Norwood Park

Knowledgeable Injury Lawyers Helping Victims in Norwood Park

Norwood Park is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas, located in Cook County with a population of over 35,000 people. The park is 14 acres in size and boasts the only outdoor swimming pool with a water slide on the North Side of Chicago. Norwood Park is home to a number of wooded areas, such as North Branch Trail, Caldwell Woods Park, Norwood Circle Park, and Oriole Park. As in other Cook County communities, people in Norwood Park are often injured in various types of accidents. If you or someone close to you was injured in an accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. At the Therman Law Offices, our skilled Norwood Park injury attorneys can examine the facts of your case and determine the viability of your claim.

Bringing an Accident Claim in Illinois

Personal injury law covers a variety of situations, including car crashes, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical negligence, slip and falls, and defective drugs. If you have been injured in one of these types of accidents, you should know that you have a limited amount of time, known as the statute of limitations, to take legal action against the at-fault party. As a result, it is important to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible after your injury so that you do not miss your chance to file a lawsuit.

Most personal injury lawsuits are rooted in the theory of negligence. Under Illinois law, an individual is considered negligent if they cause an injury by failing to use the level of care that is expected of a reasonably prudent person in the same situation. Negligence may be established by showing certain elements by a preponderance of the evidence. First, the plaintiff must have been owed a duty of care. Also, the defendant must have breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff, and the plaintiff must have suffered harm as a result of the defendant’s breach, from which damages resulted. Negligence cases are highly fact-intensive, so you should work with a lawyer who will be meticulous and detail-oriented in investigating your accident.

Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence system. This means that, in any accident, fault is relatively assigned to each party involved. In other words, if you are determined to be partially at fault for an accident, your amount of fault will be assigned a percentage. Then, under the modified comparative negligence rule, your total recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are deemed to be 20 percent at fault, your total compensation award will be reduced by 20 percent, so if your total award were $100,000, you would walk away with $80,000. It is important to note that under Illinois law, however, a plaintiff who is more than 50 percent at fault for an accident is barred from recovering any damages from the defendant.

When it comes to on-the-job accidents, you will most likely not pursue damages through a negligence claim. This is because the system of workers’ compensation benefits is designed to be the exclusive remedy to deal with workplace accidents. As a result, when you sustain an injury or illness at work, your workers’ compensation benefits are meant to take effect and provide you with monetary assistance to cover your medical bills and part of your lost income as well. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission ultimately has authority over all claims for Illinois workplace accidents and illnesses.

Discuss Your Injury Case with a Norwood Park Attorney

Whether you were hurt in an accident that was caused by someone’s negligence or injured in the workplace, we can help. At the Therman Law Offices, our skilled Norwood Park injury lawyers have the skill, determination, and experience to handle your case. We also represent victims in cities such as Addison, Elmhurst, West Chicago, Lemont, Westmont, Oakbrook Terrace, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Lisle, and Darien. Call us at 312-588-1900 or contact us online for a free consultation with a car accident lawyer or representation in another type of personal injury claim.