Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Wauconda, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Wauconda, IL

The sense of freedom a motorcycle comes with can be canceled out by the injuries negligent drivers cause when they do not follow the rules of the road. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Wauconda, IL, call the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Wauconda, 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. You are connected to the road and your motorcycle in a way that is not possible in an enclosed vehicle. Regrettably, negligent drivers can turn that feeling into something horrific. Because of their relative lack of protection, the consequences of a motorcycle accident can be devastating. When that happens to you, it carries instant hardships and you need someone to fight for you. You want an attorney with a proven track record of winning motorcycle accident lawsuits in Wauconda, IL.

Burger Law has over 30 years of experience getting full financial recoveries for those injured through the negligence of another. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will fight until we win your case 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 minimize your recovery. Our firm has a proven track record of successfully fighting the insurance companies and making sure that they treat our Wauconda, IL clients fairly.

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

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Wauconda, IL?

Despite the fact that motorcycles make up only .06 percent of total vehicle miles traveled nationwide, they accounted for four percent of all injuries and 14 percent of total fatalities in traffic-related accidents in 2020, according to data from the National Safety Council. In the United States, 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. Regrettably, 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, which means the accidents were often caused by another driver was not looking out for bikers. Most of the crashes occurred 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 fittingly was eighth in the country in deaths in 2017.

Almost 50 percent of fatal motorcycle wrecks occur in the summer months, and 50 percent occur between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Wauconda, IL

There are a number steps you should take, both immediately following the accident and in the days and weeks that follow, to make sure your recover from your injuries both physically and financially.

Immediately After The Accident

While any collision can be surprising and scary, it is important to keep a clear head. At the accident site, you should:

• Get to safety — If possible, get to the side of the road and away from other vehicles coming down the street. Leave your motorcycle where it is. 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, it may be best not to move; instead wait for emergency personnel.
• Do not remove your protective gear — Removing your helmet or other gear could also make serious injuries even worse. Because of adrenaline, a serious injury may not always hurt as much at first.
• Call 911 — Because the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, 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 relating who they believe is responsible for the accident.
• Gather evidence — Talk to any other motorists involved and ask for an insurance card. Take pictures of all vehicles and the crash site from different positions. Take as many pictures as possible. Something that may seem like it does not matter at first may help a motorcycle accident lawyer in Wauconda, IL prove someone else’s negligence 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

Once you have gotten medical treatment, inform the insurance company of everybody involved. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Wauconda, 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 obviously the best thing for your physical recovery, but is also vital to making sure you get full compensation. You need to prove that you sustained financial losses, and to do that you need to complete copies of medical medical records which detail all of the treatments and related expenses you incurred because of your injuries. The the higher your financial loss, the higher your ultimate 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 Detailed Records — You also deserve compensation 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 housework. Manage a file with all of your receipts and explanations for why those charges were necessary. It may also be a good idea to keep a daily journal detailing 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 informed the insurance company about your accident and hired a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will handle all communication with the insurance. Insurance adjusters try to employ a lot of ploys to minimize 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 on the Internet. However, posting too much on social media can do damage to your case. If you tell the insurance company that your injuries prevent you from working, and the insurance sees pictures of you at a bar, they they can say your injuries are not actually that severe.

From the moment you hire us, we will keep you updated throughout your claim until you get the maximum compensation you are owed. Allow us to deal with the legal aspect of your case so you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery.

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

For minor and clear-cut accidents, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault and your medical expenses are no more than an urgent care visit, a lawyer may not be able to add much value to your claim. Give the insurance company your records and expenses, and ask for a little more for the trouble. In a smaller settlement where not much is disputed, the insurance company 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 it would be nice if insurance companies fulfilled their responsibility when someone is injured by their policyholders’ negligence, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to do it. Situations where you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Wauconda, IL include:

• Your injuries are significant — The more your medical expenses and time spent off work, 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 convince the insurance company to pay for future damages as well.
• 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 convince you that you do not know how what fair compensation means in your case. If there is a lawyer working on your claim, 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 cases, 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 an improperly cordoned-off construction site. A talented Wauconda, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the wreck and determine all liable parties. Identifying everyone who is liable is imperative if you are owed more compensation than the at-fault driver’s policy limits.
• The insurance adjuster is trying to blame you for your injuries — Trying to say your injuries are your own fault is a frequent tactic insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. If the insurance company say your injuries are your own fault, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to prove 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, you will need an attorney to apply the rule of law and get you that compensation.

Your Wauconda, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to fight back against tactics insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for over three decades. We offer an initial conversation and investigation at no charge, so speak to an attorney now at (779) 800-HURT to see if we can add value to your claim. We start working from the second you hire us, and fight until there is nothing left to fight.

Recent Burger Law Wauconda, 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 whose past clients will vouch for them and who has the results to prove it is another thing. Check out 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 Wauconda, IL?

In order to file any Wauconda, IL injury claim, 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 a duty to protect you from unreasonable harm? 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 the other 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 malfunctioning, the liable party may be a manufacturer and not another motorist?.
5. Damages — Did your injuries lead to losses, such as medical expenses and mental anguish? If your accident caused some bruises or scrapes, but you did not need any medical treatment, it would be hard for you to file a claim.

If you were injured through another’s negligence, you can to file an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney immediately at (779) 800-HURT if you are unsure if you have a claim.

How Much is My Wauconda, 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 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 tend to lead to higher economic and noneconomic damages
• Whether or not you contributed to the accident
• If the accident led to permanent disfigurement or disability
• How your life has changed because of your injuries

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 calculating for inflation.

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

Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident claims in Wauconda, IL is two years. That means the clock starts ticking on the date you were injured to file a lawsuit in court. 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 when the injuries occurred, 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 may seem like a long time, it takes time to properly build your case. Do not hesitate to reach out to a motorcycle accident lawyer after you have been injured in Wauconda, IL. Call us immediately at (779) 800-HURT.

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

Motorcycles are harder for drivers of enclosed vehicles to see, as they take up less space. Due to something known as “inattentional blindness,” drivers are less likely to see a motorcycle — even if they are doing their best to be careful. This is because we train our brains to look for larger vehicles, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness contributes to many motorcycle accidents in Wauconda, IL.

Most motorcycle accidents occur because of:

• Left-hand turns — The Motorcycle Legal Foundation reports that 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 intoxication, reckless driving or generally not paying close enough attention to the road.
• 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 have the highest rate of collisions with fixed objects, which may be due to a negligent construction company or governmental entity.
• Road hazards — Uneven pavement, potholes, dead animals, wet or icy roadways or other roadways debris often do not have much of an impact on a car. However, motorcycles are less stable and these hazards can cause a motorcyclist to spin out.
• Defective components — 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 cause motorcycle accidents.

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

Almost all 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 accountable include:

• A governmental agency or construction company for road hazards
• A motorcycle designer, manufacturer or vendor for a defective product
• A company if their employee injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

Can I Sue For My Wauconda, 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 there are road hazards that cause an accident, the state may have to compensate you for your injuries. However, suing a government entity in Illinois has added complications. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Wauconda, IL can take on 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 Wauconda, 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 your worst nightmare came true and a family member died 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 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:

• 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.
• 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 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 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 Wauconda, 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 cases we we have had great success with in Wauconda, 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 Wauconda, IL Today

Our Wauconda, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will not stop fighting until there is nothing left to fight; we promise. You are owed a recovery for your motorcycle accident. You do not have to pay for someone else’s mistakes. To learn more about how our Wauconda, IL personal injury law firm will fight for your rights, call our team at (779) 800-HURT or fill out our online form for a free consultation.