Motor vehicle accidents can result in physical injuries, such as whiplash, or psychological injury, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Car accident injuries can also be both physical and psychological.
- Small and Quaint, but Car Accidents Still Happen in Springfield, IL
- Dangerous Springfield, IL Intersections Where Car Accidents Happen
- Common Causes of Springfield, IL Car Accidents
- Springfield, IL, Car Accident Lawyers Protecting Your Rights
- Distracted Driving Accident Cause
- A Springfield, IL, Car Accident with an Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist
- New Illinois Traffic Laws
- Benefits of Legal Representation from an Experience Springfield Car Accident Lawyer
- Hiring a Springfield, IL, Car Accident Attorney to Help with Injuries
Many car accident victims do not realize the full extent of their injuries until weeks or even months after the accident because injuries often do not manifest themselves until the body has had time to heal.
Experienced Springfield car accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC represent injury victims with severe injury and families with wrongful death matters. Our law office handles Springfield, IL, car accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we only charge a fee when there is a recovery for you.
Contact our car accident lawyers at (888) 424-5757 for a free consultation to discuss initiating a legal claim. Our legal team can handle the entire legal process, speak to the insurance company, and review your medical expenses. Any family member could file a compensation claim if your loved one was the wrongful death victim.
Small and Quaint, but Car Accidents Still Happen in Springfield, IL
Even though Springfield, Illinois, is a small, quiet community, Capitol City still has a high incident rate of auto accidents with injuries and fatalities. In 2019, eleven individuals died in fatal car accidents within the city limits.
Four car accident victims died due to driving under the influence (DUI), and two died from distracted driving. This number of deaths was slightly lower than the previous year when twelve individuals were killed in fatal accidents – seven involving drunk driving.
Driving distracted is one of the leading causes of auto accidents in Illinois. A distraction while driving includes any activity that diverts the driver’s attention away from safely operating the vehicle.
Many inattentive motorists perform activities like talking on a mobile phone, texting, drinking, eating or using navigational system technology. The distraction can occur if the driver takes their eyes off the road, takes their hands off the wheel, or redirects their thinking away from driving.
Dangerous Springfield, IL Intersections Where Car Accidents Happen
Because of the high number of filed accident claims and lawsuits in Sangamon County, Springfield car accident attorneys know that the city’s busiest intersections are hazardous.
A crash data study on accident-related deaths between 2018 and 2021 shows that the Sangamon Avenue and Dirksen Parkway junction has been the city’s most dangerous intersection. Other crossroads in the community with similar notoriety include:
- Washington at Veterans
- Wabash at Veterans
- Peoria Road and Dirksen
- Sixth and Hazel Dell
Common Causes of Springfield, IL Car Accidents
When you are involved in a car accident, the experience can be harrowing. Aside from the shock of the impact, you may be injured and not know where to turn for help.
Your situation may become even more complex when the crash results from another driver’s negligence. The following are some of the most common causes of car accidents in Springfield and throughout Illinois:
- Driving under the influence (DUI): The law allows drinkers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% to operate a motor vehicle. A BAC higher than that indicates the motorist is driving drunk, which could lead to an arrest, fines, license suspension, and even a prison sentence.
- Distracted driving: Operating a vehicle using any technology or device can divert the driver’s attention away from the road resulting in an accident.
- Speeding: Drivers who exceed posted speed limits are more likely to be involved in car accidents.
- Reckless driving: Driving at a high rate of speed, running stop signs or red lights, and weaving in and out of traffic are all forms of reckless driving that can result in serious car accidents.
- Adverse weather conditions: Wet roads, snow, fog, and other adverse weather conditions can contribute to car accident incidents.
- Failure to obey: Failure to yield the right of way, make safe turns, or use a signal can result in a severe car accident.
- Hazardous roads and construction zones: The numerous distractions in congested traffic could lead to an auto accident. Unsafe road conditions, inadequate signage, and construction zones are common causes of Springfield, IL, car crashes.
Springfield, IL, Car Accident Lawyers Protecting Your Rights
Are you the victim of a Springfield car accident? If so, your first priority should be to get the medical attention you need. After that, it is vital to protect your legal rights by consulting with an experienced Springfield, IL, car accident attorney who can help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Compassionate and knowledgeable personal injury attorneys can review the evidence, collect witness statements and accident reports, assess any financial losses incurred following the crash, and help negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.
A qualified car accident lawyer can ultimately provide the best legal guidance to hold the negligent party responsible for their actions to obtain adequate compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other damages.
Distracted Driving Accident Cause
Each distraction has the potential to endanger the lives of the driver, passengers, and bystanders. Some forms of distracted driving leading to a Springfield, IL, car accident include:
- Texting or using a smartphone: The time the driver’s eyes are off the road reading texts or pushing buttons on a smartphone can result in catastrophic car accidents.
- Reading inside the vehicle, including maps and email: Reading or any other activity that requires diverting the eyes off the roadway increases the chances of crashing.
- Eating and drinking: Consuming food or beverages while driving takes a driver’s attention away from the road, increasing their risk of being involved in an auto accident.
- Adjusting vehicle controls: Adjusting the air conditioner or radio requires taking one’s hands off the steering wheel and diverting the eyes away from the roadway.
- Applying makeup: Cosmetic activities, such as applying makeup or brushing one’s hair, can be hazardous while driving, leading to an auto accident.
- Reaching for objects inside the vehicle: When motorists reach for items, such as a purse or wallet that has fallen to the floor of the car, they are taking their attention away from the road.
- Talking to passengers: Conversations with others in the vehicle can divert a driver’s focus from the roadway, making them more likely to cause a car crash.
- Watching videos on a smartphone or other device while driving can be very dangerous, as the driver will not pay attention to the road.
- Following directions on a navigation system while looking at the screen: Refrain from looking at the screen while driving, as this increases the potential for crashing.
Remember that any form of distraction has the potential to cause a motor vehicle accident. It is essential to drive safely and remain alert at all times. Each driver should focus on the roadway and avoid engaging in activities that can take attention away from the road.
In addition to remaining alert, drivers should obey all traffic laws and pay attention to their speedometers. It is crucial to drive defensively and be aware of one’s surroundings. By doing so, motorists can help prevent life-threatening driving accidents on the roadway.
If you or someone you care about has been injured in a Springfield car crash, contact an experienced car accident attorney immediately to ensure that the responsible party’s insurance company fully compensates you for any medical expenses, lost wages, or pain and suffering related to the incident.
An experienced Springfield car accident lawyer can also help you navigate legal proceedings to protect your rights and ensure justice is served.
A Springfield, IL, Car Accident with an Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist
Accidents involving uninsured drivers are typically resolved through the victim’s insurance policy, avoiding filing a civil lawsuit in the civil court system to obtain a fair settlement.
Legal assistance is usually required if the accident happened while the uninsured driver was in the course of employment, there is a need for ongoing medical treatment/therapy, or if the accident resulted in a life-threatening injury.
In such situations, an experienced attorney specializing in personal injury law can help victims protect their rights and ensure they receive a fair settlement from the negligent party.
New Illinois Traffic Laws
New Illinois laws, enacted on January 1, 2014, prohibit motorists from driving any vehicle while using hand-held smartphones, cell phones, and other similar electronic communication devices. The current laws prohibit all drivers from sending, receiving, or reading text messages or emails.
Laws prohibit motorists under the age of nineteen from using their wireless phones while operating any vehicle, whether it is hands-free. Additionally, mobile phones cannot be used in regulated school speed zones, road maintenance zones, or roadway construction sites.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, cell phone use is only allowed during emergencies when a vehicle is stranded on the road or stopped because of obstructed traffic. However, the vehicle must be stopped entirely with the transmission set in the park or neutral position.
Restricted Cell Phone Use to Avoid a Car Accident
Many drivers who ignore driver distraction laws often get away with their decisions without consequences. Driving distracted has become integral to everyday living, where bad motorists drive for years without involvement in a car accident.
Some motorists believe their distracted driving or lack of awareness behind the wheel is not dangerous and think a car accident will never happen to them. Unfortunately, statistics prove otherwise.
When innocent motorists, passengers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are injured due to another’s negligence, carelessness, or recklessness, serious injuries occur.
Speak with a Springfield, IL, Car Accident Attorney
Were you harmed in a car accident? If so, you are entitled to receive financial compensation for your losses. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you obtain the compensation you deserve. Contact an attorney who specializes in helping victims of distracted driving accidents today.
Don’t be a statistic! Stay focused, stay alert, and take responsibility for your actions while behind the wheel. The life you save may be your own or someone else’s. Drive safely and responsibly to ensure a safe commute for all.
Benefits of Legal Representation from an Experience Springfield Car Accident Lawyer
Have you suffered severe injuries caused by distracted driving? If so, you are likely entitled to receive financial recovery for your damages, loss, and injuries.
However, filing and proving a personal injury claim for monetary compensation can be complicated. Because of that, it is essential to hire a reputable Springfield car accident lawyer to handle your case.
A personal injury law firm can handle every aspect of a car accident case. A competent car accident lawyer will:
- Investigate the crash
- Reconstruct the accident scene
- Gather eyewitness testimony
- Depose every party at fault
- Negotiate an out-of-court settlement
- Win a jury award if settlement negotiations fail
Hiring a Springfield, IL, Car Accident Attorney to Help with Injuries
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC provides a free case evaluation for determining the merits of your personal injury case. Using our extensive experience, our Springfield car accident lawyers work tirelessly as your legal advocate to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Our law firm accepts car accident cases on contingency. You’ll pay your accident lawyer for our legal services after your Springfield car accident case has been resolved.
Contact an experienced Springfield car accident lawyer at (888) 424-5757 or use the contact form to schedule your free initial consultation. We will assess your Central Illinois car accident claim and provide various legal options to protect your rights while seeking compensation from every party responsible for your accident to pay your medical bills.
To ensure proper legal representation, your car accident attorney will ensure your car accident lawyer files all necessary paperwork before the state of Illinois statute of limitations. Our law firm can quickly resolve your car crash case with our years of experience and personal connection.
