Winning Chicago Car Accident Lawyers

The road to financial recovery after an accident is filled with hurdles. Liability must be determined. Damages must be calculated. Evidence must be gathered. And that’s just the beginning. Once all of those steps have been completed, you’ll have to argue your case with insurers, at fault parties, and their attorneys.

Although determining liability in some accident cases may be cut and dry, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, thorough understanding of the laws, the ability to interpret police reports and medical records, and even accident reconstruction may be necessary to accurately assign fault. In some situations, multiple parties may play a role in causing an accident. Responsible parties may be other drivers, companies, manufacturers, property owners, and even government entities.

In most car accident cases, damages are paid by an insurance company. Payouts can come from a combination of:

• The at fault driver’s liability policy
• Third party insurance coverage (trucking companies, manufacturing companies, employer coverage, etc.)
• Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

Car accident damages are based on economic impact as well as personal suffering. It’s typically pretty simple to calculate damages like past medical bills and lost income, but evaluating the cost of future medical care and lost earning potential is often complicated. Sometimes, expert testimony is necessary to sort out the true value of your injuries.

Determining the value of personal suffering can be even more complicated. Assigning a dollar amount to permanent physical impairments, emotional distress, or the loss of a loved one is never an exact science. To obtain a fair settlement, you’ll need a professional on your side who will demonstrate the impact your accident has had on your life.

If the behaviors that caused your injuries were particularly egregious, you may also be entitled to punitive damages. Unlike compensatory damages that are designed to compensate victims for their losses, punitive damages are imposed to punish the wrongdoer.

While the vast majority of car accident cases in Illinois are settled through negotiations with insurance companies, it can take months and even years to resolve a claim. In the meantime, the two-year timeframe to file a lawsuit continues to creep towards the deadline. If the statute of limitations expires while you’re busy negotiating with the insurer, you will lose your right to recover for good.

At Eames Law Group, we’ll make every attempt to negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. If the need to file a lawsuit arises, however, we’ll push your case all the way to a jury’s verdict to ensure your compensation is congruent with your losses.