Truck Accident Attorney By Me 

Truck Accident Attorney Assisting Injury Victims by You in Illinois

It can be difficult to think about filing a personal injury lawsuit when you are dealing with the severe physical and emotional injuries from a severe truck accident in Rolling Meadows. However, if another party’s negligence caused your injuries, it is extremely important to learn more about filing a truck accident lawsuit in order to seek compensation for your losses.

Under Illinois law, truck accident victims have two years from the date of the accident in which to file a claim. If you wait longer than two years—the period known as the “statute of limitations”—you may be ineligible to receive damages. As such, it is essential to begin discussing your case with a truck accident attorney near you as soon as possible. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we can begin working on your case. The dedicated advocates at SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC, are here to answer your questions today.

Getting the Facts About Truck Accidents in Illinois

How often do truck accidents happen in Illinois? And who is most often liable for these collisions? A fact sheet from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) provides the following facts and figures about trucking crashes in the United States: 

• 3,852 people died in large truck accidents in 2015;
• 16 percent of all large truck crash fatalities were truck occupants;
• 69 percent of all large truck crash fatalities were passenger vehicle occupants;
• Rate of truck accident fatalities rose by 22 percent between 2009 and 2015;
• Total number of truck occupants who suffered fatal injuries rose by 34 percent between 2009 and 2015;
• In two-vehicle crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck, 97 percent of fatality victims are occupants of the smaller passenger vehicle;
• 60 percent of truck drivers killed in crashes were in collisions with another large truck;
• About 53 percent of large truck fatalities occur on major roads that are not interstates or freeways;
• 30 percent of large truck fatalities occur on interstates and freeways, while on 14 percent occur on minor roads;
• Highest rate of large truck collisions (42 percent) happen during daylight hours between 6:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.;
• Highest number of trucking crashes happen during the weekdays; and
• 29 percent of passenger vehicle occupants who died in large truck accidents were involved in head-on collisions with a large truck.

What Kinds of Damages Can I Receive if I File a Truck Accident Lawsuit?

Personal injury victims typically are eligible to receive compensatory damages from liable parties. There are two categories of compensatory damages (both of which are intended to compensate a victim for his or her losses):

• Economic damages, which compensate for objective monetary losses, such as hospital bills and/or lost wages; and
• Non-economic damages, which compensate for more subjective losses, such as pain and suffering.

In particularly egregious cases, a jury can also award punitive damages. Punitive damages are not designed to compensate a plaintiff for losses, but instead are aimed at punishing the defendant for especially bad behavior. 

What If I Am Partially to Blame for the Accident?

Under Illinois law, even if a plaintiff bears some responsibility for the accident or for the severity of her injuries, she can still recover as long as she is not 51 percent or more responsible. In other words, as long as a plaintiff is deemed to be 50 percent or less liable for the accident or for the severity of her injuries, she can still recover damages.

Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer By You

Do you have questions about filing a truck accident lawsuit? A truck accident lawyer in Illinois by you can help. Contact SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC, today for more information.