The consequences of a severe auto accident can quickly become overwhelming. On top of all the work necessary to recover from the trauma of the accident, you will probably be saddled with a significant amount of debt once everything is said and done. Our experienced Chicago car accident attorneys from Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC can help you navigate the complexities of your case and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. You should consider consulting with a car accident attorney in Chicago and taking legal action against the party responsible for your pain and suffering.
At Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC, our Chicago car accident lawyers know just how important this car accident claim will be to you, and we can develop an aggressive line of legal action to help you pursue the compensation you need to offset all the costs that will come to be associated with your injuries. Though this may be a difficult time, our injury attorneys can help you secure the needed compensation for full recovery.
Car Accidents in Chicago
As a major metropolitan area, Chicago sees millions of vehicles daily on its roads. Unfortunately, driving has some risks every time you are behind the wheel. At Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC, we understand the pain and suffering involved in a car crash. Victims of these kinds of accidents often have to deal with immense financial burdens when they should be recovering. There are medical bills that accumulate, potentially lost wages from being out of work, and long-lasting injuries.
Since our founding in 1970, we have fought for people injured in vehicular accidents due to actions caused by a negligent person or party. We aggressively represent our clients to ensure they get the compensation they deserve for their pain and suffering. The American Institute of Legal Counsel has recognized us as one of the ten best firms regarding client satisfaction. We hold that if you’re in an accident due to another’s irresponsibility, you shouldn’t bear the costs.
Having served the great city of Chicago for almost 50 years, Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC is one of the most trusted names in the practice. We can help you take legal action against the responsible party. Recovering from an accident can be one of the most difficult things in someone’s life. Seeking financial compensation will significantly reduce the burden on you and your family. The first step towards recovery is calling an attorney to take on the hard work of fighting for you.
What to Do After a Car Accident
Steps to Take After a Car Accident
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Chicago, it’s essential to take the right steps to ensure your safety and protect your rights. Here’s a step-by-step guide on what to do after a car accident:
- Call the police and report the accident: Even if the accident seems minor, it’s crucial to report it to the police. This will help create a record of the incident and provide a basis for your insurance claim.
- Exchange information with the other driver: Make sure to exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. This includes names, phone numbers, addresses, and insurance policy details.
- Take photos of the accident scene and damage: Document the accident scene and damage to both vehicles. This will help support your insurance claim and provide evidence of the accident.
- Seek medical attention: If you’re injured, seek medical attention immediately. Even if you don’t feel injured, it’s essential to get checked by a doctor to rule out any potential injuries.
- Notify your insurance company: Inform your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible. They will guide you through the claims process and help you get the compensation you deserve.
- Contact a Chicago car accident lawyer: If you’re unsure about the claims process or need help navigating the complex insurance system, consider contacting an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer. They can help you get the maximum compensation for your injuries and damages.
Other Personal Injury Cases We Handle
Truck Accidents
Trucking companies and their drivers must obey every state and federal safety law. Though laws aim to reduce serious truck accidents, some trucking companies risk lives by illegally prioritizing profit.
If an accident happens because of a trucking company or trucker violating state or federal law, victims should exercise their rights and pursue legal action against the responsible party. In addition to the substantial compensation they could recover by filing a suit, accident victims may help prevent future accidents by taking legal action against the industry. Filing a car accident lawsuit can help you recover substantial compensation and hold the responsible parties accountable.
Motorcycle Accidents
After all the efforts to improve awareness of motorcyclists, drivers should know what to look for and how to operate their vehicles around bikers safely. Under no circumstances should drivers be so reckless or negligent as to hit a motorcyclist. We can help you fight for your rights in court if you get hurt.
Though many motorcycle accidents involve at least one other vehicle, serious accidents can also happen due to poor road conditions. Under such circumstances, it may be possible to file a claim against whoever was responsible for ensuring the road was safe. In any event, we can find out who is liable and help you file a claim to pursue compensation for your injuries.
Bicycle Accidents
Bicyclists must face many of the same challenges as motorcyclists, though these challenges are often even more pronounced for cyclists. Aside from having minimal protection, cyclists can do little to lessen immediate motor vehicle accident impact.
The kind of medical and rehabilitative care bicycle accident victims often need to recover from injuries can impose serious financial burdens on victims and their families. With this in mind, we advise victims to contact an attorney as soon as possible after the accident. We can help you defend your rights as a cyclist and fight for compensation.
We also handle e-bike and electric scooter cases.
Rollover Accidents
Few accidents carry the same potential for catastrophic harm as those involving vehicles that roll over one or more times. While these accidents are commonly associated with design defects inherent to SUVs—particularly their high centers of gravity—rollovers may be caused by collisions or serious roadway defects.
Once you are ready to proceed with your claim, we can help you determine where the liability lies and then take the legal action necessary to file your claim. Suppose your accident resulted from a design defect inherent to your vehicle. In that case, our legal team can take necessary steps against the company responsible for the defect. Our firm has extensive experience handling car accident cases, including those involving rollovers.
Auto Defects
It is impossible to ensure all vehicles that make their way onto the marketplace will be defect-free. Still, automakers must do everything they can to fix problems as soon as they become aware of them. But automotive companies may still be held liable for any accidents caused by defects from before recalls go out.
Often, car makers offer settlements to accident victims to keep case details away from the public eye. Though these settlement offers may seem attractive, you should not accept anything until you have spoken with a car accident lawyer. It may be best for you to take your case to court, depending on the circumstances. An experienced car accident attorney can help you navigate the complexities of auto defect cases and secure the compensation you deserve.
Speeding Accidents
As much as some drivers may disagree with the particular limit imposed along a given stretch of road, speed limits keep people safe. When people choose to drive faster than the speed limit allows, for whatever reason they may claim to have, they demonstrate an obvious and willful disregard for the safety of others that is likely to make them liable for any accidents they cause.
Aside from traveling faster than other drivers, speeders are more likely to lose control. If hit by a speeder, we can help build a claim showing the danger of their actions. Our team of Chicago car accident attorneys is well-versed in handling cases involving speeding accidents and can help you pursue justice.
Reckless Driving Accidents
People who willfully operate their vehicles with complete disregard for the safety of others cause some of the most dangerous accidents imaginable. Reckless drivers may be held financially liable for all the pain and suffering they cause. Filing a Chicago car accident claim can help you recover the compensation you need to cover your medical expenses and other losses.
Once you are ready to reach out to our attorneys, one of the first things we will need to do is collect evidence demonstrating how recklessly the person that hit you was behaving. As part of that effort, we’ll likely reach out to accident witnesses to strengthen your case. No matter your accident’s circumstances, our legal team will strive to secure compensation from the liable party.
Road Defects
In most circumstances, public roads require routine maintenance by the local municipality. Aside from conducting periodic maintenance to repair defects like potholes, municipalities must ensure that roadways are properly marked. They must also ensure security measures, such as guardrails, are in place where necessary. These represent just a few of the many responsibilities associated with roadway upkeep.
While municipalities generally maintain public roads, this rule has some exceptions. Most notably, there is a good chance that responsibility for the safety of the road within a construction zone will shift to the construction company itself. In any event, we can identify the liable party and outline potential compensation options for you. Filing a lawsuit can help you hold the responsible parties accountable and recover the compensation you deserve.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Despite the considerable resources that have gone toward keeping intoxicated drivers off the road, DUI accidents remain as serious a problem in Chicago as in the rest of the country. We can help you hold the party responsible for the accident accountable for your pain and suffering. Filing a car accident claim can help you recover the compensation you need to cover your medical expenses and other losses.
Few accidents occur as thoroughly preventable as those involving an intoxicated driver. The person who hit you should have known just how dangerous his or her decision to drive while under the influence would be, and we can help you develop a claim that proves just that.
Insurance Claims
Despite all the payments you made in good faith to your insurance company, it is pretty safe to assume that your insurer—not to mention someone else’s insurer—will try to avoid giving you any more than they must. Unfortunately, even getting the bare minimum can be difficult for accident victims. This is true when talking with insurance adjusters and insurance companies.
Bearing all of this in mind, it is in your best interest to retain the legal services of an attorney who can help you determine exactly how much an insurer owes you under policy terms—whether that policy belongs to you or the person who hurt you. In any case, we can guide you on obtaining full compensation under the policy. Our car accident attorneys can help you handle the complexities of insurance claims and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer?
You need a car accident lawyer whenever you’re involved in a serious car accident. When the negligent actions of another at fault party injure you or your family, they need to be held responsible. Many forgo hiring an attorney, believing they can’t afford the fees or that the lawsuit stress outweighs the potential gains.
However, there are countless things that you should not be worrying about while recovering from your accident. A car accident lawyer can assist in recovering hospital bills, lost wages, and managing issues with insurance companies. Having an experienced attorney will drastically increase your chances of getting the financial compensation you need to pay for recovery. Our firm has extensive experience handling car accident cases and can help you secure the compensation you deserve.
How Much Will My Particular Case Win?
Managing rising medical bills and insurance payments is likely your focus after an accident. It’s perfectly normal to want to know how much compensation you can potentially receive. Filing a car accident claim can help you recover the compensation you need to cover your medical expenses and other losses.
Unfortunately, there is no surefire equation or method for estimating how much each case is worth. What you can do, however, is bring your case before an attorney who will walk you through the steps toward the compensation you deserve. Going over all the details with them is vital. Seeking legal assistance not only drastically increases your chances of winning compensation but also the amount.
Illinois Car Accident Statistics
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 298,347 total traffic accidents involving motor vehicles in 2022 in Illinois alone. Let’s explore some additional data about Chicago car wrecks that year:
Crash Severity
There were 181 fatal crashes resulting in 201 deaths. Another 16,830 crashes involved injuries, with 23,278 people getting hurt overall. The majority of crashes (80,377) resulted in property damage only.
Crash Types
Rear-end collisions were the most frequent at 23,216 crashes. Other common crash types were parked motor vehicles, fixed object crashes at 5,213, and angle crashes at 10,453. More common crash types included sideswipes, head-on collisions, parked vehicle crashes, and crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists.
Road Conditions
Road conditions at the time of crashes were most often dry (75,836 crashes). But a significant number also occurred in wet (7,948), snowy/slushy (4,014), or cloudy (2,426) conditions. Traction issues in inclement weather likely contributed to many of these crashes.
Day of the Week
Weekends saw the highest accident numbers, with 15,946 crashes on Fridays and 15,126 on Saturdays. Thursdays were also high at 13,717 crashes. Volume was more evenly distributed throughout the weekdays, ranging from 12,784 on Mondays to 13,378 on Wednesdays.
Time of Day
The peak crash times were from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m., coinciding with typical rush hour traffic. The worst hour for accidents was 3:00 p.m., with 7,173 crashes. Late night and early morning hours saw lower volumes, with the fewest crashes at 4:00 a.m. (1,514).
Light Conditions
Regarding light conditions, 59,255 crashes occurred in daylight versus 25,426 in darkness with roadway lighting. Far fewer happened at dawn (1,456), dusk (2,229 ), or in unlit darkness (4,100), suggesting that low light conditions were not a major factor in many accidents.
Traffic Controls
The majority of crashes (51,655) occurred where there were no controls. Crashes at traffic signals saw the next highest volume at 24,668 crashes, followed by crashes at stop signs at 9,022 . Few crashes occurred near railroad crossings, bicycle/pedestrian signs, or school zones.
These statistics show the incredible harm that reckless and negligent drivers in Illinois cause others. At Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC, we understand the horrendous pain and financial stress you face if you get hurt or lose a loved one in a car accident. Our attorneys are here to help you, review the accident report, and demand the compensation you deserve for your losses.
Why Should I Choose Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC?
The Chicago car accident lawyers at Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC are some of the best in the business. We’ve been practicing for almost five decades and have accumulated the experience to represent you and your case. You want an attorney you can trust to represent you. Moreover, our firm doesn’t just talk about getting results—we get them:
- Won $2,900,000 in compensation for a client who sustained neck and lower back injuries when a bus made a turn in front of their vehicle
- Won $2,000,000 in compensation for a client involved in a serious automobile collision
- Won $425,000 in damages for a middle school principal hit by a left-turning vehicle, which aggravated a past neck injury
- Won $365,000 for grandparents and their grandchildren involved in a collision where the children experienced fractures and lacerations
Our experienced Chicago car accident attorney can help you navigate the complexities of your case and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
This is just a small selection of our success; we’re a law firm that wins. When you choose Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC, we will vigorously represent you. Our clients all leave our services satisfied with our work. Contact us at 312-346-8620, and we will start fighting for you today.
Consult with a Car Accident Attorney in Chicago
If you or someone you love got hurt in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence or recklessness, it would be in your best interest to reach out to an attorney as soon after the accident as you are able. To speak with a car accident lawyer at Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC about the particulars of your case, please call our Chicago offices at 312-346-8620, or reach out to us online today. Our car accident lawyers in Chicago can help you navigate the complexities of your case and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
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