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Joliet Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
When you're in an accident, it's hard to know what to do. You may be confused about the legal process and unsure how much compensation you'll need for your injuries. The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be a difficult time, physically and financially.
Were you involved in a motorcycle accident in Joliet, Illinois? Are you seeking maximum compensation for your damages from the negligent party?
Our personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC are legal advocates for motorcycle accident victims just like you.
Call our Joliet personal injury law office today at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form for immediate legal advice and schedule a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share remains private through an attorney-client relationship.
Joliet, IL Motorcycle Accidents
When you're in an accident, it's hard to know what to do. In addition, you may be confused about the legal process and unsure of how much compensation you'll need for your injuries.
The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be a challenging time, physically and financially. To get compensation for your injuries, you will need an experienced Joliet motorcycle accident lawyer on your side.
Motorcyclists are no match for cars, trucks, and SUVs, so they must rely on wearing appropriate safety gear. Helmets, leather jackets and pants, boots, gloves, and eye protection can help riders survive a motorcycle crash.
A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Riding a motorcycle colliding with a commercial vehicle can be deadly.
In addition to potentially fatal injuries from colliding with a commercial vehicle, motorcyclists are at a high risk of being involved in motorcycle accidents due to negligent drivers who share the roads with them.
Motorcycle Accident Statistics
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 1,528 motorcycle accidents in Joliet between 2009 and 2013. The city has 391 miles worth of designated bike routes for riders to enjoy.
Unfortunately, these roads can be dangerous places because drivers often aren't aware or don't take notice of motorcyclists. They may make left turns right in front of them or fail to see motorcycles on the road as they turn or change lanes.
The Danger of Driving Under the Influence
An intoxicated driver might swerve into a motorcycle's lane and cause an accident. Even if you're wearing protective gear, such as a helmet and leather clothing, you may not walk away from a crash with just cuts and bruises.
In 2012, 16 motorcycle riders in Illinois died due to drunk-driving accidents, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation's 2013 report. Having a designated driver or calling a taxi for help is an excellent solution when you're going out to party on your bike.
In addition to wearing a helmet, it's important to drive defensively. You should always watch for drunk or impaired drivers and give yourself enough space from other vehicles.
Motorcycle Riding in Joliet, Illinois
Motorcyclists who practice their steering on long sweeping curves in rural communities will enjoy taking Route 126 out of Joliet, Illinois heading northwest into Plainfield.
The scenic countryside takes bikers and passengers along miles of picturesque cornfields, restaurants, and gas stations. The 26-mile round-trip adventure starts in downtown Joliet, passes over Interstate 55 alongside Lake Renwick Preserve before ending at Settlers Park just west of the DuPage River.
The route has numerous wide twists and turns that test the biker's steering abilities. On weekends, Route 126 has minimal traffic for comfortable riding along the open rolling countryside. However, the streets in both Joliet and Plainfield can become highly congested during business hours and on warm summer holidays.
Recent Joliet Motorcycle Accidents
The Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC motorcycle accident attorneys remind bikers and passengers that dangerous motorcycle accidents occur in the Joliet and Plainfield areas.
The most recent devastating crashes in both communities involved:
- In June 2020, a young motorcycle rider lost his life on Interstate 55 in Joliet after rear-ending a passenger vehicle on the southbound lane. The twenty-two-year-old biker succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the accident at approximately 10:45 PM. The bike's front hit the back end of the vehicle operated by a thirty-eight-year-old Bloomington man driving a Honda Odyssey.
- In September 2014, a single-vehicle motorcycle accident claimed the lives of a 34-year-old male Channahon motorcyclist and his 24-year-old female Palos Hills passenger. The deaths occurred when the motorcycle left the roadway and slammed into a commercial building near Barney Drive on Glenwood Avenue. Both the biker and passenger were pronounced dead in the emergency room at Presence St. Joseph Medical Center.
- In July 2015, two individuals were killed when a motorcycle hit a pedestrian in southwest suburban Plainfield. Witnesses say the biker was not wearing a helmet while traveling at an excessive speed just minutes after midnight before he collided with a pedestrian near Lockport Street along Route 59. The 56-year-old pedestrian suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the accident scene. The 27-year-old biker was transported to Provena St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet and later succumbed to his injuries.
- In June 2021, a 25-year-old motorcycle passenger from Joliet died on Weaver Road near Laurel Avenue after a bike accident. The collision occurred when the driver lost control of his 2010 Honda CBR 600 and crashed into a tree. The victim died at the scene of the accident at around 10:20 PM.
- In July 2021, a 47-year-old motorcyclist from Plainfield was killed when he lost control of his Suzuki motorcycle and slammed into a utility pole. The performance accident occurred on the 700 block of West Jefferson Street near downtown Joliet at approximately 2:00 AM.
- In October 2021, an 18-year-old Maywood rider perished after crashing his 1990 Honda 600 into a bridge pillar just before midnight. The accident occurred on the 1800 block of North Larkin Avenue near St. Charles Road in unincorporated Joliet Township.
A Chicago motorcycle accident lawyer understands that motorcycle collisions and crashes tend to be the most devastating type of accidents on Illinois roadways that produce severe injuries and fatalities.
Nearly all motorcycle crashes place the personal lives and finances of families in jeopardy. Surviving family members often face enormous medical expenses, time away from work, and the inability to earn a living in the future due to injury.
Victims of Joliet motorcycle accidents suffering severe pain, extensive medical bills, permanent or temporary disabilities, and physical damages have the legal right to seek financial compensation from every person at fault for their losses.
However, these types of cases are often extraordinarily complex and require the skills of a competent Joliet motorcycle accident attorney to handle the case.
Wearing a Helmet Could Be Lifesaving
The District of Columbia and nineteen states currently enforce universal helmet laws, requiring every motorcycle rider to wear a helmet while moving.
Twenty-eight other states have mandatory helmet use laws where only some motorcyclists must wear a helmet (twenty years and younger, eighteen years and younger, and seventeen years and younger).
Unfortunately, Illinois, along with New Hampshire and Iowa, does not require motorcyclists to wear a helmet as of 2018. However, research by the Governors Highly Safety Association revealed a direct correlation between helmet use and bikers traveling fast in heavy traffic on the nation's freeways.
Driver Negligence Responsible for Motorcyclist Injuries
Most individuals are biased against motorcycle riders, believing that all bikers are reckless and act with disregard to others on the road. However, nearly all motorcycle/vehicle accidents are the fault of a negligent automobile driver.
Sadly, the biker often suffers significantly worse injuries than those riding in passenger vehicles or commercial trucks.
Driver's negligence accounts for a wide variety of motorcycle accidents involving fatalities and injuries. In many incidents, the vehicle turned left in the pathway of an oncoming biker or overtook the motorcycle, stopped too quickly, or passed on the wrong side.
Surviving Family Members Filing Wrongful Death Claims
Surviving families who lost loved ones in motorcycle accidents can take legal action and file wrongful death claims to be compensated for their losses.
In addition, if the vehicle driver is negligent and causes an accident, surviving family members can file claims against that driver no matter how much time has passed since the accident occurred.
Other parties who may be held liable include manufacturers for defective products, such as faulty motorcycle parts or helmets, and companies who own bars where intoxicated drivers may have been served alcohol before the collision.
The preventable death claims filed by families who lost loved ones in motorcycle accidents will go through state courts, and each case is unique, finding rules differ from one another.
For example, some states require a formal notice filed with the court within a certain number of days after learning about an accident, whereas others do not.
Motorcycle Accident Settlement Claims
The compensation awarded for motorcycle accidents varies from case to case. In some cases, the driver of a vehicle who negligently causes an accident will have no or insufficient insurance coverage, making it impossible to recover damages from them. In other instances, the rider's lack of safety measures may have contributed to their injuries, limiting their financial recovery.
In many cases, if a negligent driver does not have sufficient insurance coverage to cover the damages from an accident, their assets may be liquidated to set up an adequate settlement fund for claimants.
In other cases, responsible parties like bars that may have served a driver alcohol before an accident would set up a settlement fund with the insurance company.
Dram Laws May Limit Recovery
In some cases, the injured party's lack of safety measures may have contributed to their bodily injuries. To protect themselves from being sued by the rider or family members, bars may set up a Dram Shop Fund with an insurance company.
If an intoxicated car or truck driver has been drinking at the bar, they may file for damages against that bar.
A Dram Shop Fund is simply an established settlement fund that bars use to pay compensation awards to injured riders or their families for injuries resulting from an intoxicated driver who had been drinking at the bar.
Help for Victims in Joliet
If you've been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Joliet or anywhere in Illinois, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC (888) 424-5757 can help.
Our Joliet motorcycle accident lawyer is dedicated to seeking maximum compensation for your damages, and our attorneys will fight hard to get the fair settlement you deserve.
Call our Cook County law firm today or use the contact form on this page to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our legal advocates. All information you share remains private as an attorney-client relationship is created.
Your Joliet motorcycle accident lawyer will review your case and help you file a personal injury or wrongful death claim. We accept all personal injury cases on a contingency basis, which means we don't get paid until you receive compensation from the negligent driver's insurance company.
Claims Against Bike Manufacturers
Manufacturer defects often play a role in motorcycle crashes. If any design or production flaws with the bike may have contributed to the rider's injuries, the manufacturer could be held liable in court.
Manufacturers can also be sued for defective parts, including brakes, seats, handlebars, or helmets. If the defective part were responsible for causing injuries during a motorcycle/car accident, they would need to compensate victims or their families for medical expenses and other damages.
The filing and receiving settlement claims for motorcycle crashes can be long and complicated because many parties are involved in these types of personal injury cases.
That's why it is important to consult with an experienced Joliet motorcycle accident attorney that can help you receive the full settlement you deserve.
As of 2018, motorcycle riders in need of a personal injury attorney should select a law firm with motorcycle accident lawyers who have experience and a successful track record in handling crash claims.
Filing a Claim for Compensation Following a Joliet Motorcycle Crash
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC is highly skilled at handling Joliet personal injury claims and wrongful death lawsuits. Our legal team of motorcycle accident attorneys is committed to assisting you in filing a claim or lawsuit against every individual responsible for your accident with injuries.
Our legal team's proven case results have helped hundreds of accident victims. In addition, our personal injury attorneys file claims against the responsible parties to recover damages associated with our clients' motorcycle accident injuries.
If you have suffered serious injuries, property damage, or lost a loved one through wrongful death, contact Joliet motorcycle attorney today!
Working on your behalf, we protect your legal rights, your future, and your finances by fighting on your behalf against the insurance companies and other defendants in your case.
Our law office will thoroughly investigate your case and build your financial compensation claim to ensure you receive a fair recovery for all economic and non-economic damages and losses. Call us today at (888) 424-5757 to schedule your free initial consultation.
We accept all cases through contingency fee arrangements. This agreement ensures that you pay for our legal services only after successfully resolving your personal injury case.