Many drivers have been in a rush, believing they would make a yellow light in time, only to find they have run a red light.
Unfortunately, reckless driving or running a red light often leads to devastating injuries and even loss of life in the resulting car accident.
Chicago red light running accidents can also lead to astronomical medical costs and property damages.
If you have been involved in a red light accident, contact an attorney at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC at (888) 424-5757 or use the online form to schedule a free consultation.
We can discuss your legal options and compensation regarding your injuries and losses in a red-light accident.
We can negotiate with the insurance companies or other at-fault parties, on your behalf, after your red light accident.
You Need to Act Promptly After Auto Accidents
After a car accident, the clock will start ticking, and accident victims have limited time to file a personal injury claim.
Victims have a statute of limitations of two years under Illinois law from the exact date of the accident to claim any damages resulting from the accident.
Should victims not claim within the first two years after an accident, they forego the right to do so later.
Contact an experienced attorney from our legal team to file a personal injury case for maximum compensation within the allotted time.
Chicago Red Light Car Accident Statistics
Motor vehicle accidents involving drivers who ignore traffic signals and run a red traffic light are hazardous as the vehicle is often moving at high speed upon impact.
Below are ten statistics from the Department of Transportation that motorists might not have known about red light running:
- Drivers or their loved ones are more likely to be injured due to a red light running crash than any other type of crash
- Running red traffic lights is the most common cause of all urban crashes
- Drivers run red traffic lights on average every 20 minutes at urban intersections
- In the last decade, red light-running crashes killed nearly 9,000 people
- An estimated 165,000 motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians are injured annually by red-light runners
- Half of the people killed by red-light runners are not the signal violators — they are passengers, other motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists
- Nearly 93% of drivers believe running red lights is unacceptable, yet 1 in 3 drivers reported doing so in the past 30 days
- There are an average of 7 fatal crashes and over 1,000 injury crashes every day at signalized intersections across the United States, where red lights and other traffic lights are ignored
- The cost to society of all crashes exceeds $230 billion annually
- The tragedies and costs resulting from red-light collisions are preventable
- Some cities are adding red light cameras to slow drivers down, knowing they will be caught running a red light
Talk to a red light accident lawyer at our Chicago firm today if you have been injured in a red light accident.
We can help you recover compensation for your injuries, medical bills, rehabilitation, and other damages.
Motor Vehicle Accidents and Negligence
In order to recover compensation in a motor vehicle accident from the insurance companies or at-fault drivers running a red traffic light, negligence has to be proven.
Negligence means a person did not act reasonably in the circumstances and that the misconduct caused the victim tangible losses and injury.
A few examples of negligence in the context of a motor vehicle accident are the following:
- A driver falls asleep at the wheel and veers into your lane, hitting you head-on
- A driver turns left in front of you, causing a collision
- A motorist rear-ends you as you wait at a red light
- A drunk driver hits your motor vehicle after leaving the bar intoxicated
- A truck driver runs a red light and hits your vehicle
Negligence, as the cause of your suffering, must also be proved in a court of law, during a trial, by using the following points:
- The defendant owed you a duty
- The defendant breached that duty
- You suffered damages
- The defendant’s breach caused your damages
Damages in Motor Vehicle Accident Claims
Damages is the term used, in law, to describe how an event caused you harm and the cost thereof.
Economic damages refer to out-of-pocket expenses from car accidents like medical expenses, property damage, and lost income.
Non-economic damages can include pain, suffering, disability, disfigurement, and loss of quality of life, loss of consortium, to name a few.
Talk to a red light accident lawyer about how much damages you qualify for after suffering injuries in your Chicago car accident case.
How Can a Lawyer Help After Car Accidents?
Skilled car accident attorneys can help with successful recovery for victims sustaining injuries and damages in red light running incidents.
Chicago car accident lawyers can prove how the accident happened by gathering evidence to determine fault and liability for a serious accident.
In the legal process of a red light runner car accident claim, lawyers can assist with the following:
- Expediting the process to obtain all the medical records
- Investigating the accident, gathering evidence, and interviewing witnesses
- Filing a claim and negotiating the best settlement for the case
- With no settlement agreement, file a lawsuit and represent the injured party’s best interests in courtA car accident attorney specializing in these practice areas can protect the injured party’s rights and compensation.
- On the plaintiff’s behalf, engaging in discovery methods, including depositions, interrogatories, and other techniquesLawyers are critical to making the case to receive a satisfactory jury award or settlement.
- Handle all communications and settlement negotiations on the plaintiff’s behalf with insurance companies, liable parties, or defense law teams
Experienced counsel representing a victim after a car crash can often determine the settlement’s or jury trial’s success.
Sample Chicago Illinois Red Light Cases
Below are some sample jury awards and settlements from red-light wrecks involving serious injury or fatalities.
If you have further questions, contact our Chicago law firm for information about your car crash.
$455,000 Settlement; Chicago, Illinois:
When the defendant ran a red light, a passenger was injured in an accident. She was forty-four at the time of the red light accident.
The woman sustained a concussion and subdural hematoma.
The medical costs for these injuries and the long-term pain and suffering were nearly $200,000.
The defendant driver said it was not his fault.
He claimed that the plaintiff cut him off and was speeding.
However, his company, which he worked for then, offered to settle, and the woman received $455,000 in compensation.
$285,000 Settlement; Chicago, Illinois:
In this dispute, a woman in her late twenties was driving down Route 17 when a driver did not yield to the oncoming traffic.
The other driver ran a red traffic light and smashed into her.
She broke her shoulder and needed surgery (arthroplasty).
That cost her over $100,000 in medical expenses and almost $10,000 in lost wages.
She sued the driver and settled with that man’s insurance for $285,000.
$900,000 Settlement; Chicago, Illinois:
A police officer was going about his day working when a tractor-trailer ignored the traffic signals and ran a red light, crashing into his patrol car.
The red light accident left him with a traumatic brain injury, amnesia, and depression.
Medical costs were around $190,000, and lost income was about $100,000.
He was able to return to work almost one year after the incident.
The police officer settled with the trucker’s insurance for $900,000, despite having a relevant policy.
Chicago Red Light Accident Lawyer FAQs
Our attorneys understand that victims of red light running accidents may have unanswered questions.
Below are frequently asked questions that attorneys from our law firm have answered.
Should you, however, have any further questions or require additional information, an attorney from our firm will be available to assist.
Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC at (888) 424-5757 or use the online form to schedule a free consultation regarding your legal rights and options.
What Are the Most Common Red Light Accidents?
Some of the most common types of car accidents as a result of a driver’s failure to obey the traffic signal and stop at a red light include but are not limited to:
Rear-end wrecks
Rollover collisions
Head-on wrecks
T-bone collisions
Side-impact accidents
Pedestrian wrecks
Multi-vehicle accidents or pile-ups
Truck crashes
Such accidents can lead to astronomical medical costs, property damages, and other losses
Talk to Our Law Group About Getting Compensation for Your Car Accident Claim
The Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have skilled accident attorneys with experience in several practice areas, including serious car accidents.
If you are in a Chicago red light crash, contact us to schedule a free consultation with our auto accident lawyers.
The personal injury attorneys from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, fight for people sustaining severe injuries, property damage, or loss after an accident caused by the following, but not limited to:
- Red light impact or rear-end collision
- Distracted driving
- Red light running
- Drunk driving
- Right of way/yielding
- Uninsured motorist
Contingency Fee Agreement
Our lawyers work on a contingency fee agreement.
With a contingency fee agreement, the injured victim has no upfront charge for their legal services and never pays for out-of-pocket expenses.
The negotiated settlement or jury verdict covers the contingency fee for this arrangement.
If you lose your case, you owe the car accident lawyers nothing.
