Our Lawyers
Bloomington Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or someone you love has been hurt in an accident in or around Bloomington, Illinois, you have rights under Illinois law. Whether your injury happened on Interstate 55 near the Bloomington-Normal area, at a busy intersection near Veterans Parkway, or in a slip and fall at one of the local shopping centers, you deserve real answers. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, we work hard for injured people throughout Illinois. We understand how stressful it is to deal with medical bills, missed work, and insurance adjusters all at once. Our team is here to help you understand your options and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Table of Contents
- Common Types of Personal Injury Cases in Bloomington, IL
- Illinois Personal Injury Laws That Protect You
- The Statute of Limitations: Why You Cannot Wait
- What Compensation Can You Recover After a Bloomington Injury?
- Why Choose Briskman Briskman & Greenberg for Your Bloomington Injury Case?
- FAQs About Bloomington Personal Injury Cases
Common Types of Personal Injury Cases in Bloomington, IL
Bloomington sits at the heart of McLean County, right along the I-55 and I-74 interchange. That makes it a busy area for traffic, commercial trucking, and everyday commuters. Accidents happen here every day, and they take many different forms. Car accidents are among the most common, but personal injury cases in Bloomington also include truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, pedestrian accidents, slip and falls, dog bites, and workplace injuries.
Think about the stretch of Veterans Parkway through Bloomington. It carries heavy traffic daily, and rear-end collisions and intersection crashes are all too common there. Or consider the area around Eastland Mall, where parking lot accidents and pedestrian incidents occur with some regularity. Even a simple trip and fall on an icy sidewalk near downtown Bloomington can cause a broken hip or a traumatic brain injury.
Dog bite cases are also a serious concern in Illinois. Under the Illinois Animal Control Act (510 ILCS 5/16), a dog owner is liable for injuries caused by their dog, even if the dog has never bitten anyone before. You do not have to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous. That is a strong protection for bite victims throughout the state.
Workplace injuries are another major category. Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act (820 ILCS 305), most employees in Illinois are covered for injuries that arise out of and in the course of their employment. This includes workers at Bloomington’s many manufacturing, healthcare, and distribution facilities. If you were hurt on the job, you may have rights beyond a workers’ comp claim, especially if a third party caused your injury.
No matter what type of accident you were involved in, the team at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg can review your case and help you understand your legal options. We serve clients throughout Illinois, including as a Joliet personal injury lawyer and beyond.
Illinois Personal Injury Laws That Protect You
Illinois has a strong set of laws designed to protect injured people. Understanding these laws can help you see why acting quickly and having the right legal team matters so much.
One of the most important rules is Illinois’s modified comparative negligence law under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. This law says that you can still recover compensation even if you were partly at fault for your accident, as long as your share of the fault is 50% or less. However, your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault. So if a jury finds you were 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you would receive $80,000. But if you are found to be more than 50% at fault, you receive nothing. Insurance companies know this rule well, and they will often try to shift blame onto you to reduce or eliminate your payout. That is exactly why having a skilled attorney in your corner matters.
Illinois also has a joint and several liability rule under 735 ILCS 5/2-1117. When multiple parties are at fault, all defendants are jointly and severally liable for a plaintiff’s past and future medical expenses. If a defendant’s share of fault is 25% or more, they can also be held jointly and severally liable for all other damages. This is important in multi-vehicle crashes or premises liability cases where more than one party shares responsibility.
If your injury involved alcohol, you may also have a claim under the Illinois Liquor Control Act’s Dram Shop provisions (235 ILCS 5/6-21). Under this law, a licensed business that sells alcohol to a person who then causes injury to someone else can be held liable. The liability limits are adjusted annually by the Illinois Comptroller. These cases have a one-year statute of limitations, which is shorter than the standard two-year deadline for most personal injury claims. So if you were hurt by a drunk driver who was over-served at a bar, do not wait.
Our attorneys at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg understand these laws and how to use them to build the strongest possible case for you. We also serve clients in the northern suburbs as a Gurnee personal injury lawyer, so we know Illinois injury law from top to bottom.
The Statute of Limitations: Why You Cannot Wait
One of the most critical things to understand after a personal injury in Illinois is the deadline for filing your lawsuit. Generally, you have two years to file a personal injury claim under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. That clock usually starts on the day of your injury. Miss that deadline, and you lose your right to sue, no matter how strong your case is.
Two years may sound like plenty of time, but it goes faster than you think. You spend months recovering from your injuries. You go back and forth with the insurance company. You hope things will work out on their own. Before you know it, the deadline is close. Evidence disappears. Witnesses move away. Security footage gets deleted. The sooner you contact an attorney, the better your chances of building a solid case.
There are some exceptions to the two-year rule. If you were under 18 when you were hurt, the statute of limitations does not start until your 18th birthday, so a 10-year-old injured in 2024 would have until age 20 to file. The Illinois Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act (745 ILCS 10/1-101) provides special protections to government entities and employees, and you generally have just one year to file a claim against a city, county, school district, or other local government body. If your accident happened near a city-maintained road or public property in Bloomington, that shorter deadline could apply to you.
Wrongful death cases also have their own rules. Under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act (740 ILCS 180/2), the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate must bring the action, and the two-year clock typically runs from the date of death. If your family lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, please reach out to us right away.
At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, we will review your case promptly and make sure you do not miss any critical deadlines. Whether you are in Bloomington or reaching out to us as a Chicago personal injury lawyer, we are ready to help.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Bloomington Injury?
After a serious accident, you may be facing a mountain of costs. Medical bills pile up fast. Physical therapy, surgery, prescription medications, and follow-up care can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars, or more. On top of that, you may be missing work and losing income. Your family may be suffering along with you. Illinois law allows injured people to seek compensation for all of these losses.
In a personal injury case, you can generally seek both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include things like medical bills, future medical costs, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. These are real losses, and they deserve real compensation.
In wrongful death cases, Illinois law under 740 ILCS 180/2 allows the jury to award damages that are fair and just compensation for pecuniary injuries, including damages for grief, sorrow, and mental suffering to the surviving spouse and next of kin. Punitive damages may also be available in certain cases, though not in actions for healing art malpractice or legal malpractice, or against the State or a unit of local government.
If your injury happened at work, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act (820 ILCS 305) provides coverage for medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, regardless of who was at fault. However, workers’ comp has limits. If a third party, like a negligent driver or a defective equipment manufacturer, caused your injury, you may be able to pursue a separate personal injury claim on top of your workers’ comp benefits. That combination can significantly increase your total recovery.
We also help clients in neighboring states. If you are looking for an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer, Briskman Briskman & Greenberg has you covered there as well.
Why Choose Briskman Briskman & Greenberg for Your Bloomington Injury Case?
When you are hurt, you need a law firm that takes your case seriously. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, we have been fighting for injured people in Illinois for decades. We know the courts, we know the laws, and we know how insurance companies operate. Our goal is always to get you the maximum compensation possible for your injuries.
We handle a wide range of personal injury cases, from car and truck accidents to slip and falls, dog bites, and wrongful death. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay us nothing unless we recover money for you. There are no upfront costs and no fees if we do not win your case. That means anyone who has been hurt can afford to get quality legal help.
Bloomington is home to Illinois State University, the McLean County Courthouse on Main Street, and a growing community of families and workers. When accidents happen here, the impact on real people is serious. We understand that. We treat every client like a person, not just a case number. We return calls, answer questions, and keep you informed every step of the way.
We also serve clients throughout the region. If you need a Chicago personal injury attorney, or even an Indianapolis dog bite attorney, our team is ready to help. No matter where your injury occurred, we want to hear your story and help you understand your rights.
Do not face the insurance companies alone. Contact Briskman Briskman & Greenberg today for a free consultation. We are here to fight for you.
FAQs About Bloomington Personal Injury Cases
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois?
In most cases, you have two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. There are exceptions, such as claims against government entities, which may have a one-year deadline. It is best to contact an attorney as soon as possible after your accident to make sure you do not miss any important deadlines.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault for my accident?
Yes, in many cases you can. Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. As long as your share of the fault is 50% or less, you can still recover damages. Your total compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. However, if you are found to be more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover anything. Insurance companies often try to inflate your share of fault to reduce their payout, which is why having an attorney matters.
What if I was hurt by a drunk driver who was served at a bar in Bloomington?
You may have a claim against the bar or restaurant under Illinois’s Dram Shop law (235 ILCS 5/6-21). This law allows injured people to sue licensed alcohol sellers who caused or contributed to someone’s intoxication if that person then injured others. Keep in mind that Dram Shop claims have a one-year statute of limitations, which is shorter than the standard two-year window for most personal injury cases. Contact an attorney right away if you believe this applies to your situation.
What types of damages can I recover in a Bloomington personal injury case?
You can seek both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical bills, future medical costs, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In wrongful death cases, surviving family members may also recover damages for grief, sorrow, and mental suffering under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act (740 ILCS 180/2). In certain cases, punitive damages may also be available.
Does Briskman Briskman & Greenberg charge upfront fees for personal injury cases?
No. Briskman Briskman & Greenberg handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. There are no upfront costs and no out-of-pocket fees. This arrangement allows anyone who has been injured to access quality legal representation without worrying about the cost of hiring a lawyer.
More Resources About Personal Injuries
SEEN ON:
