Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Elmwood Park, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Elmwood Park, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be ripped away from you by the injuries negligent drivers cause when they do not respect your safety. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Elmwood Park, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a no-risk, no-obligation case evaluation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Elmwood Park, 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 enjoy yourself and connect with people who share your passions. There is a sense of freedom that a car just cannot emulate. Unfortunately, this freedom also comes with a high price. Because motorcycles do not protect their occupants as well as enclosed vehicles, motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. When you are injured, there are immediate financial, physical and mental consequences and you need someone to fight for you. You need to find a law firm with a proven track record of winning motorcycle accident cases in Elmwood Park, IL.

Our team has more than seven decades of combined litigation and trial experience. 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 devalue your financial settlement. Our firm has a proven track record of successfully fighting the insurance companies and making sure that they treat our Elmwood Park, IL clients fairly.

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

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Elmwood Park, IL?

Fourteen percent of traffic 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. Nationwide, in 2020 82,000 people were injured and 5,579 passed away in motorcycle crashes. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle accidents which resulted in 2,404 injuries and 152 deaths, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Unfortunately, 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 means the accidents were often due to another driver failing to notice motorcyclists. Crashes are most common in metropolitan areas, especially around tolls.

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

Just under 50 percent of fatal motorcycle accidents occur in the between June and September, and half happen between Friday night and Monday morning.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Elmwood Park, IL

There are a number steps you should take, both in the immediate wake of an accident and in the days and weeks that follow, to ensure you make both a physical and financial recovery.

At the Accident Site

While any collision is jarring, it is vital to think rationally. Immediately after the crash, you should:

• Get to safety — If you can, get to the side of the road and away from other vehicles coming down the street. Leave the bike. We know it is a treasure for you, but trying to carry it could put you at risk of further harm. If you suspect you have a back or head injury, stay still and wait for emergency personnel.
• Do not remove your protective gear — Removing your helmet or 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 motorcycle accidents can cause severe injuries, it may be a good idea to be looked over at the scene instead of leaving and planning to go to an emergency room yourself. 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 ask for an insurance card. Take pictures of the accident, including damage to all vehicles involved and the surrounding areas. 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 Elmwood Park, IL prove who is responsible for your injuries in the future. Get the contact info of any eyewitnesses to the accident.

Lastly, receive medical attention if you did not already do so.

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 Elmwood Park, 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 complete copies of medical medical records which show all of the treatments and related expenses you incurred because of your injuries. The more medical expenses you have, the higher your ultimate compensation will be as well. Go to every follow up, chiropractic or physical therapy appointment your doctor orders for you.
• Keep Track of Everything Related to Your Injuries — You are also owed a financial recovery for lost wages from time when you were unable to work due to your injuries, and any out-of-pocket expenses you incur, such as transportation to and from medical appointments or hiring someone to help with chores around the house. Keep 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 how your injuries have affected you physically and emotionally for a record of your pain and suffering.
• Do Not Talk to the Insurance Company — Once you have informed the insurance company about your injuries and hired a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will handle all communication with the insurance. Insurance adjusters use a lot of tricks to avoid paying claims, and it is better to leave communication up to an attorney who knows how to combat them.
• Stay off Social Media — In this day and age, many of us want to share details about our 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 prevent you from working, and the insurance sees pictures of you at your friend’s barbecue, they will use it to attempt to devalue your claim.

From your initial consultation, we will keep you completely in the loop until we reach the great results you deserve. Let us deal with the legal aspect of your case so you can spend your energy on on healing.

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

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical bills only include a visit with your primary care physician, you may be able to get compensation on your own. Supply the insurance company with 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 their policyholder is clearly liable, the insurance company is not going to want to waste their time.

However, in the vast majority of cases, you will need the assistance of a motorcycle accident attorney for your injury claim. While in a a truly fair society insurance companies would fulfill their duty when their policyholders injure someone, they usually have to be convinced to. Situations where you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Elmwood Park, IL include:

• Your injuries require ongoing treatment — The more your medical expenses and time spent off work, the more the insurance company will try and devalue your injuries. If your injuries result in permanent disability, you will absolutely need an attorney to convince the insurance company to pay for future damages as well.
• The insurance company’s offer is far below your damages — If your damages are starting to creep up into the tens of thousands, and the insurance adjuster is only offering a few thousand, they are trying to take advantage of you. 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 injuries, especially wrecks involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one party that caused your injuries. 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. A knowledgeable Elmwood Park, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the crash 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 your injuries — Blaming you for your injuries is a frequent trick insurance adjusters use to devalue your claim. When this happens, an attorney can step in and prove that is not the case. If you were indeed partially to blame, 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 Elmwood Park, 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 call us at (779) 800-HURT to see what we can do for your claim. We start developing our legal strategy from the second you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.

Recent Burger Law Elmwood Park, 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 will fight for you, 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 Elmwood Park, IL?

In order to have a successful claim in Elmwood Park, IL, you must have sustained an injury that was caused by another person’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 says that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so anyone else on the road automatically owes you that duty.
2. Breach of duty — Were they neglectful 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 — Did the person’s breach of duty cause the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were not working, the person who needs to compensate you may be a manufacturer and not the driver?.
5. Damages — Did your injuries lead to losses, such as medical bills and mental anguish? If your accident caused a few bruises or scrapes, but they healed without any medical treatment, it would be hard for you to file a claim.

If you were injured through another’s negligence, you need to file 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 Elmwood Park, 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 emotional distress, disfigurement and pain and suffering
• In some rare cases, you can receive 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 you sustained permanent disfigurement or disability
• The impact the injuries have had on your ability to live the life you are used to

At Burger Law, our injury attorneys know how to calculate every dime you are owed and insist the insurance company takes responsibility for all of it. If your injuries require ongoing medical care, we will ensure you also get money to pay for that, including accounting for inflation.

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

According to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident injuries in Elmwood Park, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. Illinois has three exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was under the age of 18 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 period, that period does not account against the two years

While two years may seem like a long time, it takes time to properly build your case. Do not wait to reach out to a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Elmwood Park, IL. Call us today at (779) 800-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Elmwood Park, IL?

Motorcycles are harder for drivers of enclosed vehicles to see, being smaller. Due to something known 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 is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Elmwood Park, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, almost half 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, reckless driving or distracted driving.
• 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 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 — Cracked pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, 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 — Manufacturers and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall dozens of motorcycles annually. If bikes or parts that are defective are allowed to stay on the market, it can cause motorcycle collisions.

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

Ninety-four percent of all auto accidents are caused by human error. So, most of the time another motorist is responsible for your injuries. However, other parties that may be held accountable include:

• A governmental body or contracting company for not repairing or negligent repairing a road
• A motorcycle manufacturer for a defective product
• A employer if their employee injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

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

States and municipalities 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 agency responsible for the neglect may have to compensate you for your injuries. However, the state of Illinois does not make it easy to hold them accountable. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Elmwood Park, IL can take on 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 Elmwood Park, 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 tragedy struck and someone you love passed away in a motorcycle crash, you can make a wrongful death claim. While no amount of money can fill the whole that is left, 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:

• 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 siblings’ descendants can bring a suit
  3. If there are no family members, the court can appoint 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 your loved one incurred from their injuries before passing
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of financial support from the deceased, including any work-related benefits
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of instruction, guidance and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s Elmwood Park, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just experts at getting our clients full recoveries. We are understanding and kind 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 Elmwood Park, 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 Elmwood Park, IL Today

Our Elmwood Park, 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 do not have to pay for someone else’s mistakes. To learn more about how our Elmwood Park, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (779) 800-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.