Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Byron, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Byron, IL

The exhilaration you feel when riding a motorcycle can be ripped away from you by the injuries careless drivers cause when they do not respect your safety. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Byron, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law today at (779) 800-HURT or fill out our online form for a no-risk, no-obligation case review.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Byron, 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 enjoy the road and relax. You are connected to the road and your motorcycle in a way that you do not get in an enclosed vehicle. Unfortunately, negligent drivers can turn that feeling into something horrific. Because motorcycles do not protect their occupants as well as enclosed vehicles, motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. When that happens to you, there are instant financial, physical and emotional consequences and you need someone to fight for you. You want an attorney that has demonstrated that they can get great results in motorcycle wreck claims in Byron, IL.

Our team has more than three decades of experience getting full financial recoveries for those injured through the negligence of another. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will tenaciously pursue every legal avenue to make sure justice is served. Do not talk to your insurance or the other side’s insurance without speaking to an attorney first. The insurance adjuster is out to devalue your compensation. Our firm has a proven track record of successfully fighting the insurance companies and making sure that they give 100 percent of what they owe our Byron, IL clients.

To discover more about what we can do for you, call an attorney at (779) 800-HURT to discuss your motorcycle accident case for free.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Byron, 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 data from the National Safety Council. In the United States, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 deaths. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle wrecks which caused 2,404 injuries and 152 fatalities, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Sadly, over half 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 caused by a car or truck driver was not looking out for bikers. Most of the crashes occurred in urban areas, especially around tolls.

According to findings from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the country with 280,322 registered motorcycles, and proportionately was eighth in the country in fatalities in 2017.

The most common season for motorcycle crashes is summer, and half of all wrecks happen on the weekends.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Byron, IL

There are a number 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 crash can be surprising and scary, it is vital to think rationally. Immediately after the crash, you should:

• Get to safety — If possible, move out of the way of oncoming traffic. Leave your motorcycle behind. It is obviously important to you, but trying to carry it could make your injuries worse. 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 exacerbate your injuries. Shock may hide how significant an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — Because the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it is probably best to get medical attention there instead of trying to seek medical attention later. Police will also be able to file a report relating who they believe is liable for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other motorists involved and get their insurance information. Take photographs of the accident, including how the vehicles are positioned and the surrounding areas. Take as many pictures as possible. Something you do not think matters much may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Byron, IL when trying to prove your case down the road. See if there are eyewitnesses who can corroborate your side of the story.

Finally, receive medical attention if you have not already.

What to Do Throughout the Claim Process

After you first seek medical care, inform the insurance company of everybody involved. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Byron, 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. In order to prove your damages, you need to be able to point to medical records which show all of the costs and treatments you incurred because of your injuries. The more medical expenses you have, the higher your ultimate compensation will be as well. Make sure you attend every follow up, chiropractic or physical therapy appointment your doctor wants you to.
• Keep Detailed Records — You also deserve a financial recovery for lost wages from time spent recovering, and any out-of-pocket expenses that were necessary, such as transportation to and from medical appointments or hiring someone to help with household chores. Keep all of your receipts and notes about why you needed to pay those expenses. It may also be a good idea to keep a daily journal 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 notified the insurance company about your accident and enlisted the services of a motorcycle accident lawyer, let your attorney handle documentation and negotiation. Insurance adjusters use a lot of tactics to avoid paying claims, and it is better to leave communication up to a lawyer who knows how to deal with them.
• Stay off Social Media — It is commonplace to want to share what is going on with your life on social media. However, posting too much on social media can do damage to your case. If you tell the insurance company that your injuries are keeping you from working, and the insurance finds out you have been at a bar, they they can say your injuries are not actually that severe.

From your initial consultation, we will keep you updated throughout your claim until you get the maximum compensation you are owed. Let us 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 Byron, 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 proof of your financial losses, and see if they will throw some extra money on top for inconvenience. 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 in a perfect world insurance companies would fulfill their obligations when someone is injured by their policyholders’ negligence, they usually have to be convinced to. Situations where you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Byron, IL include:

• Your injuries are severe — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will fight back against your claim. If your injuries require ongoing treatment, you will always need an attorney to precisely value 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 company’s offer is no where close to that, they are trying convince you that you do not know how much you are owed. If you enlist the services of an attorney, the insurance company will know that you will not back down without a fight. 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 crashes involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one liable party. For example, a driver may merge into your line while not looking for you, causing you to swerve and hit a pothole that a local government should have fixed. An experienced Byron, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the accident 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.
• The insurance adjuster is trying to blame you for the accident — Blaming you for your injuries is a well-known tactic insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. If the insurance company say your injuries are your own fault, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to conclusively demonstrate how the other party was negligent. If it is true that you were partially at fault, you are not completely barred from compensation under Missouri’s comparative negligence rule. However, you will need an attorney to apply the rule of law and get you that compensation.

Your Byron, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to combat tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over 30 years. We offer an initial conversation and investigation at no charge, so call us at (779) 800-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We get to work from the moment you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.

Recent Burger Law Byron, 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 Byron, IL?

In order to file any Byron, 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 liable party owe you an obligation to protect you from unreasonable harm? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 mandates that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so other drivers always owe you a duty of care.
2. Breach of duty — Did they fail in that duty and did that breach lead to an accident? Was another driver speeding, texting and driving, drunk driving or otherwise not following proper procedure behind the wheel?
3. Cause in fact — Were your injuries the direct result of the accident?
4. Proximate cause — Whose negligence 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 lost wages and pain and suffering? If your accident caused some small cuts and bruising, but you did not need any medical treatment, you likely do not have a claim.

Any time somebody else’s carelessness or recklessness injures you, you need to file an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney immediately at (779) 800-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My Byron, 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 might be able to recover 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 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, our injury attorneys are experts at calculating every dime you are owed and insist the liable party pay all of it. If your injuries require ongoing medical care, that will also be part of your settlement or verdict, including calculating for inflation.

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

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident claims in Byron, IL is two years. That means the clock starts ticking on the date of the accident to file a lawsuit in court. There are some exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was a minor 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 when the injuries occurred, they have until two years after the disability ended
• If the person responsible for your injuries is outside of the state of Illinois for a time, that time does not account against 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 contact a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Byron, IL. Call us today at (779) 800-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are harder for drivers of enclosed vehicles to see, do not take up as much space on the road. Due to something referred to as “inattentional blindness,” drivers are less likely 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 Byron, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, 42 percent of all motorcycle accidents that result in fatalities occur when a car turns left while and hits a motorcyclist in an intersection. These crashes can happen because of a car driver’s drunkenness, speeding or simple inattention.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions also occur frequently between motorcycles and other types of vehicles. 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 is not always the motorcyclist’s fault.
• Road hazards — Cracked pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, gravel or other roadways debris 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 spin out.
• Malfunctioning components — Dozens of motorcycles are recalled every year, either by the manufacturer or by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. When dangerous bikes and components are not recalled, it can result in motorcycle collisions.

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

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are the result of human error. So, most likely, you will make a claim against another driver. However, depending on the specifics of your case, you may also be able to make a claim against:

• A governmental entity or contracting company for road hazards
• A motorcycle manufacturer in a product liability claim
• A employer if someone they hired injured you while driving, for example in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental bodies are supposed to keep their roadways safe for citizens to travel on, and when obstruction or other objects in the road cause an accident, the municipality can be held responsible for the motorcycle accident. However, the state of Illinois does not make it easy to hold them accountable. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Byron, 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 Byron, IL. What Are My Legal Options?

Motorcyclists are not only at higher risk of a catastrophic injury, but are more likely to perish in a crash. If your worst nightmare came true and a loved one died in a motorcycle crash, you can make a wrongful death claim. While no settlement or verdict can bring back your loved one, it can bring a sense of justice 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 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. Beginning with who has the first chance to file, 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 file a claim
  3. If there are no family members, the court can appoint a plaintiff ad litem to file a claim
• 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 the deceased, including any benefits related to their employment
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of instruction, guidance and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s Byron, 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 injury claims we we have had great success with in Byron, IL include:

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

Speak to a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Byron, IL Today

Our Byron, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will not stop fighting until there is nothing left to fight; 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 Byron, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a no obligation case evaluation.