Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Park Ridge, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be neutralized by the harm careless drivers can do to you when they do not pay attention to your safety. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Park Ridge, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law now at (312) 500-HURT or complete our online form for a complimentary consultation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Park Ridge, 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. 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 you are injured, it carries instant economic, physical and mental consequences and you need someone to fight for you. You want a law firm that has demonstrated that they can full compensation in motorcycle collision claims in Park Ridge, IL.

Our attorneys and paralegals have over 70 years of combined experience winning cases in negotiations and in the court room. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will tenaciously pursue every legal avenue to make sure justice is served. 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 recovery. Our firm has a proven track record of successfully fighting the insurance companies and making sure that they give the full compensation they owe our Park Ridge, IL clients.

To find out more about how our personal injury law firm will defend your rights, call an attorney at (312) 500-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident case immediately.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Park Ridge, IL?

Even though motorcycles account for less than one percent of all 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 data from the National Safety Council. In the United States, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 deaths. In Illinois, of 3,077 motorcycle wrecks, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were fatal, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Regrettably, over half 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 another driver was not looking out for bikers. Crashes are most common in metropolitan areas, especially major city streets.

According to research from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the country with 280,322 registered motorcycles, and proportionately was eighth in the country in deaths 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 Park Ridge, IL

There are a number steps you should take, both at the accident site and in the days and weeks that follow, to ensure you make both a physical and financial recovery.

At the Accident Site

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

• Get to safety — If possible, move out of the way of other vehicles coming down the street. Leave the bike. We know it is a treasure for you, but staying with the bike or trying to move it could exacerbate your injuries. If you are seriously injured, it may be best not to move; instead wait for emergency personnel.
• Do not remove your safety gear — Taking off your helmet or other gear could also exacerbate your injuries. Shock may hide how bad an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — Because motorcycle accidents can cause severe injuries, it is probably a good idea to be looked over there instead of leaving and planning to go to an emergency room yourself. Police are trained to determine liability in an accident, and will make a police report.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other drivers involved and ask for an insurance card. Take photographs of the accident, including damage to all vehicles involved and the surrounding areas. Take as many pictures as possible. Something that may seem like it does not matter at first may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Park Ridge, IL when trying to prove your case in the future. See if there are eyewitnesses who can corroborate 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, notify both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Park Ridge, 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 essential to building your case. In order to prove your damages, you need to be able to point to medical records which show the extent of your injuries. The the higher your financial loss, the higher your pain and suffering compensation will be as well. Make sure you attend every follow up, chiropractic or physical therapy appointment your doctor prescribes.
• Keep Detailed Records — You are also entitled to compensation for lost wages from time your injuries caused you to miss out from work, and any out-of-pocket expenses that were necessary, such as parking or gas money for going to medical appointments or hiring someone to help look after your children. Manage a file with 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 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 filed 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 avoid paying claims, but your attorney will know how to combat them.
• Stay off 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 do damage to your claim. If you say your injuries are debilitating, and the insurance finds out you have been going out on the weekends, they will use it to try and devalue your claim.

From the moment you hire us, we will be in contact with you every step of the way until we reach the great results you deserve. Let us deal with the investigation, documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can focus on healing.

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

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical bills are no more than an emergency room visit, a lawyer may not be able to add much value to your claim. Give the insurance company your records and expenses, and ask for a little more for inconvenience. In a smaller settlement where their policyholder is clearly liable, the insurance company is not going to want to waste their time.

However, more likely than not hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer will be the only way to get fair compensation in your injury claim. While in a perfect world insurance companies would fulfill their duty when someone is injured by their policyholders’ negligence, they usually have to be convinced to. Situations where you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Park Ridge, IL include:

• Your injuries are severe — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will try to avoid their responsibility. If your injuries require future medical treatment or prevent you from earning a living as you used to, 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 starting to creep up into the tens 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 mean business. In a recent case, Burger Law was able to turn a $3,900 offer into a $100,000 settlement.
• There is more than party at fault — With some injuries, especially wrecks involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one liable party. For example, a driver may cut your off while not looking for you, causing you to swerve and hit a pothole that a local government should have fixed. An aggressive Park Ridge, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the wreck 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 tactic insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. When this happens, an attorney can step in and conclusively demonstrate that is not the case. If it is true that you were partially at fault, you can still receive some compensation under Missouri’s comparative negligence doctrine. However, a lawyer is likely necessary to get you the most possible compensation.

Your Park Ridge, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for more than 30 years. Our consultations are free, so call us at (312) 500-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We start working from the moment you hire us, and do not let up until you get every bit of compensation you are owed.

Recent Burger Law Park Ridge, 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 whose former clients will recommend 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:

• $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 Park Ridge, IL?

If you want to have a successful claim in Park Ridge, 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 other person 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 anyone else on the road automatically owes you that duty.
2. Breach of duty — Were they neglectful in that duty and cause an accident? Was another driver 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 person who needs to be held accountable for your injuries may be a manufacturer and not another motorist?.
5. Damages — Did your injuries lead to losses, such as medical expenses and mental anguish? If your accident caused some bruises or scrapes, but you did not need any medical treatment, you likely do not have a claim.

Any time somebody else’s carelessness or recklessness injures you, you have an injury claim. Consult with a motorcycle accident attorney now at (312) 500-HURT if you have any doubts about the validity of your claim.

How Much is My Park Ridge, 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 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 were partially at fault for your injuries
• If you sustained permanent disfigurement or disability
• The impact the injuries have had on your ability to live the life you are used to

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 Park Ridge, IL?

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident claims in Park Ridge, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date you were injured to file a claim. Illinois has three exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was a minor at the time of accident, they have until their 20th 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 time, that period is not included in the two years

While two years does not sound like it should give you a sense of urgency, it takes time to properly build your case. Do not wait to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Park Ridge, IL. Call us immediately at (312) 500-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Park Ridge, IL?

Motorcycles are harder for passenger car drivers to see, being smaller. As a result of something known 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 be aware of other cars, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Park Ridge, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, almost half 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 drunkenness, 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 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, gravel or other roadways debris usually do not affect a car or truck very much. 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. 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 Park Ridge, IL?

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

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

Governmental entities are supposed to keep their roadways safe for use by everyone on the roads, and when there are road hazards that 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 Park Ridge, IL can take on your claim and take the fight to city hall to secure you the compensation you deserve.

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

Motorcyclists are not only at higher risk of a catastrophic injury, but are more likely to perish in a crash. If you were touched by tragedy and someone you love passed away in a motorcycle crash, you can make a wrongful death claim. While no amount of money can bring back your loved one, 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 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. Beginning with who has priority, 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 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 the deceased, including any benefits related to 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 Park Ridge, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just skilled at securing full compensation. We are empathetic 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 claims we we have had great success with in Park Ridge, 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 Park Ridge, IL Today

Our Park Ridge, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will not stop fighting until there is nothing left to fight; 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 Park Ridge, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

Client Reviews

What our clients are saying about us

Juanita Matthews

Year of 2023

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!

Shaunda S.

7 months ago

I am very happy with the staff at Burger Law. I mostly worked with Michael Sheldon, and he did an amazing job. I trusted him completely with my case, and he did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this team if your ever in need of good attorneys.

Emelia M.

3 months ago

Burger Law Firm is fantastic. Laura and Genevieve were so amazing and helpful throughout the entire process. They helped me with my personal injury case every step of the way and succeeded at getting me the results I desired.

Helen L.

a year ago

We had a great experience with Burger Law for representing us after a serious car accident. Truly impressed by how professional and supportive the entire team is. And, many thanks to Genavieve and Laura – you are amazing!

Judy M.

a year ago

They did an amazing job on my case! Communication with them was great!!! Kept me informed and in the loop with everything that was going on!!! Will definitely be the 1st ones I’ll call if ever I’m in another accident!!! Thank you very much!!!

Chelsea C.

5 months ago

Let me tell you something about Burger Law.. they are so attentive and kind. Jennifer is my savior!! I love the whole team!!! They are truly a miracle team!! I appreciate their business and would recommend it to others.

David D.

2 months ago

Absolutely the best law firm in the St. Louis area. No matter the size of your case you are treated as if you are the only client on the roster. Will explain anything thoroughly and they work around your availability. Very impressed and appreciative of the service.

Lisa B.

11 months ago

Gary and Casey took great care of me for 2.5 years as my lawsuit was finally settled. I feel he helped me achieve justice for me and my 4 children after their father died from medical malpractice and neglect. Thanks to Gary, my kids now have a great start to their college and adult lives. Thank you Gary and Casey, for fighting for us so hard at our most trying and difficult time in our lives thus far. Love and God bless from my family to yours!

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