First, if it’s safe to do so, you should gather witness information and photos and/or video of the accident site. Contact the police or other emergency personnel if necessary. Get the appropriate medical attention to address any acute injury as soon as possible. 

Above all, 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 say “Yes!” to that question. But in truth, there are many reasons why it makes sense to get legal representation when you have a claim. 

The right lawyer can make a difference in the amount of compensation you can recover from your claim.  Insurance carriers and other big business defendants have a team of lawyers looking out for their interests. They are NOT going to immediately give you what you are entitled to – in fact, insurance adjusters will try to get you to settle for as little as possible.  An experienced personal injury attorney has the leverage necessary to get you compensation for your injuries. VanDerGinst Law has that experience.

And who wants to deal with insurance adjusters and medical providers?  You need rest and recuperation from your injuries, not additional stress. VanDerGinst Law can help take the worry away. Opening a file with us is easy and convenient. We collect the necessary evidence to pursue your case. We conduct the investigation. And we negotiate to get you the best possible outcome.

Finally, there is no financial risk in contacting VanDerGinst Law. If we do not win your injury case and get you compensation, you do not owe us anything!

If you were injured in an accident and required treatment for those injuries, you probably need the help of a personal injury lawyer. We suggest contacting 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 take actions that will cost you fair compensation. And you might lose your leverage with the insurance companies.

There are just too many things that can go awry 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 a long history of proving our devotion to our clients. 

Insurance companies know that. They know we will file lawsuits if necessary, to get the best results. 

Even if it’s necessary to file a lawsuit for your injury case, that does not mean it will proceed all the way to a trial. Typically, 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.

There are many elements that impact a personal injury case value. Such 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 too numerous to mention. 

If an attorney tells you what your case is worth after a brief conversation about your injuries, they are either misinformed or misleading you.

If successful in showing liability in a personal injury case, any of the following may apply for damages:

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

Pain and suffering refers to the harm caused by physical injury and mental distress related to the 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.  That means that 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.

Our fee is a percentage of the amount recovered. The percentage depends on your type of case and whether your case must be litigated.

Other personal injury attorneys may say they charge a contingent fee. But they may also require a retainer fee for costs like filing fees, expert fees, court reporter fees, postage, obtaining records, and more. That can often be hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. At VanDerGinst Law, there is NO RETAINER FEE on injury cases. We front all costs necessary to pursue your claim.

The amount of time in which a person must file a lawsuit is known as the statute of limitations. In Illinois, that time is generally two years from the date of the injury.  There are very limited exceptions which may extend that time.  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 is always 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. Therefore, 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.

The responsible party is required to pay the costs for all bills for reasonable and necessary medical treatment, including medical bills, chiropractic bills, dental bills, physical therapy bills and any other similar costs. 

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.