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Motorcycle crashes can be especially deadly compared to other types of roadway accidents, and even when a victim survives a motorcycle crash, the effects can still be catastrophic. Fortunately, if someone else bears responsibility for causing such a wreck, you may have grounds to file a civil suit and seek financial recovery.
If you or your loved one suffered an injury in a motorcycle collision, a skilled Dolton motorcycle accident lawyer could help you pursue compensation for the losses you incurred, including medical bills, lost wages due to missed time at work, rehabilitation costs, pain medication, and other monetary losses. With a qualified personal injury attorney’s assistance, you may also be able to recover compensation for non-monetary losses and general pain and suffering.
Motorcycle fatalities in Illinois are trending upwards, more than doubling in the first decade of the 2000s. In fact, nearly 150 motorcyclists die in Illinois each year, and nearly 5,000 motorcyclists are killed per year throughout the United States. Motorcyclists who survive their accident are often left with severe and catastrophic injuries.
These accidents carry a hefty price tag, accounting for roughly $12 billion each year in healthcare costs and loss of productivity. Moreover, for victims of these accidents, the effects—both physical and financial—can be profound and difficult to recover from. A skilled Dolton motorcycle accident attorney could advocate on a crash victim’s behalf and help them pursue the compensation they need to make up for the damages they suffered.
When victims are hurt in a motorcycle accident, a key aspect of recovering civil damages is determining who should bear the liability for causing those damages. The severity of the accident is irrelevant in this regard—all that matters is whose careless or reckless actions constituted a breach of their duty of care and directly led to an accident that caused physical injuries and damages.
Depending on the circumstances, the potentially responsible party could be:
The state of Illinois operates under a modified comparative negligence rule that allows victims to recover compensation for their injuries, even when they contributed to their own accident in some way. For example, despite the fact that Illinois state law does not explicitly require bikers to wear helmets, failing to wear a helmet could still be considered evidence that an injured rider contributed to causing their own injuries.
Victims who are partially responsible for their own injuries may still recover compensation under Illinois law, so long as they are not deemed more at fault than the other party involved. However, their damage award may be reduced proportionally by the percentage of fault they shared. For this reason, it is often important to work with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in Dolton who could work to refute claims of comparative negligence on the victim’s part.
No matter the severity of your motorcycle accident injuries, a Dolton motorcycle accident lawyer could help you seek the compensation you need to pay medical bills and cover other costs you may be facing following such a serious accident. To get started on your case, call today to set up an initial consultation.