Trucking Accidents Lawyer Wheaton, IL

Trucking Accidents Lawyer Wheaton, IL. If a truck driver or trucking company was negligent and caused you or a loved one injuries, call a Burger Law Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer straight away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

Trucking accidents can turn your life upside down. The physical, financial and emotional damage they can do is unexpected and severe. Because of that, in addition to adhering to the typical rules of the road, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules that truck drivers and trucking companies are required to follow in order to ensure the safety of everyone on the Wheaton, IL roads. When they fail in their responsibility and harm you, the Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer team will hold them responsible and win you the great financial recovery you deserve.

We have a wonderful team of attorneys and paralegals that fight the good fight to get you the best possible compensation. Our Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer team knows the awful impact being injured a truck accident can have on your life. We also know how to investigate, negotiate, litigate and win truck accident injury claims. We settle for only the best results for injured residents of Wheaton, IL. If you have been injured because somebody else disregarded your safety, reach out to a Burger Law Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form to start on the road to being made whole again.



How Common Are Truck Accidents in Illinois? | Wheaton, IL Truck Accident Law Firms

Unfortunately, a trucking accidents lawyer in Wheaton, IL frequently has a high case load. As of 2020, there were over 70,000 licensed truck drivers in Illinois according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, making it one of the top 15 trucking states nationwide. In 2020 there were 9,966 truck wrecks that lead to injury or death in the state, according to data from the 2020 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics report.

If you have been hurt in a truck wreck as the result of someone else's reckless behavior, call a Burger Law Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer right away to go over your legal options.

How Are Truck Accidents Different? | Wheaton, IL Trucking Accidents Lawyer

Truck accidents are markedly more dangerous than car accidents, especially for drivers and passengers in smaller, passenger vehicles. On average trucks are 20 to 30 times more massive and stopping takes 20 to 40 percent longer than passenger cars. Meaning, they exert an enormous amount of force in accidents and that reaction time is appreciably slower to hazards like congested traffic, accidents that already happened or weather conditions. Their size also means that trucks can be tougher to steer clear of and are probably going to collide with more cars if the driver loses control of the truck. Every Burger Law Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer has knows all too well how truck accidents can be tremendously destructive.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that in 2019 there were 164,731 wrecks that involved large trucks, which caused 5,074 deaths and 81,272 injuries. Despite making up merely 2.4 percent of total auto traffic collisions, truck accidents were responsible for 15.3 percent of total deaths and 4.2 percent of all injuries, according to crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Seventy-two percent of drivers and passengers who passed away in large truck collisions are occupants of other vehicles. The economic costs of being injured in a truck wreck are generally massive, and that is why every Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer in Wheaton, IL has spent their life winning full compensation for the vulnerable in Wheaton and throughout Illinois.

Common Causes of Truck Crashes | Wheaton, IL Trucking Accidents Lawyer

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released its groundbreaking Large Crash Causation Study in 2009. The study examined the causes and associated factors of 18-wheeler accidents. After analyzing over 1,000 possible factors, they reached the following conclusions:

• Eighty-seven percent of wrecks involved "driver reasons," either by the truck driver or another driver. The most common of those reasons are:
  • Prescription drug use, over-the-counter drug use, and illegal drug use or drunk driving
  • Speeding or driving faster than appropriate for road conditions
  • Fatigue or distracted driving
  • Illegal maneuvers, insufficient evasive driving or aggressive driving
  • Unfamiliarity with the roadway or truck
• Almost a third of all wrecks involved issues with the truck, such as brake failure or faulty tires.
• Environmental factors, such as:
  • Weather-related collisions
  • Traffic conditions
  • Roadway hazards
• Other factors, such as:
  • Overloaded trucks or improperly loaded cargo
  • The driver being pressured to driver even though fatigued
  • The driver being sick

Whatever the cause behind your wreck in Wheaton, IL, your Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer has investigated and won a case like yours before. We will get to the bottom of your crash and hold the at-fault parties responsible.

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Who Is Liable for My Truck Crash Injuries? | Wheaton, IL Trucking Accidents Lawyer

In most auto accident cases, you would make a claim against another Wheaton, IL driver and their insurance company. In trucking accidents caused by human error, 56 percent of the time the liable driver was the driver of a passenger vehicle, not the truck driver. When your Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer carries out their investigation into your crash, they will determine which driver is responsible for your injuries. However, one of the things that makes truck accidents different is that there are frequently several parties at fault. That is why you need a dedicated, experienced and expert trucking accidents lawyer to fight on your behalf.

Below are some examples of other parties in Wheaton, IL your trucking accidents lawyer at Burger Law may be able to find liable:

The Trucking Company

Trucking companies have a duty to prioritize our safety. They must:

• Hire drivers that meet the strict requirements for Commercial Driver's Licenses in Illinois. Not doing so, or hiring a driver with a lot of traffic violations, amounts to negligent hiring practices.
• Certify the safety of their vehicles. Illinois and Federal Law demands pre-trip and yearly inspections performed by the driver and trucking company or third party, respectively. Not carrying out inspections or not repairing defective components are instances of negligence. Brake issues were a contributing factor in 27 percent of trucking accidents, compared to only 2 percent in other auto collisions.
• Not overwork their drivers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has an Hours of Service Guide for Truck Drivers that must be obeyed. Thirteen percent of trucking accidents involved driver fatigue as an associated factor, often because an employer was pressuring the driver to drive with little rest.

We will request maintenance and driver logs when we get to work on your truck wreck case. Your Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer in Wheaton, IL knows how to get all the evidence required to prove your case.

A Shipping Company

Cargo must be adequately loaded onto trucks in order to ensure safety. Overloaded trucks or trucks with unbalanced weight distribution are susceptible to rollover accidents. Improperly loaded cargo can also spill onto Wheaton or Illinois streets and lead to multi-vehicle collision. Overweight trucks also take longer to stop, which hampers the driver's ability to react to situations or dangers on the road.

Mechanics or Manufacturers

Manufacturers have an obligation to safely design and test their products and recall any parts when they discover it to be faulty. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that a recall is mandatory when a vehicle or vehicle equipment "does not comply with a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard." Neglecting to do so constitutes product liability. Burger Law's trucking accidents lawyer team has experience with every type of personal injury case and knows how to win you the best possible compensation whatever the circumstances of your truck wreck injury.

A Government Entity

If your truck accident happened because of infrastructure that was improperly built or inadequately repaired, your truck accident injury lawyer may be able to assist you in making a claim against a public service such as the Illinois Department of Transportation. If a guardrail suddenly swings into the road or a sizeable crack in the concrete leads a vehicle to go airborne, causing a domino-effect until you get in an accident, your truck accident attorneys will help you hold the local organization that manages that property accountable.

To file a claim against a government entity in Wheaton, IL, you must file a written notice or a lawsuit with the Attorney General and the Clerk of the Court of Claims within one year after you sustained your injury. If you file a notice first, the lawsuit needs to be brought within two years of the date of the accident. If you or a family member has been harmed because of a public truck driver or entity's negligence, do not wait. Call a Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer in Wheaton, IL now so we can get working on your case without delay.

Bringing a claim against a public entity in Wheaton, IL is complex, but your trucking accidents lawyer at Burger Law knows how to apply the law to your case and get great results in even the hardest cases. Call our trucking accidents lawyer team now at (314) 500-HURT.

How to Choose Trucking Accidents Lawyer in Wheaton, IL

You need a trucking accidents lawyer you can trust; an attorney who is dedicated to your claim and takes it personally. You only have one shot to get full compensation, so hiring the best trucking accidents lawyer in Wheaton, IL is vital. Below are a few of the aspects you should consider when searching for attorneys:

• Look for Referrals and Recommendations. The majority of trucking accidents lawyer teams will say that they are talented, that they know how to beat insurance companies and that they care about their Wheaton, IL clients. No one knows a lawyer better than the people they have stood up for in the past. Burger Law is the most- and highest-reviewed trucking accidents lawyer team in the region. You can see some of the great results we have gotten for our clients in their video testimonials.
• Make a List of What Matters to You. It is a good idea to have a checklist for any prospective Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer. Some things you may want to examine are:
  • Their experience with your specific category of injury claim
  • If they have a proven track record of securing great results
  • Their qualifications, awards and accolades
  • If they will consistently communicate with you throughout your case
  • If they are willing to fight on your behalf and take your case to trial if they have to
• Consider the Size of the Firm. A trucking accidents lawyer team at a large firm may seem like the preferable option because of their resources and ability to scare Wheaton, IL insurance companies. That is not necessarily true, and your case might be forgotten about at a larger firm. We stand out among Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer teams because we give you the individualized attention of a small firm, but still have the resources and network necessary to secure you great results. Insurance companies are afraid of us because they know that we insist on a full financial recovery for our clients.
• Look at their Experience. While you want a Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer that is devoted and tenacious, you will also want an attorney that has experience taking on complex cases, pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and collecting full compensation for their clients. Burger Law has over 70 years of combined experience — a lot more than a lot of truck accident law firms — holding negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable.
• Meet With Them. Every Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer works under a contingency fee basis. Instead of charging by the hour, we are paid by taking a percentage of your final compensation. Meaning, our preliminary case review and investigation are free, and we require no upfront attorneys fees. There is no risk in calling us to talk over your claim with a Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer.

When you first meet with us, you will see why we have such a high opinion of our Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer team. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT so we can get working on your case right away.

What Damages Can I Receive For My Injuries? | Wheaton, IL Trucking Accidents Lawyer

The money you receive will be based on the seriousness of your injuries, how they have impacted your life, and the talent of your Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer. There are normally two kinds of damages available to people who are injured as a result of somebody else's thoughtless behavior.

• Economic damages, such as:
• Lost wages
• Lost or diminished earning potential
• Medical expenses, such as:
• Emergency room visits
• Surgeries
• Doctors appointments
• Physical therapy
• Medication
• In-home care
• Assistive devices such as wheelchairs or household modifications
• Property damage, such as damage to your car
• Transportation fees
• Noneconomic damages, which 735 ILCS 5/2-1115.2 defines as:
• Pain and suffering
• Disability
• Disfigurement
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of society

The more significant your injuries, the more time you will go without wages, the more medical costs you'll have and the more you will recover in noneconomic damages. Every Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer knows how to get a Wheaton, IL insurance adjuster, judge or jury to understand things from your perspective and see the full consequences your injuries have had on your life. Call Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT to get the best possible financial recovery.

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in Illinois?

In Illinois, the statute of limitations is pretty short at two years for most personal injury claims, according to 735 ILCS 5/. That means you must file a claim within two years of when the truck wreck transpired. However, there are two noteworthy exceptions:

1. If you were under the age of 18 when your injury occured, you have two years to file a claim after your 18th birthday.
2. If you were under a "legal disability" when you sustained your injury, you have two years from the date the injury was "removed."

Delaying could bring hitches to your case. Your trucking accidents lawyer must completely investigate the circumstances surrounding your injury in order to hold careless parties accountable. Furthermore, you need a financial recovery as soon as possible in order to fully heal and be made whole again. You cannot afford to delay. Call a Burger Law Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer at Burger Law straight away at (314) 500-HURT.

Can I Still Collect Compensation in Illinois if I Was Partially At Fault? | Wheaton, IL Trucking Accidents Lawyer

Yes. Your trucking accident lawyer may still be able to help you collect compensation, but the amount will be less. Illinois is a modified contributory fault state, meaning you will be compensated for the percentage of the collisions that you are not at fault for.

Meaning, if a fact-finder determines you should receive $100,000 in compensation, but finds that you share 30 percent of the blame for your injury, you will receive $70,000. It is important to note that 735 ILCS 5/ §2-1116 states that:

The plaintiff shall be barred from recovering damages if the trier of fact finds that the contributory fault on the part of the plaintiff is more than 50 percent of the proximate cause of the injury or damage for which recovery is sought.

That means that if you are more than 50 percent to blame for the accident, you will not be able to received any compensation in Wheaton, IL. Your Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer will know how to prove that you are not responsible for the harm someone else caused.

No one should have to take on the weight of emotional anguish, physical hardships, lost wages and rising medical expenses just because another person broke the rules. At Burger Law, our Wheaton, IL-based trucking accidents lawyer team works tirelessly for the injured and vulnerable throughout Illinois. We have dedicated our careers to ensuring people in bad situations are not preyed on by greedy corporations and lying insurance companies. When you hire a Burger Law trucking accidents lawyer, we start working on your case right away and do not stop until you get every dime that you are owed. You do not need to wait any longer to start on your road to recovery and being made whole again. Call a Burger Law Wheaton, IL trucking accidents lawyer immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.