It is wise to hire an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer well in advance of the expiration of the statute of limitations. You do not have to — in fact, you do not even have to hire lawyer at all, in most cases. However, if you have been involved in an accident which has caused serious injuries and you do not hire an experienced Illinois personal injury lawyer well in advance of the statute of limitations date, you are being very foolish.
By waiting until the statute of limitations is about to expire to act, you increase the risk that a potentially liable defendant will not be properly sued before the statute of limitations expires. Also, you increase the risk that evidence will be lost or destroyed or that witnesses will forget crucial events to your case. Hiring a lawyer well in advance of the statute of limitations allows the lawyer to properly determine the legal basis of your case, identify the potentially liable defendants, and secure evidence which can help you win your case. The longer you go without getting proper help from an experienced Illinois personal injury case, the more risk you run of having a poor outcome for your case.