Personal Injury Lawyer Collinsville, IL
No one who has been injured due to the negligence of another should be responsible for their own compensation. You should speak to a personal injury lawyer about your personal injury case if this happened to you.
Hipskind & McAninch, LLC is a personal injury law firm representing accident victims in Missouri and Illinois who have suffered severe injuries due to someone else’s negligence. Whether you were involved in a car accident or another type of incident, we work on a contingency basis, meaning you don’t have to pay our personal injury attorneys to fight for your rights under the law.
Types of Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury is a vast area of the law, and many different types of personal injury claims exist. Here is an overview of the most common types of cases our personal injury case attorneys handle.
Car Accidents
Car vs. car crashes, motorcycle accidents, commercial truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, and bicycle accidents are just a few of the types of auto accidents claims we handle. We also represent the families of loved ones in fatal crashes. Auto accidents are so prolific that most drivers will be involved in an injury crash at some point in their lives.
Slip and Falls
Similar to a car accident, a slip-and-fall accident is very likely to occur at some point in an individual’s lifetime. Fall accidents account for 8 million ER visits nationally, and one million of those are due to accidental slips and falls, which lead to many personal injury cases and high medical bills.
Medical Malpractice
Doctors and other medical staff have a duty to provide qualified and competent medical treatment to their patients. When they fail in that duty, leading to issues documented in medical records, a personal injury law firm with experience in medical malpractice claims can help injured patients seek justice.
Product Liability
Product manufacturers have a duty of care to ensure that their products are safe for their clients. Because product cases often cross state lines where different laws apply, you’ll need to ensure that an il personal injury lawyer handles these types of personal injury claims. Working with a skilled attorney on your personal injury case is crucial for success.
Workers’ Compensation
With workers’ compensation claims, you do not have to demonstrate that your employer or other individuals involved were negligent. Your injuries should be covered by your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company.
The following chart shows the most common types of workplace injuries. All would be covered by workers comp:
Reimbursement for Personal Injury Claims
Most personal injury claims start with a claim to the defendant’s insurance company. For example, if you’re injured in a car accident, the claim would go through the other driver’s insurance. Similarly, if you were to slip and fall at a store, the personal injury case would go through the proprietor’s premises liability insurance.
You don’t want to file a claim on your own because insurance companies are excellent at low-balling settlement amounts. For example, if you were in a car accident with a drunk driver, you might receive a call from the other driver’s insurance company within 24 hours. The adjuster will offer to pay your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and compensation for severe harm like traumatic brain injuries or even wrongful death in some cases.
This may seem like a great offer at first, but you will have to sign a waiver of liability to collect. That means if you find out that your injuries were worse than you initially thought, you cannot hire a lawyer and sue for more money in your personal injury case. One of the most difficult aspects of being a personal injury lawyer is turning down clients who signed away their rights before talking to an attorney. Always speak to a personal injury lawyer before accepting a settlement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Slip and Falls
Similar to a car accident, a slip-and-fall accident is very likely to occur at some point in an individual’s lifetime. Falls account for 8 million ER visits nationally, and one million of those are due to accidental slips and falls.
Medical Malpractice
Doctors and other medical staff have a duty to provide qualified and competent care to their patients. When they fail in that duty, a personal injury law firm with experience in medical malpractice claims can help injured patients seek justice.
Product Liability
Product manufacturers have a duty of care to ensure that their products are safe for their clients. Because product cases often cross state lines where different laws apply, you’ll need to ensure that a personal injury attorney handles these types of claims.
Workers’ Compensation
With workers’ compensation claims, you do not have to demonstrate that your employer or other individuals involved were negligent. Your injuries should be covered by your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company.
The following chart shows the most common types of workplace injuries. All would be covered by workers comp:
Reimbursement for Personal Injury Claims
Most personal injury cases start with a claim to the defendant’s insurance company. For example, if you’re injured in a car accident, the claim would go through the other driver’s insurance. Similarly, if you were to slip and fall at a store, the claim would go through the proprietor’s premises liability insurance.
You don’t want to file a claim on your own because insurance companies are excellent at low-balling settlement amounts. For example, if you were in a car accident with a drunk driver, you might receive a call from the other driver’s insurance company within 24 hours. The adjuster will offer to pay your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, etc.
This may seem like a great offer at first, but you will have to sign a waiver of liability to collect. That means if you find out that your injuries were worse than you initially thought, you cannot hire a lawyer and sue for more money. One of the most difficult aspects of being a personal injury lawyer is turning down clients who signed away their rights before talking to an attorney. Always speak to a personal injury lawyer before accepting a settlement.
Frequently Asked Questions
At the Collinsville personal injury law firm of Hipskind & McAninch, LLC, we receive hundreds of questions from clients during their free initial consultations. Contact our office and speak with an attorney to ask questions about your case.
What are contingency fees?
An injury lawyer in Collinsville doesn’t accept payment upfront for handling different types of personal injury claims. Most accident victims are not in a position to pay a hefty retainer for legal representation. Consequently, personal injury lawyers defer payment until the end of the case. They then accept a percentage of the settlement or court award.
Personal injury lawyers justify this arrangement by their ability to increase the size of the settlement packages or awards for various types of personal injury cases. For example, most insurance companies do not include sufficient pain and suffering damages in their offers. Before committing to an injury lawyer in Collinsville, ask to see their contingency fee schedule.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois?
In most Illinois personal injury cases, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. Waiting too long can permanently bar your right to recover compensation.
What do I need to prove to collect damages?
There are four elements that your experienced attorney must demonstrate to collect damages in a personal injury case:
- The defendant had a duty of care toward the plaintiff.
- The defendant breached that duty.
- The defendant’s breach of duty caused the accident.
- The accident caused damages to the victim.
It’s incumbent on your attorney to establish that all four elements exist.
Will my Collinsville case have to go to court in Madison County?
Many claims settle through negotiation with the insurance company and never go to trial. However, if a fair settlement can’t be reached, your attorney may file a lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court in Edwardsville and be prepared to present your case to a judge or jury.
How long will my personal injury case take?
Every case is different. Some Collinsville injury claims settle within a few months, while more complex cases or those that go to trial can take a year or longer, depending on the facts and the court’s schedule.
What kinds of compensation can I recover after an accident in Collinsville?
Depending on your situation, you may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, future treatment, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, property damage, and other losses related to your injuries.
Do I have to talk to the insurance company, or can my lawyer handle it?
You’re not required to deal with the insurance company alone. Once you hire a Collinsville personal injury attorney, your lawyer can communicate with the insurer on your behalf, protect you from unfair tactics, and negotiate for a full and fair settlement.
Collinsville Personal Injury Lawyers for Accident Victims
For years, the Collinsville personal injury lawyers of Hipskind & McAninch, LLC have represented clients in Collinsville IL and nearby Missouri and Illinois communities. Whether you were hurt in a car accident, car crash, or suffered workplace injuries, our IL personal injury lawyer team is committed to standing up for the injured party and holding negligent individuals and companies accountable.
Our firm handles a wide range of cases, from soft-tissue harm to severe injuries and catastrophic injuries, as well as tragic wrongful death claims when a loved one is taken because of someone else’s negligence. We pursue damages for medical bills, lost wages, future earning capacity, and the emotional distress that often follows a serious accident. From the first call to the final resolution, we guide you through each step of the legal process so you can focus on healing while we fight for your rights.
Hipskind & McAninch, LLC works on a contingency-fee basis, so you don’t pay attorney’s fees unless we successfully seek compensation for you. Call today to schedule a one-on-one free consultation with an experienced Collinsville personal injury attorney. We’re ready to listen to your story, explain your options, and build a strategy tailored to your recovery.
Related