Truck Accident Lawyer in Waukegan, IL

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured due to a truck accident because a truck driver, trucking company employee or another individual broke the laws we have in place to keep us safe, there is no time to waste. Call Burger Law right away at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online contact form.

At Burger Law, we vigorously represent Waukegan, IL residents who sustained injuries in truck accidents due to someone else’s negligence. Due to the sheer size and weight of trucks, collisions involving passenger vehicles, as well as pedestrians and other people on the road, may lead to devastating injuries even at low speeds. Truck drivers and their companies must follow federal and state trucking regulations, and any failure to follow these regulations presents a risk of harm to others in Waukegan, IL. If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a truck crash, our Waukegan, IL truck accident attorneys can help you pursue maximum compensation from the responsible parties. Give us a call immediately at (314) 500-HURT or reach out to us online for a no-cost, no-obligation case review.

Trucks can cause major damage when they are involved in crashes near Waukegan, IL. In fact, recent Illinois Department of Transportation data shows that truck accidents account for approximately 10 percent of all fatal traffic accidents within the state. According to the same data, 18.6 percent of all Illinois truck accidents involved serious injuries. The Burger Law Waukegan, IL truck accident lawyers have years of experience fighting in the corner of clients and their families to get the best possible compensation and help them along the pathway to recovery.

If you or someone close to you has been seriously injured because of a truck accident in Waukegan, IL, you should be fully compensated for the losses you have suffered, but you have little chance of success without legal representation from a proven Waukegan, IL truck accident lawyer. Find out how much your claim might be worth by using our free personal injury calculator. Call Burger Law as soon as possible at (314) 500-HURT or complete our online contact form.

What Are the Common Types of Truck Accidents in Waukegan, IL?

As experienced truck accident attorneys in Waukegan, IL and throughout Illinois, we have seen truck accident cases resulting from many different negligent behaviors and leading to a wide variety of serious and life-threatening injuries. We are committed to helping truck accident victims like you hold the trucking company, the truck driver, insurance company and other negligent parties accountable for the harm they have caused and we have the experience to do just that. Some of the kinds of truck accident cases we have seen in the Waukegan, IL area include:

• Hit-and-Run Truck Accidents
• Overloaded and Overweight Truck Accidents
• Rollover Truck Accidents
• Commercial Truck Accidents
• Big Rig Truck Accidents
• 18-Wheeler Truck Accidents
• Tractor Trailer Crash
• Night Time Truck Accidents
• Jackknife Truck Accidents

The Waukegan, IL truck attorneys at Burger Law have the experience and knowledge to help you receive the full compensation you deserve following any truck crash caused by someone else leaves you injured. Learn more about our fields of expertise below.

• Truck Crash Lawyers in Illinois
• Wrongful Death Lawyers in Illinois
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Illinois
• Car Accident Attorney in Illinois

What Can Cause a Truck Accident in Waukegan, IL?

What Can Cause a Truck Accident in Waukegan, IL?

One of the leading causes of Waukegan, IL truck accidents is distracted driving, as 71 percent of truck crashes occurred when the driver was doing something aside from driving the truck. Other common contributors to Waukegan, IL truck accidents are:

1. Faulty Truck or Equipment

The Code of Federal Regulations §396 stipulates that every “motor carrier, its officers, drivers, agents, representatives and employees” consistently repair, inspect and maintain their trucks, along with keeping detailed records.

They must inspect:

• Time and frame assemblies
• Suspension systems
• Axles
• Rims and wheels
• Steering systems
• Brakes

If you were hit by a truck driver in Waukegan, IL or anywhere in Illinois, it is imperative you reach out to the Waukegan, IL truck accident attorneys at Burger Law right away. As part of our truck accident investigation, we will acquire any and all reports. If we find the truck company or driver was negligent, you can be sure our truck accident injury lawyers will hold them accountable.

2. Fatigued Driving

Fatigued driving is one of the most reckless things a truck driver can do. Having no sleep for 18 consecutive hours is equivalent to having a blood alcohol content of .05 percent. While Arkansas and New Jersey are the only states to have laws against drowsy driving, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has enacted stringent hours-of-service regulations to make sure that truck drivers get sufficient sleep when they have to drive long hours on extended trips:

Property-Carrying Drivers

• A max of 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive off-duty hours
• A maximum of 14 hours on-duty, meaning that the trucker may not drive past the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty after 10 consecutive off-duty hours
• Fewer than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days
• No more than 70 hours on duty over eight consecutive days
• Any driver using a sleeper berth must take eight consecutive hours in it, plus a separate two hours in the sleeper berth or off duty, or any combination of the two.

Passenger-Carrying Drivers

• A max of 10 hours driving after eight consecutive hours off duty
• A maximum of 15 hours on-duty, meaning that the commercial driver may not drive beyond the 15th consecutive hour after eight consecutive off-duty hours
• No more than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days
• No more than 70 hours on duty over eight consecutive days
• Drivers who use a sleeper berth must take at least eight hours in it with the choice of splitting the time into two periods, provided that neither is less than two hours

When truck drivers are feeling drowsy or fatigued, they should pull over. Pressure from employers to meet tight schedules was a leading reason that truck drivers drove fatigued, according to the groundbreaking Large Truck Crash Causation Study. If you or a loved one in Waukegan, IL was injured due to a trucking company forcing their drivers to drive longer than they should under law, Burger Law’s Waukegan, IL truck accident attorneys will show they were liable and make sure you receive maximum compensation.

3. Alcohol Impairment

Operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher is a violation of federal law. The United States Department of Transportation’s FMCA and its Code of Federal Regulations §392.82 puts even higher restrictions on truck drivers due to the fact that large trucks pose a greater risk to those on the Waukegan, IL and Illinois roads:

• No truck driver may drive with a blood alcohol content of .04 percent or higher
• Having a blood alcohol content over .02 may make a truck driver subject to disciplinary action, and they will not be permitted to operate a truck for 24 hours

If a truck driver made the terrible decision to drive drunk or impaired by drugs and caused you injuries, Burger Law’s truck accident injury lawyers near Waukegan, IL will hold them accountable. We seek punitive damages when we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, so they know never to get behind the wheel intoxicated again.

4. Drug Impairment

The Code of Federal Regulations §392.82 also requires commercial truck drivers to be tested for these controlled substances:

• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Opiates, including opium itself and derivative drugs such as heroin
• Amphetamines and methamphetamine
• Phencyclidine (a.k.a. PCP)

Unfortunately, drug use among truck drivers is high and often linked to poor working conditions. Many drivers traveling through Waukegan, IL use cocaine and amphetamines so that they remain awake when driving extended hours.

Strict adherence to any FMCSA regulation is necessary to keep our Waukegan, IL and Illinois roadways safe. If anyone who owns, manages or drives a truck is negligent in satisfying any state or federal regulations and injures you or your loved one, they need to pay and you need to be compensated for your damages. If you or someone you love has sustained injuries in a truck accident in Waukegan, IL it is critical to allow the lawyers at Burger Law to investigate your case, build a strong claim and successfully fight for maximum compensation. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or reach out to us online.

What Are Common Injuries Sustained in a Truck Accident in Waukegan, IL?

Commercial trucks can weigh anywhere from 30,000lbs to 80,000lbs. The average car weighs 4,100lbs. This incredible difference in weight is exactly why truck drivers must closely and carefully follow the rules of the road. When a commercial truck that is laden with product collides with a car, the injuries that result from that crash are often traumatic and life-threatening. Here are a few types of injuries that resulted from Waukegan, IL truck accidents our lawyers have been involved with:

• Internal Bleeding – Internal bleeding can be dangerous anywhere in the body. One of the most common causes of internal bleeding is trauma from truck and car accidents, including impact and penetrating injuries as well as deceleration injuries, when the sudden stop of a vehicle causes internal vessels or organs to break or rupture. Internal bleeding can bring about fatal organ failure when left untreated. The issue with internal bleeding is that it is sometimes hard to detect, and you may not realize the seriousness of your condition following a Waukegan, IL truck accident.
• Broken Bones – Trauma from truck crashes and other vehicular accidents is the most common cause of broken bones. Extreme breaks such as displaced fractures or comminuted fractures when the bone is shattered into several pieces can be particularly hazardous.
• Spinal Cord Injuries – The spinal cord is the main avenue that your brain uses to send commands throughout your body. Spinal injuries are serious injuries that can affect your mobility and the motor function of your limbs. Research from the World Health Organization states that 90 percent of spinal cord injury cases are caused by trauma, and motor vehicle crashes are the leading source. Any damage to your spine can frequently end in serious injuries throughout other regions of the body.

How Does a Truck Accident Lawyer Prove My Case in Waukegan, IL ?

How Does a Truck Accident Lawyer Prove My Case in Waukegan, IL?

To successfully prove and argue your case and, ultimately, get you just compensation for your injuries from a serious truck wreck, your truck accident injury lawyer’s first task is to come up with a detailed understanding of the situation in question. Your Waukegan, IL-based truck accident injury lawyer from Burger Law will investigate your accident and diligently collect all evidence and documentation surrounding the wreck and your ensuing damages. We then use that evidence to discover who is a fault and demonstrate how their behavior have negatively impacted your life and well-being.

Our talented Waukegan, IL truck accident injury lawyers are masters at building a truck accident injury case. We are even willing to go to trial if that is what it takes to get you fairly compensated. Whether we are able to settle the case quickly out of court or have to go through a confrontational trial process, your Waukegan, IL-based truck accident injury lawyer might implement the following valuable sources of evidence to demonstrate that the defendant is indeed responsible for hurting you.

• The truck’s black box: The black box holds valuable information about the operation of the truck ,such as speed, braking activity and other behavior.
• Truck cameras: Some commercial trucks have cameras recording the inside of the cab, the road ahead or both. Cameras may have captured the traffic events or the driver’s actions leading up to the accident.
• Witness statements: Witnesses may have important perspective on how the truck accident happened. They can help your claim by confirming facts or providing a new insight about the circumstances.
• Police reports and citations: Police file their report after arriving at an accident site and gathering information. If they find that a motorist did something wrong or broke a law, they may issue a formal citation or written violation.
• Surveillance footage: Your Waukegan, IL truck accident injury lawyer can acquire pertinent surveillance footage if a traffic camera or a building’s outdoor camera recorded any footage pertinent to the wreck.
• The scene of the accident: Road conditions, visibility, skid marks and the position of vehicles and vehicle parts directly after the wreck can show us a lot about what took place, and why.
• Employer files: Commercial truck drivers, trucking companies and other involved parties must abide by regulations when they operate. When a driver makes an error, the trucking company can be responsible as well if they failed to correctly train the driver, did not drug test the driver as often as called for, hired a driver with a history of traffic citations or have incomplete or missing records demonstrating the above.
• Maintenance records: Commercial trucks must be consistently inspected and maintained. As your truck accident injury lawyer, we will obtain maintenance records to verify that they followed regulations and that the truck was approved for road use when the accident occurred.

FOCUS ON YOUR RECOVERY WHILE BURGER LAW HANDLES YOUR CASE

Call Our Waukegan, IL Truck Accident Lawyers Now

When you hire our Waukegan, IL truck accident lawyer, you can be certain that you are working with a knowledgeable and skilled professional who is familiar with your case, is familiar with the ins and outs of the law and has your best interests in mind. Burger Law has successfully handled truck accident cases in Waukegan, IL, recovering millions of dollars in settlements for our clients.

Call Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation and to get the recovery you deserve. Our Waukegan, IL truck accident lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning we do not collect any fees until we win your case.

• Truck Driver Blind Spot Accidents
• Driver Fatigue Accidents
• Commercial Trucking Accidents
• Fatal Accidents
• Hit-and-Run Truck Accidents
• Overloaded / Overweight Trucks
• Catastrophic Injuries
• Jackknife Accidents
• Night Time Truck Accidents
• Rollover Accidents
• Liable Parties in a Truck Accident
• Public Transportation Accidents
• Bus Accidents
• RV Accidents

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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