A car accident can severely impact the quality of your life and lead you to financial ruin. We understand it can be a stressful time. Now that your search for a car accident attorney serving Joliet has brought you here, all that’s left to do is place your trust in our compassionate and experienced personal injury attorneys.
This handy guide will help you understand how to navigate the aftermath of motor vehicle accidents to safeguard your rights and recover compensation that helps you get your life back on track. Our legal team is standing by to offer legal representation at no upfront cost.
Types of Cases Our Joliet Car Accident Attorneys Handle
Our Joliet car accident lawyers have decades of experience handling complex cases. We have the expertise and knowledge to get you fair compensation, regardless of how your accident occurred. The types of cases we typically see include:
- Rear-End Accidents – This type of accident happens when the front-end of one car crashes straight into the rear-end of another. The other driver is almost always at fault for such accidents which are usually due to tailgating.
- Commercial Truck Accidents – The sheer size and scale of a commercial truck makes its collision with a car extremely dangerous. Data from the onboard computer and higher insurance limits for commercial trucks helps secure a favorable settlement.
- Intersection Collisions – A driver who ignores traffic signs, drives aggressively or is driving while distracted will often cause a collision, including t-bone accidents, at an intersection. Depending on the impact angle and speed, it may even cause the car to roll over.
- Head-On Collisions – These accidents occur when cars traveling in opposite directions crash straight into each other. They are typically quite dangerous and result in catastrophic injuries due to the angle of impact and the speeds involved.
The Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Joliet
There’s a common pattern of negligence you’ll see in most car accident cases. It’s often drunk drivers or a failure to follow the rules of the road. The facts of every accident may differ, but the common causes almost always include:
- Disregarding Traffic Laws – Aggressive drivers breaking the speed limit, running stop signs, ignoring obligations to yield, and other traffic laws are often responsible for an accident.
- Impaired Driving – People will often exercise poor judgment and drive when they’re either drunk, under the influence of drugs, or simply fatigued. They can’t safely operate the vehicle and cause accidents.
- Faulty Parts or Vehicle – A vehicle or component may have a flaw the driver doesn’t know about and it renders them incapable of avoiding an accident.
- Dangerous Weather – Road conditions are unsafe in dangerous weather conditions such as heavy fog, rain, or snow as visibility becomes extremely low.
What to Do After an Auto Accident in Joliet
Car accidents are overwhelming and stressful. You or others in the car may have suffered injuries. Always call 911 immediately after an accident to get emergency medical treatment. Keep the following steps in mind as you navigate the aftermath of the accident to create a solid foundation for your claim.
- Capture Evidence – Take photos and videos of the accident scene, including the damage to your vehicle and any visible injuries. This will serve as crucial evidence later on.
- Exchange Information – Exchange contact and insurance details with the other driver. If there were eyewitnesses, it can be useful to get their contact information as well.
- File a Police Report – Provide as much detail as you can in the police report as it’s going to be an important piece of evidence when your settlement is being negotiated.
- Don’t Admit Fault – Never say or admit anything that could imply you were at fault for the accident. Never sign anything the other driver or their insurance company provides you without consulting with your accident lawyer first.
Do You Have a Motor Vehicle Accident Case?
The burden of proof is on you to establish the other driver’s negligence caused the accident. Solid evidence is needed to show you were owed a duty of care by the defendant, and their breach of the duty of care led to the accident in which you suffered injuries. They’ll then be liable for your damages.
Establishing this is easier said than done. It requires creating a solid claim backed by irrefutable evidence that can’t be knocked out on a technicality. That’s why it’s so important to have a trusted car accident lawyer in your corner throughout the entire process so you can receive full and fair compensation.
You Have a Limited Time to File a Car Accident Personal Injury Claim in Joliet, IL
There’s a time limit after an accident in which you must file a claim. This is known as the statute of limitations. Under Illinois law, you can file personal injury claims two years from the date of the accident. A claim for property or vehicle damage must be filed within five years of the accident. A wrongful death lawsuit must be filed within two years of the date of death.
These time limits are very strict and if your claim isn’t filed in time, it will likely be dismissed, and you won’t be able to claim any damages. That’s why it’s so important to hire an attorney soon after the accident as it protects your rights to secure maximum compensation.
Legal Liability in Car Accident Cases
Multiple parties may be responsible for your accident and not just the other driver. Your car accident attorney will consider all case facts to identify the different parties that may have liability, meaning you could claim compensation from all of them.
- Personal Injury and Death – At-fault drivers are liable for personal injury and death claims from the victims.
- Employer’s Liability – An employer may also be liable for the accident if it’s caused by one of their employees while on the job.
- Manufacturing Defects – Defects in the vehicle or one of its components open up the manufacturer and the supplier to liability for the accident.
- DRAM Shop Liability – Bars or restaurants may be liable for the crash if they continued to serve alcohol to an intoxicated person who later caused an accident.
Proving Fault for Car Crashes in Joliet, IL
Since Illinois is an at-fault state, the at-fault driver has to compensate you for any damages, so you’ll be filing a claim with their insurance company. Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence framework whereby a percentage of fault is assigned to all parties in an accident. You can’t claim compensation if you’re determined to be at least 51% at fault for the accident.
Even if you’re less than 50% liable for the accident, the value of your settlement would be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. For example, if the court finds you 20% liable for the accident, your settlement will be reduced by 20%.
Financial Compensation We Can Secure for Car Accident Victims
There’s no fixed amount paid to every car accident victim in Joliet that wins compensation. How much you receive in damages depends on various factors unique to your case, such as insurance policy limits, percentage of fault assigned, number of defendants liable, and other factors.
As leading personal injury attorneys, we have over two decades of winning major settlements for our clients and we’ll put that experience to use for you. Some of the settlements we’ve won in motor vehicle accidents include:
- $18.5 million for a head-on semi-truck crash resulting in permanent injuries
- $14.1 million in a death lawsuit for a deceased motorcyclist
- $7 million for a pedestrian struck by a company car
Factors Affecting Car Accident Settlement Amounts
Since the circumstances behind every car accident case are unique, they directly influence the settlement amounts in more ways than one. These may include:
- Extent of Injuries: The more serious your injuries, the higher your settlement will likely be.
- Amount of Losses: Higher losses, including both economic and non-economic losses, will potentially receive higher settlements.
- Insurance Limits: If the defendant only has the minimum insurance coverage required by law and your damages exceed it, a full recovery might become difficult.
- Evidence and Witnesses: Solid evidence backed by witness statements will enable your lawyer to negotiate from a position of strength and obtain maximum compensation.
The Most Common Car Accident Injuries
Car accident injuries can be very serious and often lead to lifelong disability. Depending on the type of crash, victims can suffer the following injuries in car accidents:
- Spinal Cord Injuries – Trauma to the spinal cord leads to nerve damage leaving the victim paralyzed and unable to move their limbs.
- Fractures – Bones in various parts of the body are commonly fractured in accidents, and depending on how serious the injuries are, they may never heal fully and cause ongoing physical pain.
- Internal Bleeding – This is caused by trauma to parts of the body in an auto accident and may go unnoticed initially, possibly leading to organ failure.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries – Severe whiplash or forceful trauma to the head can cause serious injuries to the brain.
Damages Our Joliet Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You Recover
Our lawyers can help you recover economic, non-economic, punitive, and death damages. Precisely what can be claimed depends on who’s filing the claim. Economic damages for the victim include past and future medical expenses, lost income, additional medical bills, lost wages, future medical care, physical therapy, vehicle repair and replacement.
Non-economic damages can be recovered in personal injury cases including pain and suffering, emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of earning potential. Family members can claim funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and financial support in a wrongful death lawsuit.
The Statistics of Joliet and Will County Car Accidents
The most recent data available from the Illinois Department of Transportation highlights important statistics regarding Joliet and Will Country car accidents. [1] The following stats are particularly noteworthy:
- Joliet saw 798 rear-end collisions in 2022 with 247 total injuries
- The most number of car accidents in Joliet took place on a Friday
- In 56 drunk driving accidents, 13 people were injured and 2 killed
- Defective vehicle brakes caused 29 crashes
- There were 4,205 rear-end collisions in Will County with 1,171 injuries and 10 deaths
- In Will County, impaired drivers caused 359 accidents with 118 injuries and 13 killed.
- Of the 5,363 accidents involving SUVs in Will County, 7 fatalities and 864 injuries occurred
The Time It Takes to Settle a Car Accident Personal Injury Lawsuit
It usually takes a few months to settle a car accident personal injury lawsuit in Joliet. A settlement can come sooner if the process is straightforward and the insurance company doesn’t unnecessarily complicate matters. It could also take longer than six months if your car accident case is complicated, there are multiple defendants to pursue or if the case goes to trial.
It’s recommended you be proactive in hiring a Joliet car accident lawyer so the recovery process can begin as soon as possible. This ensures your claim is filed in time, all relevant evidence is secured, and thorough negotiations can be done with the insurance company to get you the highest compensation possible.
The Cost of Hiring a Joliet Car Accident Attorney
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we don’t charge you any upfront fees to accept your case. Our automobile accidents attorneys serving Joliet, IL, will fight for you throughout the entire process on a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay anything until you win a settlement through negotiations or a jury verdict.
Our fee will be a percentage of your confirmed settlement offer. We align our incentive with your win and remain committed to securing the maximum compensation for your claim, no matter how much time it takes.
Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit With Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
As your Joliet personal injury lawyer, we follow a results-oriented process to deliver a favorable outcome. When you file a claim through our law firm, here’s what happens:
- Free Evaluation – You’ll get a detailed free consultation where our lawyers will explain the legal process, how your legal action will proceed and how much you could potentially win.
- Investigation and Evidence – After the initial consultation, we’ll conduct an independent investigation of the accident, gather evidence, and obtain expert opinions to support your claim.
- Negotiations With Insurance Companies – Backed by our decades of experience in personal injury law, we’ll push hard for a fair settlement in negotiations with the insurance company.
- Going To Trial – If there’s no settlement, our law firm will take your personal injury case to trial and rely on our expertise in personal injury law to get a favorable jury verdict.
Contact a Joliet Car Accident Lawyer Today!
Your search for a car accident lawyer serving Joliet ends here. If you or a loved one have been the victim of someone else’s negligence, we’re here to help you bring them to justice and obtain compensation. We’ve won millions in damages for clients and we’re ready to provide the same legal assistance to you.
Schedule a free consultation by giving us a call at (888) 424-5757 and an experienced personal injury attorney will be with you right away. We won’t rest until you get the compensation you deserve.
Resources: [1] Illinois DOT