Palatine Truck Accident Attorney
If you’ve been hurt in an accident with a big rig, tractor-trailer, dump truck, delivery vehicle, or another large truck in Palatine, Illinois, call Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC. You have rights as a victim, including the ability to demand compensation from the negligent truck driver, the trucking service, and other liable parties. Our experienced Palatine truck accident attorneys are positioned to help you maximize your recovery.
Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC offers long-standing industry experience that spans decades. Fighting for the rights of individuals – never corporations – we’ve won more than $750 million in privately-negotiated settlements and jury awards.
Force the truck accident case results you deserve by putting our powerhouse legal team in your corner. Contact us for a free consultation today.
What Causes Truck Accidents?
Commercial trucks are a lot heavier and longer than other vehicles on the road. They’re more difficult to drive safely, which is why the trucking industry has to comply with special regulations established by state and federal law. Trucking companies, however, have been known to prioritize their own profits over road safety – which means these regulations aren’t always given the attention they deserve.
Ignoring these critical safety guidelines creates situations in which truck accidents are much more likely to happen.
Leading causes include:
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drugged driving
- Tailgating
- Unsecured cargo
- Negligent hiring, training, and/or supervision
- Unqualified truck drivers
- Negligent truck maintenance
- Braking errors
- Blind spot errors
- Auto defects
- Wide turns
- Unsafe passing
- Illegal turns
Anyone who is negligent, careless, or reckless and causes a truck accident in which another person is injured or killed can be liable for resulting damages. This can include truck drivers, trucking services, freight brokers, auto manufacturers, drivers of passenger vehicles, and even government agencies.
How Do I Get Compensation For My Truck Accident Injuries?
Under Illinois’ tort system, you can file a legal claim for damages against anyone who caused your truck accident. Typically, you’ll file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company. Since the potential for catastrophic injuries – brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and wrongful death – is so much higher when a truck is involved in a collision, trucking services are required to carry policies with much higher limits.
If your damages are greater than the trucking service’s policy limits, or if the trucking company refuses to pay, you can file a civil lawsuit for damages.
Damages through an insurance claim or truck accident lawsuit can help you get money for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages and disability
- Property damage
- Rehabilitation
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Reduced quality of life
- Inconvenience
- Loss of consortium
- Funeral expenses if a truck accident in Palatine is fatal
Keep in mind that damages are subject to limitation if you share some of the blame for your truck accident. Illinois’ modified comparative fault rule allows a plaintiff to recover compensation as long as shared fault doesn’t exceed 50 percent. However, damages are reduced proportionately to fault. If you were 15 percent to blame for your truck accident, you could expect to receive just 85 percent of the value of your personal injury claim.
When Should I Hire a Truck Accident Attorney in Palatine, IL?
As soon as you can.
Truck accident claims are subject to a two-year statute of limitations in Illinois. Not only are you facing a ticking clock, but every second counts when you’ve decided to take on a powerful trucking company. The service will try to limit the scope of the investigation, control the evidence that’s revealed, and build a defense that stands between you and a sizable monetary award.
The sooner you hire an experienced truck accident attorney near you in Palatine, Illinois, the better.
At Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC, we’re award-winning Chicago personal injury attorneys determined to make a difference in your life after a truck accident. Count on us to go above and beyond to help you win your truck accident case and recover maximum compensation.
We offer a free consultation, so contact our Chicago, IL, law office today.