Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Lindenhurst, IL

 The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be ripped away from you by the injuries reckless drivers cause when they do not pay attention to your safety. If another driver injured you in Lindenhurst, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law now at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a no-risk, no-obligation consultation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Lindenhurst, 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. You are connected to the road and your motorcycle in a way that is not possible in an enclosed vehicle. Unfortunately, there is a potentially dangerous trade-off. Because of their relative lack of protection, motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. When you are injured, there are immediate economic, physical and mental consequences and you need someone to fight for you. You need to find a lawyer that has demonstrated that they can get great results in motorcycle collision cases in Lindenhurst, IL.

Burger Law has over 30 years of experience getting full financial recoveries for those injured through the negligence of another. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until you recover all of your damages and there is nothing left to fight. Always speak to a lawyer before accepting an insurance company’s offer. The insurance adjuster will try 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 Lindenhurst, IL clients fairly.

To learn more about how our personal injury law firm will defend your rights, speak to our team at (312) 500-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident case today.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Lindenhurst, IL?

Even though motorcycles account for barely over half a percent of total traffic miles traveled nationwide, 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 82,000 people were injured and 5,579 perished in motorcycle crashes. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle crashes which resulted in 2,404 injuries and 152 fatalities, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Unfortunately, over half of those occurred when the motorcycle was driving straight, which means the accidents were often because of another driver not respecting motorcyclists on the road. Crashes are most common in urban areas, especially on arterial roads.

According to findings 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 Lindenhurst, IL

There are several things you should do, both immediately following the accident and throughout the process of recovering from your injuries and seeking compensation, to ensure both your health and the chances of a successful claim.

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 possible, move out of the way of oncoming traffic. Leave your motorcycle behind. It is obviously important to you, 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.
• Keep your gear on — Taking off your helmet or other gear could also exacerbate your injuries. Adrenaline may hide how severe an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — Because motorcycle accidents can cause severe injuries, it is probably a good idea to get medical attention there instead of trying to seek medical attention at urgent care or a doctors’ appointment. Police will also be able to file a report stating who they believe is responsible for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other drivers involved and ask for an insurance card. Take pictures of all vehicles and the crash site from different positions. Take more photos than you think you need. Something that may seem unimportant at first may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Lindenhurst, IL when trying to prove your case when you make your claim. See if there are eyewitnesses who can back up your claim.

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

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 Lindenhurst, 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 is also key to making sure you get full compensation. In order to prove your damages, you need to complete copies of medical medical records which show all of the costs and treatments you incurred because of your injuries. The the higher your financial loss, the higher your pain and suffering compensation will be as well. Go to every every treatment and use all of the equipment and medication your doctor prescribes.
• Keep Detailed Records — You also deserve compensation 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 housework. Keep detailed receipts and notes about why those charges were necessary. It may also be a good idea to write down your every day experiences detailing 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, your attorney will will now be intermediary between you and the insurance. Insurance adjusters utilize a lot of tactics to minimize claims, and it is better to leave communication up to a lawyer who knows how to deal with them.
• Do Not Post on Social Media — It is normal to want to share what is going on with your life on the Internet. However, posting too much on social media can hurt your claim. If you tell the insurance company that your injuries are keeping you from working, and the insurance sees pictures of you at a bar, they they can say your injuries are not actually that severe.

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 investigation, documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can spend your energy on on healing.

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

For some minor claims, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical expenses 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 a settlement for a relatively small sum of money where their policyholder is clearly liable, the adjuster will only lose money if they try to deny your claim.

However, more likely than not 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 their policyholders injure someone, they usually have to be convinced to. Situations where you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Lindenhurst, IL include:

• Your injuries require ongoing treatment — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will try and devalue your injuries. 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.
• The insurance company’s offer is far below your damages — 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 convince you that you do not know how what fair compensation means in your case. If there is an attorney working on your claim, 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 parties at fault — With some injuries, especially multi-vehicle accidents, 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 site. An aggressive Lindenhurst, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the crash 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 — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a classic move insurance adjusters use to minimize your claim. If the insurance company say your injuries are your own doing, an attorney can step in and conclusively demonstrate how the other party was negligent. If you were indeed responsible for a portion of the accident, you can still receive some compensation under Missouri’s comparative negligence rule. However, a lawyer is likely necessary to get you the best possible results.

Your Lindenhurst, 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. We offer an initial conversation and investigation at no charge, so speak to an attorney now at (312) 500-HURT to see what we can do for your claim. We get to work from the moment you hire us, and do not let up until you get every bit of compensation you are owed.

Recent Burger Law Lindenhurst, 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 whose past clients will recommend them and who has the 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 Lindenhurst, IL?

If you want to have a successful claim in Lindenhurst, IL, you must have been injured by another person’s negligence. There are five elements to proving negligence in a personal injury claim:

1. Duty of care — Did the liable party have an obligation to protect you from unreasonable harm? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 says that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so other motorists always owe you a duty of care.
2. Breach of duty — Did they fail in that duty and cause an accident? Was another motorist speeding, texting and driving, drunk driving or otherwise breaking the rules of the road?
3. Cause in fact — Did the accident cause your injuries?
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 emotional distress? If your accident resulted in some bruises or scrapes, 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 can to file an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney immediately at (312) 500-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My Lindenhurst, 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 emotional distress, scarring and pain and suffering
• In some rare cases, you can be awarded punitive damages if you were injured by extreme recklessness, such as drunk driving

Factors that determine how much you will recover include:

• The severity of your injuries; more significant injuries typically lead to higher medical bills and more pain and suffering
• Whether or not you were partially to blame for your injuries
• If you sustained 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 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 Lindenhurst, IL?

According to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident claims in Lindenhurst, IL is two years. That means the clock starts ticking on the date you were injured 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 when the injuries occurred, they have until two years after the disability ended
• If the negligent party leaves the state of Illinois for a period, that period is not included in the two years

While two years may seem like a long time, it takes time to properly build your case. Do not wait to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Lindenhurst, IL. Call us today at (312) 500-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are not as easy to spot on the road, as they take up less space. Because of something known as “inattentional blindness,” it is harder for drivers to see a motorcycle — even if they are doing their best to be careful. 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 Lindenhurst, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — According to the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, over 40 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes occur when a car turns left while the motorcycle was going straight. These crashes can be due to a car driver’s intoxication, speeding or generally not paying close enough attention to the road.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions also occur frequently between motorcycles and passenger cars. It is also common for a car not 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, gravel 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 fall.
• Malfunctioning 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 Lindenhurst, IL?

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

• A governmental entity or construction company for road hazards
• A vehicle designer, manufacturer or vendor for a defective product
• A employer if someone they hired injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental agencies are supposed to keep their roadways safe for use by everyone on the roads, and when obstruction or other objects in the road cause an accident, the agency responsible for the neglect may have to compensate you for your injuries. However, suing a government entity in Illinois has added complications. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Lindenhurst, IL can handle 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 Lindenhurst, IL. What Are My Legal Options?

The dangers of motorcycles mean that bikers have a higher death rate than people in passenger cars. 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 amount of money can fill the whole that is left, it can bring a sense of justice 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:

• A wrongful death claim can be made when some is killed by 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. Beginning with who has 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 nieces and nephews can file a claim
  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 the deceased incurred from their injuries before their death
  • 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 Lindenhurst, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just skilled at securing full compensation. We are empathetic and have helped many families get through the sorrow, anger and confusion that comes after a fatal auto accident.

In addition to motorcycle accidents, other injury cases we take on and win in Lindenhurst, 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 Lindenhurst, IL Today

Our Lindenhurst, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until you get the maximum compensation you are owed; we promise. 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 Lindenhurst, 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.