Chicago Back Injury Lawyer

Back injuries can be incredibly serious. They could have long-lasting effects that alter your daily life. When your back injury is the result of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to pursue a personal injury claim against them. A Chicago back injury lawyer can help you build a strong case, giving you the best chance of winning compensation for damages. 

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is a firm with vast experience assisting claimants who have suffered serious back injuries. With a free consultation, you can find out more about your case and whether you have grounds for a successful claim against the person at fault. 

The Danger of Back Injuries

When the back or surrounding nerves are injured there are likely to be long-term consequences. When the back is compromised, a person can experience several side effects. Prolonged back pain could lead to poor sleeping patterns, a sedentary lifestyle that increases the risk of heart disease, spinal stenosis, or even paralysis. 

The worse your injury is, the more likely you are to experience limited movement over time. Whether your injury was caused by an auto accident, a slip and fall, or a workplace incident, the long-term effects can be life-altering. 

Types of Back Injuries

Victims of back injuries could be suffering from a number of issues. Here are a few of the most common types of back injuries:

• Herniated disc injury – Discs are part of the spinal structure and could be pushed into a weakened part of the spine.
• Spinal cord injury – Spinal injuries can cause significant lifestyle changes. If caused by another’s negligence, you should contact our Chicago spinal cord injury attorneys.
• Neck injuries – The back and neck are intricately connected, so damage to the back could also cause neck injuries.
• Whiplash – Whiplash occurs when the body is thrown in different directions violently, and it often occurs in motor vehicle accidents.
• Back sprain – Muscle fibers or ligaments are stretched or torn, making future movement very painful. 
• Fracture – Vertebrae in the spine can crack or be broken due to blunt force trauma, which can be the result of sports injuries, a slip and fall, or a car accident.
• Nerve damage – The nerves that are contained in and along the spine can become pinched or damaged because of the incident, leading to noticeable pain.

Causes of Back Injuries in Chicago, Illinois

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we have handled many types of cases involving back injuries. The causes are numerous, and a successful claim is dependent on who and what caused the incident in question. 

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice refers to healthcare professionals failing to uphold their duty of care to patients or clients, resulting in legal damages for the victims. Surgical errors are one of the most common causes of malpractice cases. If you experienced damage to your back because of a healthcare entity, contact a Chicago medical malpractice attorney. 

Motor Vehicle Accidents

A motor vehicle accident can be devastating for the parties involved and can cause significant damage, including to someone’s back. Bicycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, and even rideshare accidents can lead to injury claims. A back injury that is caused by a car accident should prompt you to file a claim with the help of Chicago car accident lawyers. 

Product Liability

A product can also cause back injuries. The types of products that cause these issues can vary widely, from motor vehicles to consumer products to medical devices. A Chicago product liability attorney can help you file your claim if your injury is the result of negligence from a product manufacturer. 

Workplace Injuries

Workplace injuries are common, especially in dangerous industries like farming, construction, and manufacturing. Often, workplace injuries are the result of a slip and fall. For legal assistance with insurance benefits from your employer after a workplace injury, get in touch with a leading Chicago workers’ compensation attorney.

Who Can Be Liable for Back Injuries in Chicago?

There are multiple parties who could be held liable for a back injury claim. 

In a car accident, the driver of another vehicle may be at fault. Product manufacturers may also be responsible for your serious injuries if a poorly designed product malfunctioned and caused you harm. 

Property owners may be at fault if your spinal injury was caused by unsafe surfaces in their building. Other companies could be involved, such as trucking companies, healthcare practices, or auto shops. 

What to Do After a Back Injury

Injured victims can easily lose cases if they fail to act properly in the aftermath of the incident. Making the right decisions at this time will ensure you prioritize your health and your financial future. Follow these steps so you have a chance at fair compensation for your back injuries. 

Report the Injury

Reporting the incident through official methods will be critical if you plan to seek compensation. That means calling 911 after the incident to get the authorities on the scene or reporting the injury to your employer if it happened in the workplace. 

It is important to get an official report on file, which can later be used to negotiate a reasonable settlement from the at-fault party and their insurance company. 

Get Medical Attention

The next step is to seek immediate medical attention. First and foremost, you need to take care of your entire body after the incident. Secondly, you want to establish there is harm because of the accident. The exams performed by the doctor, as well as their reports, are important evidence in injury cases. 

Collect Evidence

Speaking of evidence, this is the main component of your injury claim. Whether you are dealing with neck injuries, a spinal injury, or even physical therapy, you must be able to prove that the accident occurred, that it was the fault of the other party, and that damages resulted from the incident. 

This requires evidence, which can include police reports, medical reports, witness statements, footage or images of the incident, and medical bills.

Contact a Chicago Back Injury Attorney

The financial ramifications of such an incident can be substantial. As you recover from your injuries, you deserve to pursue compensation to help cover the legal damages you are facing.

Filing a successful claim means partnering with an experienced law firm like Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers. Our team of attorneys will give you the best chance of winning compensation for your claim. 

The Attorney’s Role in Your Back Injury Claim

Are Back Injury Attorneys Expensive?

When you work with our Chicago personal injury attorneys, there are no upfront costs. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid out of the settlement amount if you win. This reduces the financial burden on accident victims upfront while incentivizing our team to work as hard as possible to win your claim. 

How Much Is My Back Injury Claim Worth?

Seeking compensation for your severe injury is not an exact science. The amount you can win depends on numerous factors, including the level of damages, the severity of the injury you suffered, the insurance policy of the defendant, the comparative negligence calculation,  and the amount of evidence involved. 

To give you an idea of how our firm can help, we were able to secure $500,000 for a claimant in a workers’ compensation case. The claimant, an electrician, injured his back and shoulder when he was bumped while pulling a cable and fell 8 feet. 

Types of Damages You Can Recover for Back Injuries

Damages determine how much compensation you can win in your settlement. The more impactful they are in your life, the more they are worth. The three types of damages are economic, non-economic, and punitive. 

Economic

These damages are easily quantifiable since they are attached to numbers. They include elements like medical bills, lost wages, future lost income, property damage, funeral costs, and burial expenses. 

Non-Economic

Non-economic damages are more related to the emotional impact of the incident. For example, if you feel pain constantly, that could be considered in this category. Other damages include emotional suffering, disfigurement, loss of quality of life, and loss of companionship for surviving family members in the case of wrongful death. 

Punitive

Punitive damages are rarely rewarded. It is a form of additional compensation meant to punish the defendant further if they behaved with particular malice or intent. 

Negligence System in Chicago, IL

Proving negligence varies from state to state. Illinois uses the comparative negligence model. This requires personal injury victims to be less than 50% responsible for the incident in order to claim compensation for damages. The rate of comparative negligence will also impact any settlement amount. Proving negligence involves four steps:

• Duty of care – The defendant had a level of responsibility to prevent injury to the claimant
• Breach – The defendant failed to uphold their duty of care
• Causation – The defendant’s actions directly caused the incident in which the injury occurred
• Damages – The result of the injury includes legal damages under state law 

How Long Do I Have to File a Back Injury Claim in Chicago?

In the state of Illinois, you have two years to file your claim for a personal injury. This timeline begins either on the date of the incident or the day you discovered you were injured because of it. The date could be pushed back if the defendant leaves the state or is unresponsive. 

Contact a Chicago Back Injury Lawyer Today!

Give us a call at 888-424-5757 for your free consultation or fill out a contact form online today. Let’s talk about your case and what it could mean for you to file a claim to recover damages. 

We also serve clients from Buffalo Grove, Champaign, Naperville, Rockford  and throughout Illinois.