Gurnee Car Accident Attorneys
Gurnee Car Accident Lawyers Fighting for Injured People and Families
Car accidents are life-changing events that can take a devastating toll on a person’s health and financial future. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, we have decades of experience representing car accident victims who have been injured due to someone else’s carelessness. Our Gurnee car accident attorneys are prepared to get you the compensation you deserve. As a family-owned law firm, our lawyers believe in treating every client with compassion and empathy. We will not rest until we have obtained a successful outcome in your case.
What Causes Gurnee Car Accidents?
Gurnee is in Lake County, which had 10,421 crashes in 2019. Car accidents have many different causes. Among the most common reasons they occur are distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, aggressive driving, hazardous road conditions and poor weather.
Speeding was responsible for around 33 percent of all Illinois car accidents in 2019. In 2020, speeding accounted for a little over 3 crash fatalities per 100,000 people in Lake County. Drunk driving is also often to blame for fatal car accidents. Alcohol-impaired fatalities accounted for around the same number of Lake County traffic deaths as speeding that year.
Many crashes are preventable, particularly those that involve negligent driver behavior. When a driver’s negligence causes your injuries, you can hold them accountable through a car accident lawsuit.
Identifying Fault
Illinois uses a fault-based system to determine damages in car accidents. A driver is required to prove that another party was to blame for their injuries to file an insurance claim for damages against the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy.
In some cases, car accident victims may be partially at fault for the crash and their resulting injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, around one-third of all collisions nationwide occur due to driver error.
The state’s comparative negligence law still allows the recovery of damages even when the parties involved share responsibility for a crash. However, the settlement amount is reduced according to the percentage of fault for causing the collision. You will not be allowed to get any compensation if you were more than 50 percent at fault.
For example, you may have suffered $300,000 in damages in a Gurnee car accident. Assume the jury found that you were 20 percent responsible for the crash while the other driver was 80 percent at fault. You would receive $240,000 in damages as the amount would be reduced by 20 percent, which is $60,000.
Determining fault in a car accident is a vital first step in obtaining damages, but it is not always straightforward or obvious. An experienced Gurnee car accident lawyer can help you navigate this complex area of Illinois law.
Briskman Briskman & Greenberg will gather key pieces of evidence to support your claim, including police reports, witness statements and surveillance footage from areas around the scene of the accident. We will protect your best interests, even when the other party is unfairly trying to blame you for the crash.
Damages in a Car Accident Lawsuit
Filing a car accident lawsuit allows you to recover economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include readily quantifiable losses you experienced due to the crash, such as past and future medical bills, property damage and lost wages due to time off work.
Non-economic damages are harder to measure, but they are also compensable losses. Types of non-economic damages include emotional distress, loss of companionship, pain and suffering, and loss of life enjoyment, among others.
Courts may sometimes award punitive damages in cases that involve reckless or willful misconduct by the other party. A devastating crash that involves drunk driving, for example, may result in punitive damages. A Gurnee car accident lawyer can help you determine the amount and types of damages you may receive in your lawsuit.
Gurnee Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can cause a wide range of injuries. While minor wounds and cuts can heal quickly, victims may also suffer severe injuries such as loss of limbs or paralysis. Some injuries may be serious enough to result in death. Common types of injuries reported in Gurnee crashes include:
- Lacerations
- Concussions or traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and spinal injuries like whiplash or herniation
- Broken bones and fractures
- Burns
- Internal bleeding
Car accident injuries are not just limited to physical ailments. The trauma of experiencing a crash can result in emotional distress and conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder that can be difficult to cope with without proper treatment. Any car accident compensation you receive should also take into account the psychological effects of the collision.
Crucial Steps to Take After a Crash
If you are involved in a Gurnee car accident, there are some key things you should remember to do. While it is hard to think straight in the aftermath of a crash, following these steps can help protect your rights to recover compensation later.
- Call for help. If any of the parties are injured, call 911. Wait for emergency personnel to arrive at the scene and provide medical assistance. Otherwise, call the police to report the accident. You will need to obtain a copy of the police report later.
- Get immediate medical treatment. First responders may transport you to a hospital for immediate medical attention if your injuries are severe. If not, you should make sure to see a doctor after the crash, even if you feel fine. Symptoms may not be apparent until hours or days after a collision, and underlying injuries may be hard to detect without seeing a doctor.
- Document the car accident. Preserving evidence from the scene of the crash is vital to support your car accident claim. Take photos of your surroundings and jot down notes. Ask bystanders to help if you are unable to do so. The stress of the moment can affect your future memories, so try to be as detailed as possible.
- Collect contact information. Get the contact details of any witnesses who saw the crash. Exchange contact information with the other drivers involved, as well as insurance and license information. Do not discuss fault or engage in lengthy conversations. Anything you say, even in passing, can be used against you in the future.
- Notify your insurance company about the crash. Depending on the terms of your insurance policy, you may be required to tell your insurance company about the crash to start the claims process. While you should cooperate and be honest about what happened, stick to the facts and avoid going into unnecessary details. Do not agree to be recorded. If the other driver’s insurance company contacts you, avoid making any statements without speaking to a lawyer first.
- Contact a Gurnee car accident attorney. Briskman Briskman & Greenberg offers a free initial consultation. We will answer your questions and advise you of your legal options for pursuing compensation. An experienced car accident lawyer can help you through the entire process of filing a personal injury lawsuit, along with communicating with insurance companies so that you can focus on healing from your injuries.
Dealing with Insurance Companies after a Gurnee Car Accident
If you have been involved in a Gurnee car accident, you may be unsure about whether it is a good idea to talk to insurance companies. When communicating with insurers, you should stick to the facts of the car accident. Do not provide any recorded statements to both your own and the other party’s insurance companies.
Knowing what information to divulge and when to avoid going into details can make all the difference to your claim. Remember, insurance companies are for-profit businesses. They may try to downplay the severity of your injuries to pay you a smaller settlement than you deserve.
We recommend consulting a Gurnee car accident attorney before communicating with insurers to ensure you do not make any inadvertent mistakes that could weaken your claim. If you choose Briskman Briskman & Greenberg to handle your case, we will take care of all negotiations with insurance companies. If you are not satisfied with a settlement offer, we are prepared to take your case to trial if necessary.
Time Limit for Filing a Gurnee Car Accident Claim
Gurnee car accident victims must observe the strict time limits, known as the statute of limitations, for filing a personal injury lawsuit under the Illinois legal system. The statute of limitations for car accident cases is two years from the date of the crash, but there are some exceptions.
Waiting to act could mean you are denied the opportunity to pursue just compensation for your injuries. Working with an experienced Gurnee car accident attorney will ensure your car accident lawsuit is filed according to the state’s statute of limitations.
Contact Briskman Briskman & Greenberg
If you have been injured in a car accident because of someone else’s negligence, contact us today for a free consultation. There is no cost to speak to an experienced Gurnee car accident attorney about your case. We are available to answer your questions and explore the possibility of recovering compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.