In Illinois, pedestrian accidents happen with troubling regularity, and the injuries caused are rarely minor. Crossing the street near the Magnificent Mile, stepping off a CTA bus on Michigan Avenue, or cutting through a parking lot in Wicker Park shouldn’t put your life at risk.
If you or someone you love was struck by a vehicle, the attorneys at Levin, Riback & Adelman are here to help. Our personal injury law firm represents injured pedestrians and their families throughout Chicagoland and across Illinois, working to hold negligent drivers accountable for the injuries they cause. Our skilled personal injury lawyers have a strong record of success for clients. Let our law office help you obtain the compensation you deserve after an accident.
Medical bills stack up fast. Lost income follows. And the physical and emotional toll of being hit by a car can be enormous.
The honest answer is that case value depends heavily on the specific facts. What matters most includes:
In Illinois, injured pedestrians may be able to recover two broad categories of compensation. Economic damages (meaning measurable financial losses) include medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and future care expenses. Non-economic damages cover things that are harder to quantify, like pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the impact on close relationships.
In cases involving a fatality, surviving family members may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim. This helps survivors secure their financial future without their loved one. Our Chicago wrongful death attorneys help families understand their options
One of our experienced attorneys will review the specific facts of your situation and give you a more grounded sense of what a claim might involve. No responsible lawyer can promise a specific outcome, but a thorough case evaluation can help you understand the range of what may be possible.
Most crashes trace back to preventable errors. These errors frequently constitute a valid personal injury claim.
Common causes of auto and truck crashes our Chicago lawyers see include:
When drivers or trucking companies act carelessly or recklessly and put others in danger, they may bear responsibility for any harm they cause. Our attorneys will act quickly to preserve and obtain the evidence needed to hold them accountable.
Illinois follows a legal rule called modified comparative negligence. In plain terms, this means fault can be shared between the driver and the pedestrian. If a court or insurer finds that you were partially responsible for the accident, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Insurance companies often try to use this against injured pedestrians. Adjusters may suggest that a victim was jaywalking, distracted, or otherwise careless in an effort to reduce or deny the claim. Having an attorney who understands how comparative negligence works in practice can make a real difference in how fault gets assessed and argued.
Even pedestrians who were not in a marked crosswalk may still have a valid claim. Illinois law generally requires drivers to exercise reasonable care to avoid hitting people on foot, regardless of where the crossing occurred.
Certain areas of Chicago see pedestrian collisions at much higher rates than others. High foot traffic, heavy vehicle volume, and infrastructure challenges all contribute to the risk.
Streets like Western Avenue, Pulaski Road, Ashland Avenue, and Halsted Street have been identified in recent traffic data as among the most dangerous in the city. Intersections on the South and West sides have historically seen a disproportionate share of serious crashes. The Loop and surrounding downtown corridors generate high collision rates due to the mix of turning vehicles, delivery trucks, rideshare pickups, and heavy pedestrian traffic.
Neighborhoods like South Shore, West Englewood, North Lawndale, and Garfield Park have also been identified in city transportation reports as areas where pedestrian and cyclist injuries are concentrated. Hit-and-run incidents are particularly troubling in some of these areas, and in recent years, pedestrians were involved in a significant share of all hit-and-run crashes in the city.
For additional context on pedestrian safety trends, the pedestrian safety information from NHTSA is a useful resource.
The actions you take in the hours and days after a pedestrian accident can affect both your health and the strength of any legal claim. If your injuries allow:
A few patterns tend to come up in cases where injured pedestrians receive less than they may have been entitled to.
In Chicago, pedestrians were involved in a notable portion of hit-and-run crashes in recent years. These situations are frustrating, but they do not necessarily mean a victim has no options.
If the driver fled or cannot be identified, you may be able to file a claim under your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. If the driver is found but had no insurance or insufficient coverage to cover your losses, underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage may also come into play. If you don’t own a car, you may still have coverage available through a household member’s policy.
A note about auto insurance, Illinois law requires owners to carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of uninsured motorist coverage. However, this is woefully inadequate to pay for your losses if you are hit. Experts strongly recommend purchasing higher limits ($100,000/$300,000) when purchasing auto insurance to ensure you are fully protected from severe injuries. The cost is minimal compared to the benefits you receive if you are involved in a catastrophic accident.
Pedestrians have no protection when a vehicle strikes them. No airbags, no seatbelt, no frame around them. The result is often severe physical trauma, even in lower-speed collisions.
Common injuries in pedestrian accident cases include:
The size and weight of the vehicle involved will directly affect the severity of injuries and the value of a claim. Data from recent years in Chicago shows that in a significant share of pedestrian fatality cases, the driver of an SUV, pickup truck, or van was at fault.
Pedestrian accident cases involve specific challenges that general legal knowledge doesn’t always address. Comparative fault arguments, municipal liability issues, insurance coverage gaps, and the need to document long-term injuries all require careful handling.
At Levin, Riback & Adelman, our Chicago auto accident attorneys handle personal injury cases for injured people and their families throughout Chicagoland and elsewhere in Illinois. Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Our focus is on giving each client a clear, honest assessment of their case and pursuing the strongest possible outcome based on the specific facts.
If you were struck by a vehicle while walking, or if you lost a family member in a pedestrian accident, we encourage you to reach out for a consultation. There is no cost and no obligation to speak with our team. The sooner we can review the details, the better positioned we are to help.
If you were injured in a pedestrian 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.
