When we think about restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, we typically envision friends getting together to have a few drinks, eat a meal, dance, and enjoy themselves. Unfortunately, sometimes a night out turns into a nightmare. If you or a loved one was the victim of assault or battery at a bar, nightclub, or other commercial establishment, you may have questions about liability. Even if the police were called and the person who attacked you is facing criminal charges, you may still be left with serious expenses related to your injuries. In some cases, the establishment in which someone was physically attacked is liable for the costs suffered by the victim. However, bars and other establishments are only liable for injuries from an attack in certain situations.

Physical Attacks Can Lead to Considerable Damages

Whether you were injured in a fight or you were simply a bystander who was injured while other people were fighting, injuries from a bar fight can be severe. You may have sustained deep lacerations, broken bones, traumatic brain injury, or other injuries that required emergency medical care. Now you are left with medical bills and other financial concerns. You may be unable to work and earn an income while your injuries are healing. In situations such as these, a premises liability claim against the establishment may allow you to recover financial compensation.

Commercial Establishments Have a Legal Duty to Customers

Premises liability laws deal with the legal responsibilities that property owners have to the individuals who lawfully visit their properties. Commercial property owners and occupiers have a legal duty of care to their customers to keep the premises reasonably safe. Of course, understanding what constitutes “reasonably safe” can be quite difficult. Typically, a bar or other commercial property is legally responsible for injuries sustained by a customer when the establishment knew or should have known about a dangerous situation and did not take steps to protect customers from the foreseeable danger. For example, if patrons are routinely injured in fights caused by the bartenders overserving alcoholic drinks, it could be argued that the establishment should have taken steps to prevent future fights from occurring. The establishment may also be liable if it broke state or local laws and this unlawful conduct led to your injuries.

Have you ever stopped to consider how often you use your arms? Most people use their arms to drive, eat, work, clean, and perform countless other tasks. When an injury causes someone to experience reduced functioning in one or both arms, this can have a major impact on his or her life. Erb’s palsy is a condition typically caused by difficulties during a child’s birth that results in partial or complete paralysis of the arm. Sometimes, surgery and other medical interventions can remedy the paralysis and loss of sensation. In other cases, an infant who suffers from Erb’s palsy is left with impaired functioning and disfigurement for the rest of his or her life.

How Does Erb’s Palsy Occur?

Erb’s palsy is typically caused by damage to a network of nerves in the neck and shoulders called the brachial plexus. In the majority of cases, the nerve damage is caused by a complication during birth called shoulder dystocia. When an infant suffers shoulder dystocia, one or both of the infant’s shoulder’s become stuck in the birth canal. There are four main categories of Erb’s palsy:

• Neuropraxia: Neuropraxia occurs when the infant’s nerves are unnaturally pulled or stretched. The nerve damage does not typically cause long-term complications and may heal in as little as three months.
• Neuroma: When the nerves are stretched so far that nerve fibers break, this damage may not be able to heal on its own.
• Rupture: Extreme tension on the nerves can cause them to be torn in half. Nerve damage such as this typically requires surgery and can lead to severe impairment.
• Avulsions: When the nerve is torn completely away from the spinal cord, the infant could suffer from difficulty breathing and long-term paralysis of several parts of the body.   

When is a Doctor Liable for an Infant Suffering from Erb’s Palsy?

If your baby suffers from Erb’s palsy, you may wonder if the birth injury could have been prevented. You may suspect that some type of medical mistake during the birth process is to blame for your child’s injury. Erb’s palsy can happen for a number of different reasons. Sometimes, failure to account for risk factors such as maternal obesity or diabetes, misuse of assistive tools like forceps or a vacuum, and other forms of medical negligence are the root cause of Erb’s palsy.

While the basic concepts of personal injury law are generally the same, the details vary from state to state. However, these variances can make a significant impact on an injured person’s potential recovery. The amount of compensation you may receive through a personal injury lawsuit can be affected by many different factors, including the injured person’s own negligence at the time of their injury. If a plaintiff is partially at fault for the accident that caused their injuries in Illinois, the legal doctrine of comparative fault will apply.

Comparative Negligence for Accidents Caused by Shared Fault

Blame for any type of accident is rarely black and white. A car accident may occur because of a combination of factors. Weather conditions, road conditions, the speed at which the vehicles were traveling, distracted driving, and many other issues may affect the severity of an accident victim’s injuries. Illinois follows a legal doctrine called modified comparative negligence in personal injury claims involving shared fault. An injured person who is partially at fault for his or her own injuries may still be entitled to damages as long as he or she is not more at fault than the defendant. If an injured plaintiff is 50 percent or less at fault, he or she may still be able to recover damages. However, the amount of compensation he or she may recover is reduced by his or her percentage of fault. For example, a plaintiff who is found to be 10 percent at fault for an accident which causes $100,000 in damages may be able to recover $90,000.

Comparative negligence or comparative fault does not only apply to car accident cases. It may also influence other types of personal injury cases. For example, in a slip and fall accident claim, an injured person may act in a way that increased the chances of being hurt in a slip and fall accident. For example, if the injured person was looking down at their cell phone at the time of the slip and fall accident, the defense may argue that the plaintiff’s injuries would not have been as severe if he or she was paying closer attention.

The birth of a child can bring on a range of intense emotions. On one hand, anticipating the arrival of a new child is exciting and joyous. On the other hand, thinking about the sheer number of things that could potentially go wrong during labor and delivery can be terrifying. If you or a family member recently gave birth and the baby suffered a birth injury caused by shoulder dystocia, you may be left with several questions. Is shoulder dystocia preventable? Was my child’s birth injury caused by a medical mistake? Do I have a medical malpractice claim? The answers to these questions depend on your unique circumstances, however, there are situations in which shoulder dystocia is the result of medical malpractice.

What Causes Shoulder Dystocia?

Shoulder dystocia occurs during vaginal delivery when the baby is lodged against the mother’s pelvis. Carrying twins or multiples, macrosomia, maternal diabetes, medications used to induce labor, and the use of assistive tools such as forceps or vacuum extractors may increase the chances of shoulder dystocia. One or both of the baby’s shoulders may pin the baby inside the birth canal and prevent the baby from being delivered normally. Often, doctors can adjust the baby’s position and guide him or her though the birth canal unharmed. However, shoulder dystocia can also lead to serious birth injuries or even fetal death. Postpartum hemorrhage, uterine rupture, damage to the baby’s brachial plexus nerves, fractures, and asphyxia may all be caused by shoulder dystocia. A baby who experiences shoulder dystocia may even develop cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, Klumpke’s palsy, or other medical conditions that result in lifelong disabilities.

When is a Physician Responsible for Birth Injured Caused by Shoulder Dystocia?

If your baby suffered a birth injury because of shoulder dystocia, you may question if the injures could have been prevented or mitigated by higher quality medical care. The standard used to determine if a birth injury is the result of negligent medical care is the “medical standard of care.” This refers to the type of care that a reasonably proficient medical professional of the same training and expertise would have provided in similar circumstances.

Burns are often terribly painful and can lead to lifelong, disfiguring scars. If you or a loved one suffered a burn injury because of another party’s negligent or irresponsible actions, you may be interested in bringing a lawsuit against the negligent party. A personal injury claim is a legal action that you can take to both hold the negligent party accountable and pursue compensation for your damages. You could be entitled to compensation for economic damages like medical bills and lost income as well as the non-economic damages incurred by your burn injury.

Bringing a Successful Burn Injury Claim

If you are like many people, you may not be sure what it takes to win a personal injury claim and successfully recover compensation for your damages. Most personal injury claims are founded upon an allegation of negligence. There are four major elements in a burn injury claim based on negligence.

• The defendant, or the person or organization against who you are bringing the claim, owed you a legal duty. For example, product manufacturers have a legal duty to meet certain standards when it comes to flammability and overall product safety. Motorists have a legal duty to drive lawfully and responsibly. Landlords have a legal duty to ensure their properties are equipped with smoke detectors and fire escapes.
• The defendant breached the duty. This breach of duty may have involved negligent or careless actions as well as negligent inaction.
• Your burn injuries were caused by the defendant’s breach of duty. Establishing the causal connection between your injuries and the defendant’s actions is crucial to winning your claim.
• You suffered damages, or financial harm, as a result of your burn injuries.

Types of Damages You May Be Entitled to Collect

Burns are not only some of the most painful injuries a person may sustain but they are also often one of the most costly injuries. Your burn injuries may have required extensive medical treatment including wound care, surgery, skin grafts, and more. The costs associated with these treatments may be considerable. Through your injury claim, you may be entitled to compensation for your past and future medical expenses caused by your burns. You may also be entitled to compensation for your lost wages caused by missed work and any impairment to your earning capacity. Recoverable non-economic damages may include physical pain, mental suffering, reduced enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and more.

No one expects doctors to be perfect, but they are held to a very high standard when it comes to patient care. Doctors or other medical professionals who make a mistake that leads to a patient's injury or death may face a medical malpractice claim. Whether you or a loved one were a victim of a birth injury, surgical mistake, or hospital error, you probably have questions about whether your situation constitutes medical malpractice. You may also be unsure of what it takes to bring a successful malpractice claim. Read on to learn about what actions may be considered medical malpractice and the main elements needed to win a medical malpractice claim.

Understanding When Malpractice Has Occurred

Few would argue against the idea that doctors, surgeons, nurses, and other medical workers have some of the hardest jobs in the world. Understandably, they sometimes make mistakes. Minor mistakes that do not result in significant patient harm are not examples of medical malpractice. However, when a medical professional makes an egregious mistake that the average medical worker would never make, and a patient is injured or killed as a result, that professional may face a civil claim for damages.

To prove medical malpractice, you and your lawyer will need to demonstrate that:

 Truck accidents often lead to catastrophic consequences. If you were injured or your loved one was killed in a truck accident, you may be desperate for answers. You may have questions about how the truck accident occurred, who is legally responsible for the accident, and how you will pay for the massive costs incurred by the accident. Truck accident liability is often complex. The liable party may be the truck driver himself or herself, the trucking company, or a number of other parties. In some cases, a truck accident stems from inadequate truck maintenance and the party responsible for compensating the truck accident victims is the party who failed to properly maintain the truck.

Accidents Caused by Failure to Properly Maintain a Commercial Truck

We often assume that truck accidents are caused by driver error, however, there are many cases in which a truck driver is not the liable party in a truck accident claim. If the truck malfunctioned, improper truck maintenance could be to blame your accident. Truck companies have a legal duty to ensure that their trucks are regularly inspected and maintained. Inadequate truck maintenance can lead to dangerous defects, including:

• Tire blowouts
• Bald tires
• Brake failure
• Steering system failure
• Broken tail lights or headlights
• Trailer detachment
• Defective securement devices

Proving a Truck Accident Was Caused by Poor Maintenance

Through a truck accident injury claim, you may be entitled to compensation for the costs caused by you truck accident. You may be compensated for your past medical bills as well as the future medical costs you will encounter because of your injuries. You may also be compensated for your property damage, lost income from missed work, future lost income, and reduced earning capacity. Damages in a truck accident injury claim may also include intangible losses such as your mental anguish and pain and suffering. A wrongful death claim may enable you to hold a negligent trucking company accountable for your loved one’s death and recover compensation for your loved one’s lost income, medical expenses, funeral and burial costs, and more.

A Cesarean section or c-section is a surgical procedure that removes an infant from the mother’s womb. Some c-sections are planned while others are last-minute and necessitated by an unexpected medical complication. If you underwent a planned or emergency c-section and you or your child were injured, you may wonder if the injury was caused by a medical mistake. You may also want to know if the doctor or hospital is liable for the harm caused. In some cases, maternal injuries or birth injuries related to a c-section are caused by medical malpractice.

Delayed C-Section and Failure to Perform a C-Section

Cesarean sections carry certain risks, so many doctors advise women to avoid having a c-section unless it is necessary to protect her health or the health of her unborn child. However, there are some situations in which a traditional vaginal birth is much riskier than delivering via c-section. A doctor may recommend a c-section if there are complications such as:

• Abnormal progress during labor
• Fetal distress
• Placental abruption, placenta previa, or placental insufficiency
• Uterine rupture
• Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia
• The baby is in breech position
• Umbilical cord prolapse

An important part of any doctor’s job is to recognize the signs of medical complications and take the appropriate action. If a doctor fails to notice signs of fetal distress or other red flags that indicate that a c-section is necessary, the doctor c-section operation may be delayed or the doctor may continue with a traditional delivery. Delayed c-sections and failure to perform a necessary c-section can cause the baby to be deprived of oxygen. This may lead to severe birth injuries including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy. In some cases, failure to perform a timely c-section results in the infant’s death.

Drunk driving takes the lives of over 10,000 Americans each year. If your loved one was killed in a car accident involving a driver under the influence of alcohol, you may be interested in learning about your legal options. While no legal remedy can ever truly make up for your tragic loss, a wrongful death claim may enable you to recover compensation for the financial harm caused by your loved one’s death.

Compensation in a Wrongful Death Claim

Drunk drivers who cause fatal auto accidents can face significant criminal consequences. Surviving loved ones of those killed in drunk driving accidents also have the option of bringing a civil claim against the drunk driver. Through a wrongful death claim, you may be able to receive financial compensation for:

• The loss of your loved one’s financial support
• The loss of your loved one’s household services, including homemaking and caring for children
• The medical bills incurred between your loved one’s accident and his or her death
• The loss of your loved one’s companionship
• The loss of parental guidance experienced by minor children of the deceased person
• Mental suffering and grief experienced by surviving family members
• Funeral and burial expenses

Wrongful death claims involving fatal drunk driving accidents may also include an award of punitive damages. Unlike damages intended to compensate a victim’s family for financial losses, punitive damages are intended to penalize the drunk driver for his or her actions.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a complex medical condition that experts are still learning more and more about every day. The most common symptom of cerebral palsy is trouble with movement and coordination. Some sufferers also experience difficulty with swallowing, speaking, hearing, and vision. Cognitive impairment is present in approximately one third of sufferers. CP can cause a range of symptoms, from relatively mild to severely disabling. If your child has developed cerebral palsy, you may have questions about how and why your child developed this life-changing condition.

What Causes Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy occurs when part of the brain is damaged or develops abnormally. Congenital cerebral palsy is CP that a child is born with, while acquired cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage during the beginning of the child’s life. CP can be caused by brain damage that occurs before the child is born, during labor and delivery, or shortly after birth. Trauma, reduced blood flow to the child’s brain, or even infections like viral encephalitis may cause a child to develop CP. There is still much about cerebral palsy that is unknown.

Could My Child’s CP Have Been Prevented?

Parents of children with CP often wonder if there is anything that could have been done to prevent their child from developing CP. In some cases, there is nothing that doctors, surgeons, or other medical professionals could have done to stop the brain damage or brain abnormalities that lead to the child’s cerebral palsy. In other cases, cerebral palsy is a direct result of a medical error. Medical mistakes that most commonly lead to cerebral palsy include:

Have you ever taken the time to look around at the other drivers while stuck in traffic? If so, you probably noticed that many of them were looking down at their smartphone. Whether it is electronic devices like cell phones, GPS units, and radios, or human distractions like children arguing in the backseat, distractions while driving are everywhere. Distracted driving has become a tremendous cause for concern in Illinois and throughout the United States. It is difficult to know for certain how many car accidents are caused by distracted drivers, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 1,000 people are hurt in distracted driving accidents every day in the U.S. If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident and you suspect distracted driving was a contributing factor, a personal injury attorney may help you recover compensation for your injuries..  

Establishing the Driver’s Negligence and Recovering Compensation

Car accidents involving distracted driving can often become “he said-she said” situations. Proving that the other driver’s irresponsible behavior caused your damages and recovering adequate compensation for those damages can be quite challenging. This is why many individuals hurt in distracted driving accidents get legal support from an experienced car accident injury attorney.

There are four main elements in a successful personal injury claim:

Damages are the financial and nonfinancial losses incurred as the result of an injury or death caused by another party’s negligence or wrongful act. “Compensatory damages” refers to the compensation an injured person receives for things like medical bills and lost wages. However, it is possible for a claimant in a personal injury case to receive “punitive damages” as well. Punitive damages, or exemplary damages, are above and beyond the compensation an injured person would typically receive and are only awarded in certain circumstances.

Illinois Law Regarding Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are intended to punish a defendant for actions that are exceptionally negligent or wrongful. The additional compensation awarded to the injured party serves as a deterrent against similar actions in the future. Illinois law states that punitive damages are awarded when a defendant's behavior was with “evil motive” or careless disregard for the risk of harm to others. The plaintiff in an injury claim must show that the defendant’s actions were sufficiently malicious or reckless to warrant punitive damages by “clear and convincing evidence." This burden of proof is much harder to satisfy than the “preponderance of the evidence” standard. Consequently, successfully recovering punitive damages after being injured by another party’s behavior will require the plaintiff to build a robust, evidence-based case.

Types of Injury Cases in Which Punitive Damages May Be Awarded

Illinois plaintiffs may pursue punitive damages for cases involving:

Personal injury claims enable individuals hurt by the negligent or unlawful actions of another party to recover damages, or compensation, for the losses they have sustained because of their injuries. These claims are often associated with medical malpractice, car accidents, premises liability including slip and fall accidents, and defective products. If you have decided to file a personal injury claim and pursue compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, or other losses, you may have questions about how the amount of compensation you may receive will be calculated.  

Calculating the Monetary Value of Economic Damages

Medical costs are often a top motivator for personal injury claims. The amount of reimbursement you will receive for medical expenses will depend on:

• The severity of your injuries
• The cost of the medical treatment you have already received
• The estimated cost of the medical treatment you will need in the future
• The amount of time you will likely need to recover from your injuries
• Whether there are any permanent or ongoing consequences of your injuries

You may also receive compensation for your lost wages caused by missed work. Loss of income is calculated by adding together the money you would have earned or would have likely earned if you were able to work. Lost income typically includes wages and any commissions, bonuses, or tips you would have likely received as well as compensation for the loss of your work benefits. 

Although we rarely think about it, getting into a car is one of the most dangerous things we do on a regular basis. It is estimated that approximately 6 million car accidents occur in the U.S. every year, resulting in 3 million injuries. Car accident victims may be other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers. If you have been injured in a car accident and you were not the driver, you may have questions about your legal options. You may be left with expensive medical bills and other financial losses caused by your injuries. In many cases, a personal injury claim can help injured passengers obtain financial compensation for losses such as these.

Determining Fault for Your Car Accident

Before you can recover compensation for a car accident, the liable or at-fault party must be determined. In many car accidents, there is more than one party who is considered to be at fault. For example, one driver may have been speeding while the other driver was texting and driving or otherwise distracted. However, a passenger cannot be held liable for a car accident because he or she was not in control of a vehicle. If more than one party is liable for a car accident, you may need to file multiple claims in order to recover enough compensation to cover the full extent of your damages.

Personal Injury Claims When a Friend or Loved One Is At Fault

Many injured passengers find themselves in tricky situation because the liable party is someone that they are close to. If you were involved in a car accident and the at-fault party was your family member, friend, co-worker, or someone else with whom you have a relationship, you may be hesitant to bring an injury claim and pursue compensation. However, it is important to note that when you bring a personal injury claim for injuries suffered in a car accident, you are not usually expecting the driver to pay for your losses personally. The payments will most likely be made by his or her car insurance company.

About a third of all babies are delivered via cesarean section or “c-section.” In some cases, a mother chooses to have a c-section birth instead of a vaginal birth. Other times, an emergency c-section is needed to prevent the baby from suffering asphyxia or other harm. If you or your baby were injured and you suspect that medical negligence contributed to the injury, contact a medical malpractice attorney for help investigating the medical staff’s actions. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your damages.

Delayed C-Sections Put Babies Lives at Risk  

When a woman goes into labor, doctors and nurses must be vigilant for signs that labor is not progressing normally. Abnormalities with the infant’s heart rate is often the first sign that he or she is in distress. An emergency c-section may be needed if the baby’s head is too big to fit through the mother’s pelvis, placental abruption or uterine rupture occurs, there is a prolapsed umbilical cord, or there are other problems that make vaginal birth too risky.

If there are indications that an emergency c-section is the safer option, doctors must quickly make the decision to perform a c-section and begin the procedure. The time between the decision to deliver a baby via c-section and the actual delivery is called the “decision delivery interval” (DDI). If a medical professional waits too long to decide to perform a c-section or the DDI is too great, the infant can suffer severe, life-threatening medical complications.

Medical advances in the last several decades have enabled people to live longer, healthier lives. Surgical tools and other medical devices have made it possible for many medical procedures to become less invasive, less risky, and require less recovery time. Unfortunately, defects in the way medical devices are designed or manufactured can make the products dangerous or even life-threatening to patients. If you were harmed by a faulty medical device, the fault may not lie with the medical facility or doctor who used the device. The fault may instead lie with the device designer, manufacturer, or seller.

Understanding the Difference Between Product Liability and Medical Malpractice

If a medical procedure or medical device caused you injury, you might assume that the injury falls under the umbrella of medical malpractice. However, a medical malpractice claim is appropriate when a medical professional or medical facility makes errors that cause injury to a patient. If a defect or flaw with the medical device itself was the cause of your injury, the issue may fall under product liability laws. 

Defective medical devices may cause pain, discomfort, or infection. Implanted devices may migrate from their original location, disintegrate, or stop working as intended. Often, product liability claims involve medical devices that have been recalled by the Federal Drug Administration because they have been found to present an unreasonable risk of harm to patients.

When a person is harmed during a robbery or attack, criminal charges are often brought against the aggressor. While this may bring the perpetrator to justice, it does little to  address the injuries caused to the victim. A person hurt in an act of physical violence may suffer lacerations, broken bones, internal organ damage, traumatic brain injury, and other serious physical injuries. He or she may also experience deep emotional pain and psychological scarring. In some cases, a civil lawsuit brought against the owner of the property on which the attack occurred may enable a victim to recover compensation.

What is Considered Negligent Security?

Property owners cannot be expected to prevent every injury on their property, but they are required to keep their property free of foreseeable dangers. This includes equipping the property with adequate lighting, locks, cameras, and other security measures. The level of security that a property should have is largely determined by the property’s location and the frequency of crime in the area. For example, If a store owner knows that two customers have already been mugged in the dark parking lot outside of his store, he should have lights installed and take other steps to help prevent future muggings. If he fails to take these steps and another customer is injured as a result, the customer may have a valid personal injury claim. 

Lawsuits for negligent security may be brought against a store, restaurant, bar, hotel, apartment complex, or other facilities. Such suits may be filed in addition to any civil claims made against the perpetrator, as permitted by law. It is possible to have more than one party share liability for your injuries. 

Whether it is an appendectomy, bypass surgery, cesarean section, carotid endarterectomy, or another surgical procedure, going in for surgery can be a scary experience. While most surgeries are successful and do not involve unexpected complications, not every surgery goes according to plan. Sometimes surgical procedures result in a patient’s injury or death, and there is nothing that the surgeons could have done to prevent it. Other times, it is the surgeon’s carelessness that is directly responsible for the negative outcome. One especially alarming example of medical negligence during surgery occurs when a surgeon leaves a foreign object inside the patient’s body.

Foreign Objects Left Behind During Surgery

Surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and other medical staff involved in surgical procedures must complete years of rigorous classes and training before being permitted to perform surgery. Unfortunately, these medical professionals may still make mistakes that endanger the lives of their patients. Equipment such as scalpels, scissors, forceps, clamps, and sponges, are often used during surgical procedures. Surgeons and nurses are expected to keep track of these objects and ensure that no object is still inside the patient’s body when the surgery is complete. Unfortunately, misunderstandings and miscommunications can lead to equipment being forgotten. It is estimated that surgical equipment and other objects are left inside of patients’ bodies an average of 4,500–6,000 times each year in the United States.

Consequences of Major Surgical Mistakes Are Often Catastrophic

The problem of retained foreign objects is one that is entirely preventable. Medical staff should be fully aware of the number and types of equipment used during surgery and should account for these objects before closing the patient’s incision and completing the surgery. Leaving a foreign object inside of a person’s body can cause them to suffer extreme and unnecessary pain. It can also lead to life-threatening infections, punctures and perforations of tissues and internal organs, reduced blood flow, and even death. If he or she survives, a patient may require additional surgeries and other medical treatment to mitigate the damage caused by the careless error. 

Losing a spouse, parent, child, or sibling is tragic regardless of the circumstances. However, when a person’s death is caused by the reckless or malicious actions of another party, the loss is even more heartbreaking. If you have lost a loved one in an incident involving drunk driving, medical malpractice, a defective product, nursing home neglect, or another situation involving negligence or wrongdoing, you may wonder what your legal options are. In many cases, a wrongful death claim can help hold the at-fault party accountable for the death while also recovering compensation for the losses incurred by the death.

Understanding Illinois Wrongful Death Laws

In Illinois, a wrongful death is one that is caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default. A wrongful death claim is a civil claim filed by the personal representative of the deceased person. This is often the deceased person’s spouse, parent, or adult child. Wrongful death claims can help families collect compensation for a death which was caused by intentional acts or acts of negligence. Damages are paid to the surviving spouse and next of kin. The statute of limitations for Illinois wrongful death claims is typically two years from the date of the death. However, this limit may be extended in some situations.

Types of Damages Available for a Wrongful Death

There is no amount of money that could ever truly compensation someone for the loss of his or her loved one. However, a wrongful death claim can help a grieving family reduce the financial burden caused by the death. Depending on your particular situation, you may be entitled to compensation for:

Living without health insurance can be a large risk to take on, but you may feel as if you have no other option. It is no secret that the United States has some of the highest medical costs in the world, with many Americans uninsured. Luckily, many companies offer health insurance to their employees so that they are not financially destitute just for going to the doctor. The level of coverage varies based on the plan offered, meaning that some medical treatments will be covered by your insurance while others may require additional out-of-pocket fees. For those without health insurance, going to the doctor may be a last resort when injuries or illnesses begin to surface. While this may be acceptable for the common cold or flu, anyone who has been involved in a vehicle collision or workplace accident should seek immediate medical attention. Such accidents can lead to serious, and potentially fatal, injuries if left untreated. The fear of ongoing medical bills may have people thinking otherwise, but luckily, there are options for those without insurance who have been injured in an accident.

Will Doctors Still Treat Me?

Uninsured Americans may not realize that they are still eligible for medical treatments even if they do not have proper healthcare coverage. Hospitals are legally required to provide all patients with the necessary treatment, even if they do not have health insurance. After receiving any required medical treatments, you should speak with the hospital’s administrators to discuss your payment options. Oftentimes, these professionals will work with you to set up a payment plan so that you can pay off the bills over time.