Illinois personal injury law involves cases where a person is injured due to the negligent, willful, or intentional acts of another person. While it is true that accidents happen, negligence should not. The legal system in the United States imposes a duty of care on every individual to act reasonably. Occasionally, however, we make mistakes, either by doing things that a reasonable person would not have done or by failing to do things that a reasonable person would have done. In unfortunate situations, people get hurt.
A particular area of personal injury law, known as strict liability, holds an individual liable to the party harmed without a showing of fault or negligence. For example, if a demolition company is using explosives near a school, and they unintentionally blow up the school, it stands to reason that this “inherently dangerous” activity should be punished in some way without having to prove that the demolition company did anything negligent.
When we breach the duty of care and someone is harmed, we can be held liable for money damages to the person injured by our negligence. Not every injury is worthy of legal action however. If you are injured, you need to understand your rights before deciding whether or not to “do something about it.” Knowing what your options are and whether or not you have a case are both factors that should go into your decision as to whether to seek legal redress.
Personal injury law encompasses a broad range of areas, from common scenarios, such as automobile accidents and dog bites, to exceptional situations like nursing home negligence or abuse. Chicago, Illinois, personal injury attorney Stephen Hoffman is skilled at representing clients in a vast array of personal injury cases, including:
If you or a loved one is suffering from serious personal injuries, contact the Law Office of Stephen L. Hoffman as soon as possible to evaluate your options and rights to recovery.