Cicero Illinois Truck Accident Lawyer
Have you recently been injured in a truck accident in Cicero, Illinois? Call Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC. The trucking company won’t put your best interests front and center when you file a claim for damages. Our Cicero truck accident lawyers can help you force the case results you deserve.
Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC is a litigation powerhouse, dedicated to fighting for individuals, not corporations. Our award-winning Illinois trial attorneys have won more than $750 million in damages for our clients, securing landmark settlements and jury awards in the process.
We offer a free consultation, so contact us to discuss your truck accident case today.
What Causes Most Truck Accidents in Cicero?
While the trucking industry is regulated by state law and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), accidents involving commercial rigs are still common. Trucking companies have been known to prioritize profits over safety, which can mean ignoring these critical safety guidelines if it means cutting costs, saving time, and padding their bottom line.
Unfortunately, safety violations are a significant contributing factor to truck accidents.
Common causes include:
- Negligent hiring
- Inadequate driver training
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding
- Unsafe lane changes
- Negligent truck maintenance
- Unsecured cargo
- Distracted driving
- Drug and alcohol use
Sometimes, other factors like auto defects, road defects, and inclement weather, can cause 18-wheeler accidents in Cicero, too.
Who’s Liable For My Truck Accident Injuries?
Truck accidents can cause catastrophic physical injuries, including broken bones, amputations, severe burns, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and other life-changing trauma. In Illinois, anyone who contributes to a truck accident – even indirectly – can be responsible when a victim suffers these and other types of physical harm, including a:
- Truck driver
- Trucking service
- Freight broker
- Cargo/freight owner
- Truck mechanic
- Passenger vehicle driver
- Vehicle manufacturer
Liability is proportionate to fault. Damages are awarded proportionately to fault, too. Under Illinois’ modified comparative fault law, you can be compensated for your truck accident injuries, but only when your shared fault is less than 51 percent. The moment you’re primarily responsible for the big rig accident, you lose the right to demand accountability from other parties. When you share some liability, damages are reduced based on your role in the crash. The more blame you share, the less you can receive from the negligent trucking company or another party.
When Should I Hire a Truck Accident Attorney in Cicero, IL?
Whether you’ve been injured in a jackknife accident, a truck rollover, an override accident, or another type of truck accident in Cicero, you’ll have a limited time to assert your legal rights. Illinois applies a two-year statute of limitations to most truck accident claims, including matters of wrongful death.
However, you shouldn’t wait a full two years to take action. Every moment counts.
The longer you wait to get started, the more likely it is that:
- The trucking company will control the investigation and have the opportunity to build a defense
- Witness memories fade and become less reliable, and
- Valuable evidence – including truck black box data, driver logs, trucking company records, and property damage – gets lost, damaged, or destroyed.
It’s in your best interest to speak with an experienced Chicago truck accident attorney near Cicero, IL as soon as you can.
At Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC, we’re always available to take your call. Contact our law office to arrange a complimentary case review today.