Chicago Red Light Accident Lawyer

We have all run a red light.  It happens. Unfortunately, running a red light often leads to car accidents.  Any kind of Chicago car accident causes a lot of suffering, expenses, and other frustrations, but these red light accidents can and should be avoided.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC (rights reserved) is one of the best groups of car accident lawyers in the state.    Someone from our team can talk to you in a free consultation about your personal injury (or injuries) suffered as a result of a red light car accident.

The personal injury attorneys from our law group fight for people harmed after a Chicago car accident (red light impact, red light running affair, drunk driving, right of way, uninsured motorist, etc.) more than any other law firms.

It may be confusing for you if you are in a Chicago red light collision.  Where do you go for relief?  We can work with you side by side with the insurance company or other at-fault party after an auto accident.

We invite you to sit down with one of our Chicago car accident lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC (rights reserved) today or schedule a free consultation in order to address some common topics brought up in Chicago red light car accident cases and Illinois law. 

The next section surveys some of this information from red lights but you can skip to main content enabled below as well.

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You Need to Act Promptly After Auto Accidents

After a car accident, the clock will start ticking and you and many people may not have as much time as you think for a case for your injuries. Every day, healthy and visually impaired open cases but realize that they have run out of time.

Accident attorneys will tell you that you only have two years from the time of the accidents (red light) to make your claim for damages. This rule is called a statute of limitations and many people with injuries need a lawyer to make it on time.

Contact us about a case for accidents and how a lawyer can help you bring a cause of action in Cook County on time and on track for maximum compensation. Accidents do not have to totally transform your life. A case for damages with an experienced lawyer can help you get back on a path to recovery.

Running a Red Light in Chicago FAQs

Below are some frequently asked questions related to motor vehicle accidents where a driver has (or is alleged to have run a red light) in Chicago, IL. Of course, should you have additional questions, we invite you to contact our personal injury attorneys for a free consultation regarding your legal rights and options.

As with all of our auto accident cases, we only receive a legal fee when and if we are successful in obtaining a recovery for you.

Chicago Red Light Car Accident Facts and Statistics

Take a look at these important facts and figures about red light incidents.  They might surprise you!

• Did you know that almost 1,000 people die every year in red light crashes?
• There are hundreds of thousands of red light running incidents each year.
• Most victims seriously injured by people running red lights include bicyclists, pedestrians, and other drivers and motorists.
• Medical bills and hospital expenses for running red accidents can cost as much as tens of thousands of dollars.
• The average red light accident settlement is north of ten thousand dollars.
• Most of these crashes involve distraction, speeding, intoxication, slip and fall, or fatigue

Talk to a lawyer including one of our Chicago car accident lawyers today if you have been in an event like this.  We can help you recover for your injuries, medical record bills, hospital expenses, and other damages!

Laws About Auto Accidents and Recovery in Chicago, IL

Car accidents have specific rules and laws for recovering from the insurance company or at-fault driver that was actually the one running a red light.  The law that allows you to bring a case for an auto accident is called negligence. 

Negligence means someone did not act reasonably in the circumstances and that misconduct caused you tangible losses and injury.  If someone intended to cause you harm, then that is a different rule and law but that is hardly ever the case with these kinds of claims. 

Let us look at some examples of negligence in the motor vehicle context:

• Someone 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.
• Another motorist rear-ends you as you wait at a red light.
• A patron leaves a bar drunk and T-bones your motor vehicle as you are driving home.
• A truck driver runs a red light and hits you.

These are just some of the ways that negligent drivers cause car accidents across Illinois.  If you think that someone's negligence was the cause of your suffering, then you must prove the following points at trial to prevail:

1. The defendant owed you a duty;
2. The defendant breached that duty;
3. You suffered damaged damages;
4. Your damages were caused by the defendant's breach.

Damages is a term of art in the law.  It means all of the ways in which an event caused you harm.  There are economic damages and non-economic damages.  

Economic damages refer to out-of-pocket expenses from car accidents like medical expenses, property damage, and lost income among others.  Non-economic damages can include pain, suffering, disability, disfigurement; and lost quality of life, just to name a few. 

Everyone's damages will be different after an auto accident.  Talk to a Chicago car accident lawyer about the law and what you can recover.

How Can a Lawyer Help After Car Accidents?

You might wonder what difference Chicago auto accident lawyers can make if you are involved in an auto accident.  To help you answer that, think about all the work that has to be done after you are injured in a car accident in order to recover successfully from an insurance company, driver, or other company.

First, you need to seek medical attention and obtain all of your medical records.  A car accident attorney can expedite this process.

Second, you need to file a claim and converse with the defendants.  A car accident attorney that specialize in these practice areas can ensure you do not give anything away during this stage.

Third, you will have to engage in discovery methods including depositions, interrogatories, and other techniques.  If you engage a Chicago car accident lawyer, he or she can handle these on your behalf.  They are critical to making your case and must be done well in order to receive a satisfactory jury award or settlement.

Fourth, you may have to enter into settlement negotiations.  These can be quite tricky if you are facing off against an insurance company or other savvy defendant that knows the law well as well as the relevant medical records and facts of the case.   

As you can see, it can be extremely beneficial to have counsel by your side as you go through the legal process after a car crash in Chicago IL. 

Sample Chicago IL Red Light Cases

Here some sample jury awards and settlements from red light running crashes involving serious injury or fatalities. We caution you to refrain from reading too much into this as the circumstances of each case vary. 

If you have further questions, contact our law firm for information about your circumstance.

$455,000 Settlement; Chicago, Illinois:

A passenger was injured in a car accident when the defendant ran a red light.  She was forty-four at the time of the auto accident.  The woman sustained a concussion and subdural hematoma.  The medical expenses 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, whom he was working for at the time, offered to settle and the woman received $455,000 in compensation from the settlement.

$285,000 Settlement; Chicago, Illinois:

In this dispute, a woman in her late twenties was driving down Route 17 when another motorist did not yield to her, ran a red, 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 company for $285,000.

$900,000 Settlement; Chicago, Illinois:

A cop was going about his day working when a tractor-trailer ignored a red light and crashed into his patrol car.  The accident left him with a traumatic brain injury, amnesia, and depression.  Medical bills were around $190,000 and lost income was about $100,000. 

He was able to come back to work roughly one year after the incident though.  To move on from the ordeal, the cop settled with the trucker's insurance company because he had a relevant policy for $900,000.

Talk to Our Law Group about Getting Compensation for Your Car Accident Claim

The Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have an esteemed group of accident attorneys with experience in many practice areas.  If you are in a Chicago red light crash or similar kinds of accidents, contact us to schedule a free consultation with our Chicago auto accident lawyers.  We are here to help.

You may not know how to bring a claim against an insurance company or case against a truck driver.  You or a loved one might have difficulty investigating the facts surrounding a collision.  You may not know what you are entitled to recover in court.  For all of these things and more, we can come in and assist you for red lights or other issues. 

Also, our law group helps people injured in auto accidents or a similar accident on contingency.  What does that mean?  It means you will not have to put down a dime for your case or pay us anything unless we are successful for you. You can focus on getting better.  Leave the case to us!  Let us worry about the insurance company or other deadbeat defendant!

Interested in taking the next step?  Want help to pay for the growing medical bills, missed work, and pain or suffering?  Then, call us today! 

We can have a one-one discussion about your specific case, what you will need to do to recover, and how you can recover in a Chicago IL court of law.  It is not always easy, but it may definitely be worth it.

Sources:

Here is some information for you to learn more about these kinds of accidents across the Chicagoland area:

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/other_topics/fhwasa10005/brief_2.cfm

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811366

https://www.iihs.org/topics/red-light-running