisible damages are included as well. Pain, suffering, and emotional damages are covered for current and future lingering issues, as well as restitution for the wrongful death of a loved one.
We know that a car accident can be an incredibly scary experience, but remember that while your adrenaline is high you must stay calm and collected. We have more extensive directions on our article 10 Things You Need to Do After a Car Crash, but here’s a quick 10 step summary of what to do after a car crash.
After a car accident, you have a lot to do and think about. You may have to seek medical treatment, you’ll have to think about repairing or replacing your vehicle, and you worry about your current lack of income. However, you shouldn’t have to worry about receiving the compensation you deserve.
Langdon & Emison takes that anxiety off of your shoulders. Our nationally-recognized lawyers have handled hundreds of car accident cases in Chicago and surrounding areas. We help our clients through every step of the legal process and stand by them when they need it most. As one of the nation’s leading law firms, our diligence and work ethic speak for themselves. Here’s why you should speak to a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
If you were injured or your property was damaged in a car accident, you have a legal right to pursue compensation from the party who caused the accident. However, it’s important that you treat litigation as a privilege. You lose your right to sue if you fail to meet the deadlines specified by Illinois law.
A car accident lawyer in Chicago at Langdon & Emison will ensure your case moves forward and follows an important legal deadline. This deadline is known as the “statute of limitations” and protects your right to sue. Keep in mind that a pending insurance claim will not “pause” the statute of limitations. If you’re wondering when to get an attorney for a car accident, err on the side of caution; it’s best to hire a Chicago auto accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Personal injury lawyers are educated and trained in establishing liability and proving negligence. Our lawyers at Langdon & Emison have handled hundreds of these cases and know how to treat each one with the attention and skill needed to recover equitable compensation.
It’s not a good idea to try and establish liability on your own. Even though you were involved in the car accident, you may not be able to form an objective, factual stance on the events of the crash. An auto accident lawyer will be able to prove negligence through the following elements:
You (the plaintiff) and your lawyer must prove that the defendant (the at-fault driver) owed you a legal duty. In the case of a car accident, the legal duty would have been to drive with reasonable care and to follow traffic laws, just like every other driver.
If the at-fault driver was speeding, impaired by alcohol or drugs, or was otherwise unfit to drive, your lawyer will argue that they breached the duty of reasonable care.
To win a negligence case, your attorney must prove that the defendant’s actions directly caused your injury.
You, the plaintiff, must also prove that you were injured as a result of the defendant’s actions.
A frequently-cited study by Nolo found that nine out of ten people who hired a lawyer received a settlement. Compare that to the five out of ten who negotiated on their own. Another eye-opening statistic lies in the amount of money recovered for those who hired an attorney and those who did not.
Nolo found that those who hired an attorney received an average settlement of $77,600 in compensation. Compare that to the average $17,600 for those who handled their own cases, and you’ll see why most people see the value in hiring a lawyer for their car accident case.
You’re also more likely to recover a greater amount of money with a lawyer because they understand the tricks that insurance companies or other parties might use to shirk responsibility.
Attorneys are also better judges of when to cease negotiation and go to trial. A person representing themselves might jump the gun and make the mistake of going to court without preparation, which could cost them in time, money, and effort.
Representing yourself in court is like driving a car with no steering wheel – you may know what you need to do, but you have very little control over what will happen.
Study the local laws and procedures as much as you’d like, but the simple fact of the matter is that lawyers are more prepared and knowledgeable about how to obtain a favorable outcome in court. One mistake during self-representation could compromise your entire case. To avoid that risk, hire an experienced car crash lawyer at Langdon & Emison.
The difference between a settlement and a verdict is simple. If the insurance company can offer an amount that sufficiently covers the cost of your injuries and damages, a settlement is reached between the client and the insurance company. If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation for your injuries and damages, then the claim turns into a lawsuit and goes to trial. The jury or judge enters a verdict for the lawsuit on whether to award the victim for their damages. Reaching a verdict is sometimes the only way to be fairly compensated, which is why we prepare every case as if it will go to trial.
Car accidents can range from inconvenient to life altering. A head-on collision on the way to work could end up being a few thousand dollars in damages or millions due to severe injuries. It’s important to understand the differences between economic, non-economic, and punitive damages as it relates to your car accident.
Economic damages cover anything that has a bill, receipt, or paper trail. So that includes property damage, medical and treatment costs, and lost wages or income due to the accident. Most people injured in accidents are quick to say they are fine, but that is often the case. Always be seen by a doctor after a car accident.
The harder type of damages to quantify is non-economic damages. These are damages that are intangible, but not invisible. The pain you feel from a lingering injury, the depression that comes with being confined to a bed for months on end, or the joy you will miss out on in the future due to your car accident are all non-economic damages.
Punitive damages are awarded to a plaintiff if the defendant was found to have operated their car in a fraudulent, intentional, willful or wanton manner. This is not included in the compensatory damages, but are fines intended to punish the defendant for their intentionally reckless behavior that could have been avoided. And while most states have a cap on the amount of punitive damages you can collect, Illinois has no cap.
Understanding how much you’ll be compensated for your accident depends on the cap on the defendant’s insurance policy and the next three questions.
In the event of a traumatic car accident, there are bound to be injuries. And on these busy and dangerous Chicago streets, injuries can be more severe due to negligence of laws and road signs. Langdon & Emison will be sure to collect all the right documents, case files, and medical information to ensure you are justly compensated for your time, injuries, pain and suffering. These are common car accident injuries one may experience during and following a car accident.
We have been around for more than three decades, and our list of clients who have received just restitution in their car accident cases only continues to grow. We have four offices in Missouri and Illinois, leaving your Chicago car accident in experienced and resourceful hands whether you are from Cook County, DuPage County, Will County, Kane County, Lake County, or anywhere else in downstate Illinois. Wherever your accident happens in Chicagoland, know that we will fight tirelessly to represent you and earn you the maximum compensation justly deserved due to the negligence of the other driver.
Don’t let an insurance company pull the wool over your eyes by cutting you a check that is far less than what is fair for your injuries, pain and suffering. Let us help.
We will review your Chicago car accident case at no cost to you and with no obligation from you. We only take cases we believe we can win and take on the cost until a settlement is reached. Give us a call at (866) 931-2115 and we will review your case at no obligation to you.
When it matters, we’ll be there. We have successfully represented dozens of clients in the Illinois area and cover the areas of Cook County, DuPage County, Will County, Kane County, and Lake County. Our system of representation includes a well oiled machine of interrogating those responsible, investigating the situation individually, and practicing with a mixture of expertise and empathy.
We know what it takes to win a lawsuit against negligent parties at court and we have the settlements to prove it.
A car accident lawyer will be able to determine and prove the fault of the other driver. While you may attempt to represent yourself in court, it isn’t recommended. Your Chicago car accident lawyer from Langdon & Emison already has decades of experience and a reputation for results. They will fight tirelessly in your place and will only get paid if you do.
You should offer the information of the other driver’s insurance and let them know of any claims you need to make to repair or replace your car. When talking to the insurance adjuster, you should not give any sort of statement to them. You should not explain your injuries or agree to release your medical records to them. You should refuse to be recorded and limit any conversations with them. Instead, you should guide them to contact your car accident lawyer. Remain calm, remain quiet, and let your lawyer make sure you are fairly compensated.
Give a simple explanation of events to the police officer on scene. Provide any information the officer requests, but be sure you are careful in your speech. Remember that anything you say may end up on the police report, so do not admit fault or self-incriminate. The police officer is there to get a clear picture of what happened, and this can help or hinder your future case if you say the wrong thing.
Because the adrenaline from a car accident can give you a false sense that you are perfectly fine, it’s always recommended to see a doctor after a car accident. Injuries can become apparent only a few hours after an accident or take a day or two to notice. Going to the doctor within the first 12 hours will ensure that your injuries are due to the car accident and not something else that may have occurred in that time. Don’t give the insurance adjuster any ammunition to reduce to deny your claims by waiting too long to be seen.
The statute of limitations for car accidents is two years from the date of the accident. That doesn’t mean you can just wait two years to file a lawsuit. Insurance companies may sometimes draw out the claims process in the hopes you won’t find legal representation. That is why calling a car accident lawyer as soon as you can helps ensure you are covered from the very beginning. Don’t wait for your injuries to get worse, call us now.
When it matters, we'll be there.
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