Personal Injury Attorney in Rockford IL

NO FEE UNLESS WE WIN

Rockford Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one have suffered an injury, or fatal accident in Rockford, Illinois that was caused by someone else, we are a nearby personal injury law firm that will aggressively fight for you, and there is absolutely no fee unless we win a recovery on your behalf.

If you have been hurt in a car, truck, semi-trailer, or motorcycle accident your injury may have left you with significant medical bills, missed time at work, and significant pain and suffering. If your injuries were caused by another person — including accidents not involving vehicles, such as medical malpractice or dram shop (liquor establishment) liabilities, or slip and fall accidents — you may be entitled to recover financially from suffering an injury in the resultant accident.

Personal Injury Lawyer Near You

Many people search for a “personal injury lawyer near me” and hire one of the first attorneys that come up without doing much more research. While having your injury lawyer nearby is important, it’s also important to know that you’re hiring the right lawyer for your case.

About Our Attorney

Attorney Paul Marriett was born and raised in the Rockford, Illinois area and relocated his law practice to the area in 2013. He has never represented an insurance company and has never taken on a corporation as a client. Since then his office has been able to help numerous people who were faced with severe to minor injuries from their accidents or injuries however a few things remained the same in all cases:

  • Even minor injuries cause hardships for the individual. If they have kids, it’s difficult to manage routine, day to day activities. If they work a job that’s labor intensive they may not be able to perform those duties, and if no opportunity for light duty is available they may not be able to work at all without aggravating or causing further injury. Having someone on your side that’s experienced with these issues, and that can paint a creative attack on the other side during negotiations with an insurance company or with a jury can make all the difference in the world to the amount of your recovery.
  • Everyone deserves to have an attorney work for them no matter their financial background. In cases like these, there are absolutely no fees for you to pay unless we can earn a recovery for what you’ve been through. Taking it a step further we offer in-office, home, and hospital visits so if you need a lawyer, we’ll be there. You can be assured that the other side will have their insurance company working on the defense of their case from day 1, you deserve the same level of attention and treatment. We can assure you, the level of service we offer our client’s dealing with an injury is second to none.

How Can We Help With Your Injury Claim?

How Does Personal Injury Law Work?

Personal injury law involves civil lawsuits filed because of wrongful conduct or behavior. A claim in a personal injury lawsuit is filed by the party who was injured — either physically or emotionally — due to the behavior of another party. Some of the most common types of injury claims that we handle are:

If you have an issue not listed here, do not hesitate to reach out to us to find out if it is something we can help you with.

While laws recognize that accidents can happen, there is an assumption of personal responsibility by the party responsible for the physical or emotional damage. Would a reasonable person have acted differently in a similar situation? That is at the heart of most personal injury cases, and it’s why having an experienced attorney on your side is critical.

That’s because a party’s negligence is determined by four key elements and the common law principle of the “reasonably prudent” person. The four elements are best understood when posed as questions:

  • Did the defendant owe a duty of care to safeguard the plaintiff against harm?
  • Did the defendant breach that duty?
  • Was the defendant’s breach of duty the cause of the plaintiff’s injury? (And was the injury foreseeable and preventable by the defendant?)
  • Are the plaintiff’s injuries actual damages that can be compensated?

Personal Injury FAQs

What happens if my family member or myself are too sick or injured to come to your office?

We pride ourselves on being proactive, and available. If you or a loved one needs an attorney we routinely make house calls as well as hospital/nursing home visits to make life easier for our clients.

Do I have to pay anything?

You, or your family, do not pay anything to have us represent you in your claim unless there is a recovery made at trial, or through settlement negotiations, otherwise known as a “contingent fee agreement.”

What sets the Law Office of Paul M. Marriett apart?

  • Free help with medical referrals and property damage claims relating to your injury case.
  • We advance all costs relating to your case. You owe us nothing unless we win.
  • Individualized attention: With us, you work only with lawyers (i.e., no paralegals or administrative staff). You will always be able to contact your lawyer directly with any questions or concerns via phone, text message, or e-mail.
  • Aggressive litigation attorneys: We prepare every case for trial, and are prepared to prove our cases to a jury if a settlement offer is not generous.

What does “injured” mean? What types of injuries are there?

  • Injuries sustained in auto accidents
  • Brain injuries
  • Spinal injuries
  • Injuries related to the birthing process
  • Accidents involving paralysis
  • Accidents causing whiplash
  • Accidents causing loss of a limb or disfigurement
  • Accidents involving the death of a loved one
  • Accidents causing financial injuries (e.g., missed work, job opportunities, etc).

Types of Damages

Monetary damages can be awarded if someone is found to be legally responsible for injuring person. Those monetary damages are called compensatory damages (or actual damages). The purpose of compensatory damages is to attempt to put the injured person in the position he or she would have been had the injury not occurred. These damages may include medical expenses (past and future), pain and suffering (past and future), lost wages (past and future), loss of a normal life, and loss of society.It’s important to keep records of your medical bills and time off from work as these can help you calculate your actual damages.

In some cases, punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the defendant if his or her conduct was not just negligent but reckless or intentional. Punitive damages aren’t recovered for any specific loss. Instead, they are levied against the defendant as punishment to discourage negligence in the future. The court will determine whether to award the plaintiff with punitive damages and how much the award will be. According to Illinois law, punitive damages may only be awarded if actual damages are also awarded.

Advice from a Personal Injury Attorney

If you have been the victim of a personal injury in Rockford, Machesney Park, Belvidere, Loves Park or anywhere in northern Illinois, there are several things you can do to help yourself:

  • Make sure that you seek proper medical attention and that you follow the advice of medical professionals
  • Fully cooperate with the police and your own treating physicians
  • Follow up with the proper authorities and your own insurance company
  • Contact an attorney if you believe your injury was caused by the carelessness or intentional act of another

You should call a lawyer as soon as it is convenient to do so and avoid discussing the matter with strangers and insurance representatives who are not from your own insurance company.

Life-Altering Impact

A injury can be severe and life-altering, and your life can change in a split second. All of a sudden you can be faced with debilitating pain, extensive medical bills, lost wages and the threat of permanent disability. For victims and their families, an injury or a wrongful death means that life will never be the same again.

You may have a long and difficult recovery period. At a time when you should be focused on your recovery, many issues may suddenly demand your attention, including:

  • Obtaining proper medical care
  • Payment of your medical bills
  • Loss of income if you are unable to work
  • Loss of mobility, function, or the ability to conduct your normal daily activities
  • Obtaining fair compensation for your property damage
  • Attending traffic court hearings
  • Resolving insurance issues

Seek the help of an experienced attorney who can fight for you rights and help minize the impact an injury can have on your life.

Time Limits on Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Illinois

Illinois sets a time limit of two years on filing a personal injury lawsuit in the state’s civil court system. In most cases, this two-year time limit, known as a “statute of limitations,” begins to run on the date of the accident. Sometimes, however, a statute of limitations might run from the date you discovered you were injured, rather than the date of the event that injured you. This later date is known as a “discovery date.”

For injury claims against a city or county, you have one year to file a lawsuit. The time limit to sue the state generally is two years, but you must file a formal claim within one year in order to sue.

A qualified personal injury attorney can help to guide you through this difficult time and alleviate some of the stress.

Contact a Skilled Attorney Today

Personal injury lawsuits can be complicated. You may not receive the compensation you request if the court finds you partly responsible for the accident. That’s why the Law Office of Paul M. Marriett strives to settle injury cases with favorable terms. Contact the Law Office of Paul M. Marriett office at (815) 391-0089 to schedule your free consultation about your case in Rockford, or use the contact form on this page to receive a response within 24 hours.

What Our Clients Have to Say

“I would highly recommend Paul Marriett to anyone looking for an attorney. Paul made a difficult situation quite a bit easier from the initial phone call by keeping me informed and being upfront and honest on all the possible outcomes and what was needed to be done in order to achieve the best desired outcome. He will work hard for you and be very transparent. If you have any legal issues give Paul a call!”

Rating: 5/5

Bill

May 9, 2019

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