Making Your Case Checklist — How to Prepare for a Personal Injury Lawsuit

 Posted on March 25, 2022 in Personal Injury

If you were injured due to another individual’s or company’s direct harm or negligence, you could receive financial compensation for damages. However, the personal injury case process can be tricky to navigate. It is easier said than done to file a claim or lawsuit. When choosing to pursue a personal injury lawsuit, it is essential to understand how the legal process works and to make a checklist of the critical items needed. Here is a comprehensive case checklist of what to prepare for a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois. 

Medical, Police, and Other Official Reports

The best place to begin when preparing for your injury lawsuit is to collect all of the official documented reports in your case. There are many different personal injury cases, from car accidents, dog bite injuries, construction site accidents, and product defects. You will want to include any official police reports in your case and the medical documentation that explicitly lists the injuries you sustained. 

Collecting Case Evidence 

The next step in your case checklist is to collect all relevant evidence that can help you in court. Typically, good evidence that will uphold in a case includes:

• Photos depicting the incident site, company, or injuries 

• Video surveillance of the injury 

• Witness testimony 

• Documented pictures of the injury healing process 

• Pay stubs to indicate wage differences from the injury

A skilled personal injury attorney can help you find evidence, and even more importantly, preserve this evidence. When evidence is not preserved, it may be accidentally or intentionally lost or destroyed. 

Have Skilled Legal Counsel

When beginning the process of a personal injury lawsuit, it is essential to hire an attorney you feel comfortable with and can trust. A good attorney will help guide you through the legal process, including testimony, litigation, and ensuring you act within the state’s statute of limitations. In Illinois, personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the incident. A lawyer can also assist with the financial aspects of your case. For example, if you suffered from a wage decrease due to your injuries, you may be entitled to repayment. 

Contact a Will County Personal Injury Attorney 

At Michael J. Lichner - Will County Personal Injury Lawyer, our Will County personal injury lawyer has years of experience representing individuals in numerous personal injury cases. We understand the unique nature of each case and will take the time to review the details of your situation. For a free consultation, please call 815-730-1977 to schedule with us. 

Sources:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2375&ChapterID=67 

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=073500050HArt%2E+XIII+Pt%2E+2&ActID=2017&ChapterID=56&SeqStart=102800000&SeqEnd=106200000