Truck Accident Injury Attorney in Chicago, IL

If a negligent truck driver or Illinois trucking company caused you or a loved one injuries, call Burger Law’s truck
accident injury attorney team in Chicago today at 312-500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

Truck accidents can cause tremendous amounts of damage, and truck drivers and truck companies in Chicago and Illinois
owe us, their fellow travelers, a responsibility to ensure our safety. When they are negligent in that duty and you are
injured as a result, the resulting financial hardships you and your family face can be sudden and severe. Burger Law’s
Illinois truck accident injury attorney team in Chicago will ensure that you do not have to pay financially just because
somebody else broke the rules. While you heal physically and emotionally, we will handle every legal aspect of your
case. We have an amazing team of truck accident injury attorneys and paralegals who keep you informed and fight to make
sure you get the full financial recovery you deserve. Do not wait another moment; call the Chicago-based Illinois truck
accident injury attorney team of Burger Law now at 312-500-HURT.

HOLDING NEGLIGENT TRUCK DRIVERS AND TRUCK COMPANIES RESPONSIBLE

What Are the Regulations for Truck Drivers and Truck Companies in Illinois?

The United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the governing body that
regulates the safety of commercial motor vehicles and works to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related
injuries and fatalities. Truck
accidents are incredibly destructive and Chicago truck drivers and companies need to follow regulations that go
beyond what regular passenger drivers are required to do. The administration enforces a large number of rules and
regulations regarding truck driver regulations, vehicle regulations, company regulations and regulatory guidance. As
part of its mission, they:

• Enforce safety regulations
• Target high-risk carriers and drivers
• Improve safety information systems and commercial motor vehicle technologies
• Strengthen motor vehicle equipment and operating standards
• Increase safety awareness

If anyone who owns, manages or operates a truck is does not follow the regulations and they cause you injuries, they
are liable for your damages. Trust in the
Chicago-based Illinois truck accident injury
attorney team at Burger Law to hold them accountable and get you the maximum compensation you deserve. The legal
process is complicated and uncertain for the average person. Every Burger Law truck accident injury attorney in Chicago
is an expert in Illinois law and in dealing with insurance companies and large corporations that use tricks to try
and deceive you and devalue your claim. If you or a loved one in Chicago or anywhere in Illinois were injured by
a negligent truck driver or trucking company, call a truck accident injury attorney at Burger Law today
at 312-500-HURT.

Below are some of the safety regulations, and how failing to follow them can lead to accidents.

Texting and Driving | Chicago, IL Truck Accident Injury Attorney

The Code of Federal Regulations §392.80 prohibits texting and
driving for truck drivers any time the motor is running, with the exception of emergency situations or if the vehicle is
off the road. One study found that texting drivers look at their phones for an average of 4.6 seconds during a 6-second period. At 55 miles per hour,
that is the equivalent of driving an entire football field – including the endzones – without looking at the road once.
A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study found that 80 percent of
all motor vehicle accidents involved driver inattention in the moments leading up to the crash. Texting and driving is
prohibited for drivers of the following vehicles:

• Large trucks that weigh 26,000 pounds or more
• Vehicles designed to transport 16 or more people including the driver
• Vehicles used to transport certain quantities of hazardous chemicals
• School bus drivers

Drug Use and Drug Testing | Chicago, IL Truck Accident Injury Attorney

§382 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires commercial
truck drivers to be tested for the following 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 Chicago and Illinois use amphetamines and cocaine in order to stay awake when driving long hours.
Drugs are proven to greatly alter one’s ability to drive safely, so that creates an incredible danger for anyone on the
Chicago and Illinois roads.

Drivers must be drug tested as a part of pre-employment screening. They may also be tested if a supervisor suspects them
of drug or alcohol use, or if authorities deem it necessary after an accident. Federal law requires them to be tested
after any accident that results in death.

Blood-Alcohol Limits for Truck Drivers | Chicago, IL Truck Accident Injury Attorney

It is federal law that no one can operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher. Because
large trucks pose a much higher risk to those on the Chicago and Illinois roads, federal law and §382 of the Code of
Federal Regulations places even higher restrictions on truck drivers:

• 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 allowed to drive 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
Illinois truck accident injury attorney team in Chicago will hold them accountable. When we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, we seek punitive
damages so they know never to get behind the wheel intoxicated again.

Truck Inspections, Repair and Maintenance | Chicago, IL Truck Accident Injury Attorney

The Code of Federal Regulations §396 stipulates that every “motor
carrier, its officers, drivers, agents, representatives and employees” consistently inspects, repairs and maintains
their trucks, as well as keep detailed records.

They must inspect:

• Time and frame assemblies
• Suspension systems
• Axles
• Wheels and rims
• Steering systems
• Brakes

They must maintain records that show:

• Identifying information for the vehicle (e.g., make, serial number, year, tire size)
• Inspections performed, including the nature and date
• Due dates for the next inspections

Records are to be kept by anyone who controls or operates the truck for 30 consecutive days. Motor carriers are required
to keep these records for one year. The carrier must keep the records for six months after relinquishing ownership or
control of the vehicle. If you were hit by a truck driver in Chicago or anywhere in Illinois, it is imperative to
contact a truck accident injury attorney right away. As part of our truck accident investigation, we will acquire any
and all maintenance and inspections reports. If we find the driver or truck company was negligent in their inspections,
count on our truck accident injury attorney team to hold them accountable.

Hours-of-Service for Truck Drivers | Chicago, IL Truck Accident Injury Attorney

Along with drunk driving and distracted driving, fatigued driving is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do.
Being awake 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 strict hours-of-service regulations to ensure that truck drivers get enough rest
when they have to drive long hours:

Property-Carrying Drivers

• A max of 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive off-duty hours
• A max of 14 hours on-duty, meaning that the trucker may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming
  on duty after 10 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
• 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 max 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 option of splitting the time into
  two periods, provided that neither is less than two hours

Truck drivers should pull over when they are feeling drowsy or fatigued. According to the groundbreaking Large Truck Crash Causation Study, pressure from employers to meet tight
schedules was a leading reason that truck drivers drove fatigued. If you or a loved one in Chicago or anywhere in
Illinois was injured because a trucking company obligated their drivers to drive longer than they should, Burger
Law’s truck accident injury attorney team
will prove that they were liable and make sure you receive maximum compensation.

Strict adherence to any Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulation is necessary to keep our Chicago and
Illinois roads safe. If anyone who owns, manages or drives a truck is negligent in satisfying any state or federal
regulation and injures you or your loved one, they need to pay and you need to be compensated for your damages. In the
most tragic cases, a negligent truck driver or truck company can cause wrongful death. Burger Law’s Illinois truck
accident injury attorney team in Chicago has over 70 years of combined experience investigating, litigating, trying
and winning truck accident
lawsuits. We will find every party that is liable for your injuries and make sure they are held accountable.

Do I Need a Chicago, IL Truck Accident Injury Attorney?

Following an injury in a Chicago or Illinois truck accident, you will absolutely need the legal representation of a
dedicated and accomplished truck accident injury attorney. In a typical passenger car accident, you may be able to get fair
compensation if the other party’s fault was obvious and your injuries were not too severe. Truck accidents are an
entirely different story. Most of the time, the defendants in truck accident cases are
large corporations with experience defending against personal injury claims and wrongful death claims and a lot of money to throw
towards the effort. When you hire Burger Law, you get the full force of a committed, knowledgeable and tenacious truck
accident injury attorney with decades of experience on your side. Those insurance companies and corporations fear us
because they know we demand maximum financial recoveries for all of our clients in Chicago and throughout Illinois.
Every Burger Law truck accident injury attorney prides themselves in standing up to bullies who believe they can get
away with breaking the rules and disregarding your safety and feel that they do not need to compensate you for the harm
their recklessness has inflicted.

Truck accident injuries can cause catastrophic injuries that can affect you for years after an accident, or even for the
rest of your life. Yet, you have only one chance to reach a settlement and recover compensation to cover all of your
damages, present and future. Because of that, you need to act quickly and make the smart decision to hire a truck
accident injury attorney in Chicago right away. An experienced litigation and trial lawyer will make sure that you are
compensated fully not just for your extant medical bills, property damage and lost wages, but for the future financial
burden you will bear because of your injuries. If you or a loved one in Illinois needs a wheelchair or prescription
medication for the rest of your life, the Burger Law truck accident injury attorney team based in Chicago will ensure
the liable parties pay you a full settlement for all your damages so you do not have to pay for someone else’s mistake.

Besides securing you the maximum compensation you deserve, our Burger Law Chicago-based Illinois truck accident injury
attorney team will:

• Investigate your case fully
• Connect you to qualified healthcare providers to get you the medical treatment you need
• Obtain important evidence and documentation, such as
  • Police reports
  • Medical records
  • The truck’s black box
  • Eyewitness testimony
  • Maintenance reports and driver logs
• Work with our network of Chicago and Illinois crash experts to determine liability and prove negligence
• Work with medical experts to properly value your injuries and damages
• Keep you informed of your case, and give you every piece of information you need to make the best decision for
  you and your family
• Negotiate the best possible settlement
• Take your case to trial if we have to

The Chicago-based Illinois truck accident injury attorney team of Burger Law is here to fight for you and do everything
possible to help you feel whole again. That starts by supporting you throughout your case and fighting on your behalf
every step along the way until you get the great settlement you deserve.

Truck Accident Injury Attorney in Chicago, IL

When you have been injured by the negligence of a Chicago or Illinois truck driver or trucking company, you are legally
and ethically owed compensation. Our truck accident injury attorney team fights hard for our clients in Chicago and
throughout Illinois. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of legal representation. Our clients are important to us
and every truck accident injury attorney at Burger Law has dedicated their lives to defending the rights of the injured
and vulnerable. We demand justice for you in the form of a full financial recovery and never rest until the negligent
people and corporations responsible for your injuries are held accountable for their irresponsible actions. Call our
truck accident injury attorney team today at 312-500-HURT or fill out our online form to start on your road to recovery.

Auto Accident Cases We Take in Chicago and Illinois

• Auto
  Accident Law Firm
• Bus Accident
  Attorney
• Motorcycle
  Crash Lawyer
• Auto Crash
  Lawyer
• Trucking
  Accidents Lawyer
• Car Accident
  Lawyer
• Truck Accident Injury Attorney
• Car Crash Law
  Firm
• Attorney for Auto Accidents
• Automobile Injury Attorney
• Truck
  Accident Law Firms
• Truck
  Accident Injury Lawyer
• Accident
  Attorney
• Car
  Accidents Law Firm
• Truck Accident Injury Lawyers
• Trucking Accidents Attorney
• Fatal Car
  Accident