Car accidents are so common that we often do not bat an eye at the scene of an accident along the side of the road. Injuries in car accidents can be severe, and injured drivers can sue for compensation.
Accidents are unpredictable and might be caused by various factors on the road and behind the wheel. Some common causes of car accidents are distracted drivers, traffic violations, and driving at unsafe speeds. To get compensation, most drivers initially file an insurance claim. Depending on where the insurance claim meets the injured driver’s needs, the driver might also file a lawsuit. For either an insurance claim or a lawsuit, you have to have evidence. Our team can help you gather the evidence necessary to support your claims and hopefully get the compensation you deserve.
Car accidents are often not “accidents” at all. Someone should be held responsible for the crash and pay you financial compensation. Call our car accident lawyers today for a free case review. Call the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502.
Typical Reasons Behind Many Car Accident Cases in Evanston, IL
A big part of dealing with a car accident is figuring out how it happened. While the cause of an accident is obvious in some cases, it is more difficult to determine in others. Even when we believe we know the truth of what happened, the defendant might claim a different version of events. Our car accident lawyers can help you prove the truth of how your accident occurred.
Distracted driving is one of the biggest causes of concern on the road today. Communication devices like cell phones and tablets are everywhere, including inside vehicles, and drivers must resist the temptation to make a phone call or check text messages. Even if a driver picks up a cell phone for only a minute behind the wheel, they might cause a serious crash because they are no longer focused on the road.
Traffic violations consist of incidents where drivers somehow break the rules of the road. Perhaps the defendant in your case ran a red light or did not yield at an intersection. These might sound like minor violations, but they are serious safety risks. Even a minor violation can lead to a catastrophic accident.
Speed is a huge factor in many accidents. Even if speeding was not the direct cause, it might significantly worsen the accident and your injuries. Even when drivers do not exceed the speed limit, the limit might still be very high, such as on highways and interstates.
How to Get Compensation for Your Injuries After a Car Accident in Evanston, IL
The main goal of legal action after a car accident is to get compensation for damages. Damages and injuries in many accident cases are severe, and plaintiffs need financial compensation to cover various debts and expenses. Our car accident lawyers can help you advocate for the most compensation possible.
Insurance
Often, the first thing injured drivers do after an accident is to look into filing an insurance claim. All drivers are required to have insurance in Illinois, so insurance claims are a normal part of the process when dealing with a car accident.
Illinois is a fault-based state, meaning injured drivers must file third-party claims with the other driver’s insurance company. Next, the injured driver has to prove to the insurance company that the other driver was at fault for the crash. Suppose the insurance company does not believe the other driver is to blame, or they suspect that the injured driver partially contributed to the accident. In that case, they might reduce compensation or deny the claim.
If the other driver has no insurance, injured drivers might file claims with their own uninsured motorist coverage. MedPay can also be used to cover medical expenses from the accident.
Lawsuit
Although insurance can help injured drivers recover some compensation, it does not always satisfy all of a person’s needs. Insurance often only covers certain economic damages, and many drivers’ injuries and expenses exceed the insurance policy’s limits. At that point, our car accident lawyers can help you file a lawsuit to get the remainder of your damage covered.
A lawsuit can help you recover economic and non-economic damages related to the accident. Economic damages often include medical bills, lost earnings from missing work, and property damage. While some of these expenses might be paid for through insurance, not everything might be covered.
Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, both mental and physical, as well as negative experiences like humiliation or the overall loss of enjoyment of your life. These damages often do not involve money and are usually not covered by insurance. Often, a lawsuit is the only way to get compensation for these damages.
Searching for Evidence for Your Car Accident Claims in Evanston, IL
Collecting evidence for a car accident case can start almost immediately. If you can, take photos and record videos of the crash scene. Eventually, the police will arrive and begin clearing the scene away from the road, and a lot of important evidence might be lost. Your photos and videos can help preserve details about the accident that we can use to prove your claims.
Car accidents often happen in heavy traffic, and many people might see the collision occur. These witnesses should be tracked down so they can provide testimony about what they saw. Even without things like physical evidence or recordings, witness testimony can be very persuasive. If our car accident lawyers can find several witnesses who back up your claims, you might be more likely to get the compensation you need.
Contact Our Evanston, IL Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Review
Car accidents can be dangerous, even deadly. Plaintiffs often live with the effects of their injuries for a long time, and our car accident attorneys can help you get justice. Call the Rhatigan Law Offices today at (312) 578-8502 for a free review of your case.