Our Rockford personal injury lawyers are committed to ensuring injured victims receive fair compensation for another party’s negligence. With a wide variety of practice areas, we aggressively fight for the rights of all victims throughout Rockford, Illinois.
Read on for all the ways we can give you the best chance at a favorable outcome in your personal injury case.
Cases That Our Rockford Personal Injury Lawyers Handle
We handle a wide variety of personal injury cases, ensuring that anyone who has suffered due to someone else’s negligence can receive justice.
- Motorcycle Accidents – There are approximately 58 motorcycle accidents in Rockford, Illinois, each year [1], including multiple fatalities. If you or a loved one has suffered a motorcycle accident, get in touch with the top personal injury lawyer in Rockford today;
- Truck Accidents – Due to the size of these vehicles, truck accidents are some of the most devastating of all auto accidents. Our Rockford truck accident injury attorneys will ensure injured victims receive justice from truckers or their employers;
- Car Accidents – There are over 4,000 auto accidents in the city every year [2], most of which involve passenger vehicles. Those who have suffered injuries from a car accident need top-notch representation from experienced auto accident injury lawyers in Rockford who will help get them justice;
- Nursing Home Neglect – Abuse is rampant in nursing homes: studies note over 50% of staff admit to neglecting their clients [3]. Our nursing home injury attorneys will help your family heal from the emotional trauma;
- Medical Malpractice – Medical errors can happen anywhere, but they are especially common in low-rated hospitals – and one of Rockford’s hospitals has a shocking “D” rating [4]. We assist personal injury victims who have suffered at the hands of negligent doctors receive the compensation they deserve;
- Dog Bites – Animal attacks can result in serious injuries, particularly children. To ensure negligent dog owners are held accountable, ally with a Rockford personal injury lawyer specializing in dog bites as soon as possible;
- Birth Injury – Winnebago County welcomes approximately 3,200 babies per year [5], but unfortunately, not all births go smoothly due to medical negligence. An attorney can ensure your family is appropriately compensated for poor medical treatment at this critical time in a child’s life;
- Workers’ Compensation – Rockford’s 145,300 employees [6] shouldn’t have to pay for medical bills incurred as a result of a workplace accident. Our workers’ compensation lawyers will help you with your workers compensation claim, making sure you get all you are entitled to under Illinois employment law;
- Product Liability – Whether manufacturer negligence contributed to motor vehicle accidents or unsafe food led to a serious illness, our product liability attorneys have deep experience in keeping manufacturers accountable for defective products;
- Medical Devices – Faulty medical devices can complicate disease progression and even shorten a patient’s life. Our law firm is ready to help those seeking compensation for poorly designed medical products;
- Dangerous Drugs – Every year, thousands of drugs are recalled for safety issues. Our dangerous drug attorneys represent injured clients who have suffered due to negligent pharmaceutical companies;
- Premises Liability – Our premises liability legal team works hard for our clients who have been harmed on someone else’s property, taking irresponsible property owners to task.
- Wrongful Death – Rockford has the highest car crash fatality rate in Illinois, with a shocking fatality score of 45.4 – 18 points above the US average [7]. Our wrongful death attorneys represent grieving family members, including those who lost their lives due to an auto accident.
The Value of Your Personal Injury Case
Every accident is different, which means that every settlement is different too. Our personal injury lawyers serving Rockford, IL, will fight to ensure you receive as much compensation as possible, which is based on several different factors.
Factors Affecting Personal Injury Settlement Amounts
- Severity of Injuries – Those who have lost their lives or suffered serious injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord damage, will receive higher settlements;
- Amount of Insurance Available – If the parties involved were uninsured, it will be more difficult to secure compensation;
- Cost of Damages – Clients with significant medical expenses or extensive recovery times will likely receive more in compensation;
- Liability – Since Illinois is a modified comparative negligence state, the higher the responsible party’s liability in the case, the more funds our clients can receive;
- Cost of Litigation – The longer a case goes on, the more expensive it is for both parties, and the more that will be deducted from settlements.
Settlement Amounts Our Rockford Personal Injury Attorneys Have Recovered
- $2,100,000 – A nursing home abuse settlement for a woman who developed Stage 4 bedsores due to neglect.;
- $18,500,000 – Our client suffered permanent disabilities due to a head-on truck collision;
- $1,000,000 – A wrongful death case for a backseat passenger fatally injured during a rear-end collision;
- $2,000,000 – Clergy abuse case for a man sexually abused at a Catholic school;
- $500,000 – Workers compensation case for a man who fell eight feet after a coworker bumped him;
- $8,500,000 – A patient died after a routine outpatient procedure due to worker negligence.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim With Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
Our personal injury attorneys serving Rockford, IL, will assist you in every step of a claim, including the following:
- Gathering Information – Our initial free consultation will gather the basic facts of the case, such as where it happened and who was involved;
- Case Evaluation – We will identify whether we believe you have a valid claim before we proceed further;
- Claim Investigation – Based on the information you provide, our personal injury lawyers will verify the details of the accident;
- Case Identification – We will apply our understanding of personal injury law to assess what type of case you may have under state statutes;
- Filing a Claim – At this stage, our Rockford, Illinois, personal injury lawyers formally inform the relevant parties that we will be pursuing compensation;
- Discovery Process – We share the information we have gathered with the other parties as part of the process;
- Collecting Evidence – Our personal injury lawyers collect evidence like medical documents, police reports, surveillance footage, and expert testimony to bolster your claim;
- Negotiation – We begin by trying to settle out of court with the relevant insurance company, using a mediator if necessary. This helps our clients avoid the stress of a trial. Many times, we are able to secure a settlement;
- Court Representation – If we are not capable of reaching an agreement with the other party, we will file a lawsuit to establish you have a legitimate claim for compensation.
Do You Have a Personal Injury Case?
Our personal injury lawyers will be able to inform you whether we believe you have a case. As these cases are based on negligence, we must prove four specific elements: duty of care, breach of duty, damages, and causation. These are described as follows:
- Duty of Care – The responsible party had an obligation to act responsibly, such as following traffic laws to avoid a car accident;
- Breach of Duty – This party failed to meet their duty of care. For example, in a medical malpractice case, this can mean that they did not follow the guidelines of their specialty when it comes to a medical procedure;
- Damages – You suffered losses as a result of the other party’s breach of duty. This includes things such as medical costs, lost wages, and property damage;
- Causation – Your damages were directly caused by the other party’s breach of duty.
We will use a variety of evidence to prove this, such as medical reports, police records, eyewitness testimony, photos and videos, and accident reconstructions. The more evidence available, the stronger your case will be.
Those whose accidents meet these criteria can file a lawsuit. In the case of minors, their legal guardian can file on their behalf. A wrongful death claim can be brought by the deceased’s next of kin.Â
You Have a Limited Time to File a Personal Injury Claim
In Illinois, you have two years to file a claim for these types of injuries:
- Wrongful death
- Premises liability
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse
- Car accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Product liability
If there was property damage in addition to your injuries, you have five years to file a claim for that specific aspect. For workers’ compensation related to an occupational disease, you have up to three years from the date of diagnosis.
Damages That an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You Recover
Our law firm will seek all possible compensation on your behalf. This includes economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are financial losses, such as:
- Lost wages
- Medical costs
- Loss of future earning potential
- Out-of-pocket expenses for treatments
- Burial expenses for wrongful death
Non-economic damages encompass the impact an accident had on your life, such as:
- Disfigurement
- Inconvenience
- Disability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Loss of companionship
Punitive damages are awarded when a defendant’s actions willfully disregard human life. They are a much rarer form of damage.
The Time It Takes to Settle Personal Injury Claims in Rockford, IL
Timelines for a claim vary widely and will depend on several factors. These include:
- Severity – Severe accidents will take longer to investigate, as the recovery time is longer;
- Willingness to Negotiate – If the other parties are willing to negotiate, it will be easier to obtain a settlement;
- Legal Skills – The skill of your attorney can expedite the process;
- Liability – If multiple parties are liable, they will all need to participate in any negotiations.
The Cost of Hiring a Rockford Personal Injury Attorney
Our legal team works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you owe us nothing upfront. We will deduct our legal fees from your settlement, assuring you peace of mind.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm Today!
Our personal injury attorneys assist victims who have suffered various accident types, always working hard to get them the maximum compensation available. Call us at (888) 424-5757 or use our online form to schedule a free case evaluation. We look forward to being part of your recovery.
References: [1] Illinois Department of Transportation, [2] Illinois Department of Transportation, [3] National Library of Medicine, [4] Rockford Register Star, [5] Illinois Department of Health, [6] Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, [7] Rockford Register Star