Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Joliet, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Joliet, 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 Joliet, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or complete our online form for a no-risk, no-obligation case evaluation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Joliet, 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 the road and relax. There is a sense of freedom that is not possible in an enclosed vehicle. Regrettably, this freedom also comes with a high price. Because of their relative lack of protection, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When that happens to you, it carries instant hardships and you need someone to stand by your side and get you the compensation you deserve. You need to find a lawyer that has demonstrated that they can full compensation in motorcycle wreck cases in Joliet, IL.

Our team has more than seven decades of combined litigation and trial experience. 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 wants to minimize your financial settlement. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they give the full compensation they owe our Joliet, IL clients.

To learn more about how our personal injury law firm will defend your rights, call an attorney at (314) 500-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident case immediately.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Joliet, IL?

Even though motorcycles make up barely over half a percent of all vehicle miles traveled in the country, they made up four percent of all injuries and 14 percent of total deaths in traffic-related accidents in 2020, according to the National Safety Council. In the entire country, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 fatalities. In Illinois, of 3,077 motorcycle collisions, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were deadly, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Sadly, 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 because of a car or truck driver failing to notice motorcyclists. Crashes are most common in urban areas, especially major city streets.

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

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 Joliet, IL

There are a number steps you should take, both at the accident site and throughout the length of your claim process, to ensure you make both a physical and financial recovery.

Immediately After The Accident

While any crash is jarring, try to stay as calm as possible. At the accident site, you should:

• Get to safety — If you are physically able, get to the side of the road and away from oncoming traffic. Leave the bike. It is obviously important to you, 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 emergency personnel.
• Do not take off your safety gear — Removing 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 may be a good idea to get medical attention there 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 — Talk to any other drivers involved and get their insurance information. Take photographs of all vehicles and the crash site from a variety of angles. Take more photos than you think you need. Something that may seem like it does not matter at first may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Joliet, IL when trying to prove someone else’s negligence in the future. See if there are eyewitnesses who can back up your side of the story.

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

What to Do in the Ensuing Weeks and Months

After you first seek medical care, inform both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Joliet, 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 obviously the best thing 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 detail the extent of your injuries. The more medical expenses you have, the higher your ultimate compensation will be as well. Go to every every treatment and use all of the equipment and medication your doctor wants you to.
• Keep Detailed Records — You are also owed compensation for lost wages from time your injuries caused you to miss out from work, and any out-of-pocket expenses you incur, such as parking or gas money for going to medical appointments or hiring someone to help with chores around the house. Keep detailed receipts and explanations for why you needed to pay those expenses. It may also be a good idea to keep a daily journal 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 hired a motorcycle accident lawyer, let your attorney handle documentation and negotiation. Insurance adjusters use a lot of tricks to minimize 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 with others. However, posting too much on social media can ruin your claim. If you say your injuries are debilitating, and the insurance sees pictures of you going out on the weekends, they will use it to attempt to devalue your claim.

From the first time you speak with us, we will be in contact with you every step of the way until we reach the great results you deserve. Allow us to deal with the legal aspect of your case so you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery.

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

For accidents involving minor injuries, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical bills only include an emergency room visit, you may be able to get compensation on your own. Give the insurance company proof of your financial losses, 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 insurance company is not going to want to waste their time.

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 obligations when someone is injured by their policyholders’ negligence, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to be fair. Situations where you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Joliet, IL include:

• Your injuries are severe — The higher your damages, 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 hold the insurance adjuster accountable for all of your damages.
• The insurance company is not being fair — If your damages are in the tens or hundreds of thousands, and the insurance adjuster is only offering a few thousand, they are trying convince you that you do not know how what fair compensation means in your case. By hiring an attorney, the insurance company will know that you are serious about getting the full compensation you deserve. Burger Law has added hundreds of thousands of dollars to claims, including turning a $3,900 offer into a $100,000 settlement.
• There are multiple liable parties — With some accidents, especially crashes involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one party that can be held liable for your injuries. For example, a driver may cut your off because they did not see you, causing you to take defensive action and hit a pothole that a governmental agency should have fixed. An experienced Joliet, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the wreck and determine all liable parties. Identifying everyone who is liable is key if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• The insurance adjuster is trying to blame you for your injuries — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a classic move insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. When this happens, an attorney will fight back conclusively demonstrate how the other party was negligent. If it is true that you were responsible for a portion of the accident, 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 Joliet, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tactics insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for more than 30 years. Our consultations are free, so call us at (314) 500-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 let up until you get every bit of compensation you are owed.

Recent Burger Law Joliet, 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 former clients will recommend them and who has the results to prove it is another thing. Check out 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

Client Testimonials

Do I Have a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Joliet, IL?

In order to file any Joliet, IL injury claim, 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:

1. Duty of care — Did the other person 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 a duty of care.
2. Breach of duty — Were they neglectful in that duty and cause an accident? Was the other motorist 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 — 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 the driver?.
5. Damages — Did you sustain losses because of your injuries, such as lost wages and mental anguish? If your accident caused some small lacerations and bruising, but they healed without any medical treatment, it would be hard for you to make a claim.

If you were injured because of another’s negligence, you have an injury claim. Consult with a motorcycle accident attorney today at (314) 500-HURT if you have any doubts about the validity of your claim.

How Much is My Joliet, 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 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 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 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 insisting the insurance company 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 accounting for inflation.

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

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident injuries in Joliet, IL is two years. That means the clock starts ticking on the date the accident occurred to file a lawsuit in court. Illinois has three exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was under the age of 18 when the injuries occurred, they have until their 20th 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 period is not included in 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 hesitate to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Joliet, IL. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Joliet, IL?

Motorcycles are not as easy to spot on the road, being smaller. As a result of something referred to as “inattentional blindness,” it is harder for drivers to see a motorcycle — even if they are doing their due diligence. This is because we train our brains to be aware of larger vehicles, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness contributes to many motorcycle accidents in Joliet, IL.

The most common causes of motorcycles accidents are:

• Left-hand turns — The Motorcycle Legal Foundation reports that 42 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve a car turning left while the motorcycle was going straight. These crashes can be due to a car driver’s drunkenness, reckless driving or simple inattention.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions are also common between motorcycles and cars or trucks. A car may also to fail to see a motorcyclist when merging or changing lanes. Motorcycles also collide with fixed objects more than any other type of driver, which is not always the motorcyclist’s fault.
• Road hazards — Cracked pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, wet or icy roadways or other roadways debris 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 cause motorcycle accidents.

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

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are the result of 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 contracting company for road hazards
• 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 Joliet, IL Motorcycle Accident if it Did Not Involve Another Vehicle?

States and municipalities 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 sue them. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Joliet, IL can pick up 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 Joliet, 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 your worst nightmare came true and someone you love died 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 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 your loved one died, not the date that they were first injured.
• There are three categories of people who can file a wrongful death claim in Illinois. In order of priority, 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, a judge can designate 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 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 the deceased, 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 Joliet, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just tremendous at securing full compensation. We are understanding and kind and have helped many families get through 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 Joliet, IL include:

• Survival Action Lawyer in Illinois
• 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 Joliet, IL Today

Our Joliet, 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 Joliet, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation.