The Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, represent people injured in a variety of situations: motor vehicle (e.g., car, truck, taxi, Uber, Lyft, bus, bicycle, motorcycle, etc.) or pedestrian accidents, brain injury, slip-and-fall, trip-and-fall, dog bite, and burn injury, as well as wrongful death and workers' compensation. Most personal injury lawsuits are pursued under a theory of negligence. You will need to show that it is more likely than not that the defendant failed to act safely in the situation, avoiding unnecessary risks of harm. This duty of care depends on the circumstances. If you can establish liability, you can obtain damages such as pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical expenses. While it is most common that accidents are caused by negligence, it may be possible to recover damages under theories of intentional misconduct or recklessness under certain circumstances. You must bring a claim within a certain time period, known as the statute of limitations.