Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Pontiac, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Pontiac, IL

The thrill of riding a motorcycle can be canceled out by the injuries careless drivers cause when they do not respect your safety. If another driver injured you in Pontiac, IL, speak to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Pontiac, 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 yourself and connect with people who share your passions. There is a sense of freedom that you do not get in an enclosed vehicle. Regrettably, negligent drivers can turn that feeling into catastrophic injuries. Because of their relative lack of protection, motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. When that happens to you, there are hardships and you need someone to fight for you. You need to find a lawyer that has demonstrated that they can full compensation in motorcycle collision cases in Pontiac, IL.

Burger Law has over 30 years of experience getting maximum compensation 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. Do not talk to your insurance or the other side’s insurance without speaking to an attorney first. The insurance adjuster wants to devalue your compensation. 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 Pontiac, IL clients.

To find out more about how our personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call a lawyer at (779) 800-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident claim immediately.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Pontiac, IL?

Even though motorcycles make up less than one percent of all vehicle miles traveled in the country, they made up four percent of all injuries and 14 percent of all fatalities in traffic-related accidents in 2020, according to research 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 crashes, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were deadly, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Sadly, over 50 percent of those crashes came when the motorcycle was going straight ahead, insinuating that the accidents were often due to a car or truck driver not respecting motorcyclists on the road. Wrecks happen most frequently in metropolitan areas, especially major city streets.

According to the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the country with over 280,000 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 between Friday night and Monday morning.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Pontiac, IL

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

Immediately After The Accident

While any collision is surprising and scary, it is vital to think rationally. At the accident site, you should:

• Get out of harm’s way — If you can, get to the side of the road and away from other vehicles coming down the street. Leave your motorcycle behind. It is obviously important to you, but trying to carry it could exacerbate your injuries. If you suspect you have a spine or head injury, stay still and wait for EMTs to arrive.
• Keep your gear on — Removing your helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and other gear could also make injuries worse. Adrenaline may hide how serious an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — Because the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it is probably best to be looked over at the scene instead of trying to seek medical attention later. Police know how to assign liability in an accident, and will make a police report.
• Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver and get their insurance information. 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 help a motorcycle accident lawyer in Pontiac, IL prove someone else’s negligence in the future. See if there are eyewitnesses who can back up your claim.

Lastly, if you did not seek medical treatment at the scene, do so as quickly as possible.

What to Do in the Days, Weeks and Months Afterwards

After you first seek medical care, notify both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Pontiac, 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 is also paramount to building your case. In order to prove your damages, you need to be able to point to medical records which detail 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. Go to every every treatment and use all of the equipment and medication your doctor orders for you.
• Keep Detailed Records — You also deserve reimbursement for lost wages from time when you were unable to work due to your injuries, 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 with chores around the house. Manage a file with detailed receipts and notes about why those charges were due to your injury. It may also be a good idea to keep a daily journal showing how your injuries have affected you physically and emotionally for a record of 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 handle all communication with the insurance. Insurance adjusters try to employ a lot of tactics to minimize claims, and it is better to leave communication up to an attorney who knows how to hold the adjuster accountable.
• Do Not Post on 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 hurt your chances of being fully compensated. 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 deny your claim.

From your initial consultation, we will keep you completely in the loop until we reach a successful resolution. Let us handle the legal aspect of your case so you can focus on your medical treatment.

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

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where fault is clearly established and your medical expenses only include an emergency room visit, a lawyer may not be able to add much value to your claim. Supply the insurance company with proof of your financial losses, and ask for a little more for the trouble. In a smaller settlement where their policyholder is clearly liable, the insurance company will only lose money if they try to deny your claim.

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 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 do it. You will almost certainly need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Pontiac, IL if:

• Your injuries require ongoing treatment — The more your medical bills and time spent off work, the more the insurance company will be resistant to reimbursing you for it. 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 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 on the case, 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 injuries, especially multi-vehicle accidents, 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 take defensive action and hit a pothole that a local government should have fixed. An experienced Pontiac, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the crash and assign a portion of the damages to each liable party. Finding other people who are liable is essential if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• The insurance adjuster is trying to blame you for your injuries — Blaming you for your injuries is a classic trick insurance adjusters use to minimize your claim. When this happens, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to prove how the other party was negligent. If you were indeed responsible for a portion of the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation under Missouri’s comparative negligence rule. However, a lawyer is likely necessary to get you the most possible compensation.

Your Pontiac, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over three decades. Our consultations are free, so speak to an attorney now at (779) 800-HURT to see what we can do for your claim. We get to work from the second you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.

Recent Burger Law Pontiac, 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. 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 Pontiac, IL?

In order to have a successful claim in Pontiac, 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 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 that duty.
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 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 liable party may be a manufacturer and not the driver?.
5. Damages — Did your injuries lead to losses, such as medical expenses and emotional distress? If your accident resulted in some bumps and bruises, but they healed without any 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. Consult with a motorcycle accident attorney immediately at (779) 800-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My Pontiac, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

Your compensation will be a combination of:

• Economic damages, such as money you lost out on from time off work recovering, medical bills and out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages, such as emotional distress, scarring and pain and suffering
• While not common, you might be able to be awarded punitive damages if you were injured by extreme recklessness, such as drunk driving

Factors that might make your compensation higher or lower include:

• The severity of your injuries; more significant injuries typically lead to higher economic and noneconomic damages
• Whether or not you contributed to the accident
• If the accident led to permanent disfigurement or disability
• The impact the injuries have had on your ability to enjoy life

At Burger Law, our injury attorneys are experts at calculating the full value of someone’s injury claim and demanding 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 Pontiac, IL?

According to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident claims in Pontiac, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date the accident occurred to file a claim. There are some 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 when the injuries occurred, they have until two years after the disability ended
• If the liable party leaves the state of Illinois for a time, that time 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 call a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Pontiac, IL. Call us now at (779) 800-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are not as easy to spot on the road, do not take up as much space on the road. Due to something referred to as “inattentional blindness,” drivers are less likely 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 is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Pontiac, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, over 40 percent of all motorcycle accidents that result in fatalities involve a car turning left while and hits a motorcyclist in an intersection. These crashes can happen because of a car driver’s intoxication, reckless driving or simple inattention.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions are also common between motorcycles and cars or trucks. A car may also 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, dead animals, gravel 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 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 result in motorcycle crashes.

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

More than nine out of 10 motor vehicle accidents are the result of driver 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 construction company for road hazards
• A motorcycle designer, manufacturer or vendor in a product liability claim
• A company if someone they hired injured you while driving, for example in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental agencies are supposed to keep their roadways safe for citizens to travel on, 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 Pontiac, IL can pick up your claim and guide you through the complexities of local and state laws to get you a full financial recovery.

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

Motorcyclists are not only at higher risk of a serious injury, but are more likely to be in a fatal accident. If tragedy struck and a loved one passed away 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 bring a sense of justice and ease the financial burden 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 dies because of 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.
• 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. When there are no immediate family members, siblings and siblings’ descendants can bring a suit
  3. If no family remains, the court 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 economic and noneconomic damages your loved one incurred from their injuries before passing
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of financial support from your loved one, including any work-related benefits
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of instruction, guidance and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s Pontiac, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just tremendous at getting our clients full recoveries. We are understanding and kind 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 personal injury claims we we have had great success with in Pontiac, 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 Pontiac, IL Today

Our Pontiac, 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 did nothing to deserve being in this situation, and you should not have to pay for it. To learn more about how our Pontiac, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a no obligation case evaluation.