Some personal injury claims are relatively simple. You were stopped completely at a stop sign when a drunk or speeding driver rear-ended you. There is video footage of a grocery store employee spilling a drink and then walking away a few minutes before you slipped and fell. Your injuries are fairly minor and you will be able to return to work within a few weeks. These cases are more likely to result in a settlement and a fair payout that covers medical expenses, lost wages, and maybe the cost of a totaled vehicle. Other cases are much more complex. You have sustained a life-altering injury and will always need a home health aide. There is a disagreement over whether what your doctor did caused harm to you. The truck driver who hit you claims that you caused the crash. In these cases, one tool your attorney may use is the expert witness. 

What is the Role of an Expert Witness?

An expert witness is someone who can provide credible testimony about what they believe is true in your case. They step in when there is a factual, rather than a legal, dispute that the parties cannot agree on. There is no specific certification that an expert witness must hold, but they must be regarded as an expert in the topic matter they are going to testify about. In Illinois, an expert witness must be qualified by their “knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education.”

An expert witness will look at the evidence itself and apply their particular set of professional skills to the investigation. For example, if the fact in dispute is whether your tire blew because it was defective or because you installed it wrong, you would look for a tire expert. This person should be well-versed in accident reconstruction and tire design–ideally they should hold an advanced degree in this field. The expert witness can perform a skilled analysis of the accident and draw a conclusion about what most likely happened. 

When people think of premises liability lawsuits, they think of slip and fall accidents, or perhaps a shelf collapsing shelf in a grocery store. But sometimes premises liability is more about the activity that occurs at the property, rather than the property itself.

Property owners have an obligation to create a reasonably safe environment for entrants, this includes having adequate security measures to prevent crime and illicit activity. If the owner fails to employ such measures, and someone suffers an attack on their property, they may face a negligent security lawsuit.

 Essentially, a negligent security lawsuit alleges the victim suffered an attack on the property, such as a robbery or assault, because the owner failed to install necessary security features, like security cameras, adequate lighting, or the presence of a security guard.

Millions of Americans are injured in slip and fall accidents every year. According to the CDC, over 800,000 patients are hospitalized every year because of falls.

These injuries are often severe. People fall suddenly and rarely have time to brace themselves. They hit the ground with enough force to break bones and tear ligaments. In fact, one out of every five falls causes a serious injury.

Slip and falls can happen for a variety of reasons, including:

Opting to go without a vehicle with the goal of leading a more eco-friendly, economically efficient, and active lifestyle is an admirable decision that is becoming increasingly widespread in urban areas of the United States. With this in mind, it is important for drivers and pedestrians alike to be aware of what is expected when sharing roads. 

Recent estimates suggest that pedestrian accidents have greatly increased in the past few years. While choosing to ride a bike or walk to work and social events may fit well into an individual’s lifestyle, pedestrians should understand what dangers they may face on the roads and what actions they can take to better avoid being involved in a pedestrian accident.

What Factors Most Often Lead to a Pedestrian Accident?

Certain dangerous behaviors, on both the driver and pedestrian part, are more likely to contribute to a pedestrian accident than others. 

In a typical week, you may visit a number of places of business for the purposes of shopping, eating at restaurants, attending appointments, and more. Chances are, you rarely think twice about your personal safety when visiting any of these places. However, it is possible to suffer a serious injury in a place of business, and in many of these cases, the business owner is at fault. If you have been injured, an attorney can help you file a claim in pursuit of fair compensation.

Filing a Claim on the Basis of Premises Liability

Illinois law holds that both residential and commercial property owners have a duty of care to keep their properties reasonably safe for lawful visitors, including customers and other guests. When a business owner fails to uphold this duty and someone is injured as a result, the injury victim can pursue compensation on the grounds of premises liability.