If you are injured in a car accident because of the actions of another driver, your case for compensation relies on your ability to demonstrate that driver’s negligence. However, compensation usually does not come directly from the driver, but rather from their car insurance provider through their liability coverage. If the driver is uninsured, this is a major obstacle to the success of your claim.

Fortunately, you likely have another option for covering your medical bills and other losses if the at-fault driver lacks insurance. Namely, you can file a claim with your own insurance provider through your uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage is required on all Illinois car insurance policies. However, ensuring that you receive the full compensation you deserve can still be a difficult process.

When Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Apply?

In addition to cases in which the negligent driver has no insurance, uninsured motorist coverage can also provide compensation when the at-fault driver flees the scene of the accident in a hit-and-run and cannot be found or identified. If the at-fault driver has some coverage, but not enough to cover all of your damages, you can instead file a claim through your underinsured motorist coverage. This could be the case if your injuries are severe, or if the other driver is responsible for injuries to several people.

Public transportation, including CTA buses and commuter trains, offers many benefits to Illinois residents, including convenience, reduced costs, and a lower environmental impact. However, choosing to use public transit also means placing your trust in the driver or operator to keep you safe from injury. If an accident happens because of the negligence of the driver or another party, you may be seriously injured. In this case, you should know the steps you will need to take in order to recover fair compensation.

Get Medical Help and Hire an Attorney

As with any personal injury case, there are a couple of things you should be sure to do as soon as possible after the accident. The first is to seek medical attention. This ensures that you have detailed information about the extent of your injuries, both for the sake of getting the treatment you need and for creating a record to support your injury claim. Second, you should reach out to a personal injury attorney. Your lawyer can help you immensely with the following steps and give you a better chance of recovering full compensation for your damages.

Determine Who Is At Fault

If you are injured in an accident as a public transit passenger, someone else is almost always at fault, but it may not be easy to identify exactly who because of all of the different parties that may be involved. Depending on the situation, the negligent party could be the operator of the bus or train, the government organization responsible for the transit system, the driver of another vehicle involved in the collision, or some combination of multiple parties. Thoroughly investigating the accident and speaking to witnesses can help you identify anyone from whom you can recover compensation. You should also know that according to Illinois legal doctrine, public transportation is a common carrier with the highest duty of care to passengers, which means operators can be liable even for injuries caused by third parties and other passengers.

It is an unfortunate reality that many people choose to drive under the influence of alcohol and other drugs, putting themselves and others at risk of serious injury or death. While this problem is more prevalent among drivers of passenger vehicles on their personal time, some commercial truck drivers also operate under the influence while they are on the job. Accidents involving drunk truck drivers can have especially dire consequences, as their large vehicles are capable of causing extensive damage. If you or a loved one was injured by an intoxicated truck driver, it is important to ensure that you are compensated fairly.

Gathering Evidence of a Truck Driver’s Negligence

Truck driver intoxication can happen due to alcohol consumption, the use of illegal drugs, or the abuse of prescription medication. In many cases, it is possible for accident victims to access evidence establishing these various forms of intoxication in order to bolster their claim for compensation. However, it is important to act quickly.

You should call the police immediately after a crash so that they can create an accident report. If law enforcement suspects that the truck driver is intoxicated, they may also ask the driver to submit to a preliminary breath test at the scene of the accident, which can detect the presence of alcohol in their bloodstream. An officer may also arrest a truck driver on DUI charges, after which the driver is required to submit to chemical testing which can detect other controlled substances. An experienced attorney can help you work with law enforcement to access police reports and test results to use as evidence to demonstrate negligence in your personal injury case.

As temperatures are warming up and spring is coming into full bloom, more people are taking their motorcycles out of their garages, out from under their tarps, and out onto the open road. Riding a motorcycle can be a refreshing activity on a brisk spring day in Northern Illinois, but it can also be dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were an estimated 84,000 motorcyclists injured in motor vehicle crashes across the United States in 2019. Car accidents happen all of the time for a variety of reasons, but when accidents happen because of the negligence of another person, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to claim compensation for your injuries.

Common Motorcycle Injuries

Motorcyclists are extremely exposed to the elements when they ride, which is why safety advocates highly recommend wearing safety clothing along with a DOT-approved helmet. Even still, accidents involving a motorcyclist and an actual vehicle typically result in the majority of the injuries being sustained by the motorcyclist. Some of the most common injuries include:

• Head Injuries: In many accidents involving motorcyclists, head or neck injuries are of concern. Riders who wear helmets are much less likely to sustain a head injury, but they are still at risk of suffering from a concussion, which can cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, and potentially even a coma or other loss of consciousness.
• Road Rash: Road rash is a type of skin abrasion that occurs when a person’s skin makes contact with the pavement and is essentially scraped off. Not only is it painful, but it comes in varying degrees, can cause scarring, and has the potential to also cause infection.
• Broken or Crushed Bones: Broken bones can occur simply from the sheer impact of a person making contact with other things at a high rate of speed. It is not uncommon for motorcyclists to walk away from an accident with a broken limb or rib.
• Burns: In some cases, motorcycle accidents can cause burns from hot engines or other machine parts that come into contact with the skin. If this happens, permanent scarring or disfigurement and extreme pain could occur.

Discuss Your Case With Our Lake County Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorney

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you should speak with a Waukegan, IL motorcycle accident injury lawyer as soon as possible. At Salvi & Maher, LLC, we understand how difficult it can be to balance typical living expenses when you are suddenly faced with lost income and extravagant medical bills. Let us help you get the compensation that you deserve for your injuries. Call our office today at 847-662-3303 to discuss your options.

Personal injury law deals with injuries and deaths caused by another party's illegal, reckless, or negligent actions. The party liable for an injury may be an individual, a commercial business, the owner or occupier of the property on which the injury occurred, or even a government entity. Personal injury lawsuits can be an effective way to hold a party accountable for the harm caused by negligence or wrongdoing. It may also serve as a means of financial recovery for the claimant. Personal injury claims are also subject to critical deadlines and rules – many of which are often overlooked.

Key Considerations if You Wish to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Many misunderstandings and myths are surrounding personal injury law. If another party harmed you or a loved one and you are interested in seeking compensation for damages, it is essential to keep the following considerations in mind:

• You only have a certain amount of time to file a lawsuit. Personal injury lawsuits are subject to time restrictions called statutes of limitations. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for wrongful death and personal injury cases is two years. Once two years have passed, you lose your option to sue.
• Key evidence may be lost or destroyed if you do not act quickly. It is also essential to get started on your case as soon as possible because many forms of evidence are time-sensitive. Evidence may be lost – intentionally or unintentionally – soon after an injury or death. Your attorney can send an anti-spoliation letter that prohibits the defendant from destroying or "losing" evidence relevant to your case.
• Most cases are settled before trial. Some people assume that filing a lawsuit is the same thing as going to trial. On the contrary, most personal injury cases are resolved through negotiations before trial. This is why it is important to hire an attorney with solid negotiation skills and a history of getting high-dollar settlements for clients.
• You might be entitled to compensation even if you contributed to the injury. Illinois follows a legal doctrine called "modified comparative negligence." You might be entitled to monetary damages even if you contributed to your injury. For example, if you were speeding when a drunk driver struck you, you may still recoup a significant portion of your losses.
• Most personal injury cases are taken on a contingency fee basis. Many people assume that they cannot afford to retain a quality attorney. Fortunately, most personal injury cases are taken on a contingency fee basis. This means that legal fees are taken from the settlement or award that the claimant receives at the end of the case.

Contact a Lake County Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one were hurt in a car accident, pedestrian accident, or another incident caused by the negligent actions of another party, contact Salvi & Maher, L.L.C. for a free consultation. Our Waukegan personal injury attorneys can help you pursue compensation. Call 847-662-3303 today.