PERSONAL INJURY
Types of Personal Injury
Our outstanding legal team can help if the negligence of another person has caused you to suffer serious injury. At Chadwick and Lakerdas, we have a 30 year track record of winning our clients the financial compensation they deserve, so you can rest assured your case is in good hands.
Our legal expertise extends across the whole field of personal injury, including car accidents, workplace accidents, slip and fall accidents, dog bites, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and nursing home neglect. Although, if you do not see your type of injury listed here please reach out for a free consultation and we will be happy to discuss your case.
Chadwick and Lakerdas is determined to provide our clients with the best possible service and give our cases the time and attention they deserve to ensure our clients’ complete satisfaction.
Our Service is Free Until We Win
Our personal injury legal service is completely cost free unless we win you financial compensation. This means no legal fees until the successful conclusion of your case. If we do not win, you pay nothing. If you have any questions about how our process works, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Car, Motorcycle, and Truck Accidents
If you’ve been injured while driving, due to the negligence or recklessness of another person, it’s important to take the right steps to ensure you’re fairly compensated for any medical care, lost wages, or pain associated with your personal injury. Accidents on the road have the potential to completely alter a person’s everyday life and pursuing legal action is the best way to ensure you are fully exercising your rights and holding the right people responsible.
What to Do After an Accident
Call the 911 or ask someone to contact the authorities. Stay where you are until the authorities arrive and honestly answer any and all questions.
Next, if your injuries do not prevent it, document the accident as thoroughly as possible. If you have a camera or camera phone, take pictures of the accident and any visible injuries you may have suffered. If anyone witnessed the accident ask for their contact information. Having these photos and witness accounts of your accident can substantially strengthen your case and legitimize your claim.
Once you are able to leave the scene of the accident, seek medical attention immediately. Receiving medical attention as early as possible is not only good practice for your health, but useful for your case. Insurance companies may use any delays in seeking medical attention as a reason to devalue your claim. So seeking medical treatment, even if you think the injury may not last long or be significant, will provide an unbiased record of your injury.
Do not sign anything related to financial compensation without an attorney. Insurance companies or liable parties may offer you compensatory money in exchange for an agreement that you will not sue them. This offer may come before you know the full extent of your injuries and/or cost of your medical bills. An experienced attorney can provide you with the expertise necessary to determine if an offer is fair and ethical give your unique circumstances.
Illinois Uninsured Motorist and Hit and Run Law
Illinois law requires every motorist insurance policy to cover the policy owner in the event of a hit and run or uninsured motorist accident. If you have been injured by an uninsured motorist or in a hit and run accident, your own insurance policy may cover the damages. Your insurance company will likely be hesitant or unwilling to inform you of your coverage and may not tell you how to pursue your claim against them. It is not uncommon for an insurance company to flat out tell you you do not have a claim, when in fact, you do. In this case, it is important you are advocated for by someone who knows the law and your rights; insurance companies will often hire lawyers and bring your case to arbitration in order to deny you compensation. Having experienced legal representation when negotiating with your insurance company ensures that you are well prepared to receive the benefits of the insurance coverage you pay for.
We Can Help
Chadwick and Lakerdas has the expertise and experience to support you after such a traumatic event. We have over 30 years of personal injury experience, so we know how to navigate the complexities of insurance companies and the legal system to ensure our clients get the financial compensation they deserve. We handle cases of all types and sizes so please reach out to us for a free consultation.
Dog and Animal Bites
If you’ve been injured by a dog or other animal, the owner of the animal may be required to compensate you financially. As stated in the Animal Control Act, under Illinois law:
“If a dog or other animal, without provocation, attacks, attempts to attack, or injures any person who is peaceably conducting himself or herself in any place where he or she may lawfully be, the owner of such dog or other animal is liable in civil damages to such person for the full amount of the injury proximately caused thereby.” (510 ILCS 5/16)
This means that the legal owner of the animal is responsible for the full cost of damages to the injured person if the injured person has not trespassed or provoked the animal. Damages include medical bills, but also can include the financial cost of lost wages, pain, and suffering.
Who Owns the Animal?
The legal definition of animal ownership is not restricted to just the person who originally obtained the animal or was present during the bite. By law, the definition of animal owner ship extends to any person (individual, firm, corporation, partnership, society, association, or other legal entity) that harbors the animal, cares for it, acts as its custodian, or who knowingly permits a dog to remain on any premises occupied by the owner.
We Can Help
During our free consultation we’d be happy to talk to you about your unique case and determine what legal action to take. The specific circumstances of an animal bite are important when determining what steps to take and Chadwick and Lakerdas will be there to support you the whole way. If we’re unable to win you financial compensation we waive all legal fees, so please reach out to us.
Medical Malpractice
If you have been harmed or injured by the negligence of doctor, medical practitioner, or hospital, you may be entitled to financial compensation for lost wages, medical bills, pain, and suffering. Medical malpractice can take many forms, such as a missed or delayed diagnosis, lack of informed consent, pharmaceutical errors, or misread X-rays, slides, and ultrasounds. Essentially, any medical error that results in injury or harm a the patient may qualify as medical malpractice, but due to its broad scope, each medical malpractice case must be determined individual basis.
A number of factors come into play when determining if you have a case. The evidence of the case will largely consist of testimony from medical practitioners and medical records. Medical records play an important roll in the outcome of a medical malpractice case and you may be required to obtain records from years prior to the incident. The role these medical records play makes it is essential for a legal professional to review your medical records before determining if you have a good case. In conjunction with the medical records, testimony from medical practitioners will help determine if malpractice occurred. The care or lack of care given to the patient will be compared with the “standard of care” expected from a medical practitioner. The patient then needs to demonstrate how the care they received was substandard and resulted in harm or injury.
We Can Help
Every medical malpractice case is different so it is important to professionals who know the system work your case. Together, we can help determine the right steps to take for your case and win you the money you deserve. We have more than 30 years of experience and success in this area so you can trust we know how to take care of our clients. Please reach out to us for a free consultation and let us help you.
Nursing Home Neglect
When recipients of nursing care put their health and safety in in the hands of nursing practitioners, they should be able to trust their caretakers. If this trust is breached and neglect or abuse occurs, legal action needs to be taken.
Illinois law looks to the Nursing home Care act to understand what constitutes nursing home neglect. According to this act, nursing home neglect is defined as a “ facility's failure to provide, or willful withholding of, adequate medical care, mental health treatment, psychiatric rehabilitation, personal care, or assistance with activities of daily living that is necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness of a resident.” This means that those who have received poor care, resulting in bedsores, a fall, sexual abuse, or improperly administered medication have the right to take legal action. This legal action can result in financial compensation for the victim’s pain, suffering, medical bills, or change in quality of life.
We Can Help
Chadwick and Lakerdas has been assisting victims of nursing home neglect for over 30 years and will offer you the care and attention your case needs. Chadwick and Lakerdas’ legal team knows how to make the legal system to work for you and your family and will fight to get you the financial compensation you deserve. If a nursing home is responsible for the neglect or abuse of you or a loved one, please reach out to us for a free consultation.
Wrongful Death
Wrongful death occurs when the negligent or wrongful actions of a person or party causes a person’s death. Many different types of deaths are included in this definition, but some of the most common types of wrongful deaths are car accidents, truck accidents, medical negligence, and defective products. When wrongful death occurs, Illinois law gives the deceased’s spouse or next of kin the right to take legal action. This legal action may include recovering financial compensation for grief, sorrow, and mental suffering.
If the injuries to the deceased prior to their death cause conscious pain and suffering, financial compensation may also be awarded for the deceased’s pain and suffering.
Who Has the Right to Recover Financial Compensation?
The Wrongful Death Act states, “the amount recovered in every such action shall be for the exclusive benefit of the surviving spouse and next of kin of such deceased person.” This means children, parents and a legally married spouse of the deceased are exclusively entitled to financial compensation for death of their loved one. Legally adopted children and parents have the same rights under this act and are equally entitled to compensation.
We Can Help
Chadwick and Lakerdas has been successfully representing the loved ones of wrongful death victims for over 30 years and has the expertise and experience to recover the financial compensation you deserve. Our legal team will offer you the legal support and attention your case needs. Chadwick and Lakerdas’ unmatched expertise will ensure you and your family take full advantage of your rights to justice and compensation for your loss. We know what a difficult time is, but please reach out to us for a free consultation and let us help.