Negligent drivers cause millions of motor vehicle accidents in the United States yearly. The recovery process to make injured victims whole again are often long and tedious, where proving damages might require taking the at-fault party to court to ensure fair compensation.
- A Dense Population Exposed to Dangers from Elgin Auto Accidents
- Other Dangerous Elgin Area Roads and Intersections
- Proving Liability in Car Accident Cases
- Common Insurance Settlement Tactics Used to Minimize Injury Payouts
- The Benefits of Using a Car Accident Attorney
- Why Experienced Car Accident Representation Can Ensure a Successfully Resolved Injury Case
- Taking Legal Action After Car Accidents Involving Personal Injury in Elgin
- Hiring Experienced Car Accident Lawyers to Resolve a Compensation Case
Were you injured in an auto accident, or did you lose a loved one in a wrongful death caused by another’s negligence? The personal injury lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.
Contact our Elgin car accident attorneys at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone call) today for a free consultation. We will provide your family with all available legal options to serve the best interests of your car accident claim.
Our attorneys will review your medical records, the accident police report, and witness statements and gather evidence to ensure maximum compensation to recover your medical bills and other expenses from your severe injury and property damage.
A Dense Population Exposed to Dangers from Elgin Auto Accidents
Even though the Chicago suburb of Elgin is located in the most western portion of the metropolitan area, its highly dense population of more than 110,000 residents ranks in the community as Illinois’ eighth-largest city. Historically, Elgin, Illinois, has grown at fourteen percent or more every decade since the 1980s.
The expanding population has increased the concentration of local traffic, making the roadways more congested and far less safe than in years past.
As a result, many automobile accidents with bodily harm and fatalities occur within the city limits and surrounding communities every year, affecting many of its residents, visitors, and travelers passing through on major highways, including the Illinois Jane Adams Memorial Tollway (Interstate 90).
Accident-Related Police Report
According to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), there were 2,951 motor vehicle accidents in Elgin in 2020. The agency reports 1,247 car accident victims and 17 people died from their injuries.
A closer look at the data suggests 163 people received severe injuries categorized as ‘type A,’ where they require extensive medical attention for injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, spinal cord damage, or paralysis.
IDOT does not track the cause of each Elgin, Illinois, car crash. Still, they recognize factors such as drunk driving, excessive speed, distracted driving, road rage, and driver fatigue playing a role in many of these severe car accidents.
Other Dangerous Elgin Area Roads and Intersections
Shales Parkway and Lake Street intersection is hazardous and has been the site of numerous car accidents involving fatalities.
However, the intersection of Big Timber and Route 20 is particularly hazardous to cross, especially for teenagers driving to school.
Route 20 has a posted 55-mile-per-hour speed limit with tight turns in the roadway approaching the junction. The roads become especially precarious during winter when the street surface is covered in snow and ice.
Residents living and driving around Illinois Route 58 and Shady Oaks Drive on Elgin’s far east side have long noted the crossroad as a dangerous intersection.
Many citizens believe that installing a traffic light on the corner could vastly improve the safety of drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and bystanders. Traffic engineers estimate that more than 12,000 vehicles pass through the intersection daily.
Many car accidents occur at that location each year due to adverse weather, reckless driving, and drunk driving.
Proving Liability in Car Accident Cases
All motorists must ensure a safe environment for everyone sharing the roadway to avoid causing vehicle accidents and personal injury to others that damage their property.
To establish who was responsible for causing the car crash, the injured party must prove that the other driver:
- Owed the car accident survivor a duty of care
- The motorist breached their duty
- That breach caused the victim’s injuries and damages
- The victim’s injuries and damages are actual and provable in court
The accident report will often provide sufficient information to help determine which parties are at fault for causing the crash. A personal injury lawyer working on behalf of the injured party can evaluate the report and other evidence through consultation to ensure they receive the financial compensation they deserve when resolving the case.
The lawyer will look for evidentiary information from various sources, including the accident scene and eyewitnesses who saw what happened. The lawyer will review all evidence, including:
- Contact information, including name, address, phone number, and email address of all drivers and witnesses
- The license plate number, driver’s license number, and insurance information of all drivers involved in the crash
- Photographic evidence of the damage to vehicles and property
- Captured images of the accident scene in the surrounding area
- Surveillance cameras from adjacent buildings and intersections
Nearly all automobile accidents result in property damage that requires extensive repairs and the need for a car rental to use until the vehicle has been restored or replaced. The injured parties will need compensation for their injuries to resolve their case.
Surviving family members losing loved ones in fatal accidents can file wrongful death lawsuits in civil court against negligent motorists to obtain compensation, including:
Economic Damages:
- The decedent’s future lost wages, loss of life
- Hospital costs and medical treatment bills
- Funeral bills and burial expenses
- The survivors’ loss of benefits
Non-Economic Damages:
- The decedent’s pain and suffering before dying
- The survivors’ pain, suffering, emotional trauma, and grief
The injured party’s lawyer will negotiate a settlement offer with the claims adjuster or insurance carrier before going to court. If the claims adjuster fails to make a good faith offer, the attorney will file a lawsuit in civil court and take the case to trial.
Contact us for a free consultation.
Common Insurance Settlement Tactics Used to Minimize Injury Payouts
Settling an Elgin, Illinois, car accident claim without legal assistance can be frustrating and challenging, especially if drivers and passengers suffer serious injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one. Insurance companies use tactics to delay car accident cases or deny legitimate claims.
The at-fault party’s claims adjusters are paid to save the insurance company money, usually by taking advantage of the injured victim who does not have legal representation from an experienced car accident lawyer. In many incidents, the claims adjuster will use various tactics to avoid paying the auto accident victim financial compensation to cover their costly medical expenses.
Car Accident Victims
Often, the insurance company will undercompensate auto accident drivers or passengers working on their claims unassisted, leaving them with unpaid medical bills and no funds to pay for hospitalization, future treatment, property damage, missed earnings, pain, and suffering. Sometimes, the survivor is left paying for their car wreck repair for weeks or months after the accident.
Our personal injury attorneys represent people seriously injured in Elgin car accidents to negotiate a settlement with the insurer that offers fair value for our client’s case. However, the decision to settle a personal injury accident case ultimately remains with the injured party.
Our Elgin car accident attorneys remain ready and can file a lawsuit for our client’s injuries if your car accident lawyer cannot get a fair settlement offer from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
The Benefits of Using a Car Accident Attorney
Were you injured in an Elgin, IL, motor vehicle accident? The incident has most likely significantly disrupted your daily life at the expense of your health and well-being.
Ensuring the auto accident does not cost any more of your precious time and hard-earned money is essential. Hiring an Elgin car accident attorney can be the best way to move forward to get your life back on track.
Because of the severe auto accident, you likely need to hire the most skilled legal representation in your community. A reputable Elgin law firm specializing in personal injury cases will understand how to play hardball with Elgin car accident attorneys, insurance companies, and claims adjusters to ensure you receive maximum monetary compensation.
An experienced Illinois car accident lawyer working on your behalf can ensure you receive financial, physical, and emotional recovery through an out-of-court settlement or a jury award after a successful trial.
Why Experienced Car Accident Representation Can Ensure a Successfully Resolved Injury Case
Our team of reputable Elgin car accident lawyers will review the evidence of your car accident case and discuss specifics with you on how a claim or lawsuit can provide you with the financial compensation you deserve.
Your car accident attorney can determine what parties are at fault for your damages, injuries, and losses through a legal assessment. You are required by Illinois tort law to prove how negligence or intention of another caused your damages.
Typical parties at fault or responsible for the car or truck accident often include:
- A truck driver or other motorist drove negligently, distracted, or drunk
- An automobile manufacturer or supplier sold a vehicle with defective parts
- Automobile repair companies worked on the vehicle improperly
- Government agencies and roadway maintenance crews in charge failed to maintain safe streets
Taking Legal Action After Car Accidents Involving Personal Injury in Elgin
Many individuals directly contact insurance companies after being involved in auto accidents. However, data shows that it is best to seek legal representation first.
Retaining auto accident attorneys provides peace of mind and gives you time to focus on healing from your physical and emotional injuries and financial damage. A seasoned car accident law firm will handle every administrative requirement in filing and resolving a compensation claim.
Hiring Experienced Car Accident Lawyers to Resolve a Compensation Case
The Chicago, IL, car accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC offer no-obligation, confidential case reviews to discuss the merits of your case.
Our trusted Elgin car accident lawyers have years of experience handling severe vehicle accidents throughout the United States and in Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Lake County, and Will County.
Call a Chicago, IL, personal injury attorney today at (888) 424-5757 or use the contact form to schedule a free consultation. Let us discuss what compensation you might receive for your case.
Our years of perseverance, skill, and dedication to succeed can financially benefit you when handling your case.
Contingency Fee Agreement
Our Elgin car accident attorneys accept cases like yours on a contingency fee basis and will file all the necessary documents before the statute of limitations expires. This arrangement ensures that you only pay for our legal services after we recover your financial compensation.
Our Chicago, IL, law firm represents clients in various practice areas, including auto collisions, truck crash injuries, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, premises liability, defective medications, product liability, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death.
