Peoria Car Accident Lawyer

Auto accidents are incredibly dangerous. If you get injured in a wreck and someone else’s negligence was the cause, then you may have grounds for a personal injury claim to recover damages. 

Whether the accident was caused by distracted driving, poor road conditions, or a faulty car part, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help you navigate the legal process to win compensation for your injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one. 

Types of Cases That Our Peoria Car Accident Attorneys Handle

Motor vehicle accidents happen in many different circumstances. Some collisions are more dangerous than others and result in more severe injuries or even death. 

Types of Illinois car accidents our law firm has handled in the past include rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, hit-and-runs, sideswipes, fender benders, left-turn accidents, T-bone collisions, rollover accidents, and multiple-vehicle collisions. 

The Most Common Causes of Auto Accidents in Peoria, IL

Car wrecks in Peoria, IL happen every year. In 2022 alone, 2,822 car crashes occurred resulting in 10 deaths and 806 injured victims [1]. These car accidents may have occurred for several reasons, including:

• Distracted driving
• Drunk driving
• Driver fatigue
• Failing to follow traffic laws
• Ignoring traffic signals or signs
• Failing to check blind spots
• Faulty vehicle parts
• Not yielding when required
• Reckless driving
• Adverse weather
• Poor road conditions

Legal Liability in Car Accident Cases

To win your car accident claim, you must be able to demonstrate another party was liable for the collision. Liability is the key to any personal injury lawsuit, so it is important to determine who is liable in the first place. Your Peoria personal injury attorneys can help you build a case against the liable party in your case, which may include:

• Other negligent drivers who caused the collision
• A parts manufacturer responsible for the vehicle malfunctioning and crashing
• A government agency for failing to maintain safe roadways
• A pedestrian for crossing outside of a crosswalk, forcing you to veer
• A property owner for failing to keep up with driveway or parking lot maintenance
• A shipping or trucking company that employs the at-fault driver

Proving Fault for Peoria Car Crashes

To recover compensation for damages suffered from your auto accident, you must be able to prove fault. This will require enough evidence to prove the other party was mostly responsible for the incident. Illinois is a comparative fault state, which means a victim must be less than 50% responsible for the accident to pursue damages. The percentage of fault will also impact how much compensation you receive. For example, if you are found to be 30% responsible for the serious injuries you suffered, then your settlement is likely to be reduced by a similar percentage. 

What to Do After a Motor Vehicle Accident in Peoria

Taking the right steps after a car accident in Peoria, IL is imperative to protect yourself and your financial future. If you fail to follow this process closely, you risk undermining your personal injury claim as well as putting your long-term health at risk.

• Call emergency services – The first step is to seek medical attention immediately after the collision and get the police on the accident scene. This will ensure your health is prioritized and that a formal report can be made by the local authorities about the collision. 
• Exchange information – Next, you should exchange information with all other parties involved in the car accident. This includes license information and insurance company cards. 
• Gather evidence – As much as you can, gather evidence from the scene to support a possible accident claim. Evidence can include pictures of the aftermath, eyewitness accounts, police reports, medical records, and any other relevant data.
• Schedule a medical check-up – It is possible you have less obvious injuries from the collision, so scheduling an exam for quality medical care with your doctor is always a good idea. Plus, the doctor’s findings and report will serve as evidence for your claim. 
• Contact Peoria car accident lawyers – Filing a claim quickly gives you a stronger chance of collecting evidence and winning your case. Contact our law firm to get a free consultation and discuss the merits of your car accident case. 

Do You Have a Car Accident Case?

The burden of proof is always on the claimant in a car accident case. You must establish the defendant was responsible for your injuries and damages suffered. To do this, there are four elements to prove with the evidence you and your car accident attorney gather.

• Duty of care – The defendant had a reasonable level of responsibility to prevent your injury;
• Breach of duty – Their actions or inaction were negligent and they failed to uphold the expected duty of care;
• Causation – The defendant’s behavior directly caused the incident resulting in your injuries;
• Damages – As a result of the car accident, you suffered economic and/or non-economic damages;

The sooner you file your claim, the more likely you can gather compelling evidence and stay within the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in the state of Illinois.

You Have Limited Time to File a Car Accident Claim in Peoria, IL

The moment you get into a car accident, a time limit begins due to the statute of limitations. For most types of injuries, including product liability, car accidents, and even wrongful death, you have two years from the date of the incident to file your claim. 

Extenuating circumstances could delay the starting period, such as the defendant leaving the state or being hard to track down. In some cases, the discovery rule applies, which means the two-year period does not start the day of the accident, but rather the day that injuries were discovered. 

This is why hiring a lawyer as quickly as possible is your best course of action. The sooner you act, the easier it will be to stay within the statute of limitations. It is also easier to build a case and collect evidence if it just happened. Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers immediately after the accident for your free consultation. 

Financial Compensation We Can Secure for Peoria Car Accident Victims

Since all Peoria car accidents are different, there is no go-to average to accurately predict how much money you can get when pursuing compensation. Multiple factors affect this number, so it is difficult to gauge what fair compensation is without a lawyer reviewing your case. Below are a few case examples of settlements our car accident attorneys have won for clients.

• $1 million (insurance company policy limit) for the family of a passenger who died from their injuries after a rear-end collision
• $2.5 million for a passenger who lost their vision after a rollover collision with an underinsured motorist
• $7 million for a pedestrian hit by a company car while the driver was in town for a meeting 

Factors That Affect Car Accident Settlement Amounts

Various elements will impact the type of settlement you can pursue with the help of an experienced lawyer from Rosenfeld. These elements include the total cost of your losses such as medical treatment, the coverage available from the defendant’s insurance company, the amount of evidence, and even the comparative fault percentage. 

The Most Common Car Accident Injuries in Peoria, Illinois

A car accident attorney can help you recover damages from injuries suffered, even if they are somewhat mild. The more severe the injuries, the higher your potential settlement can be with Peoria car accident attorneys working on your case. Common injuries in car accidents include:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Neck injuries
• Lacerations
• Burns
• Broken bones
• Internal bleeding
• Organ damage
• Crush injuries
• Death

Damages That Our Peoria Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You Recover

In the legal system, there are many damages you can include in your pursuit of a settlement for a personal injury claim. Our law office can help you assess these damages to obtain the maximum amount of compensation. 

Economic damages include past medical bills, future medical expenses, property damage like vehicle repairs or replacements, and lost wages. 

Non-economic damages can include disability, emotional trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. 

There are also punitive damages which only come into play to further punish the defendant if their actions were particularly egregious. 

Wrongful death damages can also be assessed by your Peoria wrongful death attorneys after fatal crashes, and these can include funeral costs for the family, loss of companionship, medical expenses, and loss of financial support.

The Statistics of Car Accidents in Peoria

• 5,376 total vehicles were involved in collisions in 2022
• These collisions led to 1,176 injured parties
• 688 were front-to-rear accidents
• 328 involved a parked vehicle
• 222 were sideswipes with cars traveling in the same direction
• 94 injuries were rated as incapacitating
• Fatal car accidents resulted in 10 deaths that year [1]

The Time It Takes to Settle a Car Crash Personal Injury Case

The time it takes for your car accident claim to be resolved will vary based on several factors, but you can expect it to take anywhere from several months to a year. A particularly difficult case could take more than a year, especially if there is a long investigation and negotiation process. 

If the case proceeds to court, this could add months to the timeline. Hiring car accident lawyers as soon as possible is the best strategy to get through the claims process quickly to receive your compensation in time for it to make a difference when facing high medical costs and lost income. 

The Cost of Hiring a Peoria Car Accident Attorney

When you work with Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, there are no upfront costs for legal fees because we work on a contingency fee basis. This means we only get paid if we win your case, and that payment is only deducted from the final settlement. This eases your financial burden after the accident while still giving you a path to recover damages. 

Filing a Car Accident Claim With Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers

Our process has proven to be successful for many of our clients. With the experience of our Peoria car accident attorneys on your side, you will stand a better chance of winning your claim and overcoming financial struggles after your accident. Our process includes:

• Free case evaluation to review your claim
• Case investigation to follow local and federal laws
• Gathering evidence to support your claim
• Consulting with accident experts to strengthen your case
• Negotiating with the insurance company for a fair settlement
• Preparing for trial if needed
• Legal representation in court to defend your rights

Contact a Peoria Car Accident Lawyer Today!

The Peoria car accident lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers are ready to pursue justice on your behalf after an auto accident leads to mounting medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and emotional suffering. 

Our free consultation can help you make the right decision regarding your claim. With a history of recovering millions for our clients, and a contingency fee agreement, your best chance of success is with us on your side.

Give our firm a call at 888-424-5757 or fill out the contact form today. We have helped many car accident victims get through financial hardships and we will do the same for you. 

Resources: [1] IDOT City Crash Facts: Peoria