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Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Deerfield, IL
The exhilaration you feel when riding a motorcycle can be canceled out by the injuries careless drivers cause when they do not follow the rules of the road. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Deerfield, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law today at (312) 500-HURT or complete our online form for a free case evaluation.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Deerfield, 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 of their relative lack of protection, motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. When you are injured, it carries hardships and you need someone to stand by your side and get you the compensation you deserve. You want a lawyer with a proven track record of winning motorcycle accident lawsuits in Deerfield, IL.
Burger Law has over 70 years of combined litigation and trial experience. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until we win your case 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 minimize 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 Deerfield, IL clients.
To discover more about how our personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call an attorney at (312) 500-HURT to discuss your motorcycle accident claim today.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Deerfield, IL?
Despite the fact that motorcycles make up barely over half a percent of total vehicle miles traveled in the United States, they made up four percent of all injuries and 14 percent of total deaths 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 crashes, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were deadly, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Unfortunately, over half of those occurred when a passenger car or truck collided with a motorcycle when the biker was driving in a straight line, which means 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.
Almost half of deadly motorcycle accidents occur in the summer months, and 50 percent happen between Friday night and Monday morning.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Deerfield, IL
There are a number things you should do, both immediately following the accident and throughout the process of recovering from your injuries and seeking compensation, to ensure both your health and the chances of a successful claim.
Immediately After The Accident
While any accident can be surprising and scary, it is vital to think rationally. At the accident site, you should:
Get out of harm’s way — If possible, move out of the way of oncoming traffic. Leave your motorcycle where it is. It is obviously important to you, but trying to carry it could make your injuries worse. If you believe your injuries may be catastrophic, it may be best not to move; instead wait for emergency personnel.
Keep your gear on — Removing your helmet or other gear could also exacerbate your injuries. Shock may hide how serious 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 trying to go to an emergency room yourself. Police are trained to determine fault in an accident, and will make a police report.
Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver and get their insurance information. Take photographs of the accident, including how the vehicles are positioned and the surrounding areas. Take more photos than you think you need. Something you do not think is that big of a deal may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Deerfield, IL when trying to prove someone else’s negligence down the road. See if there are eyewitnesses who can corroborate your claim.
Lastly, if you did not seek medical treatment at the scene, do so as quickly as possible.
What to Do in the Ensuing Weeks and Months
Once you have gotten medical treatment, notify both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Deerfield, 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 is also vital to building your case. You need to prove that you sustained financial losses, and to do that you need to be able to point to medical records which show all of the costs and treatments directly associated with the accident. The more medical expenses you have, the higher your non-economic damages compensation will be as well. Make sure you attend every follow up, chiropractic or physical therapy appointment your doctor orders for you.
Keep Track of Everything Related to Your Injuries — You are also entitled to reimbursement for lost wages from time your injuries caused you to miss out from work, and any out-of-pocket expenses due to your injuries, such as parking or gas money for going to medical appointments or hiring someone to help take care of your kids. Manage a file with all of your receipts and explanations for why those charges were necessary. 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 notified the insurance company about your injuries and hired a motorcycle accident lawyer, let your attorney handle documentation and negotiation. Insurance adjusters try to employ a lot of ploys to devalue claims, but your attorney will know how to make the adjuster be honest.
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, posting too much on social media can do damage to your claim. 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 your initial consultation, we will keep you updated throughout your claim until we attain a successful resolution. Let us handle the legal aspect of your case so you can spend your energy on on healing.
Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Deerfield, 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, a lawyer may not be able to add much value to your claim. Give the insurance company proof of your financial losses, and see if they will throw some extra money on top for the trouble. In a smaller settlement where their policyholder is clearly liable, the adjuster 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 it would be nice if insurance companies fulfilled their responsibility when their policyholders injure someone, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to do it. Situations where you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Deerfield, IL include:
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 result in permanent disability, you will absolutely need an attorney to hold the insurance adjuster accountable for all of your damages.
The insurance company’s offer is far below 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 convince you that you do not know how much you are owed. 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 parties at fault — With some cases, 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 swerve and hit a road hazard that a governmental agency should have fixed. An experienced Deerfield, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the crash and assign a portion of the damages to each liable party. Identifying everyone who is liable is imperative if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
You are being blamed for the accident — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a classic move insurance adjusters use to minimize your claim. If the insurance company say your accident was your own doing, an attorney can step in and prove 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 Deerfield, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to combat tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for more than 30 years. We offer an initial conversation and investigation at no charge, so call us at (312) 500-HURT to see what we can do for your claim. We start developing our legal strategy from the moment you hire us, and do not give up until you get all of compensation you are owed.
Recent Burger Law Deerfield, 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. Any motorcycle accident lawyer can say they are the best, 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:
Do I Have a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Deerfield, IL?
In order to have a successful claim in Deerfield, 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:
Duty of care — Did the liable party owe you a responsibility to protect you from unreasonable harm? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 states that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so anyone else on the road automatically owes you that duty.
Cause in fact — Were your injuries the direct result of the accident?
Proximate cause — Did the person’s negligence cause the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were malfunctioning, the liable party may be a manufacturer and not the driver?.
Damages — Did you sustain losses because of your injuries, such as medical bills and mental anguish? If your accident resulted in a few small lacerations and bruising, but you did not need any medical treatment, you likely do not have a claim.
If you were injured through another’s negligence, you can to file 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 Deerfield, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?
In any personal injury claim, you are owed compensation for:
Non-economic damages, such as emotional distress, disfigurement and pain and suffering
While not common, you may be able to recover 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 tend to 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 demanding the liable party takes responsibility for all of it. If your injuries lead to future economic damages like lost earning capacity or future surgeries, that will also be part of your settlement or verdict, including adjusting for inflation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Deerfield, IL?
Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident claims in Deerfield, IL is two years. That means the clock starts ticking on the date the accident occurred to file a claim. 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 liable party is outside of the state of Illinois for a period, that period does not account against the two years
While two years does not sound like it should give you a sense of urgency, it takes time to properly build your case. Do not wait to reach out to a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Deerfield, IL. Call us now at (312) 500-HURT.
What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Deerfield, IL?
Motorcycles are harder for drivers of enclosed vehicles to see, being smaller. Because of a phenomenon referred to as “inattentional blindness,” drivers are less likely to see a motorcycle — even if they are doing their due diligence. This is because we train our brains to look for larger vehicles, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Deerfield, IL.
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The most common causes of motorcycles accidents are:
Left-hand turns — The Motorcycle Legal Foundation reports that almost half of all motorcycle accidents that result in fatalities involve a car turning left while the motorcycle was going straight. These crashes can happen because of a car driver’s drunkenness, speeding or generally not paying close enough attention to the road.
Other collisions — Head on collisions are also common between motorcycles and cars or trucks. It is also common for a car to fail to see a motorcyclist when turning in front of them. 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, dead animals, wet or icy roadways or other debris on our streets often do not have much of an impact on a car. However, motorcycles are less stable and these hazards can cause a motorcyclist to lose control.
Defective parts — 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 cause motorcycle collisions.
Who is Liable for My Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Deerfield, IL?
A employer if someone they hired injured you while driving, for example in a commercial truck accident
Can I Sue For My Deerfield, IL Motorcycle Accident if it Did Not Involve Another Vehicle?
States and municipalities are tasked with keeping 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 liable for the motorcycle accident. However, suing a government entity in Illinois has added complications. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Deerfield, IL can pick up your claim and guide you through the complexities of local and state laws to get you the compensation you deserve.
A Loved One Was Killed in a Motorcycle Crash in Deerfield, IL. What Are My Legal Options?
Motorcyclists are not only at higher risk of a catastrophic injury, but are more likely to be in a fatal accident. If tragedy struck and a family member died 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 the financial burden that come with your loved one’s passing. 740 ILCS 180/, the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, details the laws surrounding wrongful death claims:
You can make a wrongful death claim for negligence, just as your loved one would have made an injury claim if they were injured.
The Illinois statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is two years from the date of your loved one’s death, 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:
Members of the nuclear family, such as a spouse, children, grandchildren and grandparents
When there are no immediate family members, siblings and siblings’ descendants can bring a suit
If there are no family members, the court can designate 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 their death
Funeral expenses
Loss of financial support from your loved one, including any benefits related to their employment
Loss of instruction, guidance and moral training the deceased would have provided
Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering
Burger Law’s Deerfield, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just tremendous at securing full compensation. We are empathetic 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 injury cases we we have had great success with in Deerfield, IL include:
Speak to a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Deerfield, IL Today
Our Deerfield, 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 Deerfield, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.
Client Reviews
What our clients are saying about us
Anonymous
This law firm is absolutely amazing. They took on my case, when nobody else would! They fought hard for me when it seemed there was no hope. They kept me informed and always asked for my input before making decisions on my case. Gary puts himself into every case unlike most law firm owners. Gary and his team really care about every one of their clients, and fights hard to get you a fair settlement. They actually won my case out of court, and then reduced my fees to make sure I could get my car fixed and be able to get back to some normality. I would recommend Burger Law over and above any other firm! If you go somewhere else you aren’t getting the best!
Genevieve and Laura have assisted me in my personal injury claim and have made the process so much less stressful. They are extremely knowledgeable, professional, and attentive. Laura is always on top of everything and very sweet. I had no idea how to navigate this process and they have made me feel at ease and like they truly cared about the outcome.
Cara Barton
It has been a long 4 years, but it is finally over! Burger law did a great job handling my case. Grant Doty answered all my questions, promptly returned my phone calls, frequently kept me updated and insured me that he was fighting for me. Jennifer Zini also did a wonderful job, great customer service. It was pleasure getting to know the Burger Law team!
S. Alred
After a driver unexpectedly pulled out right in front of my motorcycle & I suffered injuries, the at-fault driver’s insurance company offered me a $10,000 settlement. I hired Burger Law & they won a $109,000 settlement. I was very happy with the outcome. They were easy to work with & fully explained each step of the process & kept me informed along the way.
Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer is a team of St. Louis area personal injury attorneys who have earned many distinctions and peer-reviewed awards for our work in civil litigation and trial work in Missouri and Illinois. A few of the honors we have earned include the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Top 100 Trial Lawyer Award, a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating (the preeminent peer rating standard for legal expertise and ethical standards), Super Lawyers selection as one of the top attorneys in the field of personal injury and board certifications in Civil Litigation. When you are ready to hire our experienced legal team to represent you and demand the compensation you deserve, call us at (866) 934-9059 right away.
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