If you have been injured, you should gather witness information and photos and/or video of the accident site if it is safe to do so. Contact the police or other emergency personnel if necessary, especially if your injuries are serious. It’s important that you get the appropriate medical attention necessary to address your injuries as soon as possible. 

Most importantly, DO NOT sign anything for the other party’s insurance representatives.  DO NOT give the other party’s insurance representatives a recorded statement.

Of course, a personal injury law firm would recommend you contact an attorney if you are injured. In truth, there are many reasons why it makes sense for you to seek legal representation when you have a claim. 

First and possibly most critically, the right lawyer can make a difference in the amount of compensation you will recover from your claim.  Insurance carriers and other big business defendants have lawyers looking out for their interests.  They will not voluntarily give you what you are entitled to.  In fact, it is the job of insurance adjusters to get you to settle for as little as possible.  An experienced personal injury attorney can exert the leverage necessary to get you the compensation to which you are entitled. VanDerGinst Law has that experience.

Second, no one wants to fill out loads of forms and deal with insurance people and medical providers.  You need rest and recuperation from your injuries, not additional stress. VanDerGinst Law will take the worry away. Opening a file with us is easy and convenient. We collect the necessary evidence to pursue your case, conduct the investigation, and negotiate to get you the best possible outcome.

Third, there is no financial risk to having VanDerGinst Law on your side. If we do not win your injury case and get you compensation, you will not owe us anything!

If you were injured in an accident and required any type of treatment or attention to those injuries, your accident probably warrants the attention of a personal injury lawyer as well. We suggest that you contact VanDerGinst Law as soon as possible after getting the initial medical care necessary to address your injuries. 

• Do not wait until you are done treating.
• Do not wait until you have spoken to insurance representatives or adjusters.
• Do not wait until you get tired of negotiating on your own.

Why? If you wait, it may be too late. Important documentation could be lost. Witnesses’ memories might not be as reliable. You could make decisions or take actions that will cost you fair compensation. And you might lose your leverage with the insurance companies.

Adjusters set tentative values on injury claims at a very early stage.  An experienced injury attorney can ensure that those values are much greater than they would be with no attorney working on your behalf. Witness statements and evidence often needs to be secured early in the investigation. A good lawyer will also advise you against signing medical authorization or giving recorded statements. 

There are just too many things that can go wrong if you do not get a personal injury lawyer on your side as soon as possible after your injury.

Most personal injury claims can be resolved without having to file a lawsuit. At VanDerGinst Law, we have proven our devotion to our clients – and insurance companies know that. They know we will file lawsuits if necessary, to get the best results.

Even if your personal injury case must have a lawsuit filed, that does not mean it will proceed all the way to a trial.  On average, 95% of all injury cases are settled before going to trial. During trial preparations, each side becomes more familiar with the case’s strengths and weaknesses – and this often results in a settlement. 

At VanDerGinst Law, we prepare all cases as if they will go to trial. That way we can be in the best position possible to get the best settlements for our clients.

If an attorney tells you what your case is worth after a brief conversation about your injuries, do not trust them. They are either misinformed or misleading you.

The truth is, there are many elements that impact a personal injury case value – and none of them can determine exactly how much your settlement will be.

These elements include your age, the type of accident, where you live, the nature, extent and duration of your injuries and treatment needs, the impact of your injuries on your ability to work and earn income, scarring and disfigurement, the impact on family, the nature of the defendant and their insurance and/or assets, and other considerations. 

Any of the following may apply for damages if you successfully show liability in your personal injury case:

• Past and future medical bills
• Past and future lost income
• Past and future loss of function of mind and body
• Past and future physical and mental pain and suffering
• Past and future loss of enjoyment of life
• Scarring or disfigurement
• Loss of consortium
• Out of pocket expenses
• Other potential damages

“Pain and suffering” is the physical pain and mental suffering that results from someone’s accident and injuries. The term encompasses not just pain and discomfort, but also the detrimental effects the injured person is likely to suffer, now and in the future.

At VanDerGinst Law, we handle personal injury cases on a contingent fee basis.  If we don’t get you money for your injuries, there is NO ATTORNEY FEE.  We do not get paid unless and until you do. 

If you do end up getting a settlement, our fee is a percentage of the amount recovered. The percentage depends on the type of case we handle and whether the case must be litigated.

Even though other personal injury attorneys say they charge a contingent fee, they may also require a retainer fee for costs like filing fees, expert fees, court reporter fees, etc. That can often add up to hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

At VanDerGinst Law, there is NO RETAINER FEE on injury cases. We forward all costs necessary to pursue your claim.

The statute of limitations is the law that sets the time in which a person must file a lawsuit.  In Illinois, that time is generally two years from the date of the injury. 

Some limited exceptions may extend that time, and there are also some situations which require notices be sent or lawsuits filed earlier than that two-year period. 

If you neglect to file a lawsuit within the applicable time, you are forever excluded from doing so. Therefore, it’s a good idea to get VanDerGinst Law in your corner as soon as possible.

Illinois recognizes something known as “Modified Comparative Fault”. Under the Modified Comparative Fault System, each party is responsible for damages in proportion to their own percentage of fault pro-rata, unless the plaintiff’s negligence reaches 51%. 

If you are partly at fault, your compensation will be reduced by the proportionate percentage of fault.  However, if you are 51% or more to blame, then you are not entitled to compensation.

For example, if a reasonable award were determined to be $100,000 but you were 40% at fault, your award would be reduced by 40% so that you would receive $60,000.

If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, the responsible party is required to pay the costs for all bills for reasonable and necessary treatment. That includes medical bills, chiropractic bills, dental bills, physical therapy bills and any other costs for treatment of your injuries. 

If the party responsible for causing an injury accident does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance, there might be other sources of compensation.  The attorneys at VanDerGinst Law exhaust every possible avenue to identify those sources.

Sometimes we can find employers, people, or entities who may be vicariously liable. Sometimes we can turn to our client’s own uninsured or underinsured insurance coverage. And sometimes we determine that the responsible party has ample assets available outside of insurance.