Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Blue Island, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be ripped away from you by the harm careless drivers can do to you when they do not respect your safety. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Blue Island, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Blue Island, 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 give yourself a sense of peace. You are connected to the road and your motorcycle in a way that a car just cannot emulate. Regrettably, there is a potentially dangerous trade-off. Because of their relative lack of protection, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When that happens to you, it carries hardships and you need someone to fight for you. You want a lawyer with a proven track record of winning motorcycle wreck claims in Blue Island, IL.

Burger Law has more than 30 years 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 wants to limit your financial settlement. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they treat our Blue Island, IL clients fairly.

To find out more about how our personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, speak to our team at (312) 500-HURT to discuss your motorcycle accident case for free.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Blue Island, IL?

Fourteen percent of motor vehicle deaths and four percent of injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, despite only barely over half a percent of vehicle traffic being motorcycles, according to data from the National Safety Council. In the United States, in 2020 82,000 people were injured and 5,579 passed away in motorcycle crashes. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle crashes which resulted in 2,404 injuries and 152 fatalities, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Sadly, the majority of those happened 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 caused by another driver not respecting motorcyclists on the road. Crashes are most common in metropolitan areas, especially on arterial roads.

According to research from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the country with over 280,000 registered motorcycles, and fittingly was eighth in the country in fatalities in 2017.

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 Blue Island, IL

There are several steps you should take, both at the accident site and throughout the length of your claim process, to ensure you make both a physical and financial recovery.

Immediately After The Accident

While any wreck can be jarring, it is important to keep a clear head. At the accident site, you should:

• Get out of harm’s way — If possible, get to the side of the road and away from other vehicles coming down the street. Leave the bike. It is obviously important to you, but staying with the bike or trying to move it could exacerbate your injuries. If you are seriously injured, it may be best not to move; instead 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 severe an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — As the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it may be a good idea to get medical attention at the scene instead of leaving and planning to seek medical attention later. Police know how to assign liability in an accident, and will make a police report.
• Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver 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 you do not think is that big of a deal may help a motorcycle accident lawyer in Blue Island, IL prove who is responsible for your injuries down the road. See if there are eyewitnesses who can back up your side of the story.

Lastly, if you did not seek medical treatment at the crash site, do so immediately.

What to Do Throughout the Claim Process

Once you have gotten medical treatment, notify both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Blue Island, 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:

• Get the Full Medical Treatment You Need — This is not only vital for your health, but aids your financial recovery as well. You need to prove how much that accident hurt you, and to do that you need to be able to point to medical records which show all of the treatments and related expenses directly associated with the accident. The the higher your financial loss, the higher your non-economic damages compensation will be as well. Go to every every treatment and use all of the equipment and medication your doctor orders for you.
• Keep Detailed Records — You also deserve reimbursement for lost wages from time your injuries caused you to miss out from work, and any out-of-pocket expenses that were necessary, such as transportation to and from medical appointments or hiring someone to help with housework. Manage a file with detailed receipts and notes about why you needed to pay those expenses. You can also write down your every day experiences showing the non-tangible impact of your injuries and your pain and suffering.
• Do Not Talk to the Insurance Company — Once you have notified the insurance company about your injuries 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 combat them.
• Do Not Post on Social Media — In this day and age, many of us want to share details about our life on the Internet. However, even an honest post can ruin your case. If you say your injuries are debilitating, and the insurance finds out you have been at your friend’s barbecue, they will use it to attempt to deny your claim.

From the moment you hire us, we will be in contact with you every step of the way until we attain the great results you deserve. Let us handle the legal aspect of your case so you can focus on healing.

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

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where the liable party is obvious and your medical expenses are no more than a visit with your primary care physician, you may not need an attorney to get fair compensation. Give the insurance company your records and expenses, and ask for a little more for the hassle. In a a settlement for a relatively small sum of money where not much is disputed, the insurance company is not going to want to waste their time.

However, more likely than not you will need a motorcycle accident attorney for your injury claim. While in a perfect world insurance companies would fulfill their responsibility when someone is injured by their policyholders’ negligence, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to be fair. You will likely need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Blue Island, IL if:

• Your injuries are severe — The more your medical expenses and lost wages, the more the insurance company will fight back against your claim. If your injuries require future medical treatment or prevent you from earning a living as you used to, you will always need an attorney to precisely value your damages.
• The insurance company is not being fair — If your damages are starting to creep up into the tens of thousands, and the insurance company’s offer is no where close to that, they are trying convince you that you do not know how much you are owed. By hiring an attorney, the insurance company will know that you are serious about getting the full compensation you deserve. In a recent case, Burger Law was able to turn a $3,900 offer into a $100,000 settlement.
• There are multiple parties at fault — With some cases, especially multi-vehicle accidents, there may be more than one liable party. For example, a driver may cut your off because they did not see you, causing you to swerve and hit an improperly cordoned-off construction site. An aggressive Blue Island, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the crash and assign a portion of the damages to each liable party. Finding other people who are liable is imperative if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• You are being blamed for your injuries — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a frequent move insurance adjusters use to minimize your claim. If the insurance company say your accident was your own fault, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to conclusively demonstrate that is not the case. If you were indeed responsible for a portion of the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation under Missouri’s comparative negligence rule. However, a lawyer is likely necessary to get you the most possible compensation.

Your Blue Island, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tactics insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over three decades. We offer an initial conversation and investigation for free, so call us at (312) 500-HURT to see what we can do for your claim. We start working from the moment you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.

Recent Burger Law Blue Island, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories

With any type of legal claim, results matter. You want to know that you are putting your case in the hands of 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. A motorcycle accident lawyer saying they know how to get full compensation is one thing, but a lawyer with client testimonials and results to prove it is another thing. Here are several of our most recent victories as well as client 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 Blue Island, IL?

If you want to file any Blue Island, IL injury claim, 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 keep you safe? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 says that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so other drivers always owe you that duty.
2. Breach of duty — Were they neglectful in that duty and cause an accident? Was the other motorist speeding, texting and driving, drunk driving or otherwise not following proper procedure behind the wheel?
3. Cause in fact — Did the accident cause your injuries?
4. Proximate cause — Whose breach of duty caused the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were malfunctioning, the liable party may be a manufacturer and not the driver?.
5. Damages — Did you sustain losses because of your injuries, such as medical bills and emotional distress? If your accident resulted in a few bumps and bruises, but they healed without any medical treatment, it would be hard for you to file a claim.

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

How Much is My Blue Island, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

Your compensation will be a combination of:

• Economic damages, such as lost wages, medical bills and out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages, such as mental anguish, scarring and pain and suffering
• While not common, you might be able to be awarded punitive damages if the liable party’s behavior was especially egregious, such as if they were drunk driving

Factors that might make your recovery higher or lower include:

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

At Burger Law, our injury attorneys are experts at calculating every dime you are owed and insist the insurance company pay 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 Blue Island, IL?

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident injuries in Blue Island, 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 a minor when the injuries occurred, 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 person responsible for your injuries leaves the state of Illinois for a time, that time does not account against the two years

While two years may seem like a long time, investigating and developing a legal strategy for your claim takes time. Do not wait to call a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Blue Island, IL. Call us immediately at (312) 500-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Blue Island, IL?

Motorcycles are harder for drivers of enclosed vehicles to see, as they take up less space. Due to something referred to as “inattentional blindness,” it is harder for drivers to see a motorcycle — even when they are looking for one. This is because we train our brains to look for larger vehicles, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness contributes to many motorcycle accidents in Blue Island, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — The Motorcycle Legal Foundation reports that almost half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve a car turning left while the motorcycle was going straight. These crashes can be due to a motorist’s drunkenness, reckless driving or distracted driving.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions are also common between motorcycles and cars or trucks. A car may also to fail to see a motorcyclist when turning in front of them. Motorcycles also collide with fixed objects more than any other type of driver, which is not always the motorcyclist’s fault.
• Road hazards — Uneven pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, wet or icy roadways or other roadways debris often do not have much of an impact on a car. However, motorcycles are less stable and these hazards can cause a motorcyclist to spin out.
• 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 result in motorcycle crashes.

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

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are due to driver error. So, most likely, you will make a claim against another driver. However, other parties that may be held liable include:

• A governmental body or contracting company for road hazards
• A motorcycle manufacturer for a defective product
• A company if their employee injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental bodies are supposed to keep their roadways safe for use by everyone on the roads, and when obstruction or other objects in the road cause an accident, the agency responsible for the neglect can be held accountable for the motorcycle accident. However, suing a government entity in Illinois has added complications. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Blue Island, IL can take on 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 Blue Island, 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 you were touched by tragedy and a family member passed away in a motorcycle crash, you can make a recovery through 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 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 dies because of 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.
• There are three categories of people who 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 siblings’ descendants can file a claim
  3. If no family remains, the court can designate a plaintiff ad litem to bring a suit
• The damages you can recover include:
  • Under 755 ILCS 5/27-6, the Illinois Survival Act, the economic and noneconomic damages the deceased incurred from their injuries before their death
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of financial support from your loved one, including any benefits related to 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 Blue Island, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just skilled at securing full compensation. We are understanding and kind and have helped many families navigate 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 Blue Island, 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 Blue Island, IL Today

Our Blue Island, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will not stop fighting until there is nothing left to fight; that is our guarantee. You are owed a recovery for your motorcycle accident. You do not have to pay for someone else’s mistakes. To learn more about how our Blue Island, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.