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Decatur Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer

Every day, drivers across the Chicago area and throughout Illinois get behind the wheel distracted. They glance at a text message, scroll through a social media feed, or eat a meal while merging onto I-55 or I-90. In a split second, lives change forever. If a distracted driver hurt you or someone you love near Decatur or anywhere in the Chicago metro area, you deserve to know your rights. Briskman Briskman & Greenberg is here to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

What Is Distracted Driving and Why Is It So Dangerous?
Illinois Distracted Driving Laws You Need to Know
Proving Negligence in a Distracted Driving Accident Case
What Damages Can You Recover After a Distracted Driving Accident?
How Briskman Briskman & Greenberg Can Help After a Distracted Driving Crash
FAQs About Decatur Distracted Driving Accident Claims

What Is Distracted Driving and Why Is It So Dangerous?

Distracted driving is any activity that takes a driver’s attention away from the road. It sounds simple, but the consequences are anything but. Think about how many times you have seen someone on Lake Shore Drive with a phone pressed to their ear. Or a driver on I-290 glancing down at a text instead of watching traffic ahead. These moments of inattention cause real, devastating crashes.

There are three main types of distraction. Visual distraction takes your eyes off the road. Manual distraction takes your hands off the wheel. Cognitive distraction takes your mind away from driving. Texting is one of the worst offenses because it combines all three at once.

Glancing at a phone for just 5 seconds while traveling at 55 mph means a driver covers the entire length of a football field without any awareness of what is happening around them. That is a terrifying thought when you picture a busy stretch of the Dan Ryan Expressway or the intersection near Millennium Park.

It takes an average of 27 seconds for the brain to re-focus on the road after a glance at a screen. For those 27 seconds, a driver is essentially operating a vehicle as if they had consumed four beers. And the numbers back this up. According to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, distracted driving contributed to over 25,000 reported crashes statewide in 2023. Those crashes resulted in more than 3,000 serious injuries and over 200 fatalities.

Other distractions go beyond phones. Eating, adjusting the radio, talking to passengers, or even daydreaming can all lead to a crash. Driver inattention is a factor in more than 1 million crashes in North America annually, resulting in serious injuries, deaths, and an economic impact that some experts say reaches nearly $40 billion per year. If you were hurt because of someone else’s distraction, a Chicago abogado de lesiones personales at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg can help you understand your legal options.

Illinois Distracted Driving Laws You Need to Know

Illinois has some of the strongest distracted driving laws in the country. Knowing these laws matters whether you are a driver trying to stay safe or an accident victim trying to build a claim. The primary statute is 625 ILCS 5/12-610.2, and it covers a wide range of behaviors behind the wheel.

In Illinois, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while using an electronic communication device to text or make a call unless using hands-free mode. Effective January 1, 2024, it is also illegal to drive while participating in any video-conferencing application such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Webex. You also cannot access any social media sites such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, or Twitter while driving.

Drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using any cell phone, even hands-free. All drivers are prohibited from using any type of cellular phone, even hands-free, when driving in school speed zones and construction and road maintenance zones. So if you are near a school on the North Side or passing through a construction zone on the Kennedy Expressway, even a Bluetooth call is off-limits.

The penalties for violating these laws are real. The fine for a first offense is a maximum of $75, $100 for a second offense, $125 for a third offense, and $150 for a fourth or subsequent offense. But when a crash happens, the stakes get much higher. If the accident results in bodily harm, disability, or disfigurement, penalties can include up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. If the accident causes death, a driver can face one to three years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.

When a driver breaks these laws and causes a crash, that violation can serve as strong evidence of negligence in your personal injury case. If you were hurt near Decatur, Springfield, or anywhere in central or northern Illinois, the team at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg can help you use those violations to support your claim. Our firm also handles cases across the region, including those handled by our Champaign car accident lawyer team.

Proving Negligence in a Distracted Driving Accident Case

Winning a distracted driving case requires more than just saying someone was on their phone. You need evidence. You need a clear legal strategy. And you need an attorney who knows how to put it all together. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, we know what it takes to build a strong personal injury case under Illinois law.

To recover compensation, your attorney must prove four things. First, the other driver owed you a duty of care. Every driver on Illinois roads owes that duty to others. Second, the driver breached that duty by driving distracted. Third, that breach directly caused the crash. Fourth, you suffered real damages as a result. These damages can include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

Evidence in a distracted driving case can come from many places. Phone records can show if a driver was texting at the moment of impact. Traffic camera footage from intersections along major Chicago corridors can capture the crash itself. Witness statements from bystanders near a busy Decatur intersection or a highway rest stop can support your account. Police reports, accident reconstruction experts, and even the driver’s own social media posts can all play a role.

Illinois also follows a modified comparative fault rule. Under this rule, you can still recover damages even if you were partly at fault, as long as your share of fault is 50% or less. Your total recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. So if you were 10% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you would recover $90,000. This is why having an attorney review the details of your case matters so much.

Under Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/11-401), any driver involved in a crash that causes personal injury or death must stop at the scene immediately and remain there until all legal requirements are met. A driver who flees the scene faces serious criminal penalties, including a Class 4 felony for failing to stop. This law protects accident victims and ensures there is accountability from the start. Our team also works with clients through our Belleville car accident lawyer office for cases throughout southern Illinois.

What Damages Can You Recover After a Distracted Driving Accident?

After a distracted driving crash, victims often face a mountain of expenses and losses. Medical bills pile up fast. You may miss weeks or months of work. Your quality of life may never be the same. Illinois law allows accident victims to seek compensation for all of these losses, and Briskman Briskman & Greenberg fights hard to recover every dollar you are owed.

Compensatory damages fall into two categories. Economic damages cover your measurable financial losses. These include hospital bills, surgery costs, physical therapy, prescription medications, lost wages, and future lost earning capacity. If your injuries require long-term care, those future costs are part of your claim too.

Non-economic damages cover the losses that are harder to put a number on. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of companionship all fall into this category. Illinois law allows you to seek compensation for all of these losses. In cases involving extreme recklessness, punitive damages may also be available to punish the at-fault driver.

If a loved one was killed by a distracted driver, the Illinois Wrongful Death Act (740 ILCS 180) allows surviving family members to bring a claim. Recoverable losses include funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship. Under the Act, a beneficiary’s recovery may be reduced if they share some fault, but they are only barred from recovering if their share of fault exceeds 50%.

Time is a critical factor. Under Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/13-202), you generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss that deadline and you lose your right to sue. Do not wait. Contact Briskman Briskman & Greenberg as soon as possible after your crash. Our team also assists clients through our Rockford car accident lawyer office and our Gurnee car accident lawyer team for cases in northern Illinois.

How Briskman Briskman & Greenberg Can Help After a Distracted Driving Crash

Being hurt in a crash is overwhelming. You are dealing with pain, medical appointments, insurance calls, and financial stress all at once. You should not have to fight an insurance company on top of all that. That is where Briskman Briskman & Greenberg steps in.

Our firm has been serving injured people throughout the Chicago area and Illinois for decades. We handle distracted driving accident cases involving all types of vehicles, including rideshare crashes. If you were hurt in a crash involving a rideshare driver who was distracted, our Chicago Uber accident lawyer team knows how to handle the unique challenges those cases bring.

From the moment you contact us, we get to work. We gather evidence before it disappears. We deal with insurance adjusters so you do not have to. We build the strongest possible case on your behalf. Whether your case settles or goes to trial at the Daley Center in downtown Chicago or a courthouse in Macon County, we are ready to fight for you every step of the way.

We handle distracted driving cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing unless we win. There are no upfront costs and no hidden fees. You can focus on healing while we focus on your case. If you or a family member was hurt by a distracted driver near Decatur, Chicago, or anywhere in Illinois, call Briskman Briskman & Greenberg today for a free consultation. You deserve answers, and we are here to provide them.

FAQs About Decatur Distracted Driving Accident Claims

How long do I have to file a distracted driving accident lawsuit in Illinois?

In most cases, Illinois law gives you two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline comes from 735 ILCS 5/13-202. If you miss it, you lose your right to recover compensation. There are limited exceptions, such as cases involving minors, but you should never count on those. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your crash to protect your rights.

What should I do right after a distracted driving crash in Illinois?

Call 911 immediately and stay at the scene. Illinois law under 625 ILCS 5/11-401 requires drivers involved in a crash causing injury to stop and remain at the scene. Seek medical attention even if you feel okay, because some injuries like whiplash or concussions may not show symptoms right away. Take photos of the vehicles, the road, and any visible injuries. Collect witness contact information. Then call an attorney before speaking with the other driver’s insurance company.

Can I still recover compensation if I was partly at fault for the crash?

Yes, in most cases. Illinois follows a modified comparative fault rule. As long as your share of fault is 50% or less, you can still recover damages. However, your total compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 20% at fault and your damages are $80,000, you would recover $64,000. An experienced attorney can help minimize your assigned fault and maximize your recovery.

What types of evidence help prove a driver was distracted at the time of the crash?

Several types of evidence can prove distracted driving. Cell phone records can show whether the driver was texting or calling at the moment of impact. Traffic and surveillance camera footage may capture the crash itself. Witness statements from people who saw the driver looking at a phone are valuable. Police reports that note distracted driving as a factor carry significant weight. Social media posts made near the time of the crash can also be used. An attorney can help obtain and preserve this evidence quickly.

Does it matter if the distracted driver received a traffic citation?

Yes, it matters quite a bit. If a driver received a citation for violating Illinois’ distracted driving law under 625 ILCS 5/12-610.2, that citation can be used as strong evidence of negligence in your civil case. In some situations, it may support a claim of negligence per se, meaning the violation of the law itself establishes that the driver acted carelessly. Even without a citation, you can still prove negligence through other evidence. Either way, an attorney can help you build the strongest possible case.

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