For more than 30 years, our personal injury attorneys at DePaolo & Zadeikis have protected the rights of injured people like you. We’re not a settlement mill that’s interested in getting the fastest payout at the expense of our clients. We are trial lawyers, and we don’t back down. In fact, we have a 95% win rate to prove it.
Whether you suffered injuries in a minor fender bender or a slip and fall, or your injuries are catastrophic, your case, your well-being, and your recovery are our priorities. We offer free, no-obligation consultations, we don’t charge upfront attorney fees, and if you can’t come to our office to discuss your case, our attorneys will come to you.
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If you’ve been injured because of the negligence of someone else, call DePaolo & Zadeikis at 312-263-7560 right away for a free consultation. Time to recover damages may be running out.
Significant personal injuries can occur anytime, anywhere, and to anyone, and the costs to recover can be astronomical. Hiring the right personal injury attorney to handle your case can make all the difference in your ability to recover physically, emotionally, and financially. At DePaolo & Zadeikis, we handle personal injury claims arising out of a wide variety of accidents and incidents. Whether you’ve been injured because of a severe motor vehicle accident, a slip and fall, a workplace accident, or a medical mistake, we are the attorneys you need when you want results.
When you work with our injury law firm, you can take the time you need to recover from the trauma of your motor vehicle accident while we handle the legal aspects of your case. We investigate every possible cause of your accident to ensure that you receive full compensation for the injuries you’ve endured. Whether your crash was caused by a drunk driver, a defective vehicle, road defects, or a combination of factors, you can rest assured that we will uncover all the evidence to deliver a successful settlement or verdict.
When you are hit by a driver who doesn’t have motor vehicle insurance, you may still be able to recover money for damages. Although drivers in Illinois are required to carry liability insurance coverage, about 13 percent of Illinois drivers still drive without insurance. And many of those who do carry liability insurance, only maintain the minimum coverage required by law. Insurance companies in Illinois are required to provide uninsured motorist coverage that will pay some or all of your costs when the at fault driver is uninsured, underinsured, or leaves the scene of an accident. Unfortunately, the claim filing requirements contained in your policy’s terms can be quite demanding. Our team can help you sort through the maze to ensure you receive full compensation.
Big rigs take to Illinois roads to keep the economy flowing, but they are involved in thousands of truck accidents that cause severe injuries and deaths every year. Unfortunately, when 80,000 pounds of steel on wheels is involved in an accident, it’s the other drivers, passengers or pedestrians who bear the brunt of the injuries. We help victims recover money for their injuries when impaired, drowsy, or distracted truckers cause a crash, and our team makes sure that everyone who is responsible for the accident pays. From the driver behind the wheel and the people who improperly loaded the truck to the trucking company, vehicle manufacturer, and even the mechanics, nobody is immune from liability when negligence is to blame for serious injuries or deaths.
Medical negligence can lead to serious health complications, permanent disabilities, and even death. Although medical professionals and facilities have a duty to adhere to recognized medical protocols during patient treatment and care, many do not. In fact, about 98,000 people die every year as a result of preventable medical mistakes. When a healthcare provider deviates from the expected standard of care and those actions result in, or contribute to, injuries or loss of life, the professional or facility can be held liable to pay substantial reparations. Our malpractice lawyers understand the significant physical, emotional, and financial stresses that you are facing. We will guide you through the legal web to ensure that your needs are provided for, and the responsible parties are made to pay.
In Illinois, recoverable damages are typically divided into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages include tangible harms that are fairly easy to calculate and quantify. They include things like:
Non-economic damages are typically much more difficult to objectively calculate. They might include:
Damages are also categorized as compensatory and punitive. When the defendant’s actions (or lack thereof) are excessively careless, reckless or deliberate, or they constitute an egregious departure from the normal standard of care, you may be entitled to punitive damages, which are designed to punish the wrongdoer. While recovering punitive damages is less common, these awards typically involve much higher dollar amounts. There is no upper limit, or cap, on punitive damages that can be recovered in Illinois.
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In certain circumstances, your actions, or lack of action in a personal injury case can substantially impact the amount that is recoverable and the outcome of your case.
Illinois adheres to a “modified comparative negligence” standard that calculates award amounts based on fault. When you are 49 percent at fault or less in the accident that caused your injuries, you can still recover damages, but your award amounts may be reduced in proportion to your degree of fault. In a case that is worth $10,000, for example, the injured victim is found to have been 30 percent at fault. Because of the percentage of fault, the plaintiff would typically only be able to recover 70 percent of the total cost of damages from the other party, or $7,000. If the victim had been found to be 50 percent at fault, he or she would not have been able to recover damages from the other party in a personal injury lawsuit.
When you are injured because of the negligence or intentional acts of someone else, you have the duty to take reasonable steps to minimize the effects and the harm that result from the incident.
If you fail to follow through with reasonable medical treatment, for example, and the lack of treatment makes the condition worse, your award amount can be significantly reduced.
When you are injured in Illinois, you have just two years in most cases to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you do not pursue damages within the allotted timeframe, you may be forfeiting the right to recover damages in the future.
Whether your case goes to trial depends on numerous factors. The insurance company’s willingness to offer a fair settlement outside of court plays the most significant role in determining how your case will be resolved. Approximately 90% of personal injury cases settle before going to trial.
You generally have just two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois. Exceptions do apply, however. Working with a personal injury attorney right away can help ensure you meet the deadline that applies to your case.
Most personal injury attorneys take cases on contingency. Hiring a lawyer with this type of payment arrangement means you won’t have to pay attorney fees out of pocket. Instead, your lawyer will subtract a percentage of your award to cover his or her fees.
Since so many factors come into play when valuing an injury case, it’s difficult to tell you exactly how much your case is worth in advance. Our lawyers will consider your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the way your injuries impact your life to provide you with an estimate of how much your case is worth.
In 2010, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that setting a cap on damages in personal injury cases was unconstitutional. According to the Court, decisions regarding damage awards should be left up to the Judge and jury.