Exchanging the necessary information with a negligent driver after a car accident is important. If you don’t, it may be harder to recover the compensatory damages you deserve against an at-fault party.
If you fail to exchange your driver’s license and vehicle registration information with a negligent driver after a Chicago car accident, you can face challenges. For example, without an at-fault party’s identity, you may be unable to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit for compensatory damages. You can face legal consequences as well, as it is against the law to not stop and exchange information after a collision resulting in injury or death in Chicago. If you were unable to get a negligent driver’s information after a crash because they fled the scene, an experienced attorney can work alongside law enforcement officials to identify an at-fault driver.
Our team is dedicated to helping Chicago car accident victims hold negligent drivers accountable. For a free case evaluation with the Chicago car accident lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices, call today at (312) 578-8502.
Is it Harder to Recover Compensation if You Don’t Exchange Information After a Car Accident in Chicago?
After a car accident in Chicago, you must stop and exchange certain information with all involved parties. Failure to exchange the necessary details can make it more challenging for victims to recover compensatory damages after a collision in Chicago.
Car accidents can be extremely overwhelming, but taking a deep breath and pausing to exchange the necessary information with a negligent driver is crucial. After a collision in Chicago, all involved parties are required to exchange their name, vehicle registration, and address.
Using this information, your Rockford, IL car accident lawyer can gather additional details, like a negligent driver’s name and contact information. If you do not exchange the necessary information with all involved parties, it can be harder to determine fault and identify the individual responsible for your injuries. Not to mention, if you don’t know the at-fault driver’s identity, you cannot file a claim with their liability insurance or a lawsuit against them for compensatory damages.
Drivers are not required to exchange their insurance information, according to 810 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/11-403. That said, it’s important to request such information after an accident. In Chicago, the sooner you inform a negligent driver’s liability insurance of your accident, the better. Illinois operates under a no-fault system for car accidents, and while drivers are required to carry liability insurance, it’s not guaranteed that their policy will be sufficient to cover the cost of your injuries. Your personal injury protection insurance or health insurance may also be inadequate.
Because of Illinois’s complex insurance laws, filing a lawsuit may be the only route to recovering sufficient compensatory damages. If you did not exchange your information with a negligent driver after a crash, identifying and holding them accountable in a lawsuit can be very challenging.
Can You Be Penalized for Failing to Exchange Information After a Chicago Car Accident?
In Chicago, you are required to stop and exchange information with all involved parties after a car accident. You can face serious penalties if you don’t do this and also fail to report the incident to law enforcement officials.
Following a car accident resulting in death or injury, all parties must exchange certain details. That includes driver’s licenses, vehicle registration, and contact information. If you cannot do this because of injury or any other reason, you have 30 minutes after a crash to report to the police, according to 810 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/11-401(b). If you are hospitalized, you have 30 minutes after you are discharged to report to the police. If you have difficulty reporting your accident because of hospitalization, ask a Joilet, IL car accident lawyer for help.
Failure to comply with these rules can result in an arrest. This is the case even if you are the victim of a Chicago car accident. If you don’t stop and exchange information after a crash, and subsequently fail to report the accident to the police, you can face serious consequences in Chicago.
Not exchanging your information with a negligent driver can also harm your future lawsuit against a negligent driver. If you don’t get the necessary information at the accident scene and then fail to report the incident to the police, your injuries and damages may appear insignificant. This can impact your ability to recover the compensatory damages you deserve in a Chicago car accident lawsuit.
What Should You Do if You Didn’t Exchange Information After a Car Accident in Chicago?
While it can be difficult to hold a negligent driver accountable if you fail to exchange information after a Chicago car accident, it’s not impossible. A skilled attorney can use their experience and resources to identify a negligent driver so that you can recover the compensatory damages you deserve.
Unfortunately, not all negligent drivers stick around after causing a crash. If a negligent driver flees the scene, or your injuries prevent you from exchanging information, there are other options. Chicago car accident victims should call the police after a crash so law enforcement officials can note a negligent driver’s information. This is generally the best route to take so that you can focus on getting the immediate medical care you need.
If a negligent driver flees the scene before you or Chicago police officers can speak to them, reach out to an attorney. An experienced Naperville car accident lawyer has ways of uncovering a negligent driver’s identity, even if you do not know their name or contact information. By speaking to eyewitnesses and reviewing evidence like security camera footage, your lawyer can identify the at-fault party.
Acting quickly in these cases is crucial. The more time that goes by, the more difficult it can be to place a negligent driver at the accident scene, depending on the available evidence. That is why calling the police and hiring an attorney right away is wise. The sooner you act after failing to get a negligent driver’s information, the better.
Call Our Chicago Attorneys After Your Car Accident
If you were recently injured in a car accident in Chicago, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Chicago personal injury lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices, call today at (312) 578-8502.
Related Posts