Truck Accident Lawyer in Cook County, IL

Truck Accident Lawyer in Cook County, 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 (866) 935-4153 or fill out our online contact form.

At Burger Law, we vigorously represent Cook County, 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 roadway, may lead to devastating injuries even at low speeds. Truck drivers and their companies are obligated to follow federal and state trucking regulations, and any failure to abide by these laws presents a risk of harm to others in Cook County, IL. If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a truck accident, our Cook County, IL truck accident lawyers can help you seek maximum compensation from the responsible parties. Give us a call now at (866) 935-4153 or reach out to us online for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.

Trucks can cause serious damage when they are involved in crashes near Cook County, IL. In fact, recent Illinois Department of Transportation data shows that truck accidents make up nearly 10 percent of all fatal traffic accidents within the state. From the same set of data, 18.6 percent of all Illinois truck accidents involved serious injuries. The Burger Law Cook County, IL truck accident lawyers have decades of experience fighting for clients and their families to get the best possible compensation and help them along the road to recovery.

If you or a loved one has been harmed because of a truck accident in Cook County, IL, you deserve a complete financial recovery for the losses you have experienced, but you are unlikely to receive a fair recovery without legal representation from a proven Cook County, IL truck accident lawyer. Find out how much your claim may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator. Call Burger Law as soon as possible at (866) 935-4153 or fill out our online contact form.

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

We have seen truck accident cases resulting from many different negligent behaviors and leading to a wide variety of serious and life-threatening injuries as knowledgeable truck accident attorneys in Cook County, IL and throughout Illinois. We are devoted to helping truck accident victims like you hold the truck driver, the trucking company, 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 types of truck accident cases we have seen in the Cook County, 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 Cook County, IL truck lawyers 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 firm and fields of expertise below.

• 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

What Can Cause a Truck Accident in Cook County, IL?

Distracted driving is a leading contributor to Cook County, IL trucking accidents, as 71 percent of truck accidents happened when the driver was doing something aside from driving the truck. Other common contributors to Cook County, IL truck accidents include:

1. Faulty Truck or Equipment

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

They must inspect:

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

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

2. Fatigued Driving

One of the most reckless things a driver can do behind the wheel is operate a truck while fatigued. 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 stringent hours-of-service regulations to ensure that truck drivers get enough rest when they have to drive long hours:

Property-Carrying Drivers

• A maximum of 11 hours of driving following 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
• No more than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days
• Fewer 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 maximum 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
• Fewer than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days
• Fewer 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 fatigued or drowsy. 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 Cook County, IL was injured due to a trucking company forcing their drivers to drive longer than they should, Burger Law’s Cook County, IL truck accident lawyers will prove that they were liable and make sure you get the best possible compensation.

3. Alcohol Impairment

Operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher is a violation of federal law. Because large trucks pose a much higher risk to those on the Cook County, IL and Illinois roads, the United States Department of Transportation’s FMCA and its Code of Federal Regulations §392.82 puts 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 permitted to drive for 24 hours

Burger Law’s truck accident injury lawyers near Cook County, IL will hold any truck driver making the terrible decision to drive drunk or impaired by drugs accountable. When we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, we seek punitive damages 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 Cook County, IL use amphetamines and cocaine so that they keep themselves awake when driving extended hours.

A necessity in keeping our Cook County, IL and Illinois roads safe is absolute adherence to FMCSA regulations. If anyone who drives, manages or owns a truck is negligent in satisfying any state or federal regulations and injures you or your loved one, you need to be compensated for your damages and they need to pay. If you or someone you love has sustained injuries in a truck accident in Cook County, IL it is important to allow the lawyers at Burger Law to investigate your case, fortify a strong claim and successfully fight for maximum compensation. Call us as soon as possible at (866) 935-4153 or contact us online.

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

Commercial trucks can weigh in the range between 30,000 and 80,000 pounds. The average car weighs 4,100lbs. This definitive variation in weight is precisely why truck drivers must carefully and closely follow the rules of the road. When a 18-wheeler that is laden with product smashes into a car, the injuries that result from that crash are frequently traumatic and life-threatening. Here are a few types of injuries that resulted from Cook County, IL truck accidents our lawyers have been involved with:

• Internal Bleeding – Internal bleeding can be hazardous anywhere in the body and one of the typical causes of internal bleeding is trauma from truck and car accidents, including pentrating and impact injuries as well as deceleration injuries, when the sudden stop of a vehicle causes internal organs or vessels to break or rupture. Internal bleeding can cause fatal organ failure when untreated. The issue with internal bleeding is that it is sometimes difficult to detect, and you may not realize the seriousness of your condition after a Cook County, IL truck accident.
• Broken Bones – Trauma from truck accidents and other vehicular accidents is the most common cause of broken bones. Extreme breaks like displaced fractures or comminuted fractures when the bone is splintered into several pieces can be especially hazardous.
• Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal injuries are serious injuries that can affect your mobility and the motor function of your limbs. The spinal cord is the main avenue that your brain uses to send commands throughout your body. Research from the World Health Organization shows that 90 percent of spinal cord injury cases are brought on by trauma, and motor vehicle accidents are the leading source. Any damage to your spine can often end in serious injuries throughout other areas of the body.

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

To effectively prove and present your case and, ultimately, get you equitable compensation for your injuries from a serious truck wreck, your truck accident injury lawyer’s first step is to come up with a detailed understanding of the circumstances of your accident. Your Cook County, IL-based truck accident injury lawyer from Burger Law will investigate your claim and carefully collect all evidence and documentation surrounding the wreck and your resulting damages. We then use that evidence to deduce who is a fault and prove how their behavior have negatively affected your life and health.

Our talented Cook County, IL truck accident injury lawyers are experts at building a truck accident injury case. We are even prepared to go to trial if that is what it takes to get you full compensation. Whether we are able to settle the case quickly out of court or have to go through a heated trial process, your Cook County, IL-based truck accident injury lawyer can use the following valuable sources of evidence to show beyond doubt that the defendant is undoubtably responsible for harming you.

• The truck’s black box: The black box holds important information about the operation of the truck ,such as speed, braking activity and other behavior.
• Truck cameras: A lot of commercial trucks have cameras recording the inside of the cab, the road ahead or both. Traffic conditions and the driver’s actions were likely recorded if this is the case.
• Witness statements: Witnesses may have key insights on how the truck accident unfolded. They can aid your case by substantiating facts or offering a new observation about the accident.
• Police reports and citations: Police file their report after arriving at an accident site and collecting information. If they find that a driver behaved recklessly or broke a law, they may issue a formal citation or written violation.
• Surveillance footage: Your Cook County, IL truck accident injury lawyer can acquire pertinent surveillance footage if a traffic camera or a building’s outdoor camera recorded any information relevant to the events.
• The scene of the accident: Road conditions, visibility, skid marks and the position of vehicles and vehicle parts directly following the crash can show us a lot about what happened, and why.
• Employer files: Commercial truck drivers, trucking companies and other involved parties must comply with regulations when they operate. When a driver makes an error, the trucking company can be responsible as well if they neglected to successfully train the driver, did not issue drug tests as often as called for, hired the driver despite a history of traffic citations or have incomplete or missing records demonstrating the above.
• Maintenance records: Commercial trucks must be regularly inspected and maintained. As your truck accident injury lawyer, we will procure maintenance records to verify that they abided by regulations and that the truck was authorized for road use when the accident occurred.

Focus On Your Recovery While Burger Law Handles Your Case

Call Our Cook County, IL Truck Accident Lawyers Now

When you work with our Cook County, IL truck accident attorney, you can rest easy knowing that you are working with a skilled and knowledgeable 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 Cook County, IL, recovering millions of dollars in settlements for our clients.

To get the recovery you deserve, call Burger Law today at (866) 935-4153 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation. Our Cook County, 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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