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Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Forest Park, IL
The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be made moot by the injuries reckless drivers cause when they do not follow the rules of the road. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Forest Park, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately at (312) 500-HURT or complete our online form for a complimentary case evaluation.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Forest Park, 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, negligent drivers can turn that feeling into something horrific. Because motorcycles do not protect their occupants as well as enclosed vehicles, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When that happens to you, it carries instant economic, physical and emotional consequences and you need someone to stand by your side and ensure you are treated fairly. You want a lawyer with a proven track record of winning motorcycle accident lawsuits in Forest Park, 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 aggressively pursue your claim to ensure you get the medical care and financial recovery that you are owed and that you deserve. Always speak to a lawyer before accepting an insurance company’s offer. The insurance adjuster is out to devalue your recovery. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they treat our Forest Park, IL clients fairly.
To discover 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 now.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Forest Park, IL?
Even though motorcycles make up barely over half a percent of total vehicle miles traveled in the United States, they accounted for four percent of all injuries and 14 percent of all deaths in traffic-related accidents in 2020, according to the National Safety Council. In the entire country, in 2020 82,000 people were injured and 5,579 passed away in motorcycle crashes. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle wrecks which caused 2,404 injuries and 152 deaths, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Regrettably, the majority 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 because of another driver not respecting motorcyclists on the road. Most of the crashes occurred in metropolitan areas, especially around tolls.
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 Forest Park, IL
There are a number things you should do, both at the accident site and in the days and weeks that follow, to ensure both your health and the chances of a successful claim.
At the Accident Site
While any wreck is jarring, try to stay as calm as possible. At the accident site, you should:
Get out of harm’s way — If possible, get to the side of the road and away from oncoming traffic. Leave the bike. We know it is your baby, but staying with the bike or trying to move it could put you at risk of further harm. If you are seriously injured, stay still and wait for EMTs to arrive.
Keep your gear on — Taking off your helmet or other gear could also exacerbate your injuries. Because of adrenaline, a serious injury may not always hurt as much at first.
Call 911 — Because motorcycle accidents can cause severe injuries, it may be a good idea to get medical attention at the scene instead of leaving and planning to go to an emergency room yourself. Police are trained to assign fault in an accident, and will make a police report.
Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver and get their insurance information. Take pictures of the accident, including damage to all vehicles involved and the surrounding areas. Take more photos than you think you need. Something that may seem like it does not matter at first may help a motorcycle accident lawyer in Forest Park, IL prove your case when you make your claim. 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
After you first seek medical care, inform the insurance company of everybody involved. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Forest 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:
Continue Medical Treatment — 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 detail all of the costs and treatments you incurred because of your injuries. The more medical expenses you have, the higher your pain and suffering compensation will be as well. Go to every follow up, chiropractic or physical therapy appointment your doctor orders for you.
Keep Detailed Records — You are also entitled to reimbursement 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 household chores. Keep detailed receipts and notes about why those charges were due to your injury. You can also keep a daily journal showing 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 notified the insurance company about your claim and enlisted the services of a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will handle all communication with the insurance. Insurance adjusters utilize a lot of ploys to minimize claims, and it is better to leave communication up to a lawyer who knows 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 with others. 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 a bar, they they can say your injuries are not actually that severe.
From the moment you hire us, we will keep you completely in the loop until we attain the great results you deserve. Allow us to 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 Forest Park, IL For My Claim?
For accidents involving minor injuries, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical bills are no more than an urgent care visit, a lawyer may not be able to add much value to your claim. Supply the insurance company with your records and expenses, and see if they will throw some extra money on top for the hassle. 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 in a perfect world insurance companies would fulfill their obligations when someone is injured under their coverage, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to do it. You will likely need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Forest Park, IL if:
Your injuries require ongoing treatment — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will be resistant to reimbursing you for it. If your injuries result in permanent disability, 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 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 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 party that can be held liable for your injuries. For example, a driver may cut your off while not looking for you, causing you to swerve and hit a road hazard that a local government should have fixed. An aggressive Forest Park, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the wreck and assign a portion of the damages to each liable party. Identifying everyone who is liable is imperative if you are owed more compensation than 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 classic move insurance adjusters use to devalue your claim. If the insurance company say your accident was your own fault, an attorney can step in and prove how the other party was negligent. If it is true that you were responsible for a portion of the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation under Missouri’s comparative negligence doctrine. However, you will need an attorney to apply the rule of law and get you that compensation.
Your Forest Park, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tactics insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over 30 years. Our consultations are free, so speak to an attorney today at (312) 500-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We get to work from the second you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.
Recent Burger Law Forest Park, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories
You need a lawyer who has shown they can get maximum compensation in your type of claim before. Any motorcycle accident lawyer can say they will fight for you, but a lawyer whose past clients will vouch for them and who has the 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 Forest Park, IL?
If you want to have a successful claim in Forest Park, IL, you must have been injured by another person’s negligence. There are five elements to proving negligence in a personal injury claim:
Duty of care — Did the liable party have a responsibility to keep you safe? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 states that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so other drivers always owe you that duty.
Cause in fact — Were your injuries the direct result of the accident?
Proximate cause — Did the person’s breach of duty cause the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were malfunctioning, the person who needs to be held accountable for your injuries may be a manufacturer and not another motorist?.
Damages — Did you sustain losses because of your injuries, such as medical expenses and emotional distress? If your accident caused some bumps and bruises, but it was not serious enough to seek medical treatment, it would be hard for you to make a claim.
Any time somebody else’s carelessness or recklessness injures you, you can to file an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney now at (312) 500-HURT if you have any doubts about the validity of your claim.
How Much is My Forest Park, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?
In any personal injury claim, you are owed compensation for:
Non-economic damages, such as mental anguish, 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 determine how much you will recover include:
The severity of your injuries; more significant injuries usually lead to higher medical bills and more pain and suffering
Whether or not you contributed to the accident
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 the full value of someone’s injury claim and insisting 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 calculating for inflation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Forest Park, IL?
Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident injuries in Forest Park, 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 is outside of the state of Illinois for a period, 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 wait to call a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Forest Park, IL. Call us now at (312) 500-HURT.
What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Forest Park, IL?
Motorcycles are harder for passenger car drivers to see, as they take up less space. 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 other cars, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Forest Park, 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 fatal motorcycle crashes involve a car turning left while and hits a motorcyclist in an intersection. These crashes can happen because of a motorist’s intoxication, speeding or distracted driving.
Other collisions — Head on collisions also occur frequently between motorcycles and other types of vehicles. A car may also not 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 — Cracked pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, slick surfaces 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 lose control.
Malfunctioning parts — 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 cause motorcycle collisions.
Who is Liable for My Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Forest Park, IL?
A governmental body or construction company for not repairing or negligent repairing a road
A motorcycle designer, manufacturer or vendor for a defective product
A company if someone they hired injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident
Can I Sue For My Forest Park, IL Motorcycle Accident if it Did Not Involve Another Vehicle?
Governmental entities are supposed to keep their roadways safe for citizens to travel on, and when there are road hazards that cause an accident, the state 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 Forest Park, IL can take on your claim and take the fight to city hall to get you a full financial recovery.
A Loved One Was Killed in a Motorcycle Crash in Forest Park, IL. What Are My Legal Options?
Motorcyclists are not only at increased risk of a catastrophic injury, but are more likely to be in a fatal accident. 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:
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 your loved one died, not the date of the accident.
Three groups of people related to the deceased can file a wrongful death claim in Illinois. In order of priority, they are:
Immediate family members, such as a spouse, children, grandchildren and grandparents
If there are no immediate family members, siblings and siblings’ descendants can bring a suit
If no family remains, the court can designate a plaintiff ad litem to bring a suit
Your compensation will include:
Under 755 ILCS 5/27-6, the Illinois Survival Act, the personal injury damages incurred by the deceased before their death, for example their medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering
Funeral expenses
Loss of financial support from your loved one, including any work-related benefits
Loss of instruction, guidance and moral training the deceased would have provided
Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering
Burger Law’s Forest Park, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just experts 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 claims we take on and win in Forest Park, IL include:
Speak to a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Forest Park, IL Today
Our Forest Park, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will not stop fighting until there is nothing left to fight; 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 Forest Park, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (312) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free case review.
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.
At Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer, we are a team of personal injury attorneys who have earned many distinctions and peer-reviewed awards for our 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, Super Lawyers selection as one of the top attorneys in the field of personal injury and board certifications in Civil Litigation.
Personal injury lawyers who demand justice in Southern Illinois. The role of a personal injury lawyer in Southern Illinois should be more than just getting you a great settlement…