Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Richton Park, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Richton Park, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be made moot by the injuries careless drivers cause when they do not follow the rules of the road. If another driver injured you in Richton Park, IL, speak to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law now at (779) 800-HURT or complete our online form for a free consultation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Richton Park, 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 get your blood racing. There is a sense of freedom that a car just cannot emulate. Regrettably, negligent drivers can turn that feeling into something horrific. Because motorcycles do not protect their occupants as well as enclosed vehicles, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When that happens to you, there are financial, physical and emotional consequences and you need someone to fight for you. You want a law firm that has demonstrated that they can get great results in motorcycle collision cases in Richton Park, IL.

Our attorneys and paralegals have over 30 years of experience getting full financial recoveries for our clients. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will aggressively 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 minimize your financial settlement. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they treat our Richton Park, IL clients fairly.

To learn more about what we can do for you, speak to our team at (779) 800-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident claim today.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Richton Park, IL?

Fourteen percent of traffic deaths and four percent of injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, despite only only .06 percent of vehicle traffic being motorcycles, 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 accidents, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were fatal, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Sadly, over 50 percent of those occurred 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 caused by another driver was not looking out for bikers. Crashes are most common in metropolitan areas, especially on arterial roads.

According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the country with close to 300,000 registered motorcycles, and fittingly 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 Richton Park, IL

There are several steps you should take, both at the accident site and throughout the length of your claim process, to ensure both your health and the chances of a successful claim.

Immediately After The Accident

While any crash can be jarring, it is important to keep a clear head. At the accident site, you should:

• Get out of harm’s way — If possible, move out of the way of oncoming traffic. Leave the bike. We know it is a treasure for you, but trying to carry it could exacerbate your injuries. If you are seriously injured, stay still and wait for emergency personnel.
• Do not remove your protective gear — Taking off your helmet or other gear could also make serious injuries even worse. Adrenaline may hide how bad an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — As motorcycle accidents can cause severe injuries, it may be a good idea to get medical attention there instead of leaving and planning 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 to blame for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other drivers involved and request an insurance card. Take pictures of all vehicles and the crash site from a variety of angles. Take as many pictures as possible. Something you do not think is that big of a deal may help a motorcycle accident lawyer in Richton Park, IL prove someone else’s negligence down the road. Get the contact info of any eyewitnesses to the accident.

Finally, if you did not opt to get medical treatment at the scene, do so as quickly as possible.

What to Do Throughout the Claim Process

Once you have gotten medical treatment, notify the insurance company of everybody involved. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Richton Park, 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 not only vital for your health, but aids your financial recovery as well. 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 treatments and related expenses you incurred because of your injuries. The the higher your financial loss, the higher your non-economic damages 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 Track of Everything Related to Your Injuries — You also deserve reimbursement for lost wages from time spent recovering, and any out-of-pocket expenses that were necessary, such as transportation to and from medical appointments or hiring someone to help with housework. Manage a file with all of your receipts and notes about why those charges were due to your injury. It may also be a good idea to 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 claim and enlisted the services of a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will will now be intermediary between you and the insurance. Insurance adjusters try to employ a lot of tricks to avoid paying claims, but your attorney will know how to deal with them.
• Resist Social Media — In this day and age, many of us want to share details about our life with others. However, even a well-meaning post can hurt your case. If you tell the insurance company that your injuries are keeping you from working, and the insurance finds out you have been at a bar, they will use it to attempt to devalue your claim.

From the moment you hire us, we will be in contact with you every step of the way until we attain the great results you deserve. Allow us to handle the legal aspect of your case so you can spend your energy on on your medical treatment.

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

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where the liable party is taking accountability and your medical bills are no more than a visit with your primary care physician, a lawyer may not be able to add much value to your claim. Supply the insurance company with your records and expenses, and ask for a little more for inconvenience. In a smaller settlement where not much is disputed, 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 a truly fair society insurance companies would fulfill their responsibility when someone is injured under their coverage, they usually have to be convinced to. You will probably need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Richton Park, IL if:

• Your injuries are significant — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will fight back against your claim. If your injuries require ongoing treatment, you will always need an attorney to precisely value 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 to take advantage of you. By hiring 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 accidents, especially wrecks involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one party that is responsible for your injuries. For example, a driver may cut your off because they did not see you, causing you to swerve and hit a pothole that a governmental agency should have fixed. A talented Richton Park, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the accident and assign a portion of the damages to each liable party. Identifying everyone who is liable is crucial 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 frequent tactic insurance adjusters use to devalue your claim. If the insurance company say your injuries are your own doing, an attorney will fight back prove 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 rule. However, you will need an attorney to apply the rule of law and get you that compensation.

Your Richton Park, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over 30 years. We offer an initial conversation and investigation for free, so speak to an attorney now 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 all of compensation you deserve.

Recent Burger Law Richton Park, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories

You need a lawyer who has shown they can get results in your type of claim before. Any motorcycle accident lawyer can say they are the best, but a lawyer whose past 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 Richton Park, IL?

In order to file any Richton Park, 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 other person owe you 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 that duty.
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 breaking proper procedure behind the wheel?
3. Cause in fact — Did the accident cause your injuries?
4. Proximate cause — Whose breach of duty caused the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were not working, the liable party may be a manufacturer and not another motorist?.
5. Damages — Did you sustain losses because of your injuries, such as lost wages and emotional distress? If your accident resulted in a few small lacerations and bruising, 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 need to file 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 Richton Park, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

In any personal injury claim, you are owed compensation for:

• 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 mental anguish, scarring and pain and suffering
• In some rare cases, you can be awarded 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 usually lead to higher medical bills and more pain and suffering
• Whether or not you were partially to blame 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, we know how to calculate the full value of someone’s injury claim and insisting the liable party pay all of it. If your injuries lead to future economic damages like lost earning capacity or future surgeries, that will also be part of your settlement or verdict, including calculating for inflation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Richton Park, IL?

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident claims in Richton Park, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date the accident occurred to file a lawsuit in court. There are some 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 liable party is outside of the state of Illinois for a time, that time 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 hesitate to call a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Richton Park, IL. Call us immediately at (779) 800-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are not as easy to spot on the road, as they take up less space. As a result of something called “inattentional blindness,” drivers are less likely 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 contributes to many motorcycle accidents in Richton Park, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — The Motorcycle Legal Foundation reports that almost half of all motorcycle accidents that result in fatalities involve a car turning left while and hits a motorcyclist in an intersection. These crashes can be due to a car driver’s intoxication, reckless driving or simple inattention.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions also occur frequently between motorcycles and other types of vehicles. 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 driver, which is not always the motorcyclist’s fault.
• Road hazards — Cracked pavement, potholes, animal carcasses, slick surfaces 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 spin out.
• Malfunctioning parts — Dozens of motorcycles are recalled every year, either by the manufacturer or by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. When dangerous bikes and components are not recalled, it can lead to motorcycle crashes.

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

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are caused by driver error. So, most likely, you will make a claim against another driver. However, other parties that may be held liable include:

• A governmental body or contracting company for not repairing or negligent repairing a road
• A vehicle designer, manufacturer or vendor in a product liability claim
• A employer if someone they hired injured you while driving, for example in a commercial truck accident

Can I Sue For My Richton Park, 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 there are road hazards that cause an accident, the municipality may have to compensate you for your injuries. However, the state of Illinois does not make it easy to hold them accountable. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Richton Park, IL can take on your claim and take the fight to city hall to get you the compensation you deserve.

A Loved One Was Killed in a Motorcycle Crash in Richton Park, 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 a loved one died in a motorcycle crash, you can make a wrongful death claim. While no settlement or verdict can fill the whole that is left, it can help provide some sense closure 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 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. 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 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 the deceased incurred from their injuries before their death
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of financial support from your loved one, including any benefits they got from 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 Richton Park, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just experts at securing full compensation. We are understanding and kind 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 take on and win in Richton Park, 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 Richton Park, IL Today

Our Richton Park, 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 Richton Park, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free case review.