Chicago Truck Accident Lawyers

Have you been injured in a trucking accident? An experienced Chicago truck accident lawyer from Lane Brown LLC can help you file a case and get the compensation you deserve! Speak to one of our expert truck accident attorneys today for a FREE consultation!

The fear, pain, and catastrophic damage that commercial truck accidents cause are unrivaled by almost any other type of motor vehicle accident. In many cases, these enormous trucks weigh up to forty tons—an impact at any speed with a vehicle that size is bound to cause significant damage.

In Chicago, the trucking industry plays both positive and negative roles. On one hand, commercial trucks supply our city with food, goods, and other vital items. On the other hand, 18-wheelers cause dozens of horrific accidents on the streets and expressways around the city. If you find yourself the victim of one of these terrible accidents, you deserve compensation from the person or company responsible for your pain.

Fortunately, the truck accident lawyers at Lane Brown, LLC have the experience and skills needed to pursue the compensation you’re entitled to. We’ll go to bat for you at every point possible to make sure the trucker, trucking company, and insurers don’t shortchange you.

Determining Fault in Commercial Trucking Crashes

Determining fault in an 18-wheeler crash is a vital but often confusing step in the personal injury claim process. Failing to identify every at-fault party will leave you unable to receive the full and fair compensation you deserve.

This process is, in most cases, more complicated than determining fault in car or motorcycle accidents because so many parties within the trucking industry can be at fault. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common negligent parties in truck accidents:

• Individual Truck Drivers – In most truck accidents, the trucker is going to hold at least some of the blame for what happened. Truckers can be found liable for your damages if they were drunk, drugged, distracted, or drowsy at the time of the crash. Also, if the trucker broke any traffic laws, such as the speed limit, they could be considered negligent.
• Trucking Corporations – Commercial trucking companies are often responsible for the damage their trucks cause. If the trucking company violated any federal or Illinois trucking regulations and that violation led to your crash, you might be able to name the company in your claim for compensation.
• Semi-Truck Service Technicians – Large industrial trucks require regular maintenance. If the trucking company paid a third-party mechanic to service the truck and the mechanic was careless in providing that service, you could pursue compensation from the mechanic.
• Truck Manufacturers – This could include truck manufacturing companies or parts manufacturers. If any part malfunctioned and caused a truck wreck, the manufacturer can be held liable.
• Government Agencies – Chicagoland-area streets aren’t always well-maintained. Unfortunately, deteriorating roads can cause major truck accidents. If you were injured in a crash caused by poor road conditions, you can hold government agencies liable for failing to maintain safe roadways.

If any of the above parties are liable for your crash, you will have to have significant evidence to back up your accusation and demand for compensation. That’s why our trucking accident attorneys have spent decades learning how to gather this evidence and argue against the defenses of culpable parties.

Your 18-wheeler wreck lawyer can help you gather all the necessary evidence, which could include work logs, photos and videos, police reports, witness statements, your medical records, and truck maintenance histories, among other items.

What Happens When You’re Partially Responsible for Your Truck Crash

You might have contributed to your truck accident in a number of ways, but that doesn’t mean you can’t file a claim against the liable party. Illinois follows modified comparative negligence laws, which means you can still pursue compensation for your losses, but your percentage of blame will be deducted from your award.

For example, if you are found to be 10 percent at fault and are awarded $350,000, you should expect to come away with a sum of $315,000 after your 10 percent ($35,000) of the blame has been deducted.

It is important to note, though, that Illinois’ negligence law is modified comparative negligence, so the threshold for your blame is 49 percent. This means that you can only seek compensation if you are 49 percent or less at fault. What’s more, if you are more than half to blame, you could find yourself being brought to court for the damages the other involved parties endured.

Your specialized trucking accident attorney will thoroughly review the details of your case to determine your expected level of blame, if any, and what that would mean for the outcome of your claim.

Accounting for Your Chicago 18-Wheeler Wreck Injuries

Although you should call a truck crash attorney as soon as possible, you must value your health above all else. That means you have to go to a doctor as soon as you can after your crash, even if you don’t think it’s necessary.

Visiting a medical professional helps identify any hidden injuries that could be putting your life in danger and create a paper trail documenting your injuries. When we build your case, that documentation will prove invaluable for increasing your expected compensation.

As a general rule, serious injuries warrant more compensation than minor injuries, but you should account for every injury you’ve suffered to make sure you’re fully compensated. The following are some common serious injuries that truck accident victims report:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal injuries
• Bone breaks and fractures
• Severe burns
• Damage to internal organs
• Amputations
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Injuries of this nature will often require you to take a significant amount of time off work, which can severely impact your ability to support yourself and your family. If you don’t get help pursuing your truck crash claim, you could wind up stuck with a mountain of household expenses that remain unpaid and a pile of other damages that will negatively impact your life. Thankfully, all of these impacts can be built into your total compensation if you work with an experienced trucking accident attorney.

Pursuing Fair Compensation After a Commercial Truck Collision

To maximize the value of your trucking accident claim, you must be able to account for every damage you have suffered as a direct or indirect result of your collision. Your attorney will know how to identify and quantify all of your damages—perhaps even some you wouldn’t have thought you could be compensated for.

The list of losses that you may be able to include in your case is extensive. These damages are often categorized into two areas: economic damages and non-economic damages.

What You Need to Know About Non-Economic Damages

The term “non-economic damages” refers to negative lifestyle and emotional impacts caused by a crash. These are considered non-economic purely because they are difficult to quantify. Some of the most commonly sought-after non-economic damages our clients have endured include the following:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Mental anguish
• Loss of companionship and love
• Loss of household services
• Scarring and disfigurement

Many truck accident injury survivors report that these types of damages are far more influential than financial losses on their lives. With that in mind, your semi-truck crash attorney will do everything in their power to quantify these damages and include them in your final compensation.

The Impact of Economic Damages

Economic damages are more commonly known as financial losses. These will include lost wages, damage to your earning capacity, and any property damage you might have incurred.

The most easily understood economic damage is the cost of medical care. Treatment options in the United States are notoriously expensive, so accident victims must have these costs covered by a settlement if they wish to avoid medical debt. Some common medical expenses include:

• Ambulance fees
• Copays
• Accommodations to your home (shower rails, wheelchair ramps, stair lifts, etc.)
• Medical equipment (hospital beds, wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, etc.)
• Hospital bills
• The costs of prescription medications
• Diagnostic imaging fees
• Rehabilitative services
• Physical therapy
• Transportation costs

You should never be stuck covering the costs you incur due to an injury caused by the negligent actions of another. Your tractor-trailer collision attorney can ensure that each of these economic damages is accounted for when calculating the value of your claim.

When You Could Be Awarded Punitive Damages

Not every truck accident claim entitles the victim to punitive damages. In fact, punitive damages are only awarded in cases where the at-fault party behaved egregiously or intended to cause harm.

Despite the fact that an award of punitive damages will benefit you, the ultimate purpose is to penalize those responsible for causing your injuries. The goal of this is to deter future wrongdoers from making the same mistakes, thus preventing similar accidents from occurring in the future.

The Purpose of Your Big Rig Claim

In addition to the damages we’ve discussed above, family members of individuals who have passed away after suffering catastrophic injuries in a collision with a big rig may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the party responsible for the commercial truck crash.

Although you need and deserve to be awarded compensation for all you’ve been through, there is a deeper purpose in pursuing a civil lawsuit. By holding the defendant accountable for their negligence, you’ll be able to obtain justice for your suffering, which can greatly benefit your peace of mind and ability to move forward with your life following the accident.

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Speak to One of Our Chicago Truck Accident Attorneys Today

If you’re like most truck accident victims, you’re facing significant physical pain, financial stress, and emotional trauma after your crash. When you’re dealing with all that, there’s no room to add the many difficulties that come with filing a claim for compensation by yourself.

So, team up with an experienced Chicago truck accident lawyer from Lane Brown, LLC. We’ve helped countless accident victims and are ready to fight for every penny you deserve while making the process as smooth as possible. Give us a call at 312-332-1400 or fill out the form below to schedule a free consultation.