Filing a Lawsuit in Park Ridge, Illinois

Find the right Litigation attorney in Park Ridge, IL

  • /10
  • Client Overall
    Satisfaction Rate*
*TrustPilot score as of 010118

Litigation Lawyers in Park Ridge

If you live in Park Ridge, Illinois and think that you might be the victim of a legal wrong, you may decide that it's worth suing over, to recover compensation from the person who wronged you.

If you wish to file a lawsuit, there are several things you need to consider, and the decision to sue someone should not be made without the counsel of a Park Ridge, Illinois civil litigation attorney.

Once you hire a Park Ridge, Illinois litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Furthermore, your lawyer can inform you on what a lawsuit is likely to cost, both in time and money. Obviously, your lawyer has some control over what it will cost you, based on their fees, and whether they bill an hourly rate, or charge on a contingency rate.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Park Ridge, Illinois

Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Park Ridge, Illinois, you should speak with a good local attorney in Park Ridge, Illinois. Your legal counsel can make sure you have the best possible chance of winning your case, and help you decide if you should file your lawsuit in the first place.

Drafting the complaint: In Park Ridge, Illinois, once you have decided to file a lawsuit, the first thing you usually have to do is draft a complaint. The complaint is a document that contains all of the allegations you're making against the defendant (the person whom you are suing). It usually must allege all of the facts necessary to constitute a cause of action, though in some systems, very few facts are strictly required to be alleged. It also typically has, at the end, a "prayer" (request) for relief. This final section tells the court what type of relief the plaintiff wants, should the court rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: After you draft your complaint, and file it with the court, you have to let the defendant know that they're being sued. The law of Park Ridge, Illinois requires that the defendant be given advance notice of the lawsuit as a matter of basic fairness: if you were being sued, you'd want to be given time to find a lawyer and prepare your defense strategy, right? So, with that in mind, the law prefers that defendants be served personally, generally through the use of a paid process server.

Await The Response: The defendant has a certain amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Park Ridge, Illinois. The defendant will probably respond with an answer to your complaint. An answer is a document in which the defendant admits or denies the specific factual allegations made by the plaintiff. Typically, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for example, if the lawsuit concerns a car accident, they'll probably admit that an accident did, in fact, take place), but deny the more serious allegations (they'll probably deny that they were responsible for the accident). If the defendant fails to respond within a set period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Park Ridge, Illinois Tort Lawyer Help?

As you can see, it can be a complicated and difficult process to file a lawsuit in Park Ridge, Illinois, and it is, in fact, much more complicated than the basic outline you just read.

Therefore, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone in Park Ridge, Illinois, you should not hesitate to speak with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Park Ridge

Park Ridge is one of Chicago's most affluent suburbs. It has a little over 38,000 residents and conveniently located near O'Hare International Airport. Ironically, the suburb is located "on a ridge," hence the name Park Ridge.

Some popular spots to visit include the Des Plaines River, Rodham Corner, Pickwick Theatre, the main auditorium theater and Park Ridge Public Library.

Park Ridge is also famous because it is the hometown of former First Lady and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. When Clinton goes back to visit, she makes sure to visit all her favorite childhood spots.

Park Ridge residents, being so near Chicago, have available to them a very competent and strong legal force. Chicago is home to top-tier firms that train excellent attorneys in all areas of law.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Howard B.
Howard B.

Business - Litigation

Rye Brook, NY

Mark B.
Mark B.

Business - Litigation

Roseland, NJ

David A.
David A.

Business - Litigation

Walnut Creek, CA