Schaumburg, Illinois, is a beautiful city with a thriving economy and many safe places to live. It’s home to numerous major attractions, such as Woodfield Mall, LEGOLAND, and the ever-popular Medieval Times dining experience. This suburb of Chicago is known for being safe and a great place to raise families, but this doesn’t mean that accidents can’t happen here.
Every year, millions of people across the world file personal injury claims, and Schaumburg is no exception. Whether it’s a fall that caused serious knee injuries, a car accident, or a dog bite, residents of this community are vulnerable to injuries that necessitate medical intervention, which is incredibly expensive and takes away from one’s enjoyment of life.
However, those injured due to the negligence of others may be eligible for a personal injury settlement, and the only way to know this is to consult a lawyer. Here are the reasons why you should consider contacting a Schaumburg Illinois personal injury lawyer if you’ve been hurt in this lovely town - or anywhere else.
It might not always be obvious who is at faultIn order to receive a personal injury settlement, you need to prove that the defendant bears responsibility for your injury. There are numerous ways to show this, but the most common one is negligence; in other words, they did not take adequate precautions to prevent an adverse outcome or accident.
Sometimes it’s very clear who was responsible for your injury; for example, if you were hurt in a car accident and the other person was driving while under the influence, they are obviously in the wrong and you can pursue a personal injury lawsuit. However, sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether who, if anyone, was at fault for the accident. This is where a lawyer comes in.
A lawyer can examine all the facts of the case and consider every possible party who might be responsible for the accident, including people and entities you may have never thought about. For example, if you are in a car accident in Schaumburg, the city may not have adequately maintained the roads, and so someone swerved into your car to avoid a pothole. In another example, let’s say that a dog broke through a fence and attacked you. If the fence was properly maintained and installed but still failed, it’s possible that the manufacturer could be held responsible for its failure.
Lawyers have experience in considering every component of a case and looking at all parties involved, even those that might not be obvious at first glance. They can help you figure out who should be held responsible for your injuries, and therefore who should pay for your medical bills.
A lawyer knows what evidence you need to gather, and has resources to find even moreWhen you’re staring at stacks of medical records and financial statements, it can be difficult to know what exactly will help prove your case. How much evidence do you need and what should it look like? If you have no experience in the legal field, you may have no idea what you have to show in order to prove your claim.
In contrast, a lawyer knows just what kinds of records are necessary - and they have ways of finding even more information that you couldn’t possibly gather on your own. For example, many lawyers have connections with private investigators and accident reconstruction teams that can give highly specific information that supports your case. They also know what kinds of medical tests you will need and can explain to you what records you must have to win your case.
Lawyers can negotiate with insurance companies and other agencies on your behalfInsurance companies can be very intimidating, and for good reason. Their primary goal any time someone submits a claim is to minimize the amount they spend on a settlement, so they will relentlessly negotiate an injured person down to the smallest possible settlement they will accept.
It’s easy to just say you’ll take a small sum and be done with it, because you’re injured and want to focus on taking care of yourself. However, this can be a costly mistake, especially as you may find that you have other medical bills down the road that the settlement doesn’t cover.
Lawyers have years of experience in negotiating with insurance companies, and they know exactly how to prove how much a person should be compensated. They will serve as an intermediary between you and the insurance company so that you do not accidentally say something that will diminish your settlement, which has the additional benefit of causing you less stress while you’re trying to heal.
Final thoughts
No one wants to be injured, especially not when enjoying the many attractions available in beautiful Schaumburg, but accidents can happen at any time and to anyone. If you find yourself hurt, it’s imperative that you contact a lawyer as soon as possible, as they can advise you on what you should and should not do. A lawyer can be the difference between a tiny settlement that pays nothing or a large settlement that fully satisfies all your bills. You owe it to yourself to get in touch with a lawyer and receive justice for what has been done to you.