Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Polo, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Polo, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be neutralized by the harm negligent drivers can do to you when they do not pay attention to your safety. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Polo, IL, speak to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately at (779) 800-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Polo, 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 give yourself a sense of calm. There is a sense of freedom that a car just cannot emulate. Unfortunately, this freedom also comes with a high price. Because of their relative lack of protection, motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. When you are injured, it carries hardships and you need someone to stand by your side and ensure you are treated fairly. You want a lawyer with a proven track record of winning motorcycle collision claims in Polo, IL.

Our attorneys and paralegals have more than 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 is out to limit your financial settlement. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they give the full compensation they owe our Polo, IL clients.

To find out more about what we can do for you, speak to our team at (779) 800-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident case for free.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Polo, IL?

Despite the fact that motorcycles account for 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 all deaths in traffic-related accidents in 2020, according to the National Safety Council. In the United States, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 deaths. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle accidents which resulted in 2,404 injuries and 152 deaths, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Sadly, over half of those crashes came 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 due to another driver not respecting motorcyclists on the road. Most of the crashes occurred in densely populated 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.

Almost half of fatal motorcycle accidents occur in the summer months, and half occur between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Polo, IL

There are several 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.

Immediately After The Accident

While any collision is jarring, it is vital to think rationally. At the accident site, 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 believe your injuries may be catastrophic, stay still and wait for emergency personnel.
• Keep your gear on — Removing your helmet or 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 best to be looked over 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 liable for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver and request an insurance card. Take pictures 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 Polo, IL when trying to prove someone else’s negligence in the future. See if there are eyewitnesses who can corroborate your claim.

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

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 Polo, 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 paramount to making sure you get full compensation. You need to prove that you sustained financial losses, and to do that you need to complete copies of medical medical records which show all of the costs and treatments 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 follow up, chiropractic or physical therapy appointment your doctor wants you to.
• 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 transportation to and from medical appointments or hiring someone to help take care of your children. Keep detailed receipts and explanations for why you needed to pay those expenses. 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.
• Leave the Insurance Company up to Your Attorney — Once you have filed your claim and hired a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will handle all communication with the insurance. Insurance adjusters utilize a lot of tactics to avoid paying claims, but your attorney will know how to combat them.
• Stay off Social Media — It is normal to want to share what is going on with your life on the Internet. However, even a well-meaning post can hurt your claim. If you say your injuries are debilitating, and the insurance sees pictures of you at a bar, they they can say your injuries are not actually that severe.

From the moment you hire us, we will be in contact with you every step of the way until you get the maximum compensation you are owed. Allow us to deal with the legal aspect of your case so you can spend your energy on on your physical and emotional recovery.

Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Polo, 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 appointment with your primary care physician, you may be able to get compensation on your own. Supply the insurance company with proof of your financial losses, and see if they will throw some extra money on top for the hassle. 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, 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 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 Polo, IL if:

• Your injuries are significant — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will be resistant to reimbursing you for it. If your injuries require ongoing treatment, 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 starting to creep up into the tens of thousands, and the insurance adjuster is only offering a few thousand, 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 is more than party at fault — With some cases, especially crashes involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one liable party. For example, a driver may merge into your line because they did not see you, causing you to swerve and hit a pothole that a local government should have fixed. An experienced Polo, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the crash and assign a portion of the damages to each liable party. Finding other people who are liable is imperative 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 frequent trick insurance adjusters use to devalue your claim. When this happens, an attorney can step in and prove how the other party was negligent. If it is true that you were responsible for a portion of the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation under Missouri’s comparative negligence doctrine. However, a lawyer is likely necessary to get you the best possible results.

Your Polo, 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. We offer an initial conversation and investigation at no charge, so speak to an attorney today at (779) 800-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We get to work from the moment you hire us, and do not give up until you get every bit of compensation you deserve.

Recent Burger Law Polo, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories

With any type of legal claim, results matter. You want to feel confident 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. A motorcycle accident lawyer saying they are the best is one thing, but a lawyer whose past 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

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

In order to file any Polo, IL injury claim, you must have sustained an injury that was caused 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 owe you an obligation to keep you safe? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 mandates 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 did that breach lead to an accident? Was another 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 negligence cause the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were not working, the liable party may be a manufacturer and not the driver?.
5. Damages — Did your injuries lead to losses, such as medical expenses and pain and suffering? If your accident caused a few small cuts and bruising, but it was not serious enough to seek medical treatment, it would be hard for you to file 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 (779) 800-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My Polo, 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 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 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
• How your life has changed because of your injuries

At Burger Law, our injury attorneys are experts at calculating every dime you are owed and insist the insurance company takes responsibility for 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 Polo, IL?

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident injuries in Polo, 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 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 is outside of the state of Illinois for a time, that period does not account against 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 call a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Polo, IL. Call us today at (779) 800-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are harder for drivers of enclosed vehicles to see, do not take up as much space on the road. As a result of a phenomenon known as “inattentional blindness,” it is harder for drivers to see a motorcycle — even when they are looking for one. 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 Polo, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — The Motorcycle Legal Foundation reports that over 40 percent of all motorcycle accidents that result in deaths 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 simple inattention.
• 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 turning in front of them. Motorcycles also collide with fixed objects more than any other type of driver, which may be due to a negligent construction company or governmental entity.
• Road hazards — Uneven pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, gravel or other roadways debris usually do not affect a car or truck very much. However, motorcycles are less stable and these hazards can cause a motorcyclist to spin out.
• Defective parts — Manufacturers and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall dozens of motorcycles annually. If bikes or parts that are defective are allowed to stay on the market, it can lead to motorcycle crashes.

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

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are caused by driver error. So, most of the time another motorist is liable. However, other parties that may be held accountable include:

• A governmental body or contracting company for not repairing or negligent repairing a road
• A motorcycle designer, manufacturer or vendor in a product liability claim
• A company if their employee injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental entities are supposed to keep their roadways safe for citizens to travel on, and when there are road hazards that 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 Polo, IL can take on your claim and take the fight to city hall to get you a full financial recovery.

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

Motorcyclists are not only at increased risk of a serious 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 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:

• You can make a wrongful death claim for negligence, just as your loved one would have made an injury claim if they were injured.
• The Illinois statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is two years from the date of your loved one’s death, 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 the first chance to file, 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 designate a plaintiff ad litem to file a claim
• Your compensation will include:
  • Under 755 ILCS 5/27-6, the Illinois Survival Act, the economic and noneconomic damages your loved one 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 Polo, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just skilled at getting our clients full recoveries. We are compassionate 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 claims we we have had great success with in Polo, 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 Polo, IL Today

Our Polo, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until you get the maximum compensation you are owed; that is our guarantee. 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 Polo, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (779) 800-HURT or complete our online form for a no obligation case review.