Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

We have two offices located in Danville and Champaign. We have represented thousands of people throughout Illinois, Indiana and Missouri.

Yes. Please contact one of our locations to schedule your appointment.

Personal Injury

You should see a doctor as soon as possible after an accident. Delays in treatment will be used against you be the insurance company.

You should take many pictures including any vehicles involved, visible injuries to anyone involved and pictures of the roadway and condition on and around the roadway.

It is not a good idea to release your records to the insurance company. They will use access to your medical history against you. Consult with a lawyer to make sure the insurance company is getting only what they need to assess the medical injuries related to your accident.

Possible damages are medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of a normal life. The calculation of some of these damages are complex. You should consult with a lawyer to determine which damages you are entitled to.

It is common for insurance companies to “low ball” the settlement. This is how they save money. It is highly recommended you hire a lawyer to negotiate your case to full value.

It is the general responsibility of people and businesses to keep their properties in a safe condition. If you are injured due to a defect or unsafe condition on someone else’s property you may have right to recover for those injuries.

Personal injury cases involve very complex legal rules and concepts. The best thing you can do is to hire a lawyer to navigate these tricky waters.


Negligence: your attorneys will show that somebody else’s actions caused your injury.


Contributory Negligence: the person who injured you will attempt to say you caused your own injury.


Damages:  There are many forms of monetary damages you may be entitled to.


Insurance Policies: There may be multiple insurance policies to help your recovery than you do not know about, but your lawyers will find them.


Liens: Insurance companies and medical professionals may be entitled to part of your settlement or award. Your lawyer will make sure they do not take anything they are not legally entitled to.


Contingency Fees: You only pay when you win.

Sometimes it is necessary to go to trial in order to get justice. A judge or jury will determine how much money you get. It is very important that you hire a lawyer who is experienced in taking cases to trial.


It may mean the difference between you getting a big award and getting nothing. Make sure your lawyer has trial experience.

You are injured and your life has been sent into a tailspin. Take care of yourself and let Tuggle & Lichtenberger worry about the complex legal issues you are faced with.


We will get you maximum compensation and let you focus on putting your life back together.


Insurance companies will try to get you a quick settlement because it is best for them. Do not get tricked and do not sign anything for the insurance company. We will get you maximum value because we know how to fight the insurance companies.

Social Security Disability

Sometimes disability results from a combination of health problems. Whether a person is disabled can vary depending on age. Social Security doesn’t require that your disability be based on one specific medical problem. Any medical condition that would affect a person’s ability to work must be considered. Depending on what your age is, work experience, and other factors, you could be entitled to disability benefits.

It is not up to your doctor to determine whether you are disabled. It is unlikely your doctor knows what Social Security’s definition of disability is. It is up to Social Security to make their own decision regardless of what your doctor thinks. However, your doctor’s opinion regarding your work restrictions is important. That is why you should contact our office to ensure the proper medical evidence is gathered to prove your disability.

Federal law regulates attorneys’ fees in Social Security disability cases. So, most disability lawyers work on the same fee basis. The lawyer’s fee is 25% of the past due disability benefits you get, up to the statutory maximum. There is no fee if you lose.

It can take approximately 6 to 12 months to receive a decision on your initial application. If your application is denied, it can take an additional 6 to 12 months to get a decision on reconsideration. If you are denied on reconsideration it can take another 6 to 12 months to get a hearing before an administrative law judge. The judge will issue a written decision and that usually takes 30 to 60 days to get the decision in the mail.

No lawyer can guarantee you will win your case. No lawyer can bully the federal government or change the law to your benefit. However, an experienced lawyer, like the disability lawyers at Tuggle & Lichtenberger, can make the Social Security system work for you and can make the difference between winning and losing your case.

Most people who apply for Social Security disability benefits are, in fact, denied. You can be denied for many reasons, often through no fault of your own. For example, you may be denied benefits if your doctor doesn’t know what is important to your claim. So much of whether a person is approved for disability depends on the medical evidence. Someone you see may look fine, but most people’s medical conditions aren’t obvious just by looking at them.

Workers' Compensation

Most injuries that happen while you are on-the-job and performing duties for your employer are considered work-related and workers’ compensation is responsible for paying benefits. If your employer denies benefits call a lawyer immediately.

Pre-existing condition will generally not stop you from getting benefits. If your work injury in any way aggravates, exacerbates, or accelerates your pre-existing condition you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

Yes. If your injury was caused by a person who is not a co-worker or employee of your company, you may be entitled to file both cases at the same time. For example, if your job requires you to drive a vehicle and you are involved in a motor-vehicle accident caused by another driver you may be able to have both claims at the same time.

As soon as possible. By law you are required to give notice within 45 days. If your employer requires you to complete an accident report make sure you get a copy of that report. If the employer resists make sure you take a photo of the report with your phone.

Yes. Quite often the company doctor is motivated to side with the company even when it seems clear that you were injured on the job. If this happens you should hire a lawyer to take over the handling of the case. The company doctor’s negative opinion will be used against you by the insurance company and you will need an experienced workers’ comp lawyer to advise you on getting a second medical opinion.