Motor Vehicle Collision Lawyers Serving Skokie and Surrounding Cities

Have you or a loved one been injured in a motorcycle accident? If you have, you need to reach out to a skilled Skokie motorcycle accident lawyer without delay. Motorcycle accidents can lead to serious and long-term harm, or even a tragic death. Our injury lawyers are committed to getting accident victims the compensation that they need to pay their medical bills, handle any lost income, and account for their future treatment. We understand how to fight for your rights against insurers that may not have your best interests in mind.

Seeking Compensation for Damages in a Motorcycle Accident Claim

Due to the lack of structural protection around a motorcycle, riders are more susceptible to injuries and death in an accident than standard car drivers and passengers. Victims of motorcycle accidents can suffer serious injuries, such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Spinal cord injuries;
• Severe fractures;
• Amputations;
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement; and
• Long-term or chronic pain.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted that in 2014, motorcyclists were 27 times more likely than passenger car occupants to be killed in a crash per vehicle mile traveled, and they were almost five times more likely to be hurt. The NHTSA also found that there were 5,286 motorcycle fatalities in 2016 across the United States, the largest number of motorcyclist fatalities since 2008. The national motorcyclist deaths illustrated a 5.1 percent increase from 2015. In Illinois, statistics show that motorcycle accidents caused 132 driver deaths and many more injuries in 2015.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by someone else’s carelessness or error, a motorcycle accident attorney in the Skokie area can help you recover damages from that person through a negligence claim. Negligence takes place when a driver fails to use reasonable care, causing injuries to a victim. Reasonable care is defined as how a prudent or sensible driver would act in the same or similar circumstances. To win a negligence lawsuit, the injured party must establish certain key elements. The defendant must have owed the injured person a duty of care and breached the duty by driving in a dangerous way. This behavior must have been a direct cause of the motorcycle accident, and the rider must have been injured as a result.

Liability is not always as clear-cut as it may seem in Illinois motor vehicle collision cases. Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence model, which means that in each accident case, fault is relatively apportioned between the parties involved. Our Skokie motorcycle accident attorneys have seen many situations in which more than one person was at fault. For example, if a driver caused a motorcycle accident because he ran a red light, but you were speeding at the time of the crash, both parties might be assigned a percentage of fault. A jury might find that the driver was 90 percent responsible for the accident. In such a situation, your total award would be decreased by 10 percent. However, a plaintiff who is more than 50 percent at fault for an accident is barred from recovering any damages from the defendant.

If fault is established in a motorcycle crash case, the at-fault party will be responsible for covering the victim’s damages. As a practical matter, it is typically the at-fault party’s insurance company that pays the plaintiff. In these cases, the plaintiff can recover a variety of damages depending on the nature and extent of the injuries suffered, including medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages and benefits, pain and suffering, property damage, and disability.

Contact a Knowledgeable Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Illinois, New York, and Arizona

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can review the facts of your case and come up with a legal strategy accordingly. We represent people throughout the United States, such as Illinois, New York, and Arizona. Contact Tony S. Kalogerakos, Esq.-Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation and a case evaluation with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer.