Chicago Personal Injury Law Firm Case Results
Below are just some of the results that the attorneys of Willens Law Offices have helped obtain for injured people in all parts of Illinois and throughout the United States.
These results are for a wide variety of Personal Injury, Car Accident, and Medical Malpractice cases. Please note that Willens Law Offices helps injury victims whether they have a million-dollar-plus case or not.
Featured Cases
$7,000,000
Surgical Error
Settlement
$10,000,000
Birth Injury
Settlement
$15,808,277
Pedestrian Accident
*Verdict
$3,000,000
Wrongful Death Car Accident
Settlement
$3,100,000
Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer
Verdict
$4,000,000
Failure to Diagnose Lung Cancer
Settlement
$2,000,000
Premises Liability
Settlement
$2,010,000
Porch Collapse
Settlement
$2,250,000
Truck Accident
Settlement
$1,250,000
Police Misconduct
Settlement
$1,500,000
Pedestrian Accident
Settlement
$1,750,000
Aviation Accident
Settlement
Featured Car Accident Case Results
**Recognized as one of Top 100 Verdicts in the country** The plaintiff, a twelve year old girl, was crossing the street after school in Harvey, Illinois. A YMCA Metropolitan Chicago van struck the girl at approximately 15-20 mph, knocking her to the pavement. The defense denied that the YMCA, through its employee driver, was at fault. Instead, they alleged that the 12 year old girl darted out in front of the vehicle. As a result of the accident, the plaintiff sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), more specifically, a frontal lobe brain injury, leaving her permanently disabled. Prior to trial, a demand of $4,500,000 was made. The defense felt strongly that liability was in their favor but was willing to settle the case for $250,000 and offered that amount. The plaintiff rejected the offer. At trial, plaintiff used many of the treating physicians as witnesses. In addition, plaintiff hired a rehabilitation expert, a neuropsychologist and an economist to show the jury the serious nature of the plaintiff’s damages. Not only did the defense deny fault, they denied the extent of the plaintiff’s damages as well and used their own experts to contest the opinions of the plaintiff’s experts and treating physicians. After nearly a two week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff in the amount of $22,583,253. The award was reduced to $15,808,277 based on the plaintiff’s comparative negligence of 30 percent. The verdict was paid in full with 9% interest after the defendant’s appeal failed. This case was recognized as one of the Top 100 Verdicts in the country the year it was tried.
This was an out-of-court settlement that was reached on behalf of a 20 year old woman. Her mother was driving down a suburban street when a car driving the other way crossed the center line and crashed head on into her vehicle. The accident killed the plaintiff’s mother. A wrongful death lawsuit was filed for the deceased’s daughter. While many lawyers would have allowed a case like this one to drag on for years, Mr. Willens would not. The case was settled in less than a year from the time of the accident.
This was an out-of-court settlement that was reached on behalf of a husband and his two minor children. The husband lost his wife and the children lost their mother when a truck lost control on a highway in Indiana and struck the woman’s car, killing her instantly. The case, which was filed in Indiana, settled at a mediation in Indiana.
An employee for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) was in the process of removing reflectors from an Illinois Tollway – I-294. There were several IDOT vehicles behind the IDOT employee which was designed to protect him and his co-workers from traffic on the road. A truck had passed the IDOT vehicles and began to cut over when he struck and killed one of the employees. A lawsuit was filed on the victim’s family’s behalf in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. The defense lawyers vigorously contested liability. The victim was 26 years old, unmarried and had no children. After extensive litigation, the case settled at mediation for $1,500,000. Initially the defense offered $350,000 to settle which Willens said “no way” to and the family agreed. The proceeds of the settlement went to the deceased’s parents and sisters.
More Car Accident Results
A 45 year old male truck driver was driving a semi-tractor trailer northbound on I-94 in Chicago when he was rear-ended by another semi-tractor trailer in snowy conditions. The defense asserted that the plaintiff was to blame for the collision because he suddenly moved his truck in front of the defendant’s. Plaintiff suffered a low back disc herniation requiring surgery. The defense contested damages as well and hired an expert orthopedic surgeon to contest the opinions of the plaintiff’s surgeon. The defendant’s expert was of the opinion that the accident at issue did not cause the plaintiff’s back herniation, that any injuries the plaintiff had pre-existed the subject truck accident. After extensive litigation, the case settled just prior to trial at a pre-trial settlement conference presided over by Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez. This particular case took place in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
A 51 year old man was driving his motorcycle in Richmond, Illinois when he was broadsided by an elderly man driving an automobile. The motorcyclist suffered major trauma to his right leg, initially undergoing below-the-knee amputation and later (when it was determined that his knee could not be saved) above-the-knee amputation. The case took place in McHenry County, Illinois and though liability was contested, it was brought to conclusion within approximately one year of the accident for full insurance policy limits. With the proceeds of the settlement, the plaintiff was able to buy a prosthetic of his choice rather than the uncomfortable one dictated to him by his health insurance company.
A 67 year old man was a front seat passenger in an automobile that was making a left turn from Willow Road to I-294 in Glenview, Illinois, when the defendant ran a red light and t-boned the vehicle that the plaintiff was a passenger in. As a result, the plaintiff suffered an exacerbation of pre-existing injuries to his lower back resulting in surgical intervention. The surgery consisted of removing hardware from a previous surgery and extending the fusion from previous surgeries. Plaintiff collected policy limit settlements from both the at fault driver's insurance company and from his own underinsured motorist (UIM) policy.
The plaintiff, a 34 year old woman was driving her car southbound on McCormick at the intersection of McCormick Blvd. and Golf Road in Evanston, Illinois. At the same time, the defendant was heading eastbound on Golf Road at the same intersection. A collision occurred in the middle of the intersection. Each driver claims to have had the green light. The plaintiff suffered a right lacerated kidney requiring removal. She made an excellent recovery and all of her medical treatment was completed ten days after the accident. She incurred about $35,000 in medical bills and missed eight weeks of work as a nanny. Her lost wages totaled $1,600. The plaintiff demanded $100,000 policy limits from Allstate. Allstate made no offer. After a two day trial, the jury found in favor of the plaintiff and awarded her $491, 863 broken down as follows: $175,000 pain and suffering; $259,000 loss of a normal life; $20,000 disfigurement; $35,763 past medical; $1,600 lost wages. The verdict was paid in full.
The plaintiff, a 70 year old woman was driving her car northbound on Route 59 near the intersection of Route 59 and Eaton Road in North Barrington, Lake County, Illinois. The defendant, who was driving the opposite direction crossed the center line and caused a head on collision. The plaintiff's main injury was a fractured knee cap requiring surgical repair. After less than one year of litigation, the insurance company for the defendant driver paid its policy limits of $250,000. The plaintiff then filed an underinsured motorist claim against her own insurance company, who had offered her an additional $30,000 to settle the case. The plaintiff rejected the $30,000. The case went to arbitration and the three arbitrators awarded $460,000. The plaintiff got an additional $210,000, seven times more than what her own insurance company offered. The gross amount received by the plaintiff is $460,000, $250,000 from the defendant's insurance company and $210,000 from her own insurance company under her underinsured motorist coverage (UIM insurance).
A 52 year old man was driving his vehicle home from a Chicago Bears game when he was struck by a PACE Bus. As a result, he re-injured his lower back. The plaintiff did not seek medical treatment for quite some time because he was already treating for a shoulder condition unrelated to this accident. When he finally did seek medical treatment for his lower back, it was determined that he needed surgery to alleviate his pain. As the Cook County trial date approached, the case settled out of court.
A 74 year old retired cardiac surgeon was driving his bicycle in Glenview, Illinois when he was bumped by the defendant’s vehicle knocking him to the ground. The plaintiff suffered a bimalleolar right ankle fracture which required surgery. The surgical wounds then became infected. Liability was contested throughout the litigation. Eventually, the case settled at a mediation presided over by Judge Casciato (retired).
The plaintiff, a 41 year old man was a passenger on a CTA bus on his way to work. As the bus traveled westbound on Adams Street between Wacker Drive and the Chicago River Bridge, it drove over a bump in the road which threw the plaintiff slightly into the air while he was walking to the rear door. The plaintiff landed on his right heel, sustaining a Type 2 comminuted displaced calcaneus fracture (fracture of the heel bone). While the plaintiff claimed that the bus driver drove in an unsafe manner under the conditions present, the defense contended that the bus driver was driving slowly when he went over the bump and that the plaintiff should have held on to the available handrails. The defense also hired an orthopedist to contest the nature and extent of the plaintiff’s injuries. As a result of the injury, plaintiff incurred medical bills in the amount of approximately $31,000. Prior to trial, the plaintiff demanded $225,000. The defense offered $75,000. After a one week trial in Cook County, the jury awarded the plaintiff $734,000 reduced by the plaintiff’s comparative negligence of 49%. The jury awarded $60,000 for past and future medical expenses; $292,000 for past and future pain and suffering; and $382,000 for past and future loss of a normal life (sometimes referred to as “disability”).
A 21 year old woman sustained a herniated disc in her lower back when the taxi in which she was riding struck a light pole near Navy Pier in Chicago. Though the impact was considered light, her injury necessitated surgery. Full insurance policy limits were tendered to the plaintiff in this case which was litigated in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
Plaintiff, a 34 year old female photographer/re-touch specialist, was rear-ended by a taxi cab while travelling southbound on I-90 near Kimball Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The damage to the plaintiff’s vehicle was minimal and initially her neck and back injuries were treated conservatively with chiropractic treatment. However, eventually she had an MRI which showed herniated discs. She came under the care of an orthopedic doctor and eventually had surgery on both her neck and back. Full insurance policy limits were tendered to the plaintiff in this case which was litigated in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
A 28 year old male was operating his motorcycle westbound on Ontario Street near Orleans Street when a cab driver veered into his lane striking the plaintiff with his vehicle. The cab driver denied any wrong doing. Since Willens Law Offices was hired soon after the accident, we were able to secure video tape footage from a nearby police surveillance camera. We were also able to interview an eye-witness to the accident. The video, along with the witness statement, showed that the cab driver was at fault. The plaintiff suffered a left intraarticular distal tibial pilon fracture with associated distal fibula fracture. The injuries required surgical repair. This case was litigated for only one year in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois before settlement.
A 41 year old female school teacher was assisting in staging a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois. The defendant bicyclist, an employee of a local bike shop, participating in the parade, collided into her. Plaintiff suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament of her right knee requiring surgery. The litigation took place in Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois.
A 70 year old woman was operating her car in Lake County, Illinois when a drunk driver crossed the center line and struck her vehicle head on. Plaintiff suffered a broken knee requiring the surgical placement of plates and screws. Eventually, the hardware needed to be removed. The defendant's insurance company paid its full insurance policy limits of $250,000.
A 59 year old man was driving his bicycle when a car made a left hand turn in front of him. The plaintiff struck the car and flew off of his bicycle, broke his nose and injured his neck. The defendant's insurance company paid its policy limits without litigation. The plaintiff's insurance company also paid its policy limits under the plaintiff's underinsured motorist (UIM) policy he had for his vehicle.
Plaintiffs, two brothers, were travelling westbound on Fayette Avenue through a controlled intersection at 3rd Street in Effingham, Illinois. An oncoming truck turned into the path of the vehicle that the two plaintiff brothers were in. As a result of the accident, one brother suffered from lateral epicondylitis of the right elbow and right shoulder impingement syndrome and the other brother suffered ulnar neuritis in the left elbow, traumatic chondromalacia of the left knee and a soft tissue neck injury. Defense argued the truck driver was making his turn on a protected arrow and that the brother who was driving failed to keep a proper lookout and was going too fast for conditions. The defense further contested damages and hired an expert orthopedist to dispute both of the brothers’ injuries. Prior to trial, plaintiffs demanded $250,000. The defense offered $150,000. After a one week trial in Kankakee County, Illinois, the jury awarded a net verdict of $234,409 - $190,330 to one brother and $80,143 to the driving brother. The jury determined that the driving brother was 45% at fault and therefore reduced his award to $44,079. The gross verdict was $270,473.
A 48 year old man was a passenger in the defendant’s tow truck with his disabled vehicle in tow in Deerfield, Illinois. The tow truck driver applied his brakes, causing plaintiff’s disabled vehicle to rear-end the tow truck. As a result, plaintiff suffered from chronic lower back pain though his injury did not require surgery. Damages were highly contested and this case did not settle until the first day of trial. This case was litigated in Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois.
A 65 year old man was standing just outside the driver's side of his vehicle while waiting to pick up someone at O'Hare Airport. A bus came toward him when he was forced to evade it. The bus struck the car but not the plaintiff. While trying to get out of the way, plaintiff suffered a tear to his medial meniscus eventually requiring surgery. The case was litigated in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois and was eventually brought to a conclusion at a mediation.
A 53 year old female music teacher was the passenger in a vehicle driven by her daughter. The vehicle was cut off by the defendant’s vehicle, a flower delivery van, and forced into a median. As a result of the car accident, plaintiff suffered the aggravation of left shoulder acromioclavicular degenerative joint disease requiring arthroscopic surgery. Plaintiff also suffered from a cervical strain. The case was litigated in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
A 31 year old male was driving his bicycle eastbound on North Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The defendant turned her vehicle right from North Avenue onto Orchard in front of the plaintiff causing him to run into the passenger side of her vehicle. Plaintiff suffered from a deviated septum which required surgery. The case was litigated in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
A 50 year old male counseling therapist was walking through a parking lot in River Forest, Illinois when he was struck by defendant’s backing vehicle. Though the impact was light, it was enough to make him lose his balance and fall to the ground. He suffered a fracture of his left wrist which required surgery. The litigation took place in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
A 50 year old female IT employee was driving her vehicle in Barrington, Illinois when she was struck by the defendant’s vehicle which had reversed into her vehicle while leaving a parking spot. The plaintiff twisted her knee while braking and suffered a torn meniscus requiring arthroscopic surgery. She also had some steroid injections. The original offer was approximately $56,000 as defendant contested damages alleging that the plaintiff’s symptoms were due to aging and arthritis, not the subject car accident. As the case approached trial, the defense requested a pre-trial settlement conference in front of the Honorable Judge Lynn Egan. After two pre-trial sessions, a settlement was reached.
A 53 year old male food salesman was driving northbound on Randall Road near the entrance to I-90 in Elgin, Illinois when the defendant rear-ended the vehicle behind the plaintiff’s causing a chain collision. The impact caused the plaintiff to develop left-sided cervical radiculopathy, necessitating a foraminotomy – a surgery that increases the opening in the neck where nerve roots leave the spinal canal. Since the impact was light, the defense disputed the nature and extent of the plaintiff’s damages but eventually requested a pre-trial in front of the presiding Judge. The case was litigated in Geneva, Kane County, Illinois.
A 20 year old male was driving his vehicle in Lincoln, Logan County, Illinois, when a vehicle coming the opposite way turned left in front of his causing a collision. The plaintiff suffered a fractured ankle requiring surgery. The defendant’s insurance company paid full insurance policy limits prior to a lawsuit being filed.
A 45 year old male teacher sustained a mild traumatic brain injury when he was hit by defendant’s vehicle while crossing Belmont street in Chicago, Illinois. Plaintiff made an excellent recovery and has no permanent residuals. The defendant’s insurance company paid its full insurance policy limits and the plaintiff’s insurance company paid the full amount of his underinsured motorist insurance (UIM) limits.
A 39 year old window salesman was driving his bicycle in Chicago when he was hit by defendant’s vehicle. He suffered a fractured patella requiring surgery. The defendant’s insurance company tendered its full insurance policy limits prior to a lawsuit being filed.
A 60 year old female custodian was hit by defendant’s left-turning vehicle while she was in the crosswalk at an intersection in Calumet City, Illinois. She suffered a left pelvis fracture. The defendant’s insurance company paid its full insurance policy limits prior to a lawsuit being filed.
A 40 year old female dental assistant was rear-ended on Route 41, in North Chicago, Illinois. As a result of the accident, she suffered a Grade II AC joint separation requiring arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The litigation took place in Lake County, Illinois and the defendant’s insurance company eventually paid its full policy limits prior to trial.
The defendant pulled his car out of a gas station near Sheridan Road and Beach Road in Lake County, Illinois directly into the path of the plaintiff’s vehicle, causing a collision. The plaintiff, a 55 year old male plumber sustained a fractured sternum, broken ribs, a bruised heart and knee strains. The defendant’s insurance company paid its full policy limits prior to a lawsuit being filed.
The defendant turned left in front of plaintiff’s vehicle causing a collision in Addison, Du Page County, Illinois. The plaintiff, a 63 year old retired mechanic, suffered a sternum fracture, three broken ribs, a punctured lung and strained hand ligaments. The defendant’s insurance company paid its full insurance policy limits prior to a lawsuit being filed and the plaintiff’s insurance company paid the full amount of his underinsured motorist insurance (UIM) limits.
The defendant valet driver struck the plaintiff as he walked across the driveway in front of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Des Plaines, Cook County, Illinois. The plaintiff, an 82 year old man, suffered a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). In addition to the $100,000 settlement, the defendant hospital waived all of the medical bills
Plaintiff was bumped by a CTA bus while she was walking in front of it at the Jefferson Park Bus Terminal in Chicago, Illinois. Plaintiff, a 67 year old woman sustained a fractured pelvis from the bus accident.
The defendant turned left in front of plaintiff’s vehicle at the intersection of Chestnut and Harrison in Kankakee, Illinois. The 28 year old plaintiff sustained a right patellar fracture which did not require surgery. After litigation which took place in Kankakee County, Illinois, the defendant’s insurance company paid its full policy insurance limits.
Settlement for a man who suffered back injuries after he was in a truck accident
Settlement for a man who was in a car accident and injured his lower back requiring surgery
Verdict for a woman who suffered personal injury when her spleen was injured in a car accident (pre-trial offer – $0)
Awarded to a woman who suffered a fractured knee cap in a car accident (pre-arbitration offer - $30,000)
Settlement for a woman who suffered a closed head injury after she was a passenger in a vehicle that was struck by a semi-truck
Settlement for a woman who suffered a fractured knee in car accident with a drunk driver
Settlement for a woman who suffered a peroneal tendon tear after being involved in a rear end car accident
Verdict for two brothers who suffered neck and back injuries in a car accident (pre-trial offer – $150,000)
Settlement for a man who suffered lower back injuries after being in a rear end car accident
Settlement for a woman who suffered shoulder injuries after he was in a car accident
Settlement for a man who suffered neck and back injuries after he was in a car accident
Settlement for a man who suffered an lower back injury after he was in a car accident
Settlement for a woman who suffered head and neck injuries after being involved in a light impact car accident (pre-trial offer - $0)
Policy Limit Settlement for a young girl whose father suffered a wrongful death in a car accident
Settlement for a woman who suffered neck injuries after being involved in a car accident in Central Illinois
Policy Settlement for a woman who was in a car accident and suffered a shoulder injury
Policy Settlement for a man who suffered back injuries after he was in a car accident
Settlement for a man who suffered broken bones and neck and back injuries in a car accident
Settlement for a woman who suffered neck and back injuries after being in a car accident
Policy settlement for a pedestrian who was struck by a car and suffered a mild traumatic brain injury
Settlement for a man who suffered neck and back injuries after being involved in a car accident
Featured Medical Malpractice Case Results
The plaintiff went to a Chicago hospital for delivery of twins via cesarean section. In the delivery room, a suspicious rash was recognized on one of the twins and later, fecal and urine cultures confirmed the presence of candida. She was started on prophylactic anti-fungal medicine and is healthy. The other twin was clear of any rash and though she was at risk for fungal infection, she was not treated in a timely manner. Later, a head ultrasound and MRI confirmed the diagnosis and damage to her brain. A lawsuit was filed on the plaintiff’s behalf. The case was vigorously defended by lawyers for the physician and the hospital that he worked for over 3 years. Eventually, a mediation took place at which time the defendants offered $3,000,000 to settle, which the plaintiff rejected. It was not until trial that the case settled for $10,000,000.
The plaintiff, a young woman, went to a Chicago hospital for a surgical procedure to re-sect an abdominal tumor. During the surgery, the doctor, a gynecological surgeon, damaged the plaintiff’s bowel, resulting in eventual loss of the bowel. A lawsuit was filed on the plaintiff’s behalf. The case was vigorously defended by lawyers for the negligent surgeon and the hospital that he worked for nearly 2 and 1/2 years. Eventually, after a trial date was set, the case settled after multiple mediation sessions.
The plaintiff, a 30 year old man, was in the process of emigrating to the United States from South Africa. As part of that process, he had a chest x-ray. The x-ray showed a small nodule and the doctors in South Africa told him to have it checked out upon his arrival in the United States. The plaintiff did just that and went to a highly renowned radiologist who did some further testing. The doctor assured the plaintiff that he just had a cyst and there was nothing to worry about. A few years later, while driving to work, the plaintiff began coughing up blood. He went to the hospital and was eventually diagnosed with late stage lung cancer. A lawsuit was filed on his behalf. The case was vigorously defended by lawyers for the radiological specialist and the hospital that he worked for. The case was “fast tracked” based upon prognosis of the plaintiff. It wasn’t until soon before trial that the case settled.
The plaintiff, a 39 year old woman, noticed a lump on one of her breasts. She promptly reported it to her family physician who ordered a mammogram. The mammogram came back negative and her doctor (and his partner in private practice) ordered no further follow-up in the years that followed. Due to a change in insurance, the plaintiff had to switch primary care physicians. The plaintiff reported the lump to her new doctor who sent her to a general surgeon for a biopsy. The biopsy came back positive. A radical mastectomy was performed as was a lymph node resection by a general surgeon. The lump turned out to be cancer which had spread to seventeen of twenty-two lymph nodes. The plaintiff underwent radiation therapy and chemotherapy. At the time of trial, her cancer had not recurred. Though the plaintiff claimed she reported changes in the lump over the years, the defendant doctors said she did not. Further, the defendant doctors argued that, based upon a doubling time analysis, even if the plaintiff had been diagnosed much earlier, her outcome would have been the same. From the outset, the defense made clear that there would be no offer on this case. At trial, plaintiff used a family physician, a general surgeon and an oncologist as her experts. The defense used four experts to contest the case, the same types of experts that the plaintiff used plus a pathologist. The jury awarded the plaintiff and her husband $3,100,000. The defendants appealed the verdict and the plaintiff was victorious in the appellate court as well. The entire verdict amount was paid, plus interest.
Medical Malpractice for a woman who underwent leg amputation after physicians failed to timely treat blood clots
Successful settlement in a medical malpractice case where a doctor failed to diagnose breast cancer in a woman
More Medical Malpractice Case Results
Settled in a medical malpractice case where a surgical error occurred during removal of a lump on a young boy’s neck
Settlement for a man who received an infection after improper treatment at a nursing home
A women in a downstate Illinois medical malpractice case suffered a bowel perforation during a hysterectomy
A win for a man in a medical malpractice case involving surgical errors during urologic surgery (pre-trial offer – $0)
Settlement in a medical malpractice case for a woman who suffered an injured bowel as a result of surgical error
Settlement for a man who developed bed sores as a result of improper treatment while recuperating at a hospital after orthopedic surgery
Settlement for an elderly woman who suffered a broken bone when dropped by staff members of a hospital who were taking her to the bathroom
Favorable verdict in a medical malpractice case involving surgical error (pre-trial offer – $0)
Featured Personal Injury Case Results
Settlement won for a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling from a second floor balcony when a railing collapsed
Verdict for the family of an elderly man who suffered a wrongful death after a private plane crash
Settlement for a bystander who suffered partial blindness when struck in the eye by a bullet fragment during a police chase
A win for the family of a maintenance worker who suffered a wrongful death when struck by a truck at a construction site
Victory for a man who was exposed to asbestos while on the job as pipe fitter
More Personal Injury Case Results
Settlement won for a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling from a second floor balcony when a railing collapsed
Verdict for the family of an elderly man who suffered a wrongful death after a private plane crash
Settlement for a bystander who suffered partial blindness when struck in the eye by a bullet fragment during a police chase
A win for the family of a maintenance worker who suffered a wrongful death when struck by a truck at a construction site
Victory for a man who was exposed to asbestos while on the job as pipe fitter
Worker's settlement for a man who was exposed to asbestos while on the job as a diesel technician
Settlement for a woman who suffered complications from a defective hip transplant
Settlement for a man hurt at work when he fell from a scaffold at a construction site
Settlement for a man who was attacked and suffered facial fractures while in a community integrated living center
Settlement for a man who was struck by a PACE bus while in his vehicle and suffered a herniated lumbar disc requiring surgery
Settlement for a man hurt at work when he fell from a scaffold at a construction site
Settlement for a man hurt at work when he fell from a scaffold at a construction site
Settlement for a man who was struck by a vehicle while driving his bicycle and suffered a broken bone
Settlement for a construction worker who fell from a ladder and suffered a shoulder injury
Settlement for a man who fell into an improperly guarded hole at a construction site and suffered lower back injuries
Verdict in favor for a man who suffered a cut calf muscle as a result of a construction accident (pre-trial offer – $17,500)
Verdict for a passenger on a bus who suffered a broken bone injury after he was thrown into the air when the bus hit a bump (pre-trial offer – $75,000)
Settlement for a woman who suffered back injuries after she was in a taxi cab accident
Settlement for a woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury after coming into contact with an improperly guarded electrical outlet on a work site
Settlement for a motorcyclist who was struck by a cab and suffered a broken ankle requiring surgery
Policy settlement for the family of a young boy who suffered a wrongful death in a boating accident
Settlement for the family of a man who fell through a skylight of a mall
Settlement for an elderly woman who tripped and fell in restaurant and suffered a traumatic brain injury
Settlement for a suburban police officer who was attacked by a dog while on call for a domestic disturbance
Settlement for a woman who suffered an orthopedic knee injury after being involved in a bicycle accident
Settlement for a woman who received serious injuries after she was dropped at a nursing home
Settlement for a man (broken jaw) and woman (bruises) who were assaulted by strangers after their landlord failed to fix a gate on their premises
Settlement for a man who suffered a broken nose and neck injuries when an automobile cut him off during a bicycle ride.
Settlement for a man who suffered a knee injury after he slipped on a ladder.
Settlement for a woman who was not properly supervised while at a nursing home and fell causing her serious injuries
Settlement for a construction worker hurt at work after stepping into a hole that had been covered with carpeting
Settlement for a construction worker who suffered neck and back injuries when a staircase he was on collapsed
Settlement for a man who suffered back injuries after he fell off of a second floor porch because of a loose railing
Settlement for a warehouse worker who suffered a broken bone when he fell through the floor of a truck that he was unloading
Settlement for a man who suffered a knee injury requiring surgery after a bus crash
Settlement for a woman who suffered orthopedic knee injuries after she slipped and fell at a gas station
Settlement for an elderly woman who tripped and fell in a grocery store injuring her shoulder
Arbitration awarded for a man who suffered lower back injuries when the staircase he was on collapsed (pre-arbitration offer – $0)
Settlement for a woman who suffered a fractured ankle in a boat accident
Settlement for a woman who suffered a broken bone after falling in a parking lot
Settlement for a businessman who contracted salmonella poisoning at a catered luncheon
Settlement for a man who slipped and fell in a bar/restaurant and suffered a knee injury
Settlement for a man who, while driving his bicycle, collided with an automobile and suffered facial injuries
Settlement for a woman who suffered a broken hip after slipping and falling at a car wash
Settlement for a woman who suffered a broken ankle after slipping and falling at a bowling alley
Policy limit settlement for a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury after he was struck by a car while crossing the street
Settlement for a man who was struck by a vehicle while driving his bicycle and suffered an injured knee
Settlement for a woman who slipped and fell in an apartment building and injured her ankle
Settlement for a man who suffered an orthopedic shoulder injury after he slipped and fell in a restaurant
Settlement for a woman who slipped and fell on a wet floor and suffered an orthopedic shoulder injury
Settlement for a woman who suffered a broken bone after being hit by a bus
Settlement for a minor girl who was injured when struck by a car while crossing the street
Vehicle Collision Settlements in Chicago
How Long Will It Take To Receive a Settlement For My Car Accident Case?
Chicago car accident victims have a common question: How long will it take to receive a settlement in my Chicago car accident case? The reason car accident victims ask this question is obvious. They want the monetary compensation that they need and deserve, sooner rather than later. Also, they want to put the car accident – which may have been very traumatic – behind them. While the question is simple, the answer is not. The contents of this article assume that litigation is not necessary in order to bring a car accident case to conclusion.
There are many factors that must be taken into consideration such as: What happened in the accident? What is the nature of the injuries? What insurance company are we dealing with? There are many more questions that need to be taken into account. However, even in the most routine car accident cases, there are at least three things must happen.
The Client Finishes Treatment or Reaches Maximum Medical Improvement
First, the client has to either (1) fully recover and need no further treatment, or (2) reach maximum medical improvement, which means that while the client may need additional treatment, this is as good as the client is likely to get. If future surgery or other medical procedures have not yet been performed, an accident lawyer can ask a doctor to give an estimate of what the costs of the future treatment will cost. Doctors will usually honor such a request albeit for a rather large fee.
All of the Clients Medical Records, Bills and Wage Loss Information Have Been Obtained
If a case is going to be settled without a lawsuit for top value, an Illinois car accident lawyer will need to obtain all of the medical records, bills and wage loss information for the client. Even if treatment is complete, sometimes the medical facilities that we order records and bills from move slowly. It is not uncommon for one of these facilities to take a month or more to respond to our requests even though we are constantly calling. However, getting the records and bills are essential: for settlement before a lawsuit the accident claims are fought based on the client’s medical records. How these records reflect the injuries is – at this stage of the game – the most important variable the insurance companies use to determine value.
The Demand Package: Waiting for a Response
After a settlement demand letter is sent with all of the relevant medical records, bills, wage loss information and other information necessary to resolve the claim, it takes the insurance company time to evaluate the claim. It should not take more than a month for most insurance companies to evaluate a claim, but it often does, and your Chicago car accident lawyer needs to be following up with the insurance company to keep your case at on top of the pile.
If after negotiations your case does settle, your Chicago car accident lawyer needs to continue to nip at the insurance company’s heals to get you your money to you as soon as possible. Some insurance companies drag their feet after settlement has been reached. It is important that Chicago car accident lawyers stay on top of the insurance companies to get you your settlement check as soon as possible.
Some Warnings
Don’t be too anxious to get your car accident case settled without knowing the extent of your injuries. Once your case is over, it’s over. For instance, let’s say you injured your back in a car accident. Anxious to get your case settled, you or your car accident lawyer accepts an offer from an insurance company that seems reasonable. A few months later, after more back pain, your doctor informs you that you need surgery. Now, you determine that the settlement you received hardly seems fair. Therefore, you call your car accident lawyer to re-open your case. Your lawyer will tell you, “Sorry. There’s nothing that can be done.”
Next, insurance companies can often sense weakness. If you are trying to get your car accident case settled shortly after an accident, you may be sending messages to the insurance company. One message you may be sending is that your injuries are minimal. After all, someone trying to settle their car accident case a couple of months after a car accident is obviously not very injured. Another message you may be sending to the insurance company evaluating your car accident claim is that you or your car accident attorney is desperate for money and will settle short of full value to get quick dollars. It’s not uncommon for our Chicago personal injury law firm to receive phone calls from our car accident clients during the holiday season looking to settle their car accident cases before settlement discussions are appropriate. As experienced Chicago car accident lawyers, we explain to our clients the reasons why their cases might not be in a position to settle, for full value that is. We explain that we would like to bring their car accident cases to conclusion sooner rather than later as well since we do not get paid until they do. We then go over our main goal which is to achieve a settlement that is full and fair. Sometimes the timing matters – don’t hesitate before calling a car and trucking accident lawyer in Chicago.
Contact Willens Law Offices to Receive a Free Consultation from an Experienced Attorney
To discuss your personal injury, medical malpractice, car accident, wrongful death, or Illinois workers compensation case, call our Chicago Personal Injury Attorneys today at (312) 957-4166 to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Initially, we will listen to you and offer you guidance. We see this initial FREE consultation not only as a way for us to get to know you, but also for you to better understand who we are and what we can do, so you can feel comfortable making the decision as to which law firm to hire.
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