You didn’t expect your loved one’s death and, accordingly, you couldn’t have planned for a wrongful death lawsuit. You are in uncharted waters and you need to know how to make sense of the legal course ahead of you.
It isn’t easy, but it is important and you do not have to do it alone. You have the right to contact an experienced and empathetic wrongful death lawyer at any time for a free, personal, and confidential consultation about your rights and your potential recovery.
Three Things You Should Know Right Away
Whether or not you have contacted a wrongful death attorney yet, it is important to know…
- That Illinois has a wrongful death statute. The Illinois Wrongful Death Act includes important information about who can file a wrongful death case, how long that person has to file a wrongful death case, who may recover damages, and what those damages may include.
- How to deal with insurance adjusters. Insurance adjusters are not looking out for your best interests, and their goal is not to provide you with a fair settlement but rather to pay you as little as possible so that they can maximize profits for the insurance company. Accordingly, it is important to know that anything you say to an insurance adjuster may be used against you during settlement negotiations and to understand how to deal with insurance adjusters fairly.
- How to build a strong case. Strong lawsuits require evidence. It is important to know what evidence is relevant to your case, how to find it, and how to preserve it so that you and your wrongful death lawyer can present it during settlement negotiations or in court.
These tips can help you understand how a wrongful death case works in Illinois and how you can protect your rights to a fair and just recovery.
A Recovery Is Not Automatic
You must advocate for your family’s recovery—whether that recovery comes from a negotiated settlement with an insurance company or in court. You must present evidence, you must make persuasive arguments, and you must comply with the law of Illinois to make sure that your recovery is protected.
Wrongful death damages are worth the effort. If your claim is successful, then you may recover for:
- Medical bills incurred from the time of the accident until the time of death.
- Funeral costs.
- Other out-of-pocket costs.
- Lost income from the time of the accident until what would have been your loved one’s reasonably anticipated retirement date.
- Pain and suffering.
To learn more tips about protecting this important compensation for your family, please browse our website or contact us any time—24/7/365—for a free, no-obligation consultation.