Kirkpatrick Personal Injury Attorney, Belleville, IL

Work Injuries

Have you been injured at work? We can help.

Learn about work injuries

Personal Injury

Injured in an automobile crash or in an accident?

Learn about personal injury

Construction Accidents

Hurt at work? We can offer the help you need.

Construction Accident Info.

Kirkpatrick Injury Law Offices in Belleville, IL

Representing those injured in workers compensation, personal injury and construction accidents in Belleville and Southern Illinois

St Clair County Illinois personal injury law attorney, Eric Kirkpatrick, grew up in Benton, Illinois and attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale where he ultimately received his law degree in 1991. For a short time after graduation he worked as an Appellate Law Clerk, and with that experience began working as a plaintiff personal injury and workers compensation attorney in Belleville, IL., handling cases primarily from Springfield throughout all of Southern Illinois.

Eric takes great pride in the fact that he has not and will never represent an insurance company.   It simply isn’t something he has ever been willing to do.  He has spent his career as an injury lawyer in Belleville, Illinois leveling the playing field and making sure the folks of Southern Illinois are not taken advantage of by insurance companies or employers.  His practice, even when working for other law firms for a few years following graduation, has been focused only on representing the injured.

Kirkpatrick Law Offices in Belleville, Illinois, does not charge by the hour. We only do cases on a contingent fee, meaning we don’t get paid unless you get paid.  Our fee does not change just because we have to go to trial or pursue an appeal on the case.  With very few exceptions, our fee is 1/3 of the recover on personal injury claims and 20% on workers compensation injuries. KLO has never taken an attorney fee that is more than what the client receives after all is said and done.  While the client is in the end responsible for expenses associated with litigation, KLO expenses are only what is charged by an outside source. Unlike some firms – and there are horror stories – KLO does not charge for things we consider to be his cost of doing business, such as in-house copies, postage or mileage.  We have always been mindful of the costs of litigation and have never engaged in a great deal of expenses where it was not needed. This can make a great deal of difference in the final amount.  If you or someone you love is injured at work, please contact us.

Kirkpatrick Law Offices Practice Areas

Workers Compensation

We represent people injured on the job. Injuries that occur at work can be catastrophic for the worker and his or her family.  Benefits often stop and this is devastating for most families. We work hard to keep the appropriate temporary total disability benefits going during recovery, making sure medical bills are paid, and obtaining the largest permanent partial disability award we can get.  Often times this requires a hearing, and Eric has 28 years of experience presenting cases to the arbitrators and commissioners.  We look at the big picture and what is best for the client in the long run and promise never to resolve a case for less than it is worth.

Eric has handled claims for folks injured in almost all walks of life.  He has represented thousands of people and has extensive knowledge of the dangers experienced by coal miners, union iron workers, boiler makers, pipefitters, carpenters, tree trimmers, electricians and Illinois correctional officers.  He has seen simple injuries and very complex injuries that require a great deal of medical care over the years.   Eric takes great pride in listening to his clients and treats them fairly while fighting for them in order to receive the results they need to continue supporting their families and move on with their lives.

We find that many people who experience accidents in Belleville, IL and other areas of Southern Illinois, don’t understand the tricks or tactics that insurance companies engage in to mislead an injured worker and force him or her into a position where it makes a claim almost impossible to win. As one of the most experienced lawyers in Belleville, Illinois, Eric is familiar with all of them and encourages anyone with a workers’ compensation claim to call and consult with him so that the injured party can at least help one be aware of and avoid the pitfalls of working with the insurance company without representation. Our clients find that this kind of care makes Kirkpatrick Law Offices one of the best lawyers in Belleville, IL and in Southern Illinois.

Sometimes these work injuries lead to other claims called third-party civil claims.  This happens when someone is injured at work and the injury is the fault of a company or individual that is not the employer or a co-employee of the injured worker.  This often happens in construction accidents that occur on construction sites or other situations where multiple employers and trades are on the job.  Eric has obtained millions of dollars for his clients on these claims.

Personal Injury Civil Actions

Personal injury claims arise when a person is injured by the negligence of another.  The most common examples are car or truck accidents.  These also occur when someone trips or slips and falls, is hurt on a construction site, bitten by a dog or due to medical malpractice or negligence.  Kirkpatrick Law Offices has gained a reputation as a trusted Southern Illinois personal injury attorney. When one is injured by the negligence of another, the injured person is entitled to recover past and future pain and suffering, loss of a normal life, lost wages, and medical bills incurred or likely to be incurred in the future.

We don’t let an insurance company take advantage of anyone.  In a perfect world, an insurance company would “do the right thing” and own up to its obligations.  Unfortunately, that just doesn’t happen.  Insurance companies for the at fault party are not there to help you; the company’s plan is to get by paying you as little as possible. Learn more about insurance claims here.

If you’ve been hurt as a result of someone else’s negligence or by an uninsured motorist, call Eric and make an appointment for a free consultation. We will discuss your case and tell you what the next steps will be. We have the experience to help you bring this traumatic chapter to a favorable close so that you and your family can get on with living.