Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Streator, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Streator, IL

The thrill of riding a motorcycle can be ripped away from you 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 Streator, IL, call the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law today at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Streator, 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 enjoy the road and relax. There is a sense of freedom that is not possible in an enclosed vehicle. 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 that happens to you, there are instant financial, physical and mental consequences and you need someone to stand by your side and get you the compensation you deserve. You want a lawyer with a proven track record of winning motorcycle crash cases in Streator, IL.

Our team has over seven decades of combined litigation and trial experience. 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 is out to minimize your compensation. Our firm has a proven track record of successfully fighting the insurance companies and making sure that they treat our Streator, IL clients fairly.

To learn more about what we can do for you, call an attorney at (312) 500-HURT to go over your motorcycle accident claim immediately.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Streator, IL?

Fourteen percent of traffic fatalities and four percent of injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, despite only less than one percent of vehicle traffic being motorcycles, according to data from the National Safety Council. Nationwide, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 fatalities. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle wrecks which resulted in 2,404 injuries and 152 fatalities, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Unfortunately, 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 leads us to believe that the accidents were often because of a car or truck driver failing to notice motorcyclists. Wrecks happen most frequently in urban areas, especially on arterial roads.

According to research from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the nation in terms of both registered motorcycles and motorcycle crash fatalities.

Almost 50 percent of fatal motorcycle collisions occur in the in the summer when the weather is nicer, and half occur between Friday night and Monday morning.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Streator, IL

There are several things you should do, both in the immediate wake of an 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 crash can be jarring, it is vital to think rationally. Immediately after the crash, you should:

• Get out of harm’s way — If possible, get to the side of the road and away from oncoming traffic. Leave your motorcycle where it is. It is obviously important to you, but staying with the bike or trying to move it could put you at risk of further harm. If you suspect you have a spine or head injury, it may be best not to move; instead wait for emergency personnel.
• Keep your gear on — Removing your helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and other gear could also exacerbate your injuries. Adrenaline may hide how severe an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — Because the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it may be a good idea to be looked over there instead of leaving and planning to seek medical attention later. Police know how to assign fault in an accident, and will make a police report.
• Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver and get their insurance information. Take photographs of all vehicles and the crash site from a variety of angles. Take more photos than you think you need. Something you do not think matters much may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Streator, IL when trying to prove someone else’s negligence when you make your claim. Get the contact info of any eyewitnesses to the accident.

Lastly, if you did not seek medical treatment at the crash site, do so immediately.

What to Do in the Ensuing Weeks and Months

After you first seek medical care, inform both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Streator, 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:

• Continue Medical Treatment — 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 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 wants you to.
• Keep Detailed Records — You are also entitled to a financial recovery for lost wages from time spent recovering, and any out-of-pocket expenses that were necessary, such as parking or Uber rides for going to medical appointments or hiring someone to help take care of your children. Keep detailed receipts and notes about why you needed to pay those expenses. You can also 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 notified the insurance company about your injuries and hired a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will handle all communication with the insurance. Insurance adjusters try to employ a lot of tricks to avoid paying claims, but your attorney will know how to hold the adjuster accountable.
• Stay off Social Media — In this day and age, many of us want to share details about our life with others. However, posting too much on social media can hurt your chances of being fully compensated. If you tell the insurance company that your injuries are keeping you from working, and the insurance finds out you have been at your friend’s barbecue, they will use it to attempt to deny your claim.

From the moment you hire us, we will keep you completely in the loop until we attain a successful resolution. Let us 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 Streator, IL For My Claim?

For accidents involving minor injuries, where fault is clearly established and your medical bills are no more than an urgent care visit, you may be able to get compensation on your own. Give the insurance company your records and expenses, and ask for a little more for the hassle. In a a settlement for a relatively small sum of money where not much is disputed, the adjuster is not going to want to waste their time.

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 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 Streator, IL include:

• Your injuries are severe — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will fight back against your claim. If your injuries result in permanent disability, you will always need an attorney to convince the insurance company to pay for future damages as well.
• 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 much you are owed. By hiring an attorney, the insurance company will know that you will not back down without a fight. 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 accidents, especially wrecks involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one person who was negligent. 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 aggressive Streator, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to investigate the accident and determine all liable parties. 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 the accident — Blaming you for your injuries is a well-known tactic insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. When this happens, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to conclusively demonstrate 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 rule. However, a lawyer is likely necessary to get you the most possible compensation.

Your Streator, 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. Our consultations are free, so speak to an attorney today at (312) 500-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We get to work from the second you hire us, and do not give up until you get every bit of compensation you deserve.

Recent Burger Law Streator, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories

You need a lawyer who has shown they can get maximum compensation 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 Streator, IL?

If you want to file any Streator, IL injury claim, you must have sustained an injury that was caused by someone else’s negligence. There are five elements to proving negligence in a personal injury claim:

1. Duty of care — Did the liable party owe you a duty to keep you safe? 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 — Did they fail in that duty and cause an accident? Was another motorist speeding, texting and driving, drunk driving or otherwise not following the rules of the road?
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 the driver?.
5. Damages — Did your injuries lead to losses, such as medical expenses and mental anguish? If your accident caused some bruises or scrapes, but they healed without 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 Streator, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

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

• 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 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 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, our injury attorneys 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 accounting for inflation.

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

According to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident injuries in Streator, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. Illinois has three exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was under the age of 18 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 leaves the state of Illinois for a period, that period 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 wait to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Streator, IL. Call us immediately at (312) 500-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are harder for drivers of enclosed vehicles to see, as they take up less space. As a result of a phenomenon referred to as “inattentional blindness,” drivers are less likely to see a motorcycle — even if they are doing their due diligence. This is because most drivers have programmed their brains to be aware of other cars, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness contributes to many motorcycle accidents in Streator, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, over 40 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes occur when a car turns left while and hits a motorcyclist in an intersection. These crashes can be due to a motorist’s drunkenness, reckless driving or simple inattention.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions also occur frequently between motorcycles and passenger cars. A car may also 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, dead animals, slick surfaces or other debris on our streets usually do not affect a vehicle with more than two wheels very much. However, motorcycles do not have the same level of stability and these hazards can cause a motorcyclist to fall.
• Defective 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 accidents.

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

Almost all auto accidents are the result of driver error. So, most likely, you will make a claim against another driver. 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, for example in a commercial truck accident

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

States and municipalities are tasked with keeping 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 Streator, 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 Streator, IL. What Are My Legal Options?

The dangers of motorcycles mean that bikers have a higher death rate than people in enclosed vehicles. If you were touched by tragedy and someone you love died 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 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 that they were first injured.
• Three groups of people related to the deceased 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. If there are no immediate family members, siblings and siblings’ descendants can file a claim
  3. If there are no family members, the court 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 the deceased 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, guidance and moral training the deceased would have provided
  • Survivors’ grief, sorrow and mental suffering

Burger Law’s Streator, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just skilled at securing full compensation. We are empathetic and have helped many families get through the sorrow, anger and confusion that accompanies a fatal auto accident.

In addition to motorcycle accidents, other personal injury claims we take on and win in Streator, 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 Streator, IL Today

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