Litigation Lawyers in Will County

If you live in Will County, Illinois and think that you might be the victim of a legal wrong, you may determine that it's worth suing over, to recover compensation from the individual who wronged you.

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

Once you have retained an attorney in Will County, Illinois, he or she will be able to help you devise a strategy on how to proceed, which will hopefully maximize your chances of success in your lawsuit. Your lawyer can also provide you a rough idea of how much the lawsuit is likely to cost, taking into account court fees, expert witness fees, and other costs.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Will County, Illinois

Consultation with your attorney: You should always speak with a Will County, Illinois lawyer who specializes in civil litigation before filing any type of lawsuit in a court in Will County, Illinois. Your lawyer will have essential information and advise, helping you decide whether or not your chances of success in the lawsuit make it worth your while to proceed.

Drafting the complaint: In Will County, Illinois, once you have decided to file a lawsuit, the initial thing you normally 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 normally 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 usually 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 Will County, Illinois states that the defendant be given advance notice of the lawsuit as a matter of general 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, typically through the use of a paid process server.

Awaiting the Defendant's Response: Once a lawsuit has been filed, and the defendant has been served in Will County, Illinois, the defendant has time to respond. They normally do so by drafting an answer to the complaint, in which they deny the plaintiff's allegations, or assert a legal defense. If the defendant fails to respond within a set period of time, they will be in default, and you may be able to get a "default judgment" against them, in which all of your allegations against the defendant are viewed as if the defendant admitted them, and you only need to show that you've suffered losses that warrant the damages you're asking for.

How Can A Will County, Illinois Tort Lawyer Help?

This article gives you a general picture of what is necessary to file a lawsuit in Will County, Illinois. However, it should not, under any circumstances, be read as a complete guide to the litigation process.

Therefore, it's always a good idea to talk with a Will County, Illinois litigation attorney if you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a person or company.