Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Grundy County, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Grundy County, IL

The thrill of riding a motorcycle can be ripped away from you by the injuries negligent drivers cause when they do not pay attention to your safety. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Grundy County, IL, call the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law now at (779) 800-HURT or complete our online form for a free consultation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Grundy County, 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 you do not get in an enclosed vehicle. Regrettably, there is a potentially dangerous trade-off. Because motorcycles do not protect riders as well as enclosed vehicles, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When that happens to you, it carries hardships and you need someone to fight for you. You need to find an attorney that has demonstrated that they can full compensation in motorcycle wreck cases in Grundy County, IL.

Our attorneys and paralegals have over seven decades of combined experience winning cases in negotiations and in the court room. 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 is out to devalue your compensation. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they treat our Grundy County, IL clients fairly.

To discover more about how our personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, speak to an attorney at (779) 800-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident claim immediately.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Grundy County, IL?

Even though motorcycles account for only .06 percent of total vehicle miles traveled nationwide, they made up four percent of all injuries and 14 percent of total fatalities in traffic-related accidents in 2020, according to research from the National Safety Council. In the entire country, in 2020 82,000 people were injured and 5,579 died 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. Unfortunately, the majority of those crashes came when the motorcycle was going straight ahead, which means the accidents were often caused by a car or truck driver not respecting motorcyclists on the road. Wrecks happen most frequently in metropolitan areas, especially major city streets.

According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the nation in terms of both registered motorcycles and motorcycle crash fatalities.

The most common season for motorcycle crashes is summer, and half of all wrecks happen between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Grundy County, IL

There are several things you should do, 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.

Immediately After The Accident

While any collision is jarring, it is important to keep a clear head. Immediately after the crash, you should:

• Get to safety — If you can, move out of the way of oncoming traffic. Leave the bike. It is obviously important to you, but staying with the bike or trying to move 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.
• Do not take off your safety gear — Taking off your helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and other gear could also make serious injuries even worse. Adrenaline may hide how serious an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — Because 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 leaving and planning to go to an emergency room yourself. Police will also be able to file a report stating who they believe is liable for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other drivers involved and request an insurance card. Take photographs of all vehicles and the crash site from different positions. Take as many pictures as possible. Something you do not think matters much may help a motorcycle accident lawyer in Grundy County, IL prove your case down the road. See if there are eyewitnesses who can back up your side of the story.

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

What to Do Throughout the Claim Process

Once you have gotten medical treatment, notify both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Grundy County, 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 aids your financial recovery as well. You need to prove that you sustained financial losses, and to do that you need to complete copies of medical medical records which detail all of the treatments and related expenses directly associated with the accident. 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 Detailed Records — You are also entitled to reimbursement for lost wages from time spent recovering, and any out-of-pocket expenses that were necessary, such as parking or Uber rides for going to medical appointments or hiring someone to help look after your kids. Manage a file with detailed receipts and notes about why those charges were due to your injury. It may also be a good idea to 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 filed your claim and enlisted the services of a motorcycle accident lawyer, let your attorney handle documentation and negotiation. Insurance adjusters utilize a lot of tactics to minimize claims, and it is better to leave communication up to an attorney who knows how to deal with them.
• Resist Social Media — In this day and age, many of us want to share details about our life with others. However, posting too much on social media can ruin your case. If you say your injuries are debilitating, and the insurance finds out you have been going out on the weekends, 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 you get the maximum compensation you are owed. Let us deal with the investigation, documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can focus on healing.

Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Grundy County, IL For My Claim?

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where fault is clearly established and your medical bills are no more than an urgent care visit, 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 the hassle. 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, more likely than not you will need the assistance of a motorcycle accident attorney for your injury claim. While it would be nice if insurance companies fulfilled their obligations when someone is injured under their coverage, they usually have to be convinced to. Situations where you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Grundy County, IL include:

• Your injuries require ongoing treatment — The more your medical expenses and time spent off work, the more the insurance company will be resistant to reimbursing you for it. If your injuries require future medical treatment or prevent you from earning a living as you used to, you will absolutely 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 in the tens or hundreds of thousands, and the insurance company’s offer is no where close to that, they are trying to take advantage of you. If there is a lawyer on the case, 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 liable parties — With some cases, especially wrecks involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one person who was negligent. For example, a driver may cut your off while not looking for you, causing you to take defensive action and hit an improperly cordoned-off construction site. An experienced Grundy County, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the accident and determine all liable parties. Identifying everyone who is liable is crucial 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 — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a frequent tactic insurance adjusters use to minimize your claim. When this happens, an attorney will fight back conclusively demonstrate that is not the case. If you were indeed partially at fault, you can still receive some 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 Grundy County, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against dishonest ploys insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over 30 years. We offer an initial conversation and investigation for free, so call us at (779) 800-HURT to see what we can do for your claim. We get to work from the moment you hire us, and do not give up until you get all of compensation you are owed.

Recent Burger Law Grundy County, 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 know how to get full compensation is one thing, but a lawyer with client testimonials and results to prove it is another thing. Click on the following links to see some recent Burger Law motorcycle accident victories and 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 Grundy County, IL?

In order to file any Grundy County, 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 drivers always owe you that duty.
2. Breach of duty — Did they fail 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 proper procedure behind the wheel?
3. Cause in fact — Did the accident cause your injuries?
4. Proximate cause — Whose breach of duty caused 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 your injuries lead to losses, such as lost wages and emotional distress? If your accident resulted in a few bumps and bruises, but they healed without any medical treatment, it would be hard for you to make a claim.

If you were injured through another’s negligence, you can to file an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney now at (779) 800-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My Grundy County, 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 might make your recovery higher or lower 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 to blame 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 are experts at calculating the full value of someone’s injury claim and demanding the insurance company takes responsibility for all of it. If your injuries require ongoing medical care, that will also be part of your settlement or verdict, including accounting for inflation.

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

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

• If you or your loved one was under the age of 18 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 negligent party is outside of the state of Illinois for a period, that time does not account against the two years

While two years may seem like a long time, investigating and developing a legal strategy for your claim takes time. Do not wait to call a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Grundy County, IL. Call us today at (779) 800-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Grundy County, IL?

Motorcycles are harder for passenger car drivers to see, being smaller. As a result of a phenomenon known as “inattentional blindness,” drivers are less likely to see a motorcycle — even if they are doing their best to be careful. This is because we train our brains to be aware of other cars, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Grundy County, IL.

The most common causes of motorcycles accidents are:

• Left-hand turns — According to the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, over 40 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve a car turning left while the motorcycle was going straight. These crashes can be the result of a motorist’s intoxication, reckless driving or generally not paying close enough attention to the road.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions also occur frequently between motorcycles and cars or trucks. A car may also to fail to see a motorcyclist when merging or changing lanes. Motorcycles also have the highest rate of collisions with fixed objects, which is not always the motorcyclist’s fault.
• Road hazards — Cracked pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, slick surfaces or other debris on our streets 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 lose control.
• 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 Grundy County, IL?

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are due to 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 construction company for not repairing or negligent repairing a road
• A motorcycle designer, manufacturer or vendor in a product liability claim
• A employer if someone they hired injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental agencies 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 state may have to compensate you for your injuries. However, the state of Illinois does not make it easy to sue them. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Grundy County, 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 Grundy County, 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 a loved one passed away in a motorcycle crash, you can make a recovery through a wrongful death claim. While no settlement or verdict can fill the whole that is left, it can help provide some sense closure 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.
• Three groups of people related to the deceased 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. When there are no immediate family members, siblings and siblings’ descendants can bring a suit
  3. If no family remains, a judge 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 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, education and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s Grundy County, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just tremendous at getting our clients full recoveries. We are compassionate 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 Grundy County, 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 Grundy County, IL Today

Our Grundy County, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until you get the maximum compensation you are owed; 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 Grundy County, 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 no obligation consultation.