Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Belleville, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be ripped away from you by the injuries negligent drivers cause when they do not respect your safety. If another driver injured you in Belleville, IL, speak to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately at (618) 500-HURT or complete our online form for a no-risk, no-obligation case evaluation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Belleville, or anywhere in Illinois, find out how much your claim may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator.

Motorcycles are an ideal way to enjoy yourself and connect with people who share your passions. You are connected to the road and your motorcycle in a way that is not possible in an enclosed vehicle. Unfortunately, this freedom also comes with a high price. Because motorcycles do not protect their occupants as well as enclosed vehicles, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When you are injured, there are instant hardships and you need someone to stand by your side and get you the compensation you deserve. You want a law firm that has demonstrated that they can get great results in motorcycle wreck cases in Belleville, IL.

Our team has over three decades of experience getting maximum compensation for those injured through the negligence of another. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until you recover all of your damages and there is nothing left to fight. Do not talk to your insurance or the other side’s insurance without speaking to an attorney first. The insurance adjuster will try to devalue your recovery. We know how to stand up to insurance companies and ensure that they treat our Belleville, IL clients fairly.

To learn more about what we can do for you, call our team at (618) 500-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident claim now.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Belleville, IL?

Fourteen percent of traffic deaths and four percent of injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, despite only less than one percent of vehicle traffic being motorcycles, according to the National Safety Council. Nationwide, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 fatalities. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle wrecks which resulted in 2,404 injuries and 152 fatalities, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Sadly, over 50 percent of those occurred when a passenger car or truck collided with a motorcycle when the biker was driving in a straight line, insinuating that the accidents were often due to a car or truck driver failing to notice motorcyclists. Most of the crashes occurred in metropolitan areas, especially major city streets.

According to the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the nation in terms of both registered motorcycles and motorcycle crash fatalities.

Nearly half of deadly motorcycle collisions occur in the in the summer when the weather is nicer, and 50 percent happen between Friday night and Monday morning.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Belleville, IL

There are a number steps you should take, both at the accident site and in the days and weeks that follow, to ensure both your health and the chances of a successful claim.

Immediately After The Accident

While any crash can be surprising and scary, it is important to keep a clear head. Immediately after the crash, you should:

• Get to safety — If you can, move out of the way of other vehicles coming down the street. Leave the bike. It is obviously important to you, but trying to carry it could put you at risk of further harm. If you are seriously injured, stay still and wait for emergency personnel.
• Keep your gear on — Taking off your helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and other gear could also make injuries worse. Shock may hide how bad an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — As the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it is probably best to be looked over at the scene instead of trying to go to an emergency room yourself. Police will also be able to file a report relating who they believe is responsible for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other motorists involved and get their insurance information. Take photographs of all vehicles and the crash site from different positions. Take more photos than you think you need. Something that may seem unimportant at first may help a motorcycle accident lawyer in Belleville, IL prove who is responsible for your injuries in the future. Get the contact info of any eyewitnesses to the accident.

Finally, if you did not opt to get medical treatment at the crash site, do so immediately.

What to Do Throughout the Claim Process

Once you have gotten medical treatment, inform the insurance company of everybody involved. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Belleville, IL about your case. If your injuries are significant, you will likely need one to get full compensation. While communicating with your attorney, it is important to:

• Keep Going to Your Medical Appointments — This is obviously the best thing for your physical recovery, but aids your financial recovery as well. In order to prove your damages, you need to complete copies of medical medical records which detail all of the costs and treatments directly associated with the accident. The more medical expenses you have, the higher your ultimate compensation will be as well. Go to every every treatment and use all of the equipment and medication your doctor prescribes.
• Keep Detailed Records — You are also entitled to a financial recovery for lost wages from time spent recovering, and any out-of-pocket expenses you incur, such as parking or Uber rides for going to medical appointments or hiring someone to help with household chores. Manage a file with all of your receipts and explanations for why you needed to pay those expenses. It may also be a good idea to write down your every day experiences detailing how your injuries have affected you physically and emotionally for a record of your pain and suffering.
• Leave the Insurance Company up to Your Attorney — Once you have filed your claim and enlisted the services of a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will will now be intermediary between you and the insurance. Insurance adjusters try to employ a lot of tricks to minimize claims, but your attorney will know how to make the adjuster be honest.
• Stay off Social Media — In this day and age, many of us want to share details about our life on social media. However, even a well-meaning post can hurt your case. If you tell the insurance company that your injuries prevent you from working, and the insurance finds out you have been at a bar, they will use it to attempt to devalue your claim.

From the first time you speak with us, we will keep you completely in the loop until we reach a successful resolution. Allow us to deal with the investigation, documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can spend your energy on on your medical treatment.

Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Belleville, IL For My Claim?

For accidents involving minor injuries, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical expenses are no more than an appointment with your primary care physician, you may be able to get compensation on your own. Give the insurance company your records and expenses, and see if they will throw some extra money on top for the hassle. In a a settlement for a relatively small sum of money where not much is disputed, the adjuster will only lose money if they try to deny your claim.

However, more likely than not you will need a motorcycle accident attorney for your injury claim. While it would be nice if insurance companies fulfilled their obligations when their policyholders injure someone, they usually have to be convinced to. You will probably need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Belleville, IL if:

• Your injuries are severe — The more your medical bills and time spent off work, the more the insurance company will try to avoid their responsibility. If your injuries require ongoing treatment, you will absolutely need an attorney to hold the insurance adjuster accountable for all of your damages.
• Your damages and the insurance company’s offer are way too far apart — If your damages are starting to creep up into the tens of thousands, and the insurance adjuster is only offering a few thousand, they are trying to take advantage of you. If there is an attorney working on your claim, the insurance company will know that you mean business. In a recent case, Burger Law was able to turn a $3,900 offer into a $100,000 settlement.
• There are multiple liable parties — With some injuries, especially multi-vehicle accidents, there may be more than one liable party. For example, a driver may merge into your line because they did not see you, causing you to take defensive action and hit a road hazard that a governmental agency should have fixed. An experienced Belleville, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the wreck and determine all liable parties. Identifying everyone who is liable is key if you are owed more compensation than the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• You are being blamed for the accident — Blaming you for your injuries is a frequent trick insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. If the insurance company say your accident was your own doing, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to conclusively demonstrate that is not the case. If it is true that you were responsible for a portion of the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation under Illinois’ comparative negligence rule. However, a lawyer is likely necessary to get you the most possible compensation.

Your Belleville, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to combat tactics insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for more than 30 years. Our consultations are free, so call us at (618) 500-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We get to work from the second you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.

Recent Burger Law Belleville, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories

With any type of legal claim, results matter. You want to know that you are giving your case to the best possible lawyer, and that they are going to fight hard to make sure you get 100 percent of the recovery and compensation you deserve. Any motorcycle accident lawyer can say they will fight for you, but a lawyer with client testimonials and results to prove it is another thing. Click on the following links to see some recent Burger Law motorcycle accident victories and testimonials:

• $495,000 Uninsured Motorcycle Accident Verdict
• $327,000 Motorcycle Accident Settlement
• $250,000 Policy Limits Settlement
• $100,000 Motorcycle Liability Claim
• Maximum Recovery Obtained for Motorcycle Accident

Do I Have a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Belleville, IL?

If you want to have a valid claim in Belleville, IL, you must have been injured by another person’s negligence. There are five elements to proving negligence in a personal injury claim:

1. Duty of care — Did the liable party owe you a duty to keep you safe? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 says that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so anyone else on the road automatically owes you that duty.
2. Breach of duty — Did they fail in that duty and cause an accident? Was another motorist speeding, texting and driving, drunk driving or otherwise breaking the rules of the road?
3. Cause in fact — Did the accident cause your injuries?
4. Proximate cause — Did the person’s breach of duty cause the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were not working, the liable party may be a manufacturer and not the driver?.
5. Damages — Did your injuries lead to losses, such as medical expenses and mental anguish? If your accident resulted in some bruises or scrapes, but it was not serious enough to seek medical treatment, it would be hard for you to file a claim.

If you were injured through another’s negligence, you can to file an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney today at (618) 500-HURT if you have any doubts about the validity of your claim.

How Much is My Belleville, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

In any personal injury claim, you are owed compensation for:

• Economic damages, such as money you lost out on from time off work recovering, medical bills and out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages, such as emotional distress, disfigurement and pain and suffering
• In some rare cases, you can be awarded punitive damages if you were injured by extreme recklessness, such as drunk driving

Factors that determine how much you will recover include:

• The severity of your injuries; more significant injuries tend to lead to higher medical bills and more pain and suffering
• Whether or not you were partially to blame for your injuries
• If you sustained permanent disfigurement or disability
• The impact the injuries have had on your ability to live the life you are used to

At Burger Law, we know how to calculate the full value of someone’s injury claim and demanding the liable party takes responsibility for all of it. If your injuries require ongoing medical care, we will ensure you also get money to pay for that, including calculating for inflation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Belleville, IL?

Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident injuries in Belleville, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date the accident occurred to file a lawsuit in court. There are some exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was under the age of 18 when the injuries occurred, they have until their 20th birthday
• If you or a loved one was under a legal disability at the time of accident, they have until two years after the disability ended
• If the liable party leaves the state of Illinois for a time, that time is not included in the two years

While two years does not sound like it should give you a sense of urgency, investigating and developing a legal strategy for your claim takes time. Do not hesitate to reach out to a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Belleville, IL. Call us immediately at (618) 500-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Belleville, IL?

Motorcycles are harder for passenger car drivers to see, as they take up less space. Due to a phenomenon known as “inattentional blindness,” drivers are less likely to see a motorcycle — even if they are doing their best to be careful. This is because most drivers have programmed their brains to be aware of larger vehicles, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness contributes to many motorcycle accidents in Belleville, IL.

The most common causes of motorcycles accidents are:

• Left-hand turns — The Motorcycle Legal Foundation reports that 42 percent of all motorcycle accidents that result in fatalities occur when a car turns left while the motorcycle was going straight. These crashes can be the result of a motorist’s intoxication, reckless driving or simple inattention.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions are also common between motorcycles and passenger cars. A car may also not see a motorcyclist when merging or changing lanes. Motorcycles also collide with fixed objects more than any other type of motorist, which may be due to a negligent construction company or governmental entity.
• Road hazards — Uneven pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, gravel or other debris on our streets often do not have much of an impact on a car. However, motorcycles do not have the same level of stability and these hazards can cause a motorcyclist to fall.
• Malfunctioning components — Manufacturers and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall dozens of motorcycles annually. If bikes or parts that are defective are allowed to stay on the market, it can lead to motorcycle crashes.

Who is Liable for My Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Belleville, IL?

Ninety-four percent of all auto accidents are caused by human error. So, most of the time another motorist is liable. However, other parties that may be held accountable include:

• A governmental body or contracting company for not repairing or negligent repairing a road
• A vehicle designer, manufacturer or vendor in a product liability claim
• A employer if their employee injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

Can I Sue For My Belleville, IL Motorcycle Accident if it Did Not Involve Another Vehicle?

Governmental agencies are supposed to keep their roadways safe for citizens to travel on, and when there are road hazards that cause an accident, the state may have to compensate you for your injuries. However, suing a government entity in Illinois has added complications. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Belleville, IL can take on your claim and guide you through the complexities of local and state laws to secure you a full financial recovery.

A Loved One Was Killed in a Motorcycle Crash in Belleville, IL. What Are My Legal Options?

Motorcyclists are not only at higher risk of a serious injury, but are more likely to perish in a crash. If your worst nightmare came true and a family member died in a motorcycle crash, you can make a recovery through a wrongful death claim. While no amount of money can fill the whole that is left, it can help provide some sense closure and ease the financial hardships that come with your loved one’s passing. 740 ILCS 180/, the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, details the laws surrounding wrongful death claims:

• A wrongful death claim can be made when some is killed by another’s negligence or wrongdoing.
• The Illinois statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is two years from the date of your loved one’s death, not the date of the accident.
• Three groups of people related to the deceased can file a wrongful death claim in Illinois. Beginning with who has the first chance to file, they are:
  1. Members of the nuclear family, such as a spouse, children, grandchildren and grandparents
  2. When there are no immediate family members, siblings and nieces and nephews can bring a suit
  3. If there are no family members, the court can appoint a plaintiff ad litem to file a claim
• Your compensation will include:
  • Under 755 ILCS 5/27-6, the Illinois Survival Act, the economic and noneconomic damages your loved one incurred from their injuries before passing
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of financial support from your loved one, including any benefits they got from their employment
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of instruction, education and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s Belleville, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just skilled at securing full compensation. We are understanding and kind and have helped many families get through the sorrow, anger and confusion that comes after a fatal auto accident.

In addition to motorcycle accidents, other personal injury cases we we have had great success with in Belleville, IL include:

• Personal injury
• Car accident
• Truck accident
• Motorcycle accident
• Wrongful death
• Dog bite

Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Belleville, IL Today

Our Belleville, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until you get the maximum compensation you are owed; that is our guarantee. You deserve to be financially compensated for your motorcycle accident. You do not have to pay for someone else’s mistakes. To learn more about how our Belleville, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (618) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case evaluation.