Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in La Salle, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be canceled out 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 La Salle, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law today at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a no-risk, no-obligation consultation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in La Salle, 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 give yourself a sense of calm. 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 their occupants as well as enclosed vehicles, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When you are injured, there are instant hardships and you need someone to fight for you. You want a lawyer that has demonstrated that they can full compensation in motorcycle crash lawsuits in La Salle, IL.

Burger Law has over three decades of experience getting maximum compensation for those injured through the negligence of another. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will tenaciously pursue your claim to ensure you get the medical care and financial recovery that you are owed and that you deserve. Do not talk to your insurance or the other side’s insurance without speaking to an attorney first. The insurance adjuster wants to limit your compensation. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they treat our La Salle, IL clients fairly.

To discover more about how our personal injury law firm will defend your rights, call our team at (312) 500-HURT to discuss your motorcycle accident case now.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in La Salle, IL?

Even though motorcycles account for less than one percent of total vehicle miles traveled nationwide, they accounted for 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. Nationwide, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 fatalities. In Illinois, of 3,077 motorcycle accidents, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were deadly, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Regrettably, over 50 percent of those occurred when the motorcycle was going in a straight line, insinuating that the accidents were often due to another driver failing to notice motorcyclists. Most of the crashes occurred in urban areas, especially major city streets.

According to 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 La Salle, IL

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

At the Accident Site

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

• Get to safety — If possible, get to the side of the road and away from oncoming traffic. Leave your motorcycle behind. We know it is your baby, but trying to carry it could put you at risk of further harm. If you are seriously injured, stay still and wait for emergency medical services.
• Do not remove your safety gear — Removing your helmet or other gear could also make serious injuries even worse. Adrenaline may hide how severe an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — Because the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it is probably a good idea to get medical attention there instead of leaving and planning to seek medical attention later. Police will also be able to file a report relating who they believe is responsible for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other motorists involved and ask for an insurance card. Take pictures of the accident, including how the vehicles are positioned and the surrounding areas. Take more photos than you think you need. Something you do not think matters much may help a motorcycle accident lawyer in La Salle, IL prove who is responsible for your injuries down the road. Get the contact info of any eyewitnesses to the accident.

Lastly, receive medical attention if you have not already.

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 La Salle, 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 obviously the best thing for your physical recovery, but is also paramount to building your case. You need to prove that you sustained financial losses, and to do that 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 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 wants you to.
• Keep Detailed Records — You also deserve a financial recovery for lost wages from time spent recovering, and any out-of-pocket expenses due to your injuries, such as parking or gas money for going to 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. You can also write down your every day experiences showing how your injuries have affected you physically and emotionally for a record of your pain and suffering.
• Leave the Insurance Company up to Your Attorney — Once you have informed the insurance company about your accident and enlisted the services of a motorcycle accident lawyer, let your attorney handle documentation and negotiation. Insurance adjusters try to employ a lot of tactics to avoid paying claims, but your attorney will know how to make the adjuster be honest.
• Resist Social Media — It is commonplace to want to share what is going on with your life with others. However, posting too much on social media can do damage to your claim. If you say your injuries are debilitating, and the insurance finds out you have been at a bar, they will use it to attempt to devalue your claim.

From your initial consultation, we will keep you updated throughout your claim until you get the maximum compensation you are owed. 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 La Salle, IL For My Claim?

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where the liable party is obvious and your medical expenses are no more than a visit with your primary care physician, you may not need an attorney to get fair compensation. Supply the insurance company with proof of your financial losses, and see if they will throw some extra money on top for inconvenience. In a a settlement for a relatively small sum of money where their policyholder is clearly liable, the adjuster is not going to want to waste their time.

However, in the vast majority of cases, hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer will be the only way to get fair compensation in your injury claim. While in a a truly fair society insurance companies would fulfill their obligations when someone is injured under their coverage, they usually have to be convinced to. You will probably need a motorcycle accident lawyer in La Salle, IL if:

• Your injuries are significant — The more your medical bills and time spent off work, the more the insurance company will fight back against your claim. 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’s offer is not close your damages — 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. If you enlist the services of 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 is more than liable party — With some cases, especially crashes involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one person who was negligent. For example, a driver may cut your off because they did not see you, causing you to swerve and hit an improperly cordoned-off construction zone. A talented La Salle, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the crash and determine all liable parties. Finding other people who are liable is essential if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• You are being blamed for the accident — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a well-known move insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. When this happens, an attorney can step in and conclusively demonstrate how the other party was negligent. If it is true that you were partially to blame, you can still make a recovery under Missouri’s comparative negligence rule. However, a lawyer is likely necessary to get you the best possible results.

Your La Salle, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to combat tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for more than 30 years. We offer an initial conversation and investigation at no charge, so speak to an attorney today at (312) 500-HURT to see what we can do for your claim. We get to work from the moment you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.

Recent Burger Law La Salle, 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. 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 La Salle, IL?

If you want to file any La Salle, 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 owe you a duty 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 that duty.
2. Breach of duty — Did they fail in that duty and did that breach lead to an accident? Was the other motorist speeding, texting and driving, drunk driving or otherwise breaking the rules of the road?
3. Cause in fact — Were your injuries the direct result of the accident?
4. Proximate cause — Whose negligence caused the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were malfunctioning, the liable party 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 resulted in some small lacerations and bruising, 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 have an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney today at (312) 500-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My La Salle, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

Your compensation will be a combination of:

• 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
• 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 the accident led to 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 are experts at calculating every dime you are owed and demand that the liable party pay all of it. If your injuries lead to future economic damages like lost earning capacity or future surgeries, 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 La Salle, IL?

Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident injuries in La Salle, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date you were injured to file a lawsuit in court. Illinois has three exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was a minor 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 at the time of accident, they have until two years after the disability ended
• If the liable party leaves 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 wait to call a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in La Salle, IL. Call us today at (312) 500-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in La Salle, IL?

Motorcycles are not as easy to spot on the road, being smaller. Due to a phenomenon referred to as “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 other cars, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness contributes to many motorcycle accidents in La Salle, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, 42 percent of all motorcycle accidents that result in deaths occur when a car turns left while and hits a motorcyclist in an intersection. These crashes can be due to a car driver’s drunkenness, speeding or distracted driving.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions are also common between motorcycles and passenger cars. 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 motorist, which is not always the motorcyclist’s fault.
• Road hazards — Cracked pavement, potholes, dead animals, wet or icy roadways or other roadways debris usually do not affect a vehicle with more than two wheels very much. However, motorcycles are less stable and these hazards can cause a motorcyclist to fall.
• Defective components — 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 lead to motorcycle accidents.

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

Almost all motor vehicle accidents are caused by human error. So, most of the time another motorist is liable. However, other parties that may be held liable include:

• A governmental agency or contracting company for road hazards
• A motorcycle manufacturer for a defective product
• A company if their employee injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

Can I Sue For My La Salle, 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 municipality may have to compensate you for your injuries. However, suing a government entity in Illinois has added complications. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in La Salle, IL can pick up your claim and take the fight to city hall to secure you a full financial recovery.

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

The dangers of motorcycles mean that bikers have a higher death rate than people in passenger cars. If you were touched by tragedy and someone you love died in a motorcycle crash, you can make 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 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. Members of the nuclear family, such as a spouse, children, grandchildren and grandparents
  2. If there are no immediate family members, siblings and nieces and nephews can bring a suit
  3. If no family remains, a judge can designate 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 passing
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of financial support from the deceased, including any work-related benefits
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of instruction, education and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s La Salle, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just experts at getting our clients full recoveries. We are compassionate and have helped many families navigate the sorrow, anger and confusion that accompanies a fatal auto accident.

In addition to motorcycle accidents, other personal injury cases we take on and win in La Salle, IL include:

• Truck Crash Lawyers in Illinois
• Wrongful Death Lawyers in Illinois
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Illinois
• Car Accident Attorney in Illinois

HIRE BURGER LAW

Speak to a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer La Salle, IL Today

Our La Salle, 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 La Salle, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (312) 500-HURT or complete our online form for a complimentary case evaluation.