Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in East Moline, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in East Moline, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be ripped away from you by the injuries careless drivers cause when they do not pay attention to your safety. If another driver injured you in East Moline, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately at (779) 800-HURT or fill out our online form for a no-risk, no-obligation case evaluation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in East Moline, 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 yourself and build a camaraderie with people who share your passions. You get a feeling of the open road that a car just cannot emulate. 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, there are immediate hardships and you need someone to fight for you. You want a lawyer that has demonstrated that they can full compensation in motorcycle collision lawsuits in East Moline, IL.

Our team has over seven decades of combined litigation and trial experience. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until we win your case and there is nothing left to fight. Always speak to a lawyer before accepting an insurance company’s offer. The insurance adjuster wants to devalue your financial settlement. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they give 100 percent of what they owe our East Moline, IL clients.

To learn more about what we can do for you, call our team at (779) 800-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident claim for free.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in East Moline, 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 the National Safety Council. Nationwide, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 deaths. In Illinois, of 3,077 motorcycle collisions, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were fatal, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Regrettably, the majority of those happened 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 another driver failing to notice motorcyclists. Crashes are most common in densely populated areas, especially on arterial roads.

According to the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the country with close to 300,000 registered motorcycles, and fittingly was eighth in the country in deaths in 2017.

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

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in East Moline, IL

There are a number things you should do, both at the accident site and throughout the process of recovering from your injuries and seeking compensation, to ensure both your health and the chances of a successful claim.

At the Accident Site

While any accident is surprising and scary, it is vital to think rationally. At the accident site, you should:

• Get to safety — If you are physically able, move out of the way of other vehicles coming down the street. Leave the bike. We know it is your baby, but trying to carry it could put you at risk of further harm. If you suspect you have a spine or head injury, stay still and wait for emergency personnel.
• Do not remove your safety gear — Taking off your helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and other gear could also make serious injuries even worse. Because of adrenaline, a serious injury may not always hurt as much at first.
• Call 911 — As the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it is probably best to be looked over there instead of trying to seek medical attention at urgent care or a doctors’ appointment. Police are trained to assign liability in an accident, and will make a police report.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other motorists involved and ask for an insurance card. Take photographs of all vehicles and the crash site from different positions. Take as many pictures as possible. Something that may seem like it does not matter at first may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in East Moline, IL when trying to prove who is responsible for your injuries in the future. See if there are eyewitnesses who can corroborate your side of the story.

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

What to Do Throughout the Claim Process

After you first seek medical care, notify the insurance company of everybody involved. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in East Moline, 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 not only vital for your health, but is also vital to building your case. 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 ultimate compensation will be as well. Make sure you attend every every treatment and use all of the equipment and medication your doctor orders for you.
• Keep Track of Everything Related to Your Injuries — You also deserve compensation 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 transportation to and from 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 showing the non-tangible impact of your injuries and your pain and suffering.
• Do Not Talk to the Insurance Company — Once you have filed 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 tactics to avoid paying claims, but your attorney will know how to deal with them.
• Resist Social Media — It is normal to want to share what is going on with your life on the Internet. However, even a well-meaning post can do damage to your claim. If you say your injuries are debilitating, and the insurance finds out you have been at your friend’s barbecue, they they can say your injuries are not actually that severe.

From the first time you speak with us, we will be in contact with you every step of the way until you get the maximum compensation you are owed. Let us handle the investigation, documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can spend your energy on on healing.

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

For some minor claims, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical bills are no more than a visit 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 ask for a little more for inconvenience. In a smaller settlement where their policyholder is clearly liable, the insurance company will only lose money if they try to deny your claim.

However, in most cases, hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer will be the only way to get fair compensation in your injury claim. While it would be nice if insurance companies fulfilled their responsibility when someone is injured under their coverage, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to be fair. You will almost certainly need a motorcycle accident lawyer in East Moline, IL if:

• Your injuries are severe — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will try and devalue your injuries. If your injuries require ongoing treatment, you will always need an attorney to hold the insurance adjuster accountable for all of 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 what fair compensation means in your case. If you enlist the services of a lawyer, 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 parties at fault — With some injuries, especially crashes involving more than one vehicle, 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 take defensive action and hit an improperly cordoned-off construction site. An experienced East Moline, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the accident and determine all liable parties. 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 — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a classic move insurance adjusters use to minimize your claim. When this happens, 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 East Moline, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over three decades. Our consultations are free, so call us at (779) 800-HURT to see if we can add value to 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 East Moline, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories

You need a lawyer who has shown they can get maximum compensation in your type of claim before. A motorcycle accident lawyer saying they are the best 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 East Moline, IL?

If you want to file any East Moline, IL injury claim, you must have been injured 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 a responsibility 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 motorists always owe you a duty of care.
2. Breach of duty — Were they neglectful in that duty and did that breach lead to an accident? Was the other driver 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 negligence 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 the driver?.
5. Damages — Did you sustain losses because of your injuries, such as medical expenses and mental anguish? If your accident caused a few bumps and bruises, but you did not need any medical treatment, it would be hard for you to file a claim.

If you were injured through another’s negligence, you have an injury claim. Consult with a motorcycle accident attorney today at (779) 800-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My East Moline, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

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

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

Factors that determine how much you will recover include:

• The severity of your injuries; more significant injuries usually lead to higher economic and noneconomic damages
• Whether or not you were partially at fault for your injuries
• If you sustained permanent disfigurement or disability
• The impact the injuries have had on your ability to enjoy life

At Burger Law, our injury attorneys 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 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 East Moline, IL?

Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident injuries in East Moline, 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 under the age of 18 at the time of accident, they have until their 20th 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 is not included in 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 hesitate to reach out to a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in East Moline, IL. Call us today at (779) 800-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in East Moline, IL?

Motorcycles are harder for passenger car drivers to see, do not take up as much space on the road. Due to 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 look for larger vehicles, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness contributes to many motorcycle accidents in East Moline, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• 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 and hits a motorcyclist in an intersection. These crashes can happen because of a car driver’s intoxication, speeding or simple inattention.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions are also common between motorcycles and passenger cars. It is also common for a car not see a motorcyclist when merging or changing lanes. Motorcycles also collide with fixed objects more than any other type of driver, which may be due to a negligent construction company or governmental entity.
• Road hazards — Cracked pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, gravel 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 spin out.
• Defective parts — Manufacturers and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall dozens of motorcycles annually. When dangerous bikes and components are not recalled, it can cause motorcycle accidents.

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

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are the result of driver error. So, most of the time another driver is liable. 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 manufacturer for a defective product
• A employer if someone they hired injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental entities are supposed to keep their roadways safe for use by everyone on the roads, and when there are road hazards that cause an accident, the agency responsible for the neglect may have to compensate you for your injuries. However, suing a government entity in Illinois has added complications. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in East Moline, IL can pick up your claim and take the fight to city hall to secure you the compensation you deserve.

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

Motorcyclists are not only at increased risk of a catastrophic injury, but are more likely to perish in a crash. If you were touched by tragedy and someone you love passed away in a motorcycle crash, you can make a wrongful death claim. While no amount of money can bring back your loved one, it can bring a sense of justice 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 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. Members of the nuclear family, 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, a judge 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 your loved one, including any benefits they got from 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 East Moline, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just experts at getting our clients full recoveries. We are compassionate 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 claims we we have had great success with in East Moline, 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 East Moline, IL Today

Our East Moline, 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 did nothing to deserve being in this situation, and you should not have to pay for it. To learn more about how our East Moline, 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.