Gurnee Truck Accident Attorneys

Gurnee Truck Accident Attorneys Fight for Injured People and Their Families

Truck collisions are life-changing events. A collision can permanently affect your health and upend your financial planning. What started as a normal day ended with fear, pain, and uncertainty.

At Briskman, Briskman & Greenberg, our Gurnee truck accident lawyers have decades of experience representing truck accident victims injured by the negligence of truck drivers, trucking companies, or others on the road. Our attorneys fight to win the full and fair compensation each client deserves. As a family-owned law firm, we treat each client with the compassion and empathy families deserve. We work tirelessly to achieve successful outcomes in each case we handle.

What Causes Gurnee Truck Accidents?

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), there were 11,178 collisions involving large trucks in Illinois in 2021. These included 103 fatal crashes and 1,817 injury-causing crashes. 

While truck drivers did suffer serious injuries and deaths, occupants of other vehicles were more likely to be injured or killed in these collisions. Truck crashes also cause a high proportion of serious injuries: while only 3 percent of all injury-causing crashes involved large trucks in 2021, 14.6 percent of all serious injuries occurred in truck crashes.

In 2021, Lake County saw 11,174 total vehicle accidents, including 36 fatal accidents and 2,764 injury-causing crashes. In 308 accidents, individuals suffered serious injuries. These numbers include truck crashes in Gurnee and surrounding Lake County communities in 2021.  

Common causes of Gurnee truck accidents include:

• Driver inattention, distraction, drowsiness, carelessness, or intoxication,
• Negligent maintenance of a truck or its safety equipment,
• Improperly loaded or secured cargo,
• Hidden defects in truck equipment or parts, 
• Negligent or careless driving from other drivers surrounding the truck,
• Improper driving in inclement weather, work zones, and other areas that require more care when handling a vehicle. 

Other causes can also trigger a truck crash. In many cases, an injured person could not have predicted or avoided the collision. 

Identifying Fault In A Gurnee Truck Accident

Illinois relies on a fault-based system for determining truck accident damages. An injured person must prove that someone else is at fault for their injuries. Proving fault allows the injured person to file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance policy. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that one-third of all vehicle collisions nationwide involve some kind of driver error. Some truck accidents can be caused by other drivers’ mistakes. 

When this occurs, an injured person can still seek damages. However, their total damages will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to the injured person. You cannot recover damages if you are assigned more than 50 percent of the fault for the crash. 

Here’s an example. In a truck crash, an injured driver suffers $100,000 in total damages. A jury found that the driver was 20 percent at fault for the crash, and the truck driver was 80 percent at fault. The injured driver can receive $80,000 in damages – the original $100,000 minus $20,000, or 20 percent. 

Determining fault in a truck crash can be challenging. A knowledgeable Gurnee truck accident lawyer can help you navigate this complex area of law. 

Damages An Attorney May Seek In A Gurnee Truck Accident Lawsuit

A truck accident lawsuit typically seeks two categories of damages: economic and non-economic damages. 

Economic damages focus on losses that can be assigned a definite number. These include past and future medical bills, property damage, and lost wages if your injuries prevent you from working. 

Non-economic damages focus on losses that are harder to quantify but are nevertheless real. These include emotional distress, pain and suffering, and the loss of activities you used to enjoy. 

When a trucking company or driver commits reckless or willful misconduct, an Illinois court may consider awarding punitive damages. Punitive damages send a message that the other party’s behavior is intolerable in a civilized society. An attorney can help you determine if punitive damages are available in your case. 

Common Types Of Gurnee Truck Accident Injuries

Truck crashes can cause a wide range of injuries. While some minor injuries heal completely, many moderate and severe injuries leave lingering or permanent problems with pain, mobility, or scarring. Some injuries are so severe they cause death. 

Common truck accident injuries include:

• Brain injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries like whiplash, herniation, or damage to the spinal cord
• Broken bones
• Lacerations 
• Soft tissue, nerve, and organ damage
• Burns
• Internal bleeding

Psychological injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a car accident, can also occur. These injuries are also real and require proper treatment. A full and fair compensation amount will address your mental and emotional health as well as your physical condition. 

Crucial First Steps After a Gurnee Truck Accident

After a truck crash, it’s important to act fast to protect both your safety and your legal rights. Take these steps to the best of your ability. 

• Get help. Call 911 for medical assistance. Call the police to report the accident and ensure that the scene is documented. Get a copy of the police report if you do not currently have one. 
• Get medical treatment immediately. In an emergency, you may be taken to an emergency department. If you didn’t receive treatment immediately after the crash, see a doctor as soon as possible. Keep copies of your doctor’s notes, bills, and other paperwork related to your treatment. 
• Document the crash. Take photos, draw a diagram, shoot a video, or make voice notes about what you experienced. Ask bystanders for help and get their contact information. 
• Contact your insurance company and notify them about the accident. When you do, talk about the facts only – what happened, where and when, and what your doctor said about your injuries. Speak to a lawyer before giving an official or recorded statement.
• Keep copies of all your paperwork. Keep copies of medical bills, pay stubs, towing bills, and any other bills, receipts, or other paperwork related to your accident or your injuries. Store these documents together in a safe place. Consider making both paper and digital copies. This information can help you prove the full extent of your need for compensation.  

If you were unable to take one or more of these steps immediately after a crash, reach out to an experienced Gurnee truck accident attorney. Your lawyer can help you obtain any needed information. 

How To Handle Insurance Companies After a Gurnee Truck Accident

After a Gurnee truck accident, you may need to speak to an insurance company to file a claim. If you do, stick to the facts of the accident. Discuss the time, date, and location, how the vehicles collided, and what your diagnosis was from the doctor. 

Don’t admit fault. Even if you think you caused the accident, there may be facts you don’t yet have that prove otherwise. Don’t agree to a recorded statement, since more facts might come up in the future that would change how you describe the crash or your injuries. 

Knowing what to say and how to say it can be complex, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with insurance claims. Remember that insurers will try to use what you say to reduce the amount they need to pay. 

Dealing with insurers after a truck crash can be particularly difficult. In a truck accident, separate insurance companies may cover the driver, the trucking company, and the company that loaded or secured the cargo. Adding insurance companies to the mix makes a case more complex. Insurers may delay your claim as they try to pass responsibility for your bills to one another. 

A dedicated Gurnee truck accident attorney can help you communicate effectively with insurance companies. Your attorney will handle negotiations with insurance so that you can focus on healing from your injuries. If an insurance company refuses to give you a settlement you can accept, an experienced attorney can take your case to trial to fight for the full and fair compensation you deserve. 

Time Limits for Filing Gurnee Truck Accident Claims

Illinois’s “statute of limitations” sets a strict time limit on filing personal injury lawsuits after a truck crash. In Illinois, a person injured in a truck collision has two years from the date of the crash to file an injury claim. If the claim isn’t filed within two years, it cannot be filed in court – and the injured person loses an important opportunity to receive compensation.

Some exceptions exist to the two-year limit, but they are narrow. Speak to an experienced Gurnee truck accident attorney as soon as possible. An attorney will ensure your claim is filed on time. If the two-year limit has already passed, an attorney can help you understand your remaining options for compensation. 

Contact Briskman, Briskman & Greenberg Today

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact the experienced Gurnee truck accident injury attorneys at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg today for a free, confidential consultation. We’re available to answer your questions and explore your options to recover compensation after a serious crash.