Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Western Springs, IL

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Western Springs, 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 another driver injured you in Western Springs, IL, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers of Burger Law now at (312) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case evaluation.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Western Springs, 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 build a camaraderie with people who share your passions. You are connected to the road and your motorcycle in a way that you do not get in an enclosed vehicle. Regrettably, this freedom also comes with a high price. Because motorcycles do not protect their occupants as well as enclosed vehicles, motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries. When you are injured, it carries instant economic, physical and mental consequences and you need someone to fight for you. You need to find a lawyer that has demonstrated that they can get great results in motorcycle wreck claims in Western Springs, IL.

Our team has over 70 years of combined litigation and trial experience. Our motorcycle accident lawyers will aggressively 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 will try to devalue your recovery. We know how to stand up to insurance companies and ensure that they treat our Western Springs, IL clients fairly.

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

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Western Springs, IL?

Fourteen percent of traffic fatalities and four percent of injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, despite only barely over half a 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 fatalities. In Illinois, of 3,077 motorcycle accidents, 2,404 caused injuries and 152 were fatal, according to the Illinois 2020 Crash Facts and Statistics. Unfortunately, over 50 percent of those happened 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 because of 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 nation in terms of both registered motorcycles and motorcycle crash fatalities.

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 Western Springs, IL

There are a number steps you should take, both immediately following the accident and in the days and weeks that follow, to ensure both your health and the chances of a successful claim.

At the Accident Site

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 possible, get to the side of the road and away from oncoming traffic. Leave the bike. We know it is your baby, but trying to carry it could make your injuries worse. If you suspect you have a spine or head injury, stay still and wait for EMTs to arrive.
• Do not take off your safety gear — Taking off 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 — As the injuries caused in a motorcycle wreck can be catastrophic, it may be a good idea to be looked over there instead of trying to go to an emergency room yourself. Police know how to determine liability in an accident, and will make a police report.
• Gather evidence — Speak to the other driver and get their insurance information. Take pictures of the accident, including how the vehicles are positioned and the surrounding areas. Take as many pictures as possible. Something that may seem like it does not matter at first may be useful to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Western Springs, IL when trying to prove who is responsible for your injuries 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 as quickly as possible.

What to Do Throughout the Claim Process

After you first seek medical care, inform both your insurance company and the other driver’s. Then, speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Western Springs, 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 is also vital to making sure you get full compensation. You need to prove how much that accident hurt you, 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 more medical expenses you have, 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 prescribes.
• Keep Detailed Records — You also deserve reimbursement 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 transportation to and from medical appointments or hiring someone to help with chores around the house. Manage a file with all of your receipts and explanations for why you needed to pay those expenses. It may also be a good idea to keep a daily journal showing 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 accident and hired a motorcycle accident lawyer, your attorney will will now be intermediary between you and the insurance. Insurance adjusters use a lot of ploys to avoid paying claims, and it is better to leave communication up to an attorney who knows how to hold the adjuster accountable.
• Do Not Post on Social Media — It is normal to want to share what is going on with your life with others. However, even an honest post can do damage to your case. If you say your injuries are debilitating, and the insurance finds out you have been at a bar, they they can say your injuries are not actually that severe.

From your initial consultation, we will keep you completely in the loop until you get the maximum compensation you are owed. 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 Western Springs, IL For My Claim?

For accidents involving minor injuries, where there is no discrepancy about who is at fault 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 proof of your financial losses, and ask for a little more for the hassle. In a smaller settlement where their policyholder is clearly liable, the insurance company is not going to want to waste their time.

However, more likely than not you will need the assistance of a motorcycle accident attorney for your injury claim. While in a perfect world insurance companies would fulfill their duty when their policyholders injure someone, it usually takes a fair amount of fighting to get them to be fair. You will almost certainly need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Western Springs, IL if:

• Your injuries are severe — The higher your damages, the more the insurance company will try to avoid their responsibility. If your injuries require future medical treatment or prevent you from earning a living as you used to, you will absolutely 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 starting to creep up into the tens of thousands, and the insurance company’s offer is no where close to that, they are trying to take advantage of you. If there is a lawyer on the case, 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 liable parties — With some injuries, especially wrecks involving more than one vehicle, there may be more than one liable party. For example, a driver may cut your off because they did not see you, causing you to swerve and hit an improperly cordoned-off construction zone. An experienced Western Springs, IL motorcycle accident lawyer will conduct a full investigation into the wreck and determine all liable parties. Identifying everyone who is liable is essential 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 classic tactic insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. If the insurance company say your accident was your own doing, an attorney use their investigate skills and network of experts to conclusively demonstrate how the other party was negligent. If you were indeed responsible for a portion of the accident, 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 Western Springs, IL motorcycle accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to combat tricks insurance adjusters use. We have been doing it for more than 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 moment you hire us, and do not let up until you get all of compensation you deserve.

Recent Burger Law Western Springs, IL Motorcycle Accident Victories

With any type of legal claim, results matter. You want to feel confident that you are giving your case to the best possible lawyer, and that they are going to fight hard to make sure you get 100 percent of the recovery and compensation you deserve. Any motorcycle accident lawyer can say they will fight for you, 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 Western Springs, IL?

If you want to file any Western Springs, 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 liable party owe you a duty to protect you from unreasonable harm? 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 states that “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care,” so anyone else on the road automatically owes you a duty of care.
2. Breach of duty — Did they fail in that duty and cause an accident? Was another driver 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 — Did the person’s negligence cause the accident? If the other driver’s brakes were malfunctioning, the person who needs to be held accountable for your injuries may be a manufacturer and not the driver?.
5. Damages — Did you sustain losses because of your injuries, such as lost wages and emotional distress? If your accident resulted in a few bumps and bruises, but you did not need any medical treatment, it would be hard for you to make a claim.

Any time somebody else’s carelessness or recklessness injures you, you can to file an injury claim. Speak to a motorcycle accident attorney immediately at (312) 500-HURT if you have any doubts about the validity of your claim.

How Much is My Western Springs, IL Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

Your compensation will be a combination of:

• Economic damages, such as lost wages, medical bills and out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages, such as emotional distress, scarring and pain and suffering
• In some rare cases, you can recover punitive damages if the liable party’s behavior was especially egregious, such as if they were 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 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 every dime you are owed and insist the insurance company takes responsibility for all of it. If your injuries lead to future economic damages like lost earning capacity or future surgeries, 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 Western Springs, IL?

According to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the time limit for motorcycle accident injuries in Western Springs, IL is two years. That means you only have two years from the date of the accident 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 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 negligent party is outside of the state of Illinois for a time, that period 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 call a motorcycle accident lawyer after you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Western Springs, IL. Call us immediately at (312) 500-HURT.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Western Springs, IL?

Motorcycles are not as easy to spot on the road, as they take up less space. Because of something called “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 be aware of other cars, but not for motorcycles. Inattentional blindness is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Western Springs, IL.

The most common causes of motorcycles accidents are:

• Left-hand turns — According to data from the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, over 40 percent 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 intoxication, speeding 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 not see a motorcyclist when merging or changing lanes. Motorcycles also collide with fixed objects more than any other type of motorist, which is not always the motorcyclist’s fault.
• Road hazards — Cracked pavement, potholes, dead animals, wet or icy roadways or other debris on our streets 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 lose control.
• 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 result in motorcycle accidents.

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

More than nine out of 10 auto accidents are caused by human error. So, most of the time another motorist 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 body or contracting company for road hazards
• A vehicle designer, manufacturer or vendor for a defective product
• A company if someone they hired injured you while driving, such as in a commercial truck accident

Can I Sue For My Western Springs, 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 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 Western Springs, IL can pick up 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 Western Springs, IL. What Are My Legal Options?

Motorcyclists are not only at higher risk of a catastrophic injury, but are more likely to perish in a crash. If you were touched by tragedy and a family member passed away 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 bring a sense of justice 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 the first chance to file, 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 file a claim
• 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 your loved one, 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 Western Springs, IL wrongful death attorneys are not just tremendous at getting our clients full recoveries. 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 injury cases we take on and win in Western Springs, 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 Western Springs, IL Today

Our Western Springs, IL motorcycle accident lawyers will not stop fighting until there is nothing left to fight; that is our guarantee. 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 Western Springs, 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 review.