Thousands of truck accidents happen in Illinois every year. In 2020 alone, there were 11,741 tractor-trailer collisions, 1,814 causing injuries and 100 proving fatal.
A collision with a semi-truck can be devastating for everyone involved. Truck accidents often cause severe injuries, massive property damage, immense trauma, and even disability and death. For some victims, a truck accident can change their whole lives.
Did you or a loved one get into a truck accident in Aurora, IL? Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC can help you hold the driver or truck company at fault responsible for their actions. Our experienced attorneys offer expert legal assistance to truck accident victims and help them recover the compensation they deserve.
Contact our Aurora truck accident lawyers at (888) 424-5757 for a free consultation.
Illinois Truck Accident Statistics
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), there were 9,296 auto accidents involving tractor-trailers in the state. Among these accidents were:
- 105 fatal accidents
- 1,636 injury crashes
- 237 A-injury (incapacitating) crashes
Most of these accidents occurred on interstate roadways in urban and rural areas. A higher percentage of deceased and injured victims consisted of other vehicle occupants than truck occupants.
Common Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents
Understanding the causes of semi-truck accidents can help prevent such a thing from happening to you or your family. Moreover, it can help determine if your crash was caused by someone else. The most common causes of truck accidents include:
- Speeding: Driving above the speed limit can reduce a driver’s reaction time and the truck’s ability to make a complete stop before colliding with other vehicles.
- Distracted Driving: Texting, eating, handling navigation controls, or talking on the phone while driving limits a driver’s awareness of the road, increasing the risk of an accident.
- Fatigue: Truck drivers often work more than eight hours a day. Driving while extremely tired or sleepy decreases a driver’s concentration, awareness, and ability to react to dangerous situations on time.
- Intoxication: Driving while intoxicated with alcohol or illicit drugs reduces a driver’s mental capacity, which could lead to a severe accident.
- Road Hazards: Inclement weather, potholes, faulty stoplights, and other environmental hazards increase the risk of a truck driver losing control of the vehicle or colliding with another car.
- Mechanical Failure: Tire blowouts, faulty brakes, malfunctioning lights, and similar issues are usually caused by poor maintenance. These failures can easily lead to a crash regardless of the driver’s driving behavior.
Common Injuries in Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can leave victims with significant injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Whiplash
- Fractures
- Spinal cord trauma
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Road rash
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Amputation
- Coma
- Death
What to Do if You Get in a Car Accident in Aurora, IL
Your actions following a truck crash can significantly affect the success of your claim. Our lawyers advise taking the following steps if you find yourself in this situation:
- Pull Off The Road. Staying in the middle of the road can lead to further collisions with other vehicles, especially on a major highway. Get out of the car and wait by the side of the road.
- Check For Injuries. Check yourself and your passengers for any injuries.
- Call 911. Emergency responders will arrive to attend to anyone hurt. The police will also be on the scene to manage the situation and create a police report.
- Document The Scene. Unless you need to go to the hospital immediately, take pictures and videos of the accident scene. Pay attention to details, such as tire marks or faulty traffic lights. Write down the information of the truck operator, including their name, address, contact number, employer, and insurance policy number.
- Seek Medical Attention. Have a medical professional evaluate you to diagnose potential injuries and seek treatment if necessary. Doing so will also create a medical record you can use to prove your injuries in your claim.
- Contact an Aurora Truck Accident Lawyer. We advise against handling a semi-truck accident case without legal help. Call a truck accident lawyer in the Aurora area as soon as possible to learn about your legal options.
How to Seek Compensation For a Semi-Truck Accident in Aurora, IL
Truck and car accidents usually leave victims with medical bills, car repair bills, and other financial losses. If someone else’s negligence caused the accident, you could file a personal injury claim to pursue damages.
You have the right to file a claim if:
- The defendant owed a duty of care to you.
- The defendant breached this duty of care.
- The breach caused your accident.
- The accident injured you and caused other losses.
Who is Liable?
A semi-truck accident claim may have multiple liable parties, including:
The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The truck’s cargo loader
- The manufacturer of faulty truck parts
- The local government
- Other drivers
Your Aurora truck accident lawyer will help you determine who should be held responsible for your accident during the investigation phase of the legal process.
Useful Evidence
Your Aurora truck accident lawyer will help you collect concrete forms of evidence for your case, such as:
- Black box data (information on how the driver was driving at the time of the accident)
- Medical bills and hospital records
- Police reports
- Employer records
- Documentation of the accident scene
- Photos of your injuries
- Witness accounts
- Vehicle maintenance records
- Surveillance footage
Dealing With the Insurance Company
Filing a claim with the defendant’s insurance provider does not guarantee that you will receive fair compensation without legal help. Insurance companies try to pay as little as possible to claimants, even if they have valid claims. Sometimes, insurers will use multiple tactics to try and get plaintiffs to accept low offers or, in some cases, refuse to pay at all.
Do not accept the initial offer from the defendant’s insurance company, as it will likely be worth less than what you deserve. Have your Aurora truck accident lawyer negotiate with the adjuster for a fair settlement.
Filing a Lawsuit
Many truck accident cases end in out-of-court settlements. However, if the insurer refuses to make a fair offer or negotiations have stalled, your Aurora truck accident lawyer can file a lawsuit on your behalf. Your case will go to civil court, where a judge or jury will hear evidence from both sides and determine if you should receive compensation (and how much).
Claimable Damages
Our semi-truck accident lawyers will help you recover damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- Disability
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Loss of quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Property damage
- Wrongful death
- Punitive damages
Your personal injury lawyer will calculate the monetary value of these damages so you know how much to pursue as compensation.
How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
Having good legal representation is vital for any auto accident case. Our local Aurora attorneys will:
- Investigate how and why the accident happened
- Identify the negligent party and establish their fault
- Consult with medical professionals and accident experts
- Determine the extent of your damages
- Collect evidence to support your legal claim
- File a claim on your behalf
- Negotiate settlement values
- File a civil lawsuit, if necessary
Take Legal Action for Your Truck Accident Case in Aurora, IL
Large trucks are hazardous, especially when their drivers or owners are negligent. If you or a loved one were hurt in a truck crash in Aurora, IL, you have the right to pursue compensation against the responsible party.
The auto accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC are the best people to handle your personal injury case. Our experienced team will stop at nothing until you receive the compensation you and your loved ones deserve for medical expenses, lost wages, trauma, and other damages.
Contact our law firm in Aurora, IL, at (888) 424-5757 or use the contact form for a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with your Aurora truck accident lawyer will remain private under an attorney-client relationship.
Our attorneys handle all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, serving Aurora and the rest of Illinois. This agreement ensures you don’t have to pay our legal fees unless we win your case.
Resources:
- IDOT – 2020 Illinois Accidents Data
- AARP – What to Do After a Vehicle Crash
