Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Rock Island County, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be made moot by the injuries negligent drivers cause when they do not pay attention to your safety. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Rock Island County, IL, speak 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 Rock Island County, 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. You get a feeling of the open road that a car just cannot emulate. Regrettably, negligent drivers can turn that feeling into catastrophic injuries. Because of their relative lack of protection, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When you are injured, there are instant financial, physical and mental consequences and you need someone to stand by your side and ensure you are treated fairly. You want a law firm with a proven track record of winning motorcycle collision claims in Rock Island County, IL.

Burger Law has over seven decades of combined experience winning cases in negotiations and in the court room. 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 will try to limit your recovery. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they treat our Rock Island County, IL clients fairly.

To discover more about how our personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, speak to a lawyer at (312) 500-HURT to discuss your motorcycle accident claim today.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Rock Island County, IL?

Fourteen percent of motor vehicle deaths and four percent of injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, despite only less than one percent of vehicle traffic being motorcycles, according to the National Safety Council. Nationwide, in 2020 82,000 people were injured and 5,579 died in motorcycle crashes. In Illinois, of 3,077 motorcycle collisions, 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 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 was not looking out for bikers. Crashes are most common in densely populated areas, especially around tolls.

According to findings 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.

Nearly half of deadly motorcycle wrecks occur in the between June and September, and half occur on the weekends.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Rock Island County, IL

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

Immediately After The Accident

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

• Get to safety — If possible, move out of the way of other vehicles coming down the street. Leave your motorcycle behind. We know it is a treasure for you, but staying with the bike or trying to move it could put you at risk of further harm. If you believe your injuries may be catastrophic, stay still and wait for emergency medical services.
• Do not remove your safety gear — Taking off your helmet or 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 get medical attention at the scene instead of trying to go to an emergency room yourself. Police will also be able to file a report stating who they believe is to blame for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver 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 you do not think matters much may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Rock Island County, IL when trying to prove your case in the future. Get the contact info of any eyewitnesses to the accident.

Lastly, receive medical attention if you have not already.

What to Do in the Ensuing Weeks and Months

After you first seek medical care, notify the insurance company of everybody involved. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Rock Island County, 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 physical recovery, but is also essential to making sure you get full compensation. You need to prove how much that accident hurt you, and to do that you need to be able to point to 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 orders for you.
• Keep Detailed Records — You are also owed reimbursement for lost wages from time spent recovering, and any out-of-pocket expenses due to your injuries, such as parking or gas money for going to medical appointments or hiring someone to help with housework. Keep detailed receipts and notes about why you needed to pay those expenses. You can also 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 notified the insurance company about your claim and enlisted the services of a motorcycle accident lawyer, let your attorney handle documentation and negotiation. Insurance adjusters use a lot of tactics to avoid paying claims, and it is better to leave communication up to an attorney who knows how to hold the adjuster accountable.
• Stay off 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 sees pictures of you at your friend’s barbecue, they they can say your injuries are not actually that severe.

From the first time you speak with us, we will keep you updated throughout your claim until we attain the great results you deserve. Let us handle the investigation, documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can spend your energy on on your medical treatment.

Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Rock Island County, IL For My Claim?

For accidents involving minor injuries, where fault is clearly established and your medical expenses only include an emergency room visit, you may not need an attorney to get fair compensation. Give the insurance company 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 is not going to want to waste their time.

However, in most cases, you will need the assistance of a motorcycle accident attorney for 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. You will almost certainly need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Rock Island County, IL if:

• Your injuries require ongoing treatment — 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.
• Your damages and the insurance company’s offer are way too far apart — 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 much you are owed. By hiring a lawyer, the insurance company will know that you will not back down without a fight. In a recent case, Burger Law was able to turn a $3,900 offer into a $100,000 settlement.
• There are multiple parties at fault — With some accidents, especially crashes involving more than one vehicle, 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 take defensive action and hit an improperly cordoned-off construction site. An experienced Rock Island County, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the accident and assign a portion of the damages to each liable party. Finding other people who are liable is imperative if you are owed more compensation than the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• You are being blamed for your injuries — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a well-known tactic insurance adjusters use to devalue your claim. When this happens, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to conclusively demonstrate that is not the case. 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 most possible compensation.

Your Rock Island County, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to combat tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over 30 years. Our consultations are free, so speak to an attorney now at (312) 500-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We get to work from the moment you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.

Recent Burger Law Rock Island County, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories

You need a lawyer who has shown they can get results in your type of claim before. A motorcycle accident lawyer saying they are the best is one thing, but a lawyer with client testimonials and 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 Rock Island County, IL?

In order to file any Rock Island County, IL injury claim, you must have been injured by someone else’s negligence. There are five elements to proving negligence in a personal injury claim:

1. Duty of care — Did the other person owe you a responsibility to keep you safe? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 stipulates that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so other motorists always owe 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 breaking proper procedure behind the wheel?
3. Cause in fact — Were your injuries the direct result of the accident?
4. Proximate cause — Did the person’s negligence cause the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were not working, the person who needs to compensate you may be a manufacturer and not the driver?.
5. Damages — Did you sustain losses because of your injuries, such as medical bills and mental anguish? If your accident caused a few bumps and bruises, but it was not serious enough to seek medical treatment, it would be hard for you to make a claim.

If you were injured because of another’s negligence, you have an injury claim. Consult with a motorcycle accident attorney immediately at (312) 500-HURT if you have any doubts about the validity of your claim.

How Much is My Rock Island County, 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, disfigurement and pain and suffering
• While not common, you may be able to be awarded 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 typically lead to higher economic and noneconomic damages
• Whether or not you contributed to the accident
• 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 demand that 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 adjusting for inflation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Rock Island County, IL?

According to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident injuries in Rock Island County, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date the accident occurred 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 when the injuries occurred, they have until two years after the disability ended
• If the person responsible for your injuries leaves 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, it takes time to properly build your case. Do not wait to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Rock Island County, IL. Call us immediately at (312) 500-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Rock Island County, IL?

Motorcycles are not as easy to spot on the road, as they take up less space. Due to a phenomenon referred to as “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 Rock Island County, IL.

The most common causes of motorcycles accidents are:

• Left-hand turns — According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, almost half of all motorcycle accidents that result in fatalities occur when a car turns left while the motorcycle was going straight. These crashes can be due to a motorist’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 passenger cars. It is also common for a car to fail to see a motorcyclist when merging or changing lanes. Motorcycles also collide with fixed objects more than any other type of motorist, which may be due to a negligent construction company or governmental entity.
• Road hazards — Cracked pavement, potholes, dead animals, slick surfaces or other debris on our streets 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 fall.
• Malfunctioning 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 accidents.

Who is Liable for My Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Rock Island County, IL?

Almost all auto accidents are the result of 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 agency or contracting company for road hazards
• A vehicle manufacturer for a defective product
• A company if their employee injured you while driving, for example in a commercial truck accident

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

Governmental agencies are tasked with keeping 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 sue them. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Rock Island County, IL can handle 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 Rock Island County, 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 someone you love passed away 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 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 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.
• There are three categories of people who can file a wrongful death claim in Illinois. In order of 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 file a claim
  3. If no family remains, a judge 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 your loved one incurred from their injuries before passing
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of financial support from the deceased, including any benefits they got from their employment
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of instruction, guidance and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s Rock Island County, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just tremendous at securing full compensation. 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 Rock Island County, 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 Rock Island County, IL Today

 

Our Rock Island County, 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 did nothing to deserve being in this situation, and you should not have to pay for it. To learn more about how our Rock Island County, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation.