Chicago Personal Injury Law Office

What Types Of Personal Injury Claims Does Smith LaCien Handle?

Our lawyers handle all claims involving injury or death caused by negligence. This includes car accidents, airplane and airport accidents, train and train station accidents, medical malpractice, slip-and-fall accidents and defective product accidents.

When Should I Meet With A Personal Injury Attorney?

If you believe you or a loved one has been harmed because of someone else’s negligence, you should meet with a personal injury attorney. You may be able to pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other costs. Sometimes the negligent party is clear, like in a car accident caused by a careless driver. Even if you are not certain who was at fault, you should talk to an attorney. An attorney can help you identify the negligent party. Sometimes, more than one party was at fault.

How Much Does It Cost To Meet With A Personal Injury Attorney?

At Smith LaCien, our lawyers provide free consultations, as do most lawyers who practice in this area of law. That means there is no risk in reaching out to us to ask questions or have us evaluate a possible claim. Maybe you have already talked to another lawyer and want a second opinion. You are welcome to discuss the matter with us. Our decades of experience mean you can be confident in our ability to determine whether or not you have a legitimate claim for a car accident or other matter.

What Should I Bring To My Meeting With A Personal Injury Attorney?

Please bring detailed notes about the incident and any evidence you have collected so far. For example, if you are consulting with us about a possible car accident claim, please bring info about the location, time and date the accident happened. Bring contact and insurance information from the negligent driver, as well as from any witnesses. If you have photos of the accident scene, damage to the cars or your injuries, bring those as well. Your medical records can be helpful too so we understand the full extent of your injuries as diagnosed so far.

Also, bring a list of questions you want to ask about your case or about the attorney’s qualifications.

How Do I Choose A Personal Injury Attorney?

So many Chicago area lawyers offer car crash and personal injury representation. If you are having a hard time choosing your lawyer, you are not alone. Some key details to look at when making your choice include:

How much experience does the lawyer have? You want to look specifically at personal injury experience, as these claims are complex and not like other areas of the law. A lawyer may advertise that they have decades of experience, but perhaps it was doing estate planning. Those skills may not translate to personal injury claims.

Is the attorney local? You want an attorney who knows their way around Chicago area courtrooms, an attorney who knows the players involved in these matters. The last thing you want is an attorney from the southern part of the state, or from another state entirely, who hasn’t set foot in these courtrooms before.

How successful is the attorney? Look for a list of results and case examples. While details of cases are often kept private, there should be at least some proof the attorney can offer that they have won cases like yours.

Is the attorney prepared for trial? Insurance companies will often push a lowball settlement. In some cases, the attorney will need to push back by taking the matter to trial. Trial can be challenging, and the process is far removed from negotiating a settlement, so you want someone who has been through it before and emerged victorious.

What does your gut tell you? Do you feel comfortable with the attorney? Do they seem genuinely concerned about your case? When you met with them, were they focused on you? Do you think they will continue to focus on you until your matter is resolved? Personal injury claims can take time, so you want to make sure you are working with an attorney who you can effectively communicate with and who you trust to do the right thing for you.

Call us at 312-509-8900 or send us an email to learn more. We offer free consultations and are happy to answer any questions.