You may have heard the word “tort” used by attorneys or on TV law shows, but you might not know what a tort actually is. Whenever someone suffers harm because of another person’s actions (or inactions), that person has committed a tort against the injured party, and he or she can be held legally liable for doing so. The cases stemming from tort law are also often referred to as personal injury law, and such cases are typically handled by Decatur personal injury attorneys.
Injury Law and the Attorneys Who Handle Such Cases
Tort or personal injury law is extensive and is typically divided into smaller categories, such as sex abuse, medical malpractice, product liability, and so on. Other types of cases that don’t fall under those categories, such as automobile accidents, slip and fall cases, etc., are normally called accident or personal injury cases. And in cases where an injury ends in a person’s death, it will generally fall under what’s known as “wrongful death.”
Certain attorneys handle a variety of injury cases, while others focus their practice on just one type. Injured parties should keep in mind, however, that the fewer areas of law an attorney practices, the better he or she will probably be for your case.
Fees and Selecting the Right Attorney for You
The majority of personal injury lawyers handle cases based on what’s known as a contingency fee. All this means to you is that if you don’t win, you don’t pay. Some attorneys, however, charge an hourly rate, particularly if the case is a small one in which a contingency fee wouldn’t be worthwhile.
When searching for the right Decatur tort/personal injury attorney, it is crucial that you begin by looking at his or her experience. Not only should he or she have a fair number of years of experience, but it would also be helpful if he or she has specific experience with handling your particular injury.
If you believe that you and your case would benefit from getting help from a qualified attorney, or if you have additional questions concerning tort laws in the state of Illinois, please call John Cannon at 1-800-373-6050 for a free consultation.