Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Bensenville, IL

The thrill of riding a motorcycle can be neutralized by the harm careless drivers can do to you when they do not pay attention to your safety. If another driver injured you in Bensenville, IL, speak to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law today at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a no-risk, no-obligation case review.

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

Motorcycles are a great way to give yourself a sense of peace. You get a feeling of the open road that is not possible in an enclosed vehicle. Unfortunately, this freedom also comes with a high price. Because motorcycles do not protect riders as well as enclosed vehicles, motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. When you are injured, it carries economic, physical and emotional consequences and you need someone to fight for you. You need to find an attorney with a proven track record of winning motorcycle wreck claims in Bensenville, IL.

Our attorneys and paralegals have more than 30 years of experience getting maximum compensation for our clients. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will tenaciously pursue your claim to ensure you get the medical care and financial recovery that you are owed and that you deserve. Always speak to a lawyer before agreeing to a settlement. The insurance adjuster is out to limit your compensation. We know how to stand up to insurance companies and ensure that they give 100 percent of what they owe our Bensenville, IL clients.

To find out more about what we can do for you, speak to a lawyer at (312) 500-HURT to discuss your motorcycle accident claim immediately.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Bensenville, IL?

Despite the fact that motorcycles make up barely over half a percent of total traffic miles traveled nationwide, they made up four percent of all injuries and 14 percent of all fatalities in traffic-related accidents in 2020, according to data from the National Safety Council. Nationwide, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 fatalities. In Illinois, of 3,077 motorcycle accidents, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were deadly, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Regrettably, over half of those happened when a passenger car or truck collided with a motorcycle when the biker was driving in a straight line, which leads us to believe that the accidents were often caused by a car or truck driver not respecting motorcyclists on the road. Most of the crashes occurred in urban areas, especially on arterial roads.

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

The most common season for motorcycle crashes is summer, and half of all wrecks happen between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Bensenville, IL

There are several things you should do, 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 accident is jarring, it is vital to think rationally. At the accident site, you should:

• Get out of harm’s way — If you can, move out of the way of oncoming traffic. Leave the bike. We know it is your baby, but staying with the bike or trying to move it could make your injuries worse. If you suspect you have a back or head injury, stay still and wait for emergency medical services.
• Do not remove your protective gear — Removing your helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and other gear could also make injuries worse. Shock may hide how severe an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — As the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it may be best to get medical attention there instead of leaving and planning to go to an emergency room yourself. Police know how to assign fault in an accident, and will make a police report.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other drivers involved and get their insurance information. Take photographs of the accident, including damage to all vehicles involved and the surrounding areas. Take as many pictures as possible. Something that may seem unimportant at first may help a motorcycle accident lawyer in Bensenville, 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 scene, do so immediately.

What to Do Throughout the Claim Process

After you first seek medical care, notify both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Bensenville, 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:

• Continue Medical Treatment — 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 the extent of your injuries. The the higher your financial loss, the higher your pain and suffering compensation will be as well. Make sure you attend every follow up, chiropractic or physical therapy appointment your doctor prescribes.
• Keep Detailed Records — You also deserve reimbursement for lost wages from time when you were unable to work due to your injuries, and any out-of-pocket expenses that were necessary, such as transportation to and from medical appointments or hiring someone to help take care of your kids. Manage a file with all of your receipts and notes about why those charges were due to your injury. It may also be a good idea to keep a daily journal detailing the non-tangible impact of your injuries and your pain and suffering.
• Do Not Talk to the Insurance Company — Once you have informed the insurance company about your claim and enlisted the services of a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will handle all communication with the insurance. Insurance adjusters use a lot of tricks to devalue claims, but your attorney will know how to hold the adjuster accountable.
• Stay off Social Media — It is commonplace to want to share what is going on with your life on the Internet. However, posting too much on social media can do damage to your case. If you tell the insurance company that your injuries prevent you from working, and the insurance finds out you have been at your friend’s barbecue, they will use it to try and devalue your claim.

From your initial consultation, we will be in contact with you every step of the way until you get the full financial recovery you are owed. Let us handle the investigation, documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can spend your energy on on your physical and emotional recovery.

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

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical bills are no more than an urgent care visit, 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 is not going to want to waste their time.

However, in the vast majority of cases, hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer will be the only way to get fair compensation in your injury claim. While in a a truly fair society insurance companies would fulfill their duty when their policyholders injure someone, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to be fair. You will almost certainly need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Bensenville, IL if:

• Your injuries are severe — The more your medical expenses and lost wages, the more the insurance company will be resistant to reimbursing you for it. If your injuries result in permanent disability, you will absolutely need an attorney to precisely value your damages.
• The insurance company’s offer is not close your damages — If your damages are in the tens or hundreds of thousands, and the insurance company’s offer is no where close to that, they are trying to take advantage of you. If there is a lawyer on the case, 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 cases, especially multi-vehicle accidents, there may be more than one person who was negligent. For example, a driver may cut your off while not looking for you, causing you to take defensive action and hit a pothole that a local government should have fixed. An aggressive Bensenville, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the crash and determine all liable parties. Finding other people who are liable is imperative if you are owed more compensation than the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• The insurance adjuster is trying to blame you for your injuries — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a well-known tactic insurance adjusters use to devalue your claim. When this happens, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to prove that is not the case. If you were indeed partially to blame, you can still make a recovery under Missouri’s comparative negligence doctrine. However, you will need an attorney to apply the rule of law and get you that compensation.

Your Bensenville, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for more than 30 years. Our consultations are free, so speak to an attorney now at (312) 500-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We start working from the second you hire us, and do not let up until you get every bit of compensation you are owed.

Recent Burger Law Bensenville, 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 are the best, 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 Bensenville, IL?

If you want to have a successful claim in Bensenville, IL, you must have sustained an injury that was caused by someone else’s negligence. There are five elements to proving negligence in a personal injury claim:

1. Duty of care — Did the other person have an obligation to protect you from unreasonable harm? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 stipulates that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so anyone else on the road automatically owes you a duty of care.
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 not following the rules of the road?
3. Cause in fact — Were your injuries the direct result of the accident?
4. Proximate cause — Did the person’s breach of duty cause the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were not working, the person who needs to be held accountable for your injuries may be a manufacturer and not another motorist?.
5. Damages — Did your injuries lead to losses, such as medical expenses and pain and suffering? If your accident resulted in some bumps and bruises, but it was not serious enough to seek medical treatment, you likely do not have a claim.

Any time somebody else’s carelessness or recklessness injures you, you can to file an injury claim. Consult with a motorcycle accident attorney today at (312) 500-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My Bensenville, 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 mental anguish, disfigurement and pain and suffering
• While not common, you may be able to be awarded punitive damages if you were injured by extreme recklessness, such as drunk driving

Factors that might make your compensation higher or lower include:

• The severity of your injuries; more significant injuries typically lead to higher economic and noneconomic damages
• Whether or not you were partially at fault for your injuries
• If the accident led to permanent disfigurement or disability
• How your life has changed because of your injuries

At Burger Law, we know how to calculate the full value of someone’s injury claim and insisting the liable party takes responsibility for all of it. If your injuries lead to future economic damages like lost earning capacity or future surgeries, we will ensure you also get money to pay for that, including adjusting for inflation.

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

According to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident injuries in Bensenville, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit in court. Illinois has three exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was under the age of 18 at the time of accident, they have until two years after their 18th 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 period 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 were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Bensenville, IL. Call us today at (312) 500-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are not as easy to spot on the road, do not take up as much space on the road. Because of a phenomenon called “inattentional blindness,” it is harder for drivers to see a motorcycle — even when they are looking for one. 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 Bensenville, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — The Motorcycle Legal Foundation reports that over 40 percent of all motorcycle accidents that result in deaths occur when a car turns left while and hits a motorcyclist in an intersection. These crashes can be the result of a motorist’s drunkenness, reckless driving or generally not paying close enough attention to the road.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions are also common between motorcycles and passenger cars. A car may also to fail to see a motorcyclist when merging or changing lanes. Motorcycles also have the highest rate of collisions with fixed objects, which may be due to a negligent construction company or governmental entity.
• Road hazards — Uneven pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, wet or icy roadways or other debris on our streets usually do not affect a car or truck very much. However, motorcycles are less stable and these hazards can cause a motorcyclist to lose control.
• Malfunctioning components — Dozens of motorcycles are recalled every year, either by the manufacturer or by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If bikes or parts that are defective are allowed to stay on the market, it can cause motorcycle accidents.

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

Almost all motor vehicle accidents are the result of human error. So, most of the time another motorist is responsible for your injuries. However, depending on the specifics of your case, you may also be able to make a claim against:

• A governmental body or construction company for road hazards
• A motorcycle designer, manufacturer or vendor for a defective product
• A company if someone they hired injured you while driving, for example in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental agencies are tasked with keeping their roadways safe for use by everyone on the roads, and when there are road hazards that cause an accident, the state can be held accountable for the motorcycle accident. However, the state of Illinois does not make it easy to sue them. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Bensenville, IL can pick up your claim and take the fight to city hall to get you the compensation you deserve.

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

Motorcyclists are not only at increased risk of a serious injury, but are more likely to perish in a crash. If you were touched by tragedy and a loved one passed away in a motorcycle crash, you can make a wrongful death claim. While it is impossible to put a monetary value on your loved one’s life can help provide some sense closure and ease some of the difficulties associated with their 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 dies because of another’s negligence or wrongdoing.
• The Illinois statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is two years from the date your loved one died, not the date that they were first injured.
• Three groups of people related to the deceased can file a wrongful death claim in Illinois. In order of priority, they are:
  1. Immediate family members, such as a spouse, children, grandchildren and grandparents
  2. If there are no immediate family members, siblings and nieces and nephews can bring a suit
  3. If no family remains, the court can appoint a plaintiff ad litem to bring a suit
• 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 their death
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of financial support from your loved one, including any work-related benefits
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of instruction, education and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s Bensenville, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just tremendous at getting our clients full recoveries. We are compassionate and have helped many families navigate the sorrow, anger and confusion that accompanies a fatal auto accident.

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

• Truck Crash Lawyers in Illinois
• Wrongful Death Lawyers in Illinois
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Illinois
• Car Accident Attorney in Illinois

HIRE BURGER LAW

Speak to a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Bensenville, IL Today

Our Bensenville, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until you get the maximum compensation you are owed; we promise. You deserve to be financially compensated for your motorcycle accident. You did nothing to deserve being in this situation, and you should not have to pay for it. To learn more about how our Bensenville, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (312) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case evaluation.