personal injury attorneys chicago

A contingency fee means that an attorney agrees to take on a case without charging any up front or hourly fee. In exchange for working for free and taking the risk that a recovery will be made, the lawyer receives a percentage of what is recovered when the case is over. Contingency fee cases are most commonly found in injury cases like workers compensation, personal injury, medical malpractice and nursing home abuse. 

There are occasionally small fees to obtain medical records in a malpractice case. Other cases include legal malpractice and class actions. For legal malpractice cases attorneys will want to see financial damages as a result of an attorney's unprofessional conduct that would make it financially worthwhile. For example, if a divorce attorney's misconduct resulted in less than desirable visitation, a lawyer will probably not take the case on a contingency basis. However, if as a result of a divorce lawyer's unprofessional conduct the client losses $100,000 from the ex's pension, a legal malpractice attorney may take the case on a contingency basis. In class action cases, attorneys work on a contingency basis because so many people have been wronged that if the lawyer wins the damages awarded will be substantial to compensate all of the clients. The attorney will take a percentage of the damages awarded to compensate for the work. Other cases that are sometimes, but now always done on a contingency basis include challenges to a will, commercial litigation, overtime or compensation cases from employment law, collections (if the amount owed is enough) and some child support cases. When challenging a will, a lawyer can work on a contingency if there is a real dispute. They cannot take a percentage of what is recovered if it is just normal representation of an estate. In employment law and overtime cases, lawyers will work on a contingency basis if the dollar amounts owed are large enough. For example, if a client is missing one paycheck a lawyer will probably not take the case on a contingency basis. In child support cases, it is rare to find a lawyer to work on a contingency unless there is money that can be collected. Lawyers are prohibited from handling a divorce or criminal case on a contingency basis in Illinois. 

Illinois attorneys also do not handle defense of civil lawsuits on a contingency basis because there would be no way to get paid. The fees that a lawyer charges for a contingency case depends on the type of case and risk involved. In workers' compensation claims for Illinois, the law limits the fee to 20% of any settlement. In medical malpractice cases there is a fee schedule that changes depending on how much is recovered. In most other matters, it is customary for the lawyer to recover 1/3 of the money awarded. In some cases this fee will go as high as 40% or more, especially if there is a trial and/or appeal.

Michael Helfand is a Chicago attorney who helps people find lawyers in Illinois and also provides free advice. For more information on contingency fees he suggests that you visit www.findgreatlawyers.com/ContingencyFeeCases.htm 

personal injury attorneys chicago

I really enjoy cooking and baking - so if you have any good and unique recipes, do send them my way. But I don't want to talk to you about cooking today; rather, I want to talk to you about a marketing lesson I was reminded of when I went to prepare dinner the other evening. I pulled out my package of chicken breast and noticed a big banner running across the top of the package that read "Raised On Family Farms". I couldn't help but think what a clever marketing tactic this was - a tactic that you and I can easily apply to our own businesses right now. No, I wasn't raised on a family farm - northwest side of Chicago, as a matter of fact. But there's a broad marketing concept at work here. You see, the chicken wasn't organic. It wasn't fee range. It wasn't antibiotic-free. It wasn't in any way "better" chicken. It was simply raised on a farm owned by family members. As far as I know, a family farm has no effect whatsoever on the quality of the chicken. There are no regulations that say a family farm must be more humane or ethical than a huge company.

Family farms don't need to use healthier chicken feed. In fact, there are no regulations at all that say a family farm must operate any differently than a corporate-owned farm in any way. And to further complicate the issue, when I checked out the chicken company's website, I found out it was actually a conglomeration of over 1,500 different farms. So I would imagine there is actually a huge difference in the operations amongst these family farms. And yet "Raised On Family Farms" painted a quaint little picture in my brain of a small mom-and-pop operation, with little Sally filling her apron pockets with bird seed, singing a merry song as she happily hand feeds her chickens eagerly gathered around her. The chickens are treated just like pets and they live out their lives peacefully until it's time to go to the big chicken coop in the sky. At least that the picture that flashed through my brain in the second or so that it took me to read the "Raised On Family Farms" banner. Because, yes, our minds do think in pictures and those pictures are often created instantaneously, without us even being aware of it. The chicken company painted a very advantageous picture in their customers' brains with a somewhat meaningless positioning statement. So what can you do to paint a effective picture in your customers' or prospects' brains? Keep the "know-like-trust" factor in mind when you're brainstorming ideas. The family farm picture was brilliant because it touched on all of these. But even if your mental picture only touches on one factor, it can still be very powerful. Here are a few examples to get you started: My friend Sam was a brand new life coach. He was so new, in fact, that he hadn't even passed his certification test yet. He needed to find clients quickly, so instead of waiting for his certification to be finalized, he decided to go ahead with a new marketing campaign.

Naturally, he was a little worried about the "trust" factor since he wasn't a certified coach yet. Actually, he wasn't certified in anything. He didn't even finish college. But he had taken many different classes and courses.

So in his marketing materials and on his website, he created a bullet list of all the things Sam was "educated in". This huge list painted a picture of a highly-qualified coach, even though he wasn't certified yet. Peter is a personal injury attorney, and almost no one likes personal injury attorneys. Heck, even the injured person doesn't like personal injury attorneys! Even though Peter is a very likable guy, he wasn't getting many referrals, and I thought the "ambulance chaser reputation" might have had something to do with it.

Peter got rid of his stern-faced lawyer-looking photographs and replaced them with casual pictures of Peter and his family. He changed out of a suit and tie and put on a pair of dockers and an oxford shirt. He painted the picture of a loving, friendly family man whom clients and prospects could easily like. Keep in mind, the value here is that the prospect or customer is creating these mental pictures. Nowhere in their marketing did the chicken company say their chicken was healthier, happier or in anyway better. Sam never said he was a certified coach, and Peter never said he was a friendly, likable guy. The prospect drew his own conclusions - and people never question their own conclusions. They simply accept them as fact. There are dozens of ways you can paint pictures in your prospect's brain to help him draw his own conclusions about you, your product or service. Think about the words, the colors, the graphics you're using, on your website, on your business card, in your brochures, etc.

What kind of instantaneous mental picture are they creating, and how can you change them to paint the picture you want your client to see?

personal injury attorneys chicago

Residents and visitors of Illinois may want to carefully check the laws. There are several weird, dumb, and funny laws you should be aware of before you find yourself in trouble with the law.

Possibly the dumbest law in the United States exists in Illinois. Speaking English is illegal. American is the officially recognized language.

One funny law regarding recreation in Illinois relates to fishing. It is illegal it fish in your pajamas in Chicago. You may want to put on jeans and t-shirt first.

A second weird law concerning recreation in Illinois is geared toward children. It is illegal to fly a kite in the city limits of Chicago. Don't go fly a kite in Chicago, do it somewhere else instead.

A dumb law for diners is in the City of Chicago. You may not eat in a place that is on fire. Just take your food outside instead.

A third dumb law about recreation in Illinois involves an indoor sport. In Evanston, bowling is illegal. Maybe it would be ok to fly that kite though.

If you want to change clothes in your car, be careful. You may not change clothes in an automobile with the curtains drawn, unless it is on fire in Evanston. Why would you change clothes in a car that is on fire?

Visitors to Illinois need to be cautious where they drive. It is illegal to drive through town in Crete. Perhaps you should park your car on the edge of town and walk through.

One funny law in Illinois relates to selling a wheelbarrow. Putting a for sale sign on a wheelbarrow that is chained to a tree is illegal in Des Plaines. Chain the wheelbarrow to the fence before you try to sell it.

Protesters in Illinois have dumb laws to adhere to as well. You may protest naked in front of city hall, as long as you are under seventeen and have the proper permits in Chicago. If you are protesting naked, where are you going to put your proof of age?

Business in Illinois should pay careful attention to this weird law. If you plan on entering into any contracts with the City of Chicago, you must first report any business dealings you had with slaves during the era of slavery. Check your records carefully!

If you plan on visiting Chicago, make sure you contact the authorities first. Entering the city in an automobile without alerting the authorities first is illegal. Just call ahead and everything will be all right.

Residents and visitors of Illinois may want to carefully check the laws. There are several weird, dumb, and funny laws you should be aware of before you find yourself in trouble with the law.

Possibly the dumbest law in the United States exists in Illinois. Speaking English is illegal. American is the officially recognized language.

One funny law regarding recreation in Illinois relates to fishing. It is illegal it fish in your pajamas in Chicago. You may want to put on jeans and t-shirt first.

A second weird law concerning recreation in Illinois is geared toward children. It is illegal to fly a kite in the city limits of Chicago. Don't go fly a kite in Chicago, do it somewhere else instead.

A dumb law for diners is in the City of Chicago. You may not eat in a place that is on fire. Just take your food outside instead.

A third dumb law about recreation in Illinois involves an indoor sport. In Evanston, bowling is illegal. Maybe it would be ok to fly that kite though.

If you want to change clothes in your car, be careful. You may not change clothes in an automobile with the curtains drawn, unless it is on fire in Evanston. Why would you change clothes in a car that is on fire?

Visitors to Illinois need to be cautious where they drive. It is illegal to drive through town in Crete. Perhaps you should park your car on the edge of town and walk through.

One funny law in Illinois relates to selling a wheelbarrow. Putting a for sale sign on a wheelbarrow that is chained to a tree is illegal in Des Plaines. Chain the wheelbarrow to the fence before you try to sell it.

Protesters in Illinois have dumb laws to adhere to as well. You may protest naked in front of city hall, as long as you are under seventeen and have the proper permits in Chicago. If you are protesting naked, where are you going to put your proof of age?

Business in Illinois should pay careful attention to this weird law. If you plan on entering into any contracts with the City of Chicago, you must first report any business dealings you had with slaves during the era of slavery. Check your records carefully!

If you plan on visiting Chicago, make sure you contact the authorities first. Entering the city in an automobile without alerting the authorities first is illegal. Just call ahead and everything will be all right.

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Residents and visitors of Illinois may want to carefully check the laws. There are several weird, dumb, and funny laws you should be aware of before you find yourself in trouble with the law.

Possibly the dumbest law in the United States exists in Illinois. Speaking English is illegal. American is the officially recognized language.

One funny law regarding recreation in Illinois relates to fishing. It is illegal it fish in your pajamas in Chicago. You may want to put on jeans and t-shirt first.

A second weird law concerning recreation in Illinois is geared toward children. It is illegal to fly a kite in the city limits of Chicago. Don't go fly a kite in Chicago, do it somewhere else instead.

A dumb law for diners is in the City of Chicago. You may not eat in a place that is on fire. Just take your food outside instead.

A third dumb law about recreation in Illinois involves an indoor sport. In Evanston, bowling is illegal. Maybe it would be ok to fly that kite though.

If you want to change clothes in your car, be careful. You may not change clothes in an automobile with the curtains drawn, unless it is on fire in Evanston. Why would you change clothes in a car that is on fire?

Visitors to Illinois need to be cautious where they drive. It is illegal to drive through town in Crete. Perhaps you should park your car on the edge of town and walk through.

One funny law in Illinois relates to selling a wheelbarrow. Putting a for sale sign on a wheelbarrow that is chained to a tree is illegal in Des Plaines. Chain the wheelbarrow to the fence before you try to sell it.

Protesters in Illinois have dumb laws to adhere to as well. You may protest naked in front of city hall, as long as you are under seventeen and have the proper permits in Chicago. If you are protesting naked, where are you going to put your proof of age?

Business in Illinois should pay careful attention to this weird law. If you plan on entering into any contracts with the City of Chicago, you must first report any business dealings you had with slaves during the era of slavery. Check your records carefully!

If you plan on visiting Chicago, make sure you contact the authorities first. Entering the city in an automobile without alerting the authorities first is illegal. Just call ahead and everything will be all right.

Cook County Lawyers

There are over 40,000 practicing lawyers in Cook County - more than in the rest of the state combined. This number includes attorneys specializing in practically all conceivable types of law, in a variety of settings. Below is a bit more information on where and how these lawyers operate and some of the biggest practice areas. Key Locations The Daley Center is the main courthouse for Cook County; it is also the courthouse for the County's 1st District. Most civil cases and traffic cases are held inside, along with many other suits. There are 5 other Cook County Districts, each with its own courthouse. The courthouses are in the following locations: Skokie (2nd District), Rolling Meadows (3rd District), Maywood (4th District), Bridgeview (5th District) and Markham (6th District). If you live in the suburbs, your case may be heard your local district courthouse, but many claims are still heard at the Daley Center, in particular most of those involving over $100,000.

It is best to hire an attorney who has experience both with your specific legal issue and familiarity with the courthouse where your case has been filed. In addition to understanding your case, this type of lawyer may know some of the judges and attorneys who you will be dealing with during your lawsuit. This lawyer will be best equipped to present your case in a way that gives you the best chance of winning.

Payment Lawyers in Cook County vary widely in the amount and types of fees that they charge for their services. Some lawyers work on contingency which means you don't have to pay any fee to the lawyer unless he or she gets a financial award or settlement for you. The lawyer will then earn a percentage of the monetary amount, often 30%. Certain areas of law are not allowed to be taken on contingency, though, such as criminal and divorce cases. Lawyers working on these cases will probably charge a retainer, which is the fee to officially hire the lawyer. You will most likely also pay an hourly rate for the time the lawyer spends working on your case, although sometimes you can negotiate to pay a flat fee for all of the legal work up front. The amount of the retainer and hourly fee will depend on the law firm the lawyer works for and what type of case you have.

Personal Injury Most lawsuits arising out of accidents, like car accidents or slip-and-fall cases, are personal injury suits. These cases are also known as tort cases. Tort cases are assigned to two Divisions in Cook County, Law Division and Civil Division. Tort cases for more than $30,000 are assigned to the Law Division and are usually heard at the Daley Center, although smaller cases may be heard in the suburban District courthouses. Smaller cases are assigned to the Civil Division. These smaller cases usually end up in arbitration where the parties try to reach an agreement that works for both sides.

Criminal In criminal cases, you will always be opposing the government in your case, and you may face jail time if you lose. Criminal cases are heard in all 6 of the Cook County District courthouses, and in additional Cook County courthouses as well. For instance, most felony cases (like murder or weapons charges) occur at the courthouse located at 26th Street & California. These cases are the most serious and most likely to result in jail time. Lesser criminal charges are typically held in the nearest District courthouse. As with all practice areas, it is very important to hire an attorney who has won cases involving the same crime you are charged with in Cook County, in order to try to avoid penalties.

Medical Malpractice Almost all medical malpractice cases in Cook County are filed at the Daley Center. Most Cook County attorneys that specialize in medical malpractice are located in Chicago as a result, but will work with individuals from throughout Illinois.

Worker's Compensation All workers' compensation claims are heard at the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission which is located in the Thompson Center. The Thompson Center is located in downtown Chicago, near the Daley Center. This is true if you are injured on the job in Cook County, or you are injured working outside Cook County but your company is based here or you were hired here. Again, most lawyers in this area practice out of Chicago due to its proximity to the Thompson Center, but they will work will all clients who need their services.

Divorce and Family Law Divorce cases can be heard at the courthouses in Chicago, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Markham and Maywood. However, the Daley center is the main divorce courthouse and hears the most cases. The location of the divorce proceedings is determined by the person who originally files the case; however the other party can apply to have the case transferred to another courthouse. Divorce and family law attorneys are located throughout Cook County.

Probate All Cook County probate (will, trust and estate issues) are heard at the Daley Center, this includes people who were residents of Cook County when they passed away, even if their family members don't live in the area. Many Cook County probate lawyers are located in Chicago, but some will practice out of suburban locations and travel into Daley Center when necessary.