Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers

Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd.

221 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1600
Chicago, Illinois 60601
USA

(312) 332-0072 or (800) 332-1254

dwyerlawoffices.com

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Law Firm Overview Free Consultation

Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. is a personal injury law firm offering legal services to seriously injured clients in Chicago and throughout the metropolitan area. Our personal injury attorneys have more than 45 years of experience representing clients who have suffered serious personal injury or death because of another’s negligence.

Our law firm has represented clients who have suffered serious injury as the result of a wide range of causes. The cases we have handled and resolved for our clients include motor vehicle collisions, premises liability, medical negligence, products liability and other causes of serious injury.

Practice Areas

Practice Areas Description

Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. handles personal injury cases, related to the following areas:

- Car Accidents

The impact of a car accident ranges from the inconvenience of property damage to serious injury or death. A lawyer may be helpful in evaluating the liability of the parties involved, the rights of the injured person to compensation and the steps necessary to obtain the compensation which the law provides. Our firm offers a free case evaluation either by phone or in person. The case evaluation involves a discussion of the accident, the injury suffered and the manner in which your claim would likely proceed. This typically includes an interview with the potential client, and oftentimes a review of medical records and the Illinois Traffic Crash Report. The case evaluation provides the information necessary for the prospective client to assess whether they need a lawyer and to address how our firm may be of assistance.

- Truck Accidents

Tractor trailers are involved in over 450,000.00 accidents per year resulting in over 100,000 injuries and 4,500 deaths. Truck accidents share some characteristics of car accidents but also have their own set of issues and concerns. Issues including driver fatigue, the manner in which the truck or trailer was loaded, the condition of the roadway and the weather at the time the collision must be considered. This section addresses some of the issues unique to truck accident cases, the regulation of truck drivers and the concerns a lawyer must have when evaluating a truck accident case.

- Motorcycle Accidents

In 2004, 4,008 motorcyclists were killed and an additional 76,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States. 157 of these fatalities occurred in Illinois. Motorcycles are more likely than other vehicles to be involved in a fatal collision with fixed objects. Motorcycles made up more than 2% of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2003 and accounted for only .3% of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2003, motorcyclists were about 32 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and six times more likely to be injured.

- Pedestrian Accidents

Car or truck accidents involving pedestrians oftentimes cause serious injury or death. If you were a pedestrian who was struck by a car or a truck you may be entitled to compensation. The circumstances surrounding the collision, the conduct of the driver, your location at the time of impact and the nature of the injury suffered affect whether compensation is available. Our firm has the experience necessary to evaluate the issues of liability and damage, protect your rights and maximize the compensation you receive.

- Bicycle Accidents

Car or truck accidents involving a bicyclist oftentimes cause serious injury or death. Accidents involving a bicyclist raise issues that are different than those accidents that involve only motor vehicles. As with other types of motor vehicle accidents, the circumstances surrounding the collision, the conduct of the driver of the car, the conduct of the bicyclist and the nature of the injury suffered all affect whether compensation can be recovered. Our firm has the experience necessary to evaluate the circumstances surrounding a bicycle accident, to consider the issues of liability and damage and to maximize the compensation you receive.

- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists

Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims involve motor vehicle accidents where the at fault driver does not carry enough insurance to fully compensate the injured plaintiff. An uninsured or underinsured motorist claim involves the injured person seeking compensation through their own automobile insurance carrier for the injuries suffered. The extent of the recovery available is defined by the amount of coverage purchased.

- Drunk Drivers/Dram Shop

When someone is injured as the result of a drunk driver’s negligence, the person may be entitled to compensation for the injuries suffered. This may include recovery of money for the medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering as well as the disability experienced. Dwyer & McDevitt has the experience necessary to recover the compensation the injured person is entitled to. An insurance claim and if necessary a lawsuit may be brought against the driver who causes injury or death. The claim is based upon the negligence of the driver in doing something a reasonably careful person would not do. In addition to a negligence claim, a claim that the drunk driver’s conduct was “wilful and wanton” may also be pursued.

- Birth Injuries

Cerebral palsy is a broad term used to describe a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time. The term cerebral refers to the brain’s two halves, or hemispheres, and palsy describes any disorder that impairs control of body movement. Thus, these disorders are not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves. Instead, faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain disrupts the brain’s ability to adequately control movement and posture.

- Medical Malpractice

Dwyer & McDevitt has substantial experience representing individuals who have suffered injury or the death of a loved one as the result of medical negligence. Medical “malpractice” or “professional negligence” involves a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional failing to meet the “standard of care”. The “standard of care” refers to the failure to do something that a reasonably careful doctor, nurse or healthcare provider would do, or the doing of something that a reasonably careful doctor, nurse or healthcare professional would not do under the circumstances.

- Premises Liability

‘Premises Liability’ refers to accidents that occur due to the negligent maintenance, operation or design of a property owned by someone other than the accident victim. This includes claims against a landlord on behalf of a tenant or against the landowner for injuries suffered by an individual who was lawfully on the property. Premises Liability claims may involve a wide range of events that cause injury and may give rise to liability. A slip and fall due to a wet or defective floor may be actionable against a landowner or a landlord. A company responsible for the maintenance of the property may also be at fault.

- Product Liability/Defective Products

Product liability refers to actions for injuries suffered as the result of a defective product. This includes actions against product designers, manufacturers or distributors. Some examples include defective tires and wheels, dangerous baby toys, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and industrial machinery.

- Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury is among the most common of the serious, disabling neurological disorders. In the United States, at least 1.4 million traumatic brain injuries occur every year and there are over five million people living with a disability from a traumatic brain injury. The impact of a traumatic brain injury can be profound. A traumatic brain injury can involve the cognitive, emotional and behavioral functioning of a person. Motor and sensory problems may also occur with more severe injury. An individual with a traumatic brain injury which appears less severe, may not have any physical sign of injury. The person may however experience a profound impact on their ability to function. This can be a challenge for the physicians managing the patient’s care as well as the attorney advocating fair compensation on their behalf.

- Wrongful Death

Whenever the death of a person is caused by the wrongful act or negligence of another person, an action may be maintained to recover damages suffered as a result of the death. Actions for wrongful death may arise in a variety of settings. These cases include car, truck or motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, premises liability, product liability and construction accidents. In Illinois, the Wrongful Death Act creates a cause of action in the name of the personal representative of the estate of the decedent for the benefit of the “next of kin”.

- Dog Bites

Dog bites have become epidemic in the United States. Many bites involve children and can lead to serious personal injury including pain, suffering and disfigurement. Illinois law addresses the physical harm to people caused by animals and provides a remedy. The Illinois Animal Control Act provides that if a dog or other animal, without provocation, attacks or injures any person who is peaceably conducting himself in any place where he may lawfully be, the owner of the dog or animal is liable for damages to such person for the full amount of the injury sustained.