Litigation Lawyers in Palos Park

If you live in Palos Park, 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 many things you need to consider, and the decision to sue someone should not be made without the counsel of a Palos Park, Illinois civil litigation attorney.

Once you retain a Palos Park, Illinois litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Additionally, 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 Palos Park, Illinois

Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Palos Park, Illinois, you should speak with a brilliant local attorney in Palos Park, 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 Palos Park, Illinois, once you have decided to file a lawsuit, the first 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 Palos Park, 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, 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 Palos Park, 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 treated 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 Palos Park, Illinois Tort Lawyer Help?

The basic outline above does not come close to covering all the details involved in filing a lawsuit in Palos Park, Illinois.

Therefore, it is critical that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in Palos Park, Illinois.