Harwood Heights is a village located in Cook County with a population of about 8,000 residents. The village is less than a square mile in size and is surrounded by Chicago and Norridge. Harwood Heights’ motto is “a small town of big opportunities.” Each year, unfortunately, a number of people in Harwood Heights are injured in car crashes and other accidents.
If this has happened to you or someone close to you, it is important to reach out to a personal injury lawyer in Harwood Heights at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. We can assess the merits of your case and help you seek the compensation that you deserve for your harm. We have over 75 years of combined experience.
Asserting Your Rights Following an Accident
Personal injury claims arise when individuals suffer harm due to the carelessness or intentional actions of someone else. Personal injury law encompasses a variety of cases, including car accidents, motorcycle crashes, truck accidents, construction and work-related accidents, medical malpractice, slip and falls, defective product mishaps, and pedestrian accidents.
These cases are typically rooted in the legal doctrine of negligence. In most everyday situations, negligence occurs when someone causes injury or death by failing to take reasonable care in their actions or omissions.
Reasonable care refers to each individual’s duty to act as a prudent or sensible person would act under the same or similar circumstances. This is usually decided according to an analysis of the specific situation rather than by referring to a statute.
If a plaintiff has successfully established negligence, they may be able to recover damages for their harm. A plaintiff may recover economic damages, which are intended to compensate an accident victim for losses such as medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, property damage, and any other costs arising from the accident.
A plaintiff may also be able to recover non-economic damages, which are typically awarded for non-pecuniary harms, such as disfigurement, disability, pain and suffering, or emotional distress.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Harwood Heights
Our personal injury attorney in Harwood Heights provides you with comprehensive legal support even in the toughest of times. We take on most types of personal injury matters. The following are some of the most common cases we handle:
- Harwood Heights car accident lawyer: If you are suffering because another driver was careless, impaired, reckless, or otherwise not abiding by the law, we want to help you fight for fair compensation.
- Harwood Heights truck accident lawyer: With an ever-increasing number of trucks on the road, it is critically important that you hire an attorney if you are in an accident. These complicated cases often result in serious injuries due to regulation violations.
- Harwood Heights elevator accident lawyer: Building owners maintain a responsibility to keep their property safe. When they fail due to elevator maintenance concerns or other reasons, we want to fight for your right to compensation.
- Harwood Heights construction accident lawyer: Construction sites are dangerous, but laws aim to protect workers, visitors, and others. If you were hurt, reach out to us for a free consultation.
- Harwood Heights boating accident lawyer: Our extensive experience with marine-related accidents makes us a solid choice after an accident occurs.
- Harwood Heights dog bite lawyer: Dog owners must maintain control over their pets. When they fail, we make them pay for the damages victims suffer.
- Harwood Heights wrongful death lawyer: If your loved one lost their life as a result of the negligence of another party, let us get to work building a claim. We will get justice.
- Harwood Heights motorcycle accident lawyer: Let our proven and experienced motorcycle accident attorneys fight for fair compensation when you have serious injuries and losses due to the negligence of others.
- Harwood Heights pedestrian accident lawyer: Pedestrians face some of the most intense losses and risks to their well-being. We give you back the tools to fight for fair compensation.
- Harwood Heights bicycle accident lawyer: You should not fear going for a bike ride in our community. Let us hold those who cause you injuries accountable for the losses.
Request a free consultation with our Harwood Heights personal injury lawyer if someone else caused your injuries and losses. Expect our team to build a strong claim for you. You pay us nothing until we win your case.
How to Establish Negligence
The team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., will work diligently to defend your rights and help you establish negligence. In order to establish negligence, the plaintiff must demonstrate the following elements:
- The defendant owed the plaintiff a certain duty of care;
- The defendant breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff;
- The defendant’s breach was a direct cause of the plaintiff’s injuries and damages; and
- The damages are sufficiently quantifiable so that they may be compensated.
For example, a driver might ignore a stop sign and strike a pedestrian on a crosswalk. The driver likely would be liable for the pedestrian’s resulting injuries and damages. This is because a prudent or sensible driver would understand the risks associated with disregarding a stop sign and would carefully obey traffic rules.
Each case is different, and the appropriate amount of compensation will depend on the specific circumstances, as evidenced by our client testimonials.
You Must File Within the Statute of Limitations
Time is of the essence in Illinois personal injury cases. The statute of limitations for most claims involving bodily harm is two years from the date of the accident (735 ILCS 5/13-202).
A lawsuit for property damage, on the other hand, must be filed within five years from the date of the accident. Failing to file within the statute of limitations could mean losing your right to take legal action altogether.
Let Our Harwood Heights Personal Injury Lawyer Investigate What Happened to You and How Much Compensation You Are Owed
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., we fight for victims to the fullest level allowed under the law.
Expect our Harwood Heights personal injury attorney to become your advocate even in these challenging situations. Set up a free consultation with us now. Let us investigate your rights.
