Personal Injury
Helping You Rebuild After an Injury
Attorney Greg Sronce provides professional legal support for individuals in Springfield, Illinois, who have suffered harm due to another party’s careless or reckless actions.
How We Help
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Legal guidance for victims of car, truck, or motorcycle crashes to recover rightful compensation for medical bills and lost wages.
Slip and Fall Claims
Support for those hurt by unsafe property conditions, helping hold negligent property owners accountable for their actions.
Workplace Injuries
Representation for employees hurt while working, ensuring fair treatment and benefits through the proper legal process.
Product Liability Cases
Assistance for individuals injured by defective or unsafe products, protecting consumer rights, and pursuing rightful claims.
Medical Negligence Claims
For patients harmed by poor care or errors, Greg Sronce helps seek accountability and justice.
Personal Injury in Illinois
A personal injury case arises when someone suffers bodily harm, emotional distress, or other damages because of another person’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional act (e.g., car accidents, slip-and-fall incidents, medical malpractice).
Many personal injury cases in Illinois involve auto accidents, where insurance coverage and medical liens play a major role in how the injured person is ultimately compensated.
UM (Uninsured Motorist) and
UIM (Underinsured Motorist) Coverage
Illinois Health Care
Services Lien Act & Reductions
Wrongful Death
A wrongful death case is a civil lawsuit brought when someone’s death is caused by another person or entity’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional act.
Examples include:
- A fatal car crash caused by a drunk or distracted driver
- Medical malpractice that results in death
- A defective product causing fatal injury
- A workplace accident due to unsafe conditions
The purpose of the case is not to punish (that’s criminal court) but to compensate the surviving family for their losses.
Illinois wrongful death cases are covered by two key statutes:
- Illinois Wrongful Death Act (740 ILCS 180/1 et seq.)
- Illinois Survival Act (755 ILCS 5/27-6)
They often go hand-in-hand in lawsuits.
What Damages Can Be Recovered?
Under the Wrongful Death Act, the family can recover compensation for:
- Loss of financial support the deceased would have provided
- Loss of consortium or companionship (spouse or children)
- Grief and sorrow
- Loss of guidance and instruction (for children)
Under the Survival Act, the estate can recover for:
- Pain and suffering the deceased experienced before death
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages between injury and death
So in one case, there can be two categories of damages:
- To the family (Wrongful Death)
- To the estate (Survival Act)
How Awards Are Distributed
Once a settlement or judgment is obtained:
- The court must approve the distribution among the next of kin.
- The distribution is based on each person’s dependency on the deceased, not simply split equally.
- If there’s disagreement, the judge holds a hearing to determine fair distribution.
Example:
- If a married man with two children dies, the court might distribute:
- 50% to the spouse
- 25% to each child
(But the percentages can vary depending on evidence of dependency and family relationships.)
- Survival Act proceeds (pain, suffering, medical bills, etc.) go into the estate, and are distributed according to the will (or by intestate succession if no will).
Loss of Consortium – Basic Definition
Loss of consortium means the loss of the benefits of a family relationship due to an injury or death caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing.
In Illinois, it usually refers to the loss of companionship, love, affection, comfort, society, and sexual relationship that a spouse (or sometimes a close family member) would normally have received from the deceased or injured person.
Examples:
- A surviving spouse can no longer share affection, emotional support, or partnership with their deceased partner.
- A child may lose the guidance, care, and companionship of a parent who died.
Time Limits (Statute of Limitations)
- Generally, a wrongful death case must be filed within 2 years of the death.
- If the death resulted from medical malpractice, special time limits may apply.
Get Personalized Guidance
If you’ve been injured and need reliable legal representation, reach out to Attorney Greg Sronce today for personalized guidance and a clear path toward fair compensation.