One minute your life was moving forward normally. Then you were injured.
Now you’re dealing with medical bills, watching your bank account shrink while you’re out of work, and desperately trying to get everything back on track. We’ve seen this same scenario time and time again, and it’s one that you don’t have to go through all on your own.
A Peoria personal injury lawyer from Thomas Law Offices is prepared to help you recover the compensation you need. You can learn more about what we do on this page or by scheduling a free consultation with our law office.
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How Can a Peoria Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me?
A personal injury lawyer has a very important role to play after an accident or injury.
When you’re hurt and fighting with the at-fault party’s insurance company to secure compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, and more, you can’t focus on what’s most important—your recovery. That’s where our compassionate attorneys come in.
Personal injury law allows people to collect compensation from those who have injured them through negligent or reckless actions. A lawyer practicing in this area of law has the skills and knowledge needed to help you obtain the best possible settlement from the insurance company.
At Thomas Law Offices, our Peoria personal injury lawyers have dedicated their professional careers to being legal advocates for those who have been injured through no fault of their own.
Serious Accidents and Injuries in Peoria, IL
There is a wide range of situations that have the potential to cause harm. In our experience, the following are some of the more common examples of accidents and injuries that can lead to a personal injury claim in Peoria:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Nursing home abuse
- Medical malpractice
- Birth injuries
- Wrongful death
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Sexual assault
- Construction accidents
- Premises liability
- Slip and falls
- Product liability
- Social security disability
No matter what type of accident you’re involved in, our attorneys believe you deserve the chance to get your life back in order.
Important Civil Claim Terms You Need To Know
The legal world is filled with words and terms that many people may have never encountered before. Or if they have, they’re just not sure what they actually mean.
Unfortunately, laws aren’t written with clarity in mind. Attorneys spend years studying just to be able to interpret complex legal ideas.
But we also know that knowledge is power. We want every client we work with to feel empowered to take the legal action that is necessary to recover compensation for their post-accident losses. For this reason, we have compiled a list of important civil claim terms that would be helpful for you to know:
- Adjudication – The resolution of a legal claim or case.
- Claim – A type of civil action taken to recover damages related to the physical, emotional, or financial harm caused by the defendant and suffered by the plaintiff.
- Damages – The monetary payment recovered through a personal injury claim. Damages can be categorized as compensatory or punitive.
- Defendant – The person or entity against whom the civil claim or lawsuit was filed.
- Duty – An obligation that one person has to exercise a certain standard of care.
- Economic damages – Your financial losses related to your injury, such as medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle repair bills.
- Expert witness – A professional or expert who is permitted to testify as part of a civil action or during trial based on their specialized knowledge in a relevant field.
- Lawsuit – A legal dispute that is brought by a plaintiff against a defendant in order to recover compensation for an injury or to punish a wrongdoing.
- Liability – A legal obligation one party is required to perform, such as paying damages to an injury victim.
- Negligence – Any action, inaction, or conduct that fails to meet the established standard of care.
- Non-economic damages – The non-financial ways that your life has been adversely affected by your injuries and the defendant’s negligence. Covers loss of enjoyment in life, disfigurement, and more.
- Personal injury – An area of law that deals with injuries and financial losses caused by another person’s failure to adhere to the standard of care (negligence).
- Plaintiff – The person who files the civil claim or lawsuit against the defendant.
- Preponderance of evidence – Proof that shows something is more likely to have happened than not, and that is necessary to win a civil case.
- Punitive damages – Damages awarded to the plaintiff in an effort to punish the defendant for actions that were made with “evil motive or with a reckless and outrageous indifference to a highly unreasonable risk of harm.”
- Settlement – An agreement made between two parties in a legal dispute that ends that dispute.
- Standard of care – The degree of care that a reasonable person would exercise in the same or similar circumstances.
- Statute of limitations – The amount of time afforded by law to file a lawsuit.
Never be afraid to ask your attorney about a word that you do not understand. Our job as personal injury lawyers is to be knowledgeable legal guides who put our expertise to work for our clients. And it’s a job we take seriously.
If you have any questions or concerns about your own injury case and would like to speak with a lawyer free of charge, please contact our law office for a no-cost case evaluation.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim
So what is a personal injury claim, and how is it filed?
A personal injury claim is a type of legal civil action that an injured person brings against the person, entity, or company that caused them harm. In most cases, this type of claim isn’t filed directly against the at-fault party. Instead, it’s filed with their insurance company.
The steps involved in filing a personal injury claim begin before you even first contact the insurance company. If you’ve been injured by another’s negligence, you can set yourself on track to recovering necessary compensation by:
- Seeking medical attention
- Notifying your own insurance company (if necessary)
- Keeping copies of medical bills and other pieces of evidence
- Consulting with a personal injury lawyer about your rights and options
- Identifying all liable parties and assigning percentages of fault
- Serving a notice of claim to the insurance company
- Negotiating for a settlement that fully addresses your injuries
The above steps can be a lot to take on when you are still in the process of recovering from an injury. Insurance companies know this, and they will do everything they can to take advantage of your situation.
Don’t let a big insurance company take advantage of you. Contact Thomas Law Offices today, and we’ll match you with a personal injury attorney who isn’t afraid to stand up for what is right.
Useful Evidence in a Personal Injury Case
Our experience handling personal injury cases involving car accidents, medical malpractice, dangerous premises, and other accidents has given us unique insight into the type of evidence that is useful in a personal injury case. However, keep in mind that the exact type of evidence needed to prove your case will largely depend on the type of accident you were involved in.
The following list is only intended to provide examples of the types of evidence we regularly rely on and may not be wholly applicable to your specific case:
- Car and truck accidents:
- Police accident reports
- Dashcam and traffic camera footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Pictures and videos of the accident scene
- Electronic logging device (ELD) and event data recorder (EDR) data
- Trucker driving records
- Employer hiring records
- Vehicle maintenance records
- Driving history or record
- Medical malpractice:
- Medical records
- Hospital records
- Proof of doctor-patient relationship
- Expert testimony
- Premises liability:
- Security footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Pictures and videos of dangerous conditions
- Lease or rental agreements
- Property records
- Nursing home abuse and neglect:
- Facility injury reports
- Employer hiring records
- Staff logs
- Photographs and videos of injuries and the facility
- Log of all documented injuries and complaints
- Expert testimony
No matter what type of accident you were involved in, keep copies of all medical bills, property damage, and any invoices you receive. These will be important for documenting the impact that your injuries have had on your life.
The Importance of Continuing Medical Treatment
So you went to the doctor soon after your injury. That’s one of the most important things you can do after any injury or accident, but this on its own is not enough.
The insurance company responsible for paying your claim will be on the lookout for any reason to lower your overall compensation or deny your claim altogether. One of the most common reasons insurers cite when undervaluing a claim is that the victim was not as seriously injured as they claimed to be.
Demonstrating the true extent and severity of your injuries to an insurance company that seems intent on denying you the settlement you are owed might seem impossible. However, there is actually a very simple way to do this: continue your medical treatment.
If your doctor prescribes you a medication, have it filled and take it as prescribed. If you are referred to a physical therapist, attend regularly and document any exercises that they have you perform at home. Keep your appointments with your specialists, undergo necessary surgeries, and follow all pre- and post-op instructions.
Continuing medical treatment serves two important functions:
- Supports your continued recovery after an accident or injury,
- And shows the insurance company that your physical condition is to be taken seriously.
When you go to the doctor or fill a prescription, you are creating a verifiable paper trail that you are receiving necessary medical care. When that medical care is for an injury that you suffered because of another person’s negligence, this evidence can provide critical support for your personal injury claim.
Never stop medical treatment because you’re worried about the cost. If another person’s negligence caused your injuries in a car crash, slip and fall, or other type of accident, you are entitled to financial compensation that covers these and other related costs.
Peoria, IL—a Great Place To Visit, Live, and Retire
Having earned a spot on U.S. News & World Report’s list of “Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2022-2023” and “Best Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2022-2023,” Peoria is without a doubt one of the best corners of Illinois to call home.
Located on the Illinois River, Peoria is a major shipping and trading center. With nearby agricultural roots, much of the country relies on the livestock, corn, and soybeans that are raised and grown right here in Peoria County.
Looking for a way to spend your day in Peoria? You can visit the Dome Planetarium, Wildlife Prairie Park, Peoria Zoo, Caterpillar Visitors Center, Forest Park Nature Center, Luthy Botanical Garden, Peoria Players Theatre, or the Peoria Holocaust Memorial.
Thomas Law Offices Is a Fierce Legal Advocate for Personal Injury Victims
Life after a serious or catastrophic injury will often look very different than before. While we know that our team of experienced attorneys cannot undo what happened to you, we can be part of the solution. We want to help you get your life back on track. And that starts with getting you the compensation you need to make the fullest possible recovery.
There’s no cost or risk to meet with a Peoria personal injury lawyer. We provide free and confidential case evaluations to injury victims in our community. Our dedication doesn’t stop there, either—our clients don’t owe us a dime unless we win their case.
Let’s talk. Contact us online or by phone to schedule your free consultation.
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