Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Vandalia, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Vandalia, IL

The exhilaration you feel when riding a motorcycle can be made moot by the harm reckless drivers can do to you when they do not respect your safety. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Rock Island, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately at (312) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a no-risk, no-obligation case evaluation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Rock Island, 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 yourself and build a camaraderie with people who share your passions. You get a feeling of the open road that is not possible in an enclosed vehicle. Unfortunately, negligent drivers can turn that feeling into catastrophic injuries. Because motorcycles do not protect riders as well as enclosed vehicles, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When you are injured, it carries financial, physical and emotional consequences and you need someone to fight for you. You need to find an attorney that has demonstrated that they can full compensation in motorcycle collision cases in Vandalia, IL.

Burger Law has over three decades of experience getting full financial recoveries for our clients. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until you recover all of your damages and there is nothing left to fight. Always speak to a lawyer before agreeing to a settlement. The insurance adjuster is out to devalue your recovery. We know how to fight insurance companies and ensure that they treat our Vandalia, IL clients fairly.

To learn more about what we can do for you, speak to a lawyer at (312) 500-HURT to discuss your motorcycle accident claim now.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Vandalia, IL?

Even though motorcycles make up barely over half a percent of total vehicle miles traveled nationwide, they made up four percent of all injuries and 14 percent of all deaths in traffic-related accidents in 2020, according to research from the National Safety Council. In the entire country, in 2020 there were 82,500 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,579 deaths. In Illinois, there were 3,077 motorcycle crashes which resulted in 2,404 injuries and 152 deaths, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Unfortunately, the majority of those crashes came when a passenger car or truck collided with a motorcycle when the biker was driving in a straight line, insinuating that the accidents were often because of a car or truck driver was not looking out for bikers. Wrecks happen most frequently in metropolitan areas, especially on arterial roads.

According to findings from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, Illinois is eighth in the country with over 280,000 registered motorcycles, and proportionately was eighth in the country in fatalities in 2017.

The most common season for motorcycle crashes is summer, and half of all wrecks happen between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Vandalia, IL

There are a number things you should do, both in the immediate wake of an accident and throughout the process of recovering from your injuries and seeking compensation, to ensure you make both a physical and financial recovery.

Immediately After The Accident

While any wreck is jarring, try to stay as calm as possible. At the accident site, you should:

• Get out of harm’s way — If you are physically able, get to the side of the road and away from other vehicles coming down the street. Leave your motorcycle behind. We know it is your baby, but staying with the bike or trying to move it could make your injuries worse. If you believe your injuries may be catastrophic, stay still and wait for EMTs to arrive.
• Do not remove your protective gear — Removing your helmet or other gear could also make serious injuries even worse. Shock may hide how bad an injury actually is.
• Call 911 — Because motorcycle accidents can cause severe injuries, it may be best to be looked over at the scene instead of leaving and planning to go to an emergency room yourself. Police will also be able to file a report stating who they believe is liable for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver and get their insurance information. Take photographs of the accident, including damage to all vehicles involved and the surrounding areas. Take more photos than you think you need. Something you do not think is that big of a deal may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Vandalia, IL when trying to prove someone else’s negligence in the future. See if there are eyewitnesses who can corroborate your side of the story.

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 Vandalia, 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 how much that accident hurt you, and to do that you need to be able to point to medical records which show the extent of your injuries. The more medical expenses you have, the higher your non-economic damages compensation will be as well. Make sure you attend every follow up, chiropractic or physical therapy appointment your doctor prescribes.
• Keep Track of Everything Related to Your Injuries — You are also owed compensation for lost wages from time spent recovering, 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 household chores. Manage a file with detailed receipts and notes about why you needed to pay those expenses. 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, let your attorney handle documentation and negotiation. Insurance adjusters use a lot of ploys to minimize claims, and it is better to leave communication up to an attorney who knows 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 on the Internet. However, posting too much on social media can ruin your chances of being fully compensated. If you tell the insurance company that your injuries prevent you from working, and the insurance sees pictures of you at a bar, they will use it to try and devalue your claim.

From your initial consultation, we will keep you completely in the loop until we attain a successful resolution. Allow us to handle the legal aspect of your case so you can spend your energy on on healing.

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

For some minor claims, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical bills are no more than a visit with your primary care physician, you may not need an attorney to get fair compensation. Supply the insurance company with proof of your financial losses, and see if they will throw some extra money on top for the trouble. 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 most cases, 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, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to be fair. You will likely need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Vandalia, IL if:

• Your injuries are significant — The more your medical expenses and time spent off work, the more the insurance company will fight back against your claim. 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 precisely value your damages.
• Your damages and the insurance company’s offer are way too far apart — If your damages are starting to creep up into the tens 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. If you enlist the services of an attorney, the insurance company will know that you mean business. 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 injuries, especially multi-vehicle accidents, there may be more than one person who was negligent. For example, a driver may merge into your line while not looking for you, causing you to take defensive action and hit an improperly cordoned-off construction zone. An experienced Vandalia, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the crash and assign a portion of the damages to each liable party. Identifying everyone who is liable is imperative if you are owed more compensation than the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• You are being blamed for the accident — Blaming you for your injuries is a frequent 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 you were indeed partially to blame, you can still make a recovery under Missouri’s comparative negligence doctrine. However, you will need an attorney to apply the rule of law and get you that compensation.

Your Vandalia, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tactics insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over 30 years. Our consultations are free, so call us at (312) 500-HURT to see what we can do for your claim. We get to work from the second you hire us, and do not let up until you get every bit of compensation you deserve.

Recent Burger Law Vandalia, 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 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 Vandalia, IL?

In order to file any Vandalia, 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 have an obligation to protect you from unreasonable harm? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 stipulates that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so other drivers 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 driver speeding, texting and driving, drunk driving or otherwise not following proper procedure behind the wheel?
3. Cause in fact — Were your injuries the direct result of the accident?
4. Proximate cause — Whose negligence 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 pain and suffering? If your accident resulted in a few bruises or scrapes, but they healed without any medical treatment, it would be hard for you to file a claim.

If you were injured because of another’s negligence, you have an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney immediately at (312) 500-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My Vandalia, 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 emotional distress, scarring and pain and suffering
• While not common, you may be able to recover punitive damages if you were injured by extreme recklessness, such as 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
• The impact the injuries have had on your ability to enjoy life

At Burger Law, we are experts at calculating the full value of someone’s injury claim and demanding the insurance company takes responsibility for all of it. If your injuries require ongoing medical care, 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 Vandalia, IL?

According to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident injuries in Vandalia, IL is two years. That means the clock starts ticking on the date you were injured to file a claim. There are some exceptions:

• If you or your loved one was under the age of 18 when the injuries occurred, they have until their 20th 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 person responsible for your injuries is outside of 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 hesitate to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Vandalia, IL. Call us now at (312) 500-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are harder for passenger car drivers to see, do not take up as much space on the road. Due to something called “inattentional blindness,” it is harder for drivers to see a motorcycle — even when they are looking for one. 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 Vandalia, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — According to the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, over 40 percent of all motorcycle accidents that result in deaths involve a car turning left while the motorcycle was going straight. These crashes can happen because of a motorist’s drunkenness, reckless driving or distracted driving.
• Other collisions — Head on collisions also occur frequently between motorcycles and cars or trucks. It is also common for a car to fail to see a motorcyclist when turning in front of them. 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 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.
• Malfunctioning components — 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 cause motorcycle crashes.

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

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are due to driver error. So, most of the time another driver is responsible for your injuries. However, depending on the specifics of your case, you may also be able to make a claim against:

• A governmental agency or construction company for road hazards
• A motorcycle designer, manufacturer or vendor for a defective product
• A company if someone they hired injured you while driving, for example in a commercial truck accident

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

States and municipalities are supposed to keep their roadways safe for use by everyone on the roads, and when obstruction or other objects in the road cause an accident, the municipality can be held liable for the motorcycle accident. However, suing a government entity in Illinois has added complications. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Vandalia, IL can pick up your claim and guide you through the complexities of local and state laws to secure you the compensation you deserve.

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

Motorcyclists are not only at increased risk of a catastrophic injury, but are more likely to be in a fatal accident. If you were touched by tragedy and a family member passed away in a motorcycle crash, you can make a wrongful death claim. While it is impossible to put a monetary value on your loved one’s life 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:

• 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 your loved one died, not the date of the accident.
• 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. When there are no immediate family members, siblings and nieces and nephews can file a claim
  3. If no family remains, the court can appoint a plaintiff ad litem to file a claim
• Your compensation will include:
  • Under 755 ILCS 5/27-6, the Illinois Survival Act, the personal injury damages incurred by the deceased before their death, for example their medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering
  • 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 Vandalia, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just tremendous at securing full compensation. We are empathetic and have helped many families navigate the sorrow, anger and confusion that comes after a fatal auto accident.

In addition to motorcycle accidents, other injury claims we we have had great success with in Vandalia, IL include:

• Survival Action Lawyer in Illinois
• 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 Vandalia, IL Today

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

Client Reviews

What our clients are saying about us

Juanita Matthews

Year of 2023

This law firm is absolutely amazing. They took on my case, when nobody else would! They fought hard for me when it seemed there was no hope. They kept me informed and always asked for my input before making decisions on my case. Gary puts himself into every case unlike most law firm owners. Gary and his team really care about every one of their clients, and fights hard to get you a fair settlement. They actually won my case out of court, and then reduced my fees to make sure I could get my car fixed and be able to get back to some normality. I would recommend Burger Law over and above any other firm! If you go somewhere else you aren’t getting the best!

Shaunda S.

7 months ago

I am very happy with the staff at Burger Law. I mostly worked with Michael Sheldon, and he did an amazing job. I trusted him completely with my case, and he did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this team if your ever in need of good attorneys.

Emelia M.

3 months ago

Burger Law Firm is fantastic. Laura and Genevieve were so amazing and helpful throughout the entire process. They helped me with my personal injury case every step of the way and succeeded at getting me the results I desired.

Helen L.

a year ago

We had a great experience with Burger Law for representing us after a serious car accident. Truly impressed by how professional and supportive the entire team is. And, many thanks to Genavieve and Laura – you are amazing!

Judy M.

a year ago

They did an amazing job on my case! Communication with them was great!!! Kept me informed and in the loop with everything that was going on!!! Will definitely be the 1st ones I’ll call if ever I’m in another accident!!! Thank you very much!!!

Chelsea C.

5 months ago

Let me tell you something about Burger Law.. they are so attentive and kind. Jennifer is my savior!! I love the whole team!!! They are truly a miracle team!! I appreciate their business and would recommend it to others.

David D.

2 months ago

Absolutely the best law firm in the St. Louis area. No matter the size of your case you are treated as if you are the only client on the roster. Will explain anything thoroughly and they work around your availability. Very impressed and appreciative of the service.

Lisa B.

11 months ago

Gary and Casey took great care of me for 2.5 years as my lawsuit was finally settled. I feel he helped me achieve justice for me and my 4 children after their father died from medical malpractice and neglect. Thanks to Gary, my kids now have a great start to their college and adult lives. Thank you Gary and Casey, for fighting for us so hard at our most trying and difficult time in our lives thus far. Love and God bless from my family to yours!

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