Aurora Personal Injury Lawyer

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If you have suffered injuries in an accident, you may be left to deal with the physical pain and the financial burden, including medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. What’s even worse is that to recover the compensation you deserve, you must haggle for months on end with insurance companies determined to reduce your claim and pay you as little as possible.

Chris Ktenas, Aurora personal injury lawyer

Our skilled Aurora personal injury attorneys have a proven track record in providing personalized solutions to complex legal matters and helping our clients recover fair compensation for their damages. We have the resources and knowledge necessary to help you build a solid case and pursue the maximum compensation and justice you’re entitled to under Illinois law.

If you have a personal injury claim, contact our firm today at (312) 300-2515 for a free initial consultation with a qualified Aurora personal injury lawyer.

When Should You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Your answers to the following questions will guide your decision on if you should hire a personal injury lawyer:

The Severity of Your Injuries

Not all injuries warrant the need for a personal injury lawyer. If your injuries are minor and you can work on the legal and settlement process on your own, you can settle the injury claim on your own. However, you must seek legal representation from an experienced attorney for any injury that lasts for longer than a few days and requires medical care.

If your injury led to hospitalization, physical therapy, surgery, rehabilitation, cosmetic therapy, or orthopedics, you need an attorney to evaluate your injury case. Further, if your claim involves substantial past and future medical costs, a skilled Chicago personal injury attorney can help you increase the value of your claim significantly.

a personal injury claim form and a gavel on a desk 

What Caused Your Injury?

If your injury was because of someone else's fault, or if the death of a loved one was because of someone else's negligent actions, you must consult with a personal injury lawyer. Proving legal fault entails applying specific standards to the evidence. Thus, to strengthen your claims, it’s essential to consult a lawyer as soon as possible so that he or she can help you gather and preserve important evidence.

Is the Insurance Adjuster Contacting You?

Insurance companies use adjusters and claims representatives to reduce their losses. They do this by minimizing the amount the company pays out in injury claims. Thus, if an insurance adjuster contacts you asking for recorded statements, medical records, your story, releases, and other information, tell them to contact your attorney.

Often, insurance adjusters will try to get you to make statements that ultimately could harm your claim. Never sign releases without a lawyer’s review because they allow them to dig through your medical history so that they can blame a pre-existing condition on your injuries and ultimately reduce your claim’s value. Don’t fall for such tricks instead consult with a highly-skilled car accident lawyer.

Is the Insurance Company Offering an Unreasonable Settlement?

Sometimes insurance companies use dirty tactics to avoid paying accident victims. These tactics include delaying the claim process, refusing to pay even though liability is clear, or offering unreasonably low offers despite your severe injury. An experienced injury lawyer knows these tactics and can help you recover the compensation you deserve.

If you choose to handle your injury claim on your own, you must have a thorough understanding of the legalities underpinning your claim and the settlement process. Recovering fair compensation requires savvy negotiation skills combined with the knowledge of statutory laws and case law. Some personal injury cases are complicated.

For instance, if you were injured by defective products or by medical malpractice, you may need the help of injury law experts to uncover the evidence you need to prove your claim. Motor vehicle accidents may need accident reconstruction, a solid understanding of physics, and witness interviews. Also, you must understand your medical records to value your claim appropriately. If you’re not comfortable doing all these on your own, then it’s in your best interest to hire a skilled personal injury attorney to help you.

At Ktenas Injury Attorneys, we’ll take your case with no upfront costs and on a contingency fee basis. This means we’ll only get paid once we recover your compensation.

How Long Does it Take to Settle a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Every personal injury case is unique because every fact, issue, party, and injury differs, even if slightly. Thus, it’s impossible to predict how long your claim will take until you receive a settlement or award of damages. That said, on average most accident and personal injury claims and car accident claims are settled within one or two years.

The average time to settle a personal injury case largely depends on:

  • The complexity of the claim. For instance, a slip and fall personal injury case may be simple and is settled quickly than a complex medical malpractice injury case.
  • Amount of damages. Injury cases with a value of $1000 are settled quickly, while injury claims worth millions of dollars take a long time before they’re settled.
  • The severity of the injuries. Most attorneys won’t make a demand until you reach a point of maximum medical improvement (MMI). MMI means you have completed all your medical treatment and have recovered as much as the doctors expect you to recover. Until you reach MMI, your personal injury attorney won't know how much your case is truly worth. It can take months or for catastrophic injuries even years to reach MMI. However, if you only suffered minor injuries, your attorney can easily value your case and it will take less time to settle your claim.
  • The caseload in your jurisdiction. After filing a lawsuit, you’re at the mercy of the courts regarding court dates, which may change right up to the last minute.
  • Your patience. The time it takes to settle your injury claim will also depend on your willingness to wait for a greater result. If you settle quickly, you’ll receive less money, however, if you’re patient, you’re likely to get more money.
  • The at-fault party’s willingness to settle. How willing is the at-fault party to settle quickly? How much does the other party want to avoid a lawsuit?

When Should You Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Many people who have suffered injuries from an accident wait days, weeks, or even months before consulting an attorney. This can be extremely costly in resolving your injury case to your benefit. Most people believe an insurance company representative will help them navigate their issues.

However, the insurance claims adjuster is there to resolve the claim in favor of the insurance company, not the accident victim. The insurance adjuster’s job is to get you to settle for the least amount of money possible to protect the interests of insurance companies.

an injury lawyer looking at a case with our firm's phone number over the image

Also, everything you do after the accident might be used against you, so it’s imperative to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident. From day one, our team of dedicated Chicago personal injury lawyers is ready to help in making sure the actions you take are in your best interest.

Speak with an Aurora Personal Injury Lawyer Today!

For personal injury claims, having strong legal representation can be the difference between receiving the maximum compensation you need to recover peacefully and being stuck with endless medical bills and other expenses. Thus, many personal injury victims and their families in Aurora and throughout Illinois hire the highly-qualified team at Ktenas Injury Attorneys to represent them as they pursue financial compensation.

To speak with a knowledgeable attorney, call our personal injury law firm today at (312) 300-2515, or chat with us online to schedule a free initial consultation.

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