Motorcycle crashes in Illinois are different from other vehicle accidents. The injuries are often more serious. The legal issues are often more complicated. And the bias that riders sometimes face from insurance companies can make an already difficult situation worse.
At Levin, Riback & Adelman, we represent people who have been hurt in motorcycle crashes throughout Illinois, including Chicago, Cook County, and surrounding communities. Our experienced attorneys handle serious personal injury and wrongful death claims. If you or someone you love was injured on a motorcycle, we can help you hold those responsible for your injuries accountable for their negligence.
The steps taken in the hours and days after a crash can have a real effect on a claim. This is not meant to add pressure to an already overwhelming situation. It is simply practical.
Illinois law sets a time limit, called a statute of limitations, on how long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations is the legal deadline for bringing a claim in court. If that deadline passes without action, the right to sue is generally lost.
The standard statute of limitations in Illinois is two years from the date of the crash. This may sound like plenty of time, but cases take time to build. Waiting too long to start the process can put the entire claim at risk.
Riders do not have the protection of a steel frame, airbags, or a seatbelt. When a crash happens, the body absorbs the impact directly. Even a relatively low-speed collision can throw a rider onto pavement, into a guardrail, or under another vehicle.
Common injuries in motorcycle accidents include:
Some of these injuries heal. Others do not. A rider who survives a serious crash may face months of surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing treatment. Lost income, long-term disability, and the emotional toll of the experience are all part of the picture that a personal injury claim needs to account for.
This is often the first question people ask, and it is a fair one. Medical bills start arriving quickly. Income may stop just as fast. The answer, though, depends on the specific facts of your situation.
In Illinois, a person injured in a motorcycle accident caused by someone else’s negligence (meaning careless or wrongful conduct) may be entitled to compensation for:
No one can honestly tell you what your case is worth before reviewing the evidence, the medical records, and the circumstances of the crash. What we can tell you is that our legal team will work very hard to get you the compensation you deserve.
In cases where a rider dies from their injuries, the family may have a claim for wrongful death. Our attorneys also handle wrongful death claims for those left behind to help them secure their financial future.
Motorcycle collisions are often not about what the motorcyclist did wrong, but about what the other driver failed to do.
Heavy traffic on Lake Shore Drive, congested intersections in neighborhoods like Wicker Park and Logan Square, construction zones along the Dan Ryan Expressway and I-290, and the general unpredictability of urban driving all create conditions where crashes can happen quickly. Especially when car and truck drivers aren’t looking for motorcycles.
Some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents in Illinois include:
Liability, meaning legal responsibility for the accident, does not always rest with a single party. In some cases, multiple people or entities may share responsibility.
Potentially liable parties in an Illinois motorcycle accident may include:
Illinois follows a modified comparative fault system. This means that if you are found to have been partially at fault for the crash, your recovery may be reduced in proportion to your share of responsibility. If your share of fault exceeds 50 percent, you may be barred from recovering at all.
Insurance companies are often quick to assign blame to the rider. A common tactic is to suggest the motorcyclist was speeding, weaving, or otherwise behaving recklessly, even when the evidence does not support that claim. Having an attorney involved early can help protect against these arguments.
Illinois does not require motorcycle riders to wear a helmet. In Illinois, a motorcyclist’s decision not to wear a helmet generally cannot be used to against them. However, insurance companies and defense attorneys will still try to raise it as a defense. If motorcycle drivers and their passengers were wearing helmets, protective gear, or other safety equipment at the time of the crash, it can help the claim.
Understanding how these arguments work, and how to respond to them, is one of the reasons to hire an experienced auto accident lawyer.
Not all personal injury lawyers handle motorcycle cases regularly. There are differences in how these cases are investigated, how fault is contested, and how compensation is calculated.
At the law firm of Levin, Riback & Adelman, we have helped many motorcyclists and their passengers recover compensation in the aftermath of crashes. Personal injury claims are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means our fee comes from what you recover in the case. If there is no recovery, there is no fee.
If you or a family member was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash in Illinois, contact the law firm of Levin, Riback & Adelman at our Chicago law office to speak directly with an attorney about your motorcycle accident claim. An initial consultation gives you the opportunity to ask questions, understand your options, and decide whether legal representation makes sense for your situation. You do not have to navigate this alone.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident caused by another person’s negligence, you have a right to claim compensation. Levin, Riback & Adelman, has the skill to assist you in filing a strong personal injury claim. For a free consultation, call 312-782-6717 or message us via our online contact form.
