Car accidents can result in life-altering injuries and trauma. Langdon & Emison will represent you professionally and effectively with our skilled and resourceful lawyers who will make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.
The difference between receiving fair compensation and feeling like you have been cheated by the Chicago, IL car crash lawyer can be made. Langdon & Emison will make sure you are heard and fully represented. They will also help you understand your rights regarding your car accident case.
Langdon & Emison lawyers can help you navigate the claims process if you have any questions regarding your Chicago car accident. We are ready and experienced trial-tested attorneys with a track record and will represent you in court if your insurance company refuses to compensate you fairly.
Our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers are here for you.
Since we have been representing victims of car accidents for over 30 years, we are familiar with the needs of Chicago, Illinois car accident cases. Our clients have received almost $1 billion in settlements and verdicts, making us nationally known as the best personal injury lawyers.
Our secret is that we treat all of our clients as individuals, not just cases. Our team is made up of compassionate and highly-experienced attorneys who are committed to obtaining the maximum compensation for any injuries or damages you suffer as a result of a negligent driver's or company's actions. Our law practice extends beyond Chicago to include Cook County and DuPage County as well as Will County, Kane County, and Kane County. We also serve all of Illinois. (312-872-3389) and we'll review your case without any obligation.
What is the Comparative Fault Law of Illinois?
Illinois uses a fault-based system. This system is also known as a tort liability system. Drivers who cause car accidents will be held responsible. Illinois is also considered a state with comparative fault, which means that drivers who cause car accidents are held responsible for paying the costs. SS 5/2-1116 states that drivers can be held partly responsible for an accident, and that damages are reduced based on their fault.
Is Illinois a No-Fault State?
Illinois is not a state that accepts no-fault drivers. Illinois permits car accident victims to sue negligent drivers.
Our Promise to you
We will fight insurance companies that seek to minimize or eliminate your pain and injury.
For your legal rights and peace of mind, we will pursue maximum damages as your Chicago car accident lawyer.
We will investigate all aspects of your case to determine what caused your wreck.
We will always be there for you, even though your life might never be the same.
Chicago Car Accident Statistics
Chicago, the American Midwest's largest city, is home to many interesting sights and beautiful buildings. It also has some of the worst drivers in the country. Chicago was rebuilt quickly after the Great Fire of 1871 and is thriving with people from all walks of life. Although Chicago has a long history of rising from the ashes it is also known for its frightening statistics regarding car accidents.
Chicago was the scene of 183,315 crashes, with 282 fatalities, 36,236 injuries that are not permanent, and 3,911 which resulted in life-altering injuries to the victim.
This adds up to more than 500 accidents per day in Chicago alone. These numbers indicate that it is only a matter of time before a negligent driver can change your life.
Even if your injuries are not severe, a car accident could have a significant impact on your life. We all know that accident costs, including the car, medical bills, and lost wages, are only a small part of the total cost. We will ensure that the invisible damages are also covered. We will cover pain, suffering, and emotional damage for any lingering or future issues. Also, we will provide restitution for the loss of a loved one.
What to do after an auto accident in Chicago, IL?
We know that a car crash can be terrifying. However, it is important to keep calm and collected. More information is available in our article What to Do After a Car Crash. Here's a quick summary of 10 steps to take after a car accident.
- Do not leave the accident scene. You could be charged with being the cause of the car accident. Even if it's late for work, pick up your kids or any other items and stay at the accident scene while you wait for the police.
- Keep Safe and Preserve the Site Safety is your top priority while you wait for the police. After taking photos of the scene, you can move to the side of the parking lot if the accident is minor. If you have suffered serious injuries or are in an accident that could result in a fatality, it is best to stay put so that the police can take photos.
- Call the police After you have decided whether to stay or move, call the cops and wait for them. It is as if the accident never took place. To build a strong case, your lawyer will need to see the police report. Don't promise the driver a large amount of money.
- Share Information with Other Drivers It's important to share information about your insurance because you were involved in an accident. To ensure your rights are protected, you should not speak to another insurance company without consulting a lawyer.
- Take as many photos as you can of the scene. Each car's damage, obvious injuries, street conditions, and weather, as well as any signs that were broken or ignored, should be documented. A lawyer may be able to arrive at the scene occasionally, but you will need to give a clear description of what happened to your attorney.
- Talk with Witnesses - Did anyone else witness the accident or stop it? You should get the names and numbers of all witnesses at the scene and give them to your attorney. Multiple accounts of the accident can strengthen your case.
- Be honest with the police (but don't self-incriminate). Many people feel empathy when others are hurt in an accident that was not their fault. While asking if they are okay is fine, stating "I'm sorry" could lead to the assumption that you were responsible for the accident. You should give a truthful, clear statement to the police but not self-incriminate.
- Get Medical Attention within 12-48 Hours. The quicker you seek medical attention after an accident the less likely it is that an insurance company will cover your injuries in another way. Going straight to the hospital for extensive screenings, MRIs and x-rays is a good way to ensure you have all the necessary medical attention when you seek financial compensation.
- Contact the Insurance Company. - Give your insurance information to the other driver. They will communicate with you and try to find a common amount for you to accept or decline. Do not accept their offer if it is too low.
- Hire an Expert Chicago Car Accident Lawyer A lawyer will help you communicate with other insurance companies. Many insurance companies are more open to paying a fair amount once you have a lawyer involved. If your injuries are severe or will permanently affect your life, you should consider taking the case to court.
Why should I speak to a Chicago car accident lawyer?
After a car accident, you have many things to think about. There are many things to consider after a car accident. You might need to get medical attention, repair or replace your vehicle, and worry about your income. You don't need to worry about getting the compensation you deserve.
Langdon & Emison can take that worry off your shoulders. Our nationally-recognized lawyers have handled hundreds of car accident cases in Chicago and surrounding areas. We support our clients at every stage of the legal process, and we are there for them when they need us. Our diligence and hard work ethic are a testament to our status as one of the most respected law firms in the country. These are the reasons you need to speak with a car accident lawyer immediately.
1. Your legal right to sue will be protected
You have the legal right to seek compensation from the person who caused your injuries or property damage in a car accident. It is important to treat litigation as a privilege. If you fail to comply with the Illinois law deadlines, your right to sue is forfeited.
Langdon & Emison, a Chicago car accident lawyer, will make sure your case progresses and meets a crucial legal deadline. This is called the "statute of limitations" and protects your right to sue. A pending insurance claim does not "pause" the statute. You may be wondering when you should get an attorney to represent you in a car accident. It is best to contact a Chicago auto accident lawyer immediately.
2. An attorney can prove liability.
Personal injury lawyers can prove negligence and establish liability. Langdon & Emison has handled hundreds of such cases and can provide the right attention and skill to ensure that each case receives fair compensation.
It is not a good idea for you to attempt to establish liability by yourself. You may not be able to take an objective and factual view of the events, even though you were in the accident. These are the elements that an auto accident lawyer can use to prove negligence:
Duty.
Your lawyer and you (the plaintiff) must prove that the defendant (the at-fault driver) owed you an obligation. The legal duty in the event of a car accident would have been to use reasonable care and follow traffic laws just like any other driver.
Breach of duty
Your lawyer will argue that the at-fault driver was driving recklessly, impaired by alcohol, drugs, or otherwise not fit to drive.
Causation.
Your attorney must prove that the defendant caused your injury to win a case of negligence.
Damages.
The plaintiff must also prove that they caused you injury.
3. There will be a higher chance that you'll recover more money.
Nolo's study, which is often cited, found that 9 out of 10 people who hired a lawyer got a settlement. Compare this to the five percent who negotiated their settlements. Another interesting statistic is the difference in the amount of money that was recovered by those who retained an attorney versus those who did it themselves.
A lawyer is more likely to help you recover more money because they are familiar with the tricks insurance companies and other parties use to avoid responsibility.
An attorney is a better judge of when to stop negotiating and proceed to trial. An individual representing may jump the gun and go to court without proper preparation. This could lead to them incurring significant time and money.
4. It is much more likely that your lawsuit will be won.
It is like being a representative in court. You may know what to do but have little control over what happens.
While you can study the local laws and procedures as many times as you like, the fact is that lawyers are better prepared and more knowledgeable about how to get a favorable result in court. Your entire case could be at risk if you make a mistake in self-representation. Langdon & Emison has an experienced car accident lawyer to help you avoid this risk.
What is the difference between a Settlement and a Verdict?
It is easy to tell the difference between a settlement and a verdict. A settlement between the client (and the insurance company) is reached if the amount offered by the company covers your injuries and damages. If the insurance company refuses fair compensation for your injuries or damages, the case becomes a lawsuit and is brought to trial. A jury or judge decides whether to award damages to the victim. Sometimes, a verdict is the only way to get fair compensation. This is why every case is prepared as though it will go to trial.
What Damages Can I Recover from a Chicago Car Accident?
Car accidents can be life-threatening and inconvenient. Head-on collisions on the way to work can result in a few thousand dollars of damages or even millions of dollars due to severe injuries. When it comes to car accidents, it is important to know the difference between punitive, economic, and non-economic damages.
Car accident injuries can cause economic damage
Anything that contains a receipt, bill, or paper trail is considered economic damages. This includes property damage, medical treatment costs, lost wages, or income, as well as any other damages. Many people who are injured in an accident are quick to claim they are fine. However, this is not always the case. After a car accident, it is important to see a doctor.
There are many types of economic damages
- Medical bills
- Hospital bills
- Ambulance charges
- Cognitive or physical therapy
- Chiropractic treatment
- Permanent disability or paralysis
- Counseling
- Surgery
- Property costs
- Car repairs
- Replacing a car
- Personal property that was damaged in an accident
- Rental car fees
- LOST LOCAL WORKERS
- Lost income due to missing work
- Potential earning potential
- Future earning potential
Car accidents cause non-economic damage
Non-economic damages are the most difficult type of damage to quantify. These damages are not visible but intangible. These are non-economic damages. They include the pain and depression you feel as a result of a lingering injury or the loss of future joy due to your car accident.
These are some examples of non-economic damages:
- Pain - If you are still suffering from an injury, it is important to get compensation.
- Mental Trauma- Triggers that are related to an accident can cause emotional trauma and mental distress. They can lead to rage, despair, and other mental and emotional problems.
- Unexpected Losses- Loss of companionship or quality of life. You will have to live without someone you love, and you won't be able to live the life you had planned.
- Physical Remedies - These include severe scarring, disfigurement, and physical impairment. A person's mental and financial future can be affected by severe scarring. A face-to-face salesman may lose income because of severe facial scarring.
- Mental Anguish Fear or terror surrounding an accident or triggers related to it. This could include fear of cars and the road on which the accident occurred, or humiliation over the loss of a limb.
- Mental Harms Depression and anxiety caused by an accident or the grief of losing a loved one. One example is chronic anxiety which makes it difficult to drive.
Punitive Damages
If a defendant is found guilty of operating their vehicle in an illegal, fraudulent, willful, or wanton manner, a plaintiff may be awarded punitive damages. These are not part of the compensatory damages. They are fines that can be used to punish the defendant's reckless or willful behavior. While most states have caps on the amount you can collect in punitive damages, Illinois does not.
What is the Maximum I can Expect to Get for my Car Accident Injury?
The following three questions will help you determine how much you will be compensated for an accident.
- What was the extent of your accident? A more serious accident could cause more injury to the victim. The scene photos, police reports, and other materials that were used to reconstruct the scene will all be considered by the judges. You can also include lost wages or income if your car was damaged in an accident. For minor accidents, you might only receive a few thousand, while for serious or negligent accidents, the award could be millions.
- What is the extent of your injuries? It is better to seek medical attention as soon as possible after your accident. It may take longer for lingering injuries to heal. Your lawsuit will attempt to delay treatment until you are fully healed to prevent any further injuries. Your lawyer must prove that the injury caused the injury to be worsened.
- Can your injuries permanently alter your life? Your lawyer should consider this when calculating non-economic damages.
Chicago's 5 Most Common Car Accidents
- Rear-end Accidents This is one of the most common types of car accidents. When a car doesn't stop in time and hits the rear of another car, it is called a rear-end accident.
- Multiple Car Collisions - These accidents are more common on multilane highways. They can cause significant damage and create a confusing web of faults between the drivers. In a comparative fault situation, each driver's share of the blame can vary greatly.
- Vehicle Overturns. Vehicle rollovers could leave drivers with little to no damage or even cause death. It is important to investigate the reason your vehicle rolled over in Chicago. If the road was not in good condition or lacks proper signage, negligence could lead to liability. You should also consider vehicle defects.
- Side Impact Accidents- A car is rammed into another vehicle from the side. This type of accident can happen at intersections marked with stop signs, traffic lights, or warning signals.
- Head-on Collisions - The most dangerous type of collision is the head-on collision. These accidents happen when a driver is distracted or swerves and drives on the wrong side. They then hit another car head-on. These accidents can be caused by distracted or drunk driving. These accidents can also be caused by impaired vision or weather conditions.
Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Available
When it Matters, we'll be there
Our company has been in existence for over three decades and the number of car accident victims we have helped continues to grow. There are four offices in Illinois and Missouri, so you can trust that we will handle your Chicago car accident case. We will fight relentlessly to get you the best compensation due to negligence by the other driver, no matter where your accident occurs in Chicagoland.
Do not let insurance companies pull the wool over your eyes and give you a check that is less than fair for your injuries, pain, and suffering. We can help.
At no cost to you, we will review your Chicago car crash case without any obligation. We will only accept cases that we feel we can win. If a settlement is reached, we will take on the costs. (312-872-3389) and we'll review your case without any obligation.
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