According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 22,008 truck crashes in the state alone in 2019. Truck accidents can be particularly deadly and injurious to the people involved. Because of a truck’s sheer size, individuals in passenger vehicles may face more serious injuries, have higher medical expenses, may need to miss more time from work, or may suffer more pain and suffering. Truck accident cases, while similar to car accident law, can sometimes be more complicated than a typical car accident personal injury case. After a truck accident, families may need to deal with truck insurance adjusters. Truck companies may carry insurance policies with higher limits. In some cases, truck drivers carry insurance policies with limits as high as $1 million. There may also be more stakeholders involved in a truck accident case. For example, after a truck accident in Chicago, the driver may not be the only responsible party involved. The truck may be owned by another entity or company. The truck company may be responsible for vetting and overseeing drivers. And, in some cases, accidents occur due to illegal loads, improperly maintained vehicles, or due to a driver’s failure to obey hours of service laws.
Because so many factors must be considered after a truck accident if you or a loved one has been hurt, it may be wise to speak to the Chicago truck accident lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. Our firm will take the time to understand your family’s unique circumstances, calculate the value of your claim, and fight to help you seek justice under the law. We can protect your rights inside or outside of court to help you get the maximum possible recovery under the law.
Free consultations are for injury cases only. Contact the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. for a consultation at 312-384-1920.
What Is My Semi-Truck Accident Case Worth in Chicago?
The Chicago semi-truck accident lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. understand that the aftermath of a crash can be confusing and stressful for families and victims. This is why we take the time to understand the factors leading up to your accident and also review all relevant facts to determine the value of your claim. How much your case is worth will depend on the severity of your injuries and the percentage of fault of the other driver. Every case is unique. What evidence will the Dinizulu Law Group review to determine the value of your semi-truck accident claim in Chicago?
- Medical expenses: Truck accidents can be more serious than accidents involving passenger vehicles. Your truck accident lawyer in Chicago, Illinois will review your medical bills and will speak to experts, if necessary, to estimate the value of future medical costs.
- Lost wages: If you have had to miss time from work due to your accident, the Dinizulu Law Group can review your paystubs to determine how much money you may be entitled to receive under the law. If you have to miss time from work in the future, or if your accident has led to permanent disability, you may be able to seek damages for future lost wages.
- Pain and suffering: A truck accident can place immense burdens on you and your family. You may be worried about paying bills. You may be in pain as you recover from your injuries. You may not be able to enjoy former life activities. While pain and suffering damages are more complicated to calculate than lost wages and medical bills, they are an important component of a truck accident personal injury claim. The Chicago semi-truck accident lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd will take the time to understand the ways in which the accident affected your life. Our firm will then use special formulas to calculate your pain and suffering damages.
- Degree of fault of the truck driver or company: Once the damages have been calculated, your lawyer will also review the legal facts of your accident. Our firm will review police reports and other evidence to determine how much the truck company or driver is at fault. You will be able to collect a percentage of damages relative to the degree of fault of the truck driver. So, if the other driver was 90% at fault for your accident, you may be able to seek 90% of the value of your claim. It is important to seek the advice of a truck accident attorney in Chicago, Illinois like the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. because many factors may go into determining the degree of fault of a truck company or driver.
If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident, you may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim. Contact the Chicago, Illinois truck accident lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd.
Protect Your Rights in Chicago, Illinois
Strict federal and local laws govern the operation of trucks in the state. Drivers are required to abide by hours of service laws that ensure that they are well rested. Companies are required to properly vet drivers to ensure that they are healthy, drug-free, and qualified to drive a truck in Chicago, Illinois. Truck companies are required to keep their trucks in proper working order, and to perform regular maintenance on their vehicles. When truck companies, drivers, or shippers fail to honor these duties and obligations, innocent people can get hurt. Truck accidents can be caused by:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drowsy driving
- Overloaded trucks
- Defective equipment
- Reckless driving
- And other factors
Take legal action today if you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident. Speak to qualified semi-truck accident lawyers in Chicago, Illinois at the Dinizulu Law Group. Call 312-384-1920 for a FREE CONSULTATION. You may be entitled to seek damages for your lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. You may have the right to seek legal action against the truck driver, truck company, or other stakeholders responsible for your accident.
For more information on Semi-truck accident law, click here.
Free consultations are for injury cases only. Contact the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. for a consultation at 312-384-1920.
How can I help insurance processing go smoothly, or support my legal case in Chicago Illinois?
A person may receive damages and compensation for losses incurred through all types of tractor-trailer accidents. There are simple steps to take for the smooth processing of a complete and accurate claim for damages. If another party’s negligent acts were the cause of an injury, making a claim to cover costs above the insurance settlement amounts paid out for tractor-trailer accidents should be considered through an additional legal claim in court. Commercial vehicle accident lawyers may guide victims’ actions toward building a case against the negligent party to secure compensation for any negative changes and fiscal losses to the accident victim’s life by requesting they:
- Write down as much as you can about the truck accident itself, and describe physical and psychological injuries, and any monetary losses (such as wages) you’ve suffered because of the accident.
- Make notes of conversations that you had with people from the scene of the tractor-trailer accident and throughout the reporting process, including law enforcement personnel, medical personnel, mechanics and body shop personnel, and lawyers who may have insight into your specific case.
- Preserve evidence, making note of who caused the accident and what damage was done, through the collection of physical evidence and photographs from the scene.
- Locate people who witnessed the semi-tractor trailer accident who may be able to help you prove your case,
- Notify insurance companies, and parties to the truck accident, of your intention to file a claim for your injuries.
- Be mindful of the two-year personal injury/accident statute of limitations in Illinois, which are the periods of time a person must file a case against another party, for an injury or accident that they have suffered. The statute of limitations formally begins at the point in the case when the cause of the injury is discovered. In some cases, the statute of limitations may be paused for a period, if the plaintiff was a minor, or mentally incompetent at the time of the accident.
How does Illinois law affect my truck accident claim in Chicago?
Commercial truck accident attorneys at Dinizulu Law Group can explain actions initiated to seek damage compensation, but must work within the framework of Illinois Laws by adherence to:
- Illinois has a standard statute of limitations (a designated time period for filing a claim) of two years from the date of the accident for an injury, and five years from the date of the accident for injury or damage to your property
- Illinois has a “Comparative Negligence Law” where the percentage of your fault will determine how much compensation you may be entitled to recover.
- Illinois caps damages in personal injury cases. Illinois courts allow damages for partial fault of less than 50% and impose a cap on compensatory damages when cases are filed for medical malpractice injury cases and no punitive damages are allowed.
Truck accidents involving city, county, or state entities.
If your injury was caused by a municipal commercial truck driver’s negligence of an Illinois city or state agency, you have one year to file a case for compensation; the time limit to sue the state is two years but you must file a formal claim within one year to sue. Talk to the Chicago Illinois truck accident attorneys at Dinizulu Law Group to get the best information relevant to your unique case.
If you’ve been part of a semi-truck accident in Chicago, or you have a loved one who perished in an accident involving a large tractor-trailer, you deserve to be compensated.
A serious trucking accident can cause a variety of physical disabilities, and result in permanent psychological and mental trauma. Not only that, you may end up with thousands of dollars in medical bills, lost wages, or a permanent disability that prevents you from going back to your previous lifestyle.
If you or a family member has been involved in a semi-truck accident, you need to get help from a professional Chicago semi-truck accident lawyer. At Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., we fight for your rights – and help you get the compensation that you deserve.
Get What You Deserve With A Professional Chicago Semi Truck Accident Lawyer
Proving negligence will be necessary to support legal requests for comprehensive damage awards favoring truck accident victims in Chicago. Common types of truck accident negligence involve cargo load complications, driver error, and lapses in maintenance.
Overloaded cargo mishaps may cause extensive accident damage.
The size and weight of a large truck against that of a passenger vehicle may result in extensive damage and serious injury after a truck’s heavyweight and length compromises maneuverability and braking distances, leading to crash, jackknife, and rollover scenarios where multi-vehicle involvement occurs. Cargo is an important safety consideration for trucking companies and is often dependent solely on the people who load and/or drive these large trucks that already have limited maneuverability in certain traffic patterns. If an accident is caused by poorly or overloaded cargo, other parties besides the driver may be held responsible for damages from the accident.
Overloading cargo is evident when a truck is carrying more than the specific maximum weight designed for the truck. A trucking company may do this to avoid making more than one trip which would cost more road time and fuel. An overloaded truck can cause an accident because:
- the added weight requires longer stopping distances,
- tires may not be able to support the extra weight and cause blowout situations,
- mechanical components may not be able to bear the weight increasing downhill speeds and decreasing uphill speed of a truck, and most importantly a shift in cargo weight could cause an overturn or jackknife situation.
Driver error
Driver error may be due to the lack of, or improper training; poor health leading to medical episodes while driving; reckless behavior including drinking, drugs, or speeding; driver fatigue, or distracted driving; and the inability to control the vehicle in situations where driver skill and quick reaction time is required to avoid an accident.
Evidence that may support a claim of negligence in a Chicago truck accident includes:
- Testimony of witnesses, other passengers, or injured parties,
- Truck driver’s admissions of fault directly after the accident or sometime later,
- Crash scene photographs,
- Safety reports on vehicles involved in the accident completed before and after the truck accident,
- Blood alcohol tests of other drivers, or hospital blood tests that reveal intoxication of some sort related to drugs or alcohol,
- Cell phone records to make sure drivers were not texting, or making calls at the time of the truck accident causing a distracted driver situation,
- Event data recordings,
- GPS information,
- Trucking company bills of lading,
- Trucking company maintenance logs.
Federal trucking law violations may weigh in favor of an accident victim when negligence can be proven by an experienced Chicago tractor-trailer accident lawyer at Dinizulu Law Group.
Maintenance lapse
A trucking company is responsible for maintaining their vehicles or providing proof that independent contractors are driving safe vehicles when performing transport work under their employment umbrella. Wheel and damaged tire problems are high on the list of maintenance mishaps that result in costly truck accidents in Illinois. Simple steps to maintain vehicles would reduce the possibility of:
- Under-inflation
- Tread burn
- Tread separation
- Spare tire use
- Problems with the wheel or rim.
When a truck tire breaks apart, tire debris can become a deadly projectile thrown through the air landing on vehicles, or causing dangerous conditions on the highway itself, leading drivers to swerve and lose control of their vehicles.
Skilled Chicago Illinois tractor-trailer accident attorneys at Dinizulu Law Firm can address these common shortcomings associated with trucking accidents, as well as others where a truck driver, truck maintenance personnel, cargo loader, or the trucking company may have been responsible for harm to another person.
You need someone who is on your side when you’ve been involved in a semi-truck accident. We don’t represent trucking companies, their insurers, or any other third party. We only have your best interests in mind, and we will fight tooth and nail to get you the money you deserve for damages.
Here are just a few statistics that show why you need Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., to fight for you after a truck accident.
- The average overall cost of a semi-truck accident is over $7 million – The cost of an accident with a truck that is pulling at least 1 trailer is over $7 million. These costs include insurance payouts, medical bills, the replacement of damaged property, and legal fees. If you’ve been injured or hurt, you deserve to be compensated!
- 1 in 10 deaths on US roads is caused by semi trucks – A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh in excess of 80,000 lbs. For comparison, the average passenger vehicle weighs in at about 4,000 lbs. Because semi trucks are so large and heavy, a semi-truck accident is much more likely to cause a fatality or debilitating injury, according to the IIHS.
- 88% of truck accidents are caused by negligence – An FMCSA study has shown that most truck accidents are caused by negligence on the part of truck drivers. Sleep deprivation and inattentive lane changes are the biggest causes, though DUI/DWI is also a factor. Typically, drivers of passenger vehicles are not found at fault in truck accidents.
Free consultations are for injury cases only. Contact the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. for a consultation at 312-384-1920
Semi-truck accidents can change your life forever, or even cost you the life of one that is near and dear to your heart. You deserve to be compensated, and our Chicago semi truck accident attorneys are here to help at Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd.
Large trucks were involved in approximately 380,000 traffic accidents in the United States in 2008 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Approximately 90,000 people were injured and over 4,200 people were killed as a result. In the state of Illinois, there were over 100 fatalities and 2,200 injuries in trucking accidents in the same year. The vast majority of those injured or killed were occupants of other vehicles involved in the crash.
Driver Fatigue
Driver fatigue and drowsiness are major contributing factors to large truck traffic accidents. Trucker exhaustion manifests in numerous ways including:
- Delayed reactions times
- Blurred and distorted vision
- Lane drifting
- Speeding fluctuations
- Inattentiveness to road conditions
- Failure to practice safety protocols
Trucker fatigue is of such concern that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has instituted a number of Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. These federal regulations stipulate that professional truck drivers may not:
- Drive more than 11 cumulative hours following 10 consecutive off-duty hours
- Drive beyond the 14th hour following 10 consecutive off-duty hours.
- Drive more than 60 hours in 7 consecutive days or 70 hours in 8 consecutive days.
- Restart a 7/8 consecutive day period without taking at least 34 consecutive hours off duty.
The state of Illinois has adopted these federal regulations with a couple of exemptions.
Thousands of truck accidents occur on Illinois roads every year. Because of their large size and heavy weight (up to 90,000 lbs. on most highways), trucks, tractor-trailers, semis, and 18-wheelers can do serious damage to smaller vehicles. Consequently, these accidents have a higher incidence of catastrophic injury and wrongful death than most other motor vehicle accidents. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident that has resulted in a catastrophic injury or death, it is critically important to hire experienced legal counsel to represent your interests. The Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., has the experience you need to fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
There are many different types of truck accidents that can occur on the roadways. These include:
- Underride accidents
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone collisions
- Jackknife accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Pile-up accidents
- Lost load accidents
The circumstances of these accidents may differ, but all have the potential to cause devastating and life-altering injuries or wrongful death.
Types of Truck Accident Injuries
When someone is seriously injured in a truck accident, they often experience one of the following types of injuries:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Burns
- Limb amputation
- Broken and crushed bones
- Lacerations
Of these, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries are the most common and can have devastating consequences. Spinal cord injuries can lead to temporary or permanent paralysis. Traumatic brain injuries can have numerous grave effects such as loss of motor control, memory loss, severe headaches, speech problems, sight problems, and many others. These injuries often require years of physical and occupational rehabilitation and therapy, which can come at significant expense.
Experienced Truck Accident Attorneys in Chicago Illinois
Unlike other motor vehicle accidents in which an injured party is typically limited to recovering damages from the at-fault driver and the applicable insurer, accidents involving commercial trucks may have numerous avenues of recovery. Several parties may be held accountable for your accident. An experienced trucking accident lawyer like the ones at the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. will identify as many potential defendants as possible in order to pursue maximum compensation. Potential defendants can include:
- The truck driver
- The driver’s employer
- The trucking company
- The truck owner
- The shipper of the truck’s cargo
- The truck’s manufacturer or servicer
- A parts manufacturer
In order to establish the liability of a third party, your lawyer must demonstrate that the third party contributed at least in part to the cause of the accident. For example, if the accident was caused by driver fatigue and the trucking company that employed the driver pushed the driver to drive beyond federal Hours of Service (HOS) regulations, the trucking company could be held liable.
There are strict federal and state regulations for how much a truck and its cargo can weigh. These regulations were established to protect the integrity of the roadways as well as the safety of other passenger vehicles on the road. Overweight trucks can be more difficult for drivers to control particularly in terms of stopping distance. As a result, truck overloading can be the cause of a trucking accident. Additionally, the heavier a truck is, the more damage it can do in a collision.
How cargo is loaded onto a truck can also make a difference in how safe it is to drive. An unbalanced trailer can cause both braking and turning problems for the driver. This can cause a very dangerous rollover accident.
Trucking Accident Involving Hazardous Cargo
Many of the trucks that share the Illinois highways are loaded with hazardous cargo. These trucks are subject to strict regulation by the federal government. These regulations include identification with a placard or label using the United Nations 4-digit numbering system and refrigeration for certain chemicals and gases. Additionally, trucks carrying hazardous materials must be certified by the Department of Transportation. Failure to meet these requirements is a grave offense. In an accident, exposure to hazardous cargo can cause such injuries as:
- Loss of sight
- Exposure to carcinogens
- Brain damage
- Lung damage
- Burns
These injuries can be long-term and life threatening and they are not limited to victims inside other vehicles. Anyone in the vicinity of the crash may become a victim.
Experienced Network of Trucking Attorneys Serving Illinois
The goal of the trucking industry in Illinois and beyond is to transport as much freight as possible as quickly and inexpensively as possible. In order to meet that goal, trucking companies often cut corners and violate regulations in how they transport cargo. In doing so, the safety of Illinois roadways and roadways throughout the country can be compromised.
If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a trucking accident in Illinois or beyond, it’s important to hire an attorney who is experienced with trucking cases to represent you. The attorneys at Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd, based in Chicago, Illinois, are experienced and knowledgeable about trucking laws and accidents. Our attorneys have seen numerous cases involving driver fatigue and other truck accident causes. We investigate all of our cases thoroughly to determine exactly what caused the accident, if state or federal regulations were violated, and who should be held accountable. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and begin the process of getting the compensation you deserve.
Contact Us Now – Get Started And See If You Have A Case
We know that high legal fees can make proper representation hard for some Chicago residents. That’s why we always offer our first consultation free of charge. You can meet with one of our qualified Chicago semi truck accident lawyers, and see if you have a case.
In addition, we work on a contingency fee basis. We get paid only if you recover funds – otherwise, you do not owe us a dime.
So don’t wait. There’s no risk, and you can get your case assessed for free. Contact the Chicago truck accident lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group now by phone at (312) 384-1920, or call us toll-free at 1-800-693-1LAW(1529). You can also contact us online, or by email at [email protected].
We look forward to meeting you and helping you get the compensation you deserve in Chicago.
