Chicago Injury Law Firm > Chicago Personal Injury

A Chicago injury law firm such as VanDerGinst Law, P.C. should be the first place you call if you are hurt and your injury is the fault of another person. When someone incurs physical or emotional injury, it is considered by law to be a “personal injury.” The laws covering personal injury allow the injured party to receive compensation for damages caused by someone else’s carelessness. Lawyers who work for a Chicago injury law firm practice “tort” law, a term used to describe personal injury. Tort actions have three elements: there must be a legal duty between the defendant (the one doing the wrong) and the plaintiff (the person injured); there must be a breach of the duty; and, damage must occur because of the breach. When all three elements take place, a personal injury, or tort, has occurred.

Those working at a Chicago injury law firm understand the intricacies of various types of tort. Liability can be caused by intentional acts or by negligence. An intentional act is one designed to cause harm or injury. The person committing the act wants to harm you. A negligent act occurs when someone fails to take appropriate action and you are harmed as a result of their failure. For instance, if an angry motorist causes a car accident by ramming into the rear of your vehicle, it is an intentional tort (it may also be a criminal action). On the other hand, if a careless driver causes a truck accident by running a red light and it results in personal injury, it is a negligence tort. In both cases, the defendant had a duty not to injure you or your property, because our laws and society created that duty. The duty was breached by the intentional or negligent actions of the defendant, and damage to your person or property resulted.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury, illness, or death, and it seems to have been someone else's fault, call a Chicago personal injury law firm such as VanDerGinst Law, P.C. at 1-866-843-7367 or click here for a FREE online case evaluation. The initial consultation is free of charge. If we agree to handle your injury case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we are paid for our services only if, and when, there is a money recovery for you. In many cases a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure you do not waive your right to possible compensation and to consult our Chicago injury law firm.