Illinois Interstate Truck Accident Lawyers

Over nine million large trucks registered in the United States travel more than 226 billion miles per year on the nation's interstates, highways, and streets. These truck drivers (semi-truck, tractor-trailer, big rig, etc.) are on tight schedules to meet delivery deadlines and work long hours to get their loads where they need to go on time.

Many truckers face ongoing pressure to keep driving even when fatigued, ill, or distracted. Any driver error could put them and others and grave danger of being involved in a horrific accident.

In addition to being involved in a truck accident, many crashes involved a lack of truck maintenance, driving in adverse weather conditions, and driving with defective equipment.

Hire an Illinois Interstate Truck Accident Injury Attorney

The truck accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC represent truck accident victims who have suffered a serious injury or wrongful death in Illinois. Contact our law firm today at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free) to schedule a free consultation.

Our Chicago area car accident lawyers currently represent clients throughout Illinois, including in the following localities: Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Peoria County, Will County, Aurora, Elgin, Joliet, and Naperville.

Interstate Truck Accident Injuries FAQs

Deadly Truck Crash Statistics on Illinois Highways

Big rig drivers account for five percent of all registered vehicles on America's roadways but drive fifteen percent of the total miles each year nationwide. Commercial vehicles involved in an accident can be deadly to those who are in the other vehicles or just walking or bicycling in the vicinity.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

• In 2018, there were 2,786 deaths in accidents that involved large trucks
• About 84% of fatalities involving large trucks were occupants of the other vehicles or pedestrians; only 16% were motorists or passengers in the large trucks.
• Approximately 96% of fatalities in two-vehicle crashes involving large trucks were people in other motor vehicles.

Motorists and passengers in smaller vehicles colliding with these big trucks (semi-truck, tractor-trailer, big rig, etc.) are the ones with the most to lose, suffering brain injuries, crushed bones, and wrongful death.

Underlying Causes Behind Large Truck Crashes

In March of 2006, the U.S. DOT, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) combined efforts to determine the causes of commercial truck incidents. The agencies took a national sample of almost 1,000 fatal truck crashes over two years and examined the causes and elements of all crashes, including at many deadly mile markers.

In many cases, the agencies found that large truck drivers at fault might have been driving under circumstances that put them and others at risk. Some of the top twenty factors that attributed to the crashes were:

• Nearly 26% were using prescription drugs
• Over 22% were traveling too fast for conditions
• About 17% attributed over-the-counter drug use as a factor
• More than 22% were either fatigued or were under work-related pressure

The factors above point to truckers continuing to drive even when they are tired, impaired, or ill to meet their deadlines. They might be using medications that affect their ability to drive safely (according to many troopers on the scene).

Other causes listed in the top twenty factors in the study were illegal maneuvers, following too closely, inattention, and that the driver was pressured to drive even though fatigued.

Responsibility for Interstate Truck Accidents in Chicago

Accidents involving large commercial vehicles are often more complicated compared to passenger vehicle crashes. The truck driver might be the responsible party that caused the accident. However, the trucking company that owns or operates the vehicle, or even a third-party contractor, might also be financially liable.

Commercial truck crash victims should seek legal advice and representation. A personal injury law firm specializing in truck accident claims can protect the victim's rights and allow them time to heal from their serious injuries.

Financial Compensation After Interstate Truck Incidents in Chicago

Victims filing claims for financial compensation to recover medical expenses and other damages should hire an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure a successful outcome. Attorneys working on behalf of the victims can expect to receive compensation for personal injury, property damage, pain, and suffering in a truck crash.

Passenger vehicle accident victims should plead for the costs of harm that was caused by the crash, including car accident damage, medical bills, and other tangible expenses. Most truck accident cases are resolved with compensation for intangible damage and life-altering injuries like disability, long-term suffering, and lost quality of life.

Getting Help After Chicago Truck Accidents

Personal injury lawyers can manage your case from start to finish effectively and speak directly to the insurance company or trucking company's defending attorneys. Time is of the essence after a passenger car crash to ensure that all paperwork is filed in the appropriate county courthouse before the statute of limitations expires.

Competent Chicago truck accident lawyers can determine the causes of truck accidents, conduct investigations, contact witnesses, and jumpstart your claim for you. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC regularly represents victims of Illinois truck accidents, rollovers, head-on collisions, and high-speed accidents on the following Illinois highways:

• I-24
• I-39
• I-41
• I-55
• I-64
• I-70
• I-74
• I-80
• I-88
• I-90
• I-94
• I-155
• I-172
• I-180
• I-190
• I-255
• I-270
• I-280
• I-290
• I-294
• I-355
• I-474

Illinois Attorneys Handling Open-Road Trucking Accidents

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC has represented many injured victims and family members who lost loved ones in a commercial truck accident. We are experienced in the complexities of Illinois semi-truck accidents and wrongful death cases.

Contact us online or call (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone call) today! Your discussions concerning your injury claim with our attorneys will remain confidential through an attorney-client relationship without obligation. Our law office will charge you for our services only after we have obtained a financial award in your injury case.

More Reading on Interstate Large Truck Accidents in Chicago for General Information Purposes

• Fatality Facts 2018
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHS-HLDI)
• STSI Reports