Accidents between a large commercial truck and passenger cars can often result in catastrophic injuries. Worse, many of these crashes end in fatalities. Passenger vehicle occupants are the most likely victims of these fatalities. Truck drivers and their employers face much stricter standards since large commercial trucks pose a much bigger threat on the roads. When these standards are not met, it is more likely that tragedies will occur. If your loved one died in a truck crash, you may be interested in pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit. 

Fatal Trucking Accidents in Illinois 

Catastrophic injuries and fatalities are more common in truck accidents in part due to the great contrast in size and weight between the vehicles as well as the truck’s greater ground clearance. Trucking accidents can also involve dangerous cargo spills of hazardous chemicals or fuel. 

Truck accidents may be caused by driving errors such as speeding, failing to check mirrors, texting and driving, or external factors such as a tire blowout or bad road conditions. In other cases, these crashes may have been caused by overloaded cargo or cargo that was not properly secured to the truck.  

When you do not feel well it is common to seek medical attention. With their education and experience, we hold doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to a higher standard. We believe that they can help to figure out the cause of our ailments. This often requires conducting various medical tests. But what happens when a doctor fails to order the necessary tests? It often results in serious and sometimes even fatal consequences. If you believe that your doctor failed to order you the proper test, you may have a claim for medical malpractice and should contact an attorney to learn more about your options.

A Delayed Diagnosis Can Result in Serious Consequences

When the proper tests are conducted and the results are discovered sooner rather than later, physicians can take the right steps to care for patients’ ailments. But when a doctor fails to order the proper tests, the health of the patient can often worsen, sometimes even making the normal course of treatment much more difficult or even impossible. As a result, the patient often suffers physically, mentally, and financially. Oftentimes, failure to receive the right medical tests can even result in death.

There are times when doctors order the wrong tests, or simply fail to order the right ones. Other times, in an attempt to save money, health facilities make doctors jump through hoops before they are able to order certain tests. This is often due to the fact that insurance companies will not approve of certain tests without others being conducted prior. In such a case both the doctor and the facility may be liable.

If you are suffering from the effects of an injury caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be overwhelmed by the mounting medical expenses and all of the other ways your injuries have changed your life for the worse. In the most difficult moments, the possibility of recovering financial compensation from the at-fault party may provide some consolation, but it is reasonable to wonder just how much you may receive. Though the value of a personal injury case varies substantially depending on the circumstances, you can start to get a better idea by considering some of these questions.

How Much Medical Treatment Do You Need?

Personal injury victims can pursue compensation for the full extent of their relevant medical expenses. The costs of treating soft tissue or surface injuries are typically lower than the costs of severe, catastrophic injuries that require surgery, rehabilitation, and multiple visits to the hospital and specialists over many months and years. A personal injury settlement or verdict can include compensation for both past and future medical bills.

Are You Missing Time at Work?

Some injuries have a long recovery period, during which you may not be able to work full-time, if at all. Other injuries can leave you permanently disabled, which may decrease your earning capacity throughout the rest of your life. As with medical expenses, it is possible to pursue compensation for lost wages from work time you have already missed, as well as future lost wages related to your disability.

Compared to occupants of other motor vehicles, motorcyclists in Illinois have a much higher risk of being injured in a crash. In many cases, those injuries are severe and catastrophic. According to 2019 data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, around 75 percent of motorcycle crashes result in motorcyclist injuries. Of those who are injured, more than one-third suffer an incapacitating injury. Motorcyclists also make up a disproportionate amount of accident fatalities in Illinois. With these statistics in mind, injured motorcyclists and their families need to understand how to recover compensation for the extensive damages they may suffer.

Common Incapacitating Injuries For Motorcyclists

In a collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle, the motorcyclist often bears the full brunt of the impact because their vehicle offers so little protection. Motorcyclists are also often thrown from their bikes, after which they can suffer additional injuries from their impact with the road surface and other stationary objects on or near the road. Here are just some of the catastrophic injuries a motorcyclist can experience:

• Spinal cord injuries - Severe blunt force trauma from the initial collision or subsequent impacts can damage the motorcyclist’s spinal cord, possibly causing paralysis, lack of sensation, and impaired bodily functions.

  ...

Any time a person suffers catastrophic injuries, the personal and financial consequences are severe for both the injured person and their loved ones. When a person’s injuries ultimately prove to be fatal, surviving family members are confronted with the seemingly insurmountable challenge of recovering from their grief and loss. Certainly, grieving is a process that can continue for a lifetime, but if you have lost a loved one, you may have options for making the process more manageable, including pursuing compensation for their wrongful death.

Economic Damages for Wrongful Death

According to Illinois law, when a person loses their life due to the negligence of another, their claim for compensation does not die with them. The victim’s spouse, children, or other surviving family members have the right to file a wrongful death claim, through which they can recover economic damages suffered by both the victim and themselves. 

Examples of economic damages in a wrongful death case include:

Compared to something like a car accident, a fall may not seem likely to cause severe injuries. Certainly, many people are able to escape from a fall with no injuries or only minor scrapes, bruises, and sprains. However, there are times when fall injuries can have much more serious consequences, sometimes affecting a person for the rest of their life. If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic, life-altering injury in a fall, an experienced personal injury attorney may be able to help you recover substantial compensation.

Common Factors in Severe Fall Injuries

Depending on how a person lands, any fall could result in serious injuries. However, severe injuries tend to be more common in situations involving:

• Falls from heights - The greater the distance of the fall, the greater potential there is for a catastrophic injury. Serious injuries are common when a person falls down stairs, from an upper story of a building, or from a ladder or scaffolding on a work site.
• Older injury victims - Even a simple slip and fall can lead to serious injuries for an elderly person because of their reduced muscle and bone strength, and those who do suffer injuries often take much longer to recover.

Some catastrophic injuries that may result from a fall include:

Despite numerous laws and regulations designed to reduce accidents and injuries, construction sites are incredibly dangerous. Approximately one in five worker fatalities occurs in the construction industry. Equipment-related accidents, falling, electrocution, trench collapses, and struck-by accidents are just some of the common reasons for serious construction site injuries. If you were injured or a loved one was killed on a construction site, it is essential to understand your legal options. You may be entitled to financial compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, lost enjoyment of life, and other damages.

Bringing a Claim Against a Negligent Third Party

Some injured construction workers assume that workers’ compensation is the only avenue through which they may recover financial compensation because their injury occurred at work. However, this is not always the case. If the careless or dangerous actions of a third party caused or significantly contributed to your injuries, you may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit directly against this party.

The liable party in a construction site injury or death may be:

When car accidents occur, drivers and passengers may be injured, although they will have some protection from a vehicle’s safety systems, such as seat belts and airbags. Pedestrians have none of these forms of protection, and this means that they are likely to suffer multiple types of severe injuries if they are struck by a car, truck, or other vehicle. Victims of pedestrian accidents will want to be sure to fully document their injuries and the ways their lives have been affected, and by working with an experienced attorney, they can pursue compensation from a negligent driver who injured them.

Types of Pedestrian Accident Injuries

The injuries a pedestrian may experience will depend on the type of vehicle that struck them, the speed the vehicle was traveling, and other factors. In many cases, the initial impact will occur when a vehicle’s bumper strike’s a person’s lower leg. This will cause the person’s body to rotate, and their head and upper body may strike the vehicle’s hood or windshield. If the vehicle is traveling at a higher speed, the person may also somersault up onto the hood or roof of the vehicle, or they may fully pass over the vehicle and strike the ground behind it. When a person is struck by a larger vehicle, such as a truck or SUV, they may be thrown forward, causing them to strike the ground or placing them in the path of other vehicles, which could result in additional injuries.

These situations can result in significant bodily trauma. The injuries suffered by a pedestrian after being struck by a motor vehicle may include:

Originally published: February 06, 2018 -- Updated: May 28, 2021

Adrenaline is a hormone naturally produced by the body when we experience stress. The purpose of the hormone is to prepare us for fight or flight. Our heart rate quickens sending oxygenated blood to our muscles. We begin to sweat. Our alertness skyrockets. If you have ever been in a car crash, you have probably experienced this firsthand. 

However, adrenaline does not only affect heart rate, breathing, and alertness. It also impacts how our body responds to pain. The hormone does not take our pain away, but it does distract us from painful sensations. Many car accident victims do not feel the full extent of their injuries for several hours or even several days. Once the adrenaline in the victim’s bloodstream settles to normal levels, the victim realizes the extent of the physical harm caused by the crash. 

When most people think about a car crash, work accident, assault, or another injury-causing incident, the most obvious concern is the physical injury itself. However, the psychological implications of a serious injury are often just as significant as the physical consequences of the injury. This is especially true when an accident causes disfigurement or considerable scarring. If you or a loved one suffered a disfiguring injury, it is important to know how the disfigurement may be addressed in a personal injury lawsuit.

Disfiguring Injuries Can Have a Profound Impact on the Injured Person’s Life

In a catastrophic accident, the physical and emotional scars suffered by the accident victim may last a lifetime. When an injury changes the way a person looks, the injured person may feel as though his or her very identity has changed. Scarring and disfigurement is often especially consequential when an accident causes:

• Facial trauma – Deep lacerations to the face, injuries to the eyes, and injuries that cause disfigurement to the teeth and mouth can all have profound psychological consequences. In one study, up to 70 percent of people with acquired facial trauma suffered from depression and anxiety after the injury. Many patients suffered from social withdrawal and reduced occupational functioning.
• Amputation – Losing a limb is a life-changing experience to go through. The injured person must deal with the physical limitations resulting from the amputation as well as the psychological toll created by the loss.  The majority of those who suffer a traumatic limb amputation or dismemberment suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, phantom limb phenomenon, and other psychological effects.
• Scarring – Although advances in surgery and wound care techniques have reduced the severity of scarring after a serious injury, some scars are unavoidable. If your injury caused significant scarring, this is likely to affect your life long after the physical pain of your injury has dissipated.
• Burns – Chemical burns, as well as burns suffered in a fire or other accident, can also lead to profound disfigurement. Often, a burn victim suffers changes in skin color and texture that last years.

Financial Compensation for Scarring and Other Disfigurement

Illinois personal injury law allows for the recovery of financial damages as well as non-financial damages. There is no amount of money that someone would trade for the loss of a limb or another disfiguring injury. However, financial compensation through a personal injury lawsuit may address the psychological toll that disfigurement has on an accident victim. It may also provide reimbursement for counseling or other psychological treatments.

Modern medicine has enabled people to lead longer, healthier lives. Unfortunately, when a medical device is faulty or malfunctions in some way, the results can be catastrophic. Defective medical devices can lead to new and exacerbated medical problems, and in some cases, even patient death. If you were harmed or a loved one was killed because of a faulty medical device, it is important to know your legal options.

Medical Products with Manufacturing or Design Defects  

When a person is harmed because of a flawed medical product or medical device, the individual may have a right to damages through a product liability lawsuit. Unlike a medical malpractice lawsuit, which is brought against a medical professional for negligent medical care, a product liability case is brought against a product manufacturer or designer. Medical products that are commonly the subject of product liability lawsuits include:

• Pacemakers
• Defibrillators
• Hip and knee replacements
• Dialysis filters
• Transvaginal mesh
• Hernia mesh
• Birth control devices
• Drug-coated stents
• Inferior vena cava (IVC) blood clot filters
• Robotic surgery devices

What You Must Prove to Bring a Successful Lawsuit

When a product designer or manufacturer makes a mistake that causes a patient harm, that company should be held accountable. If you were injured by a defective medical device or product, you may be able to sue the company for damages. You will need to prove that:

Large commercial trucks can cause devastating accidents. If you or a loved one were seriously hurt in a truck accident, you may be interested in seeking compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Through an injury claim, you may be able to get compensation for the damages that you suffered including medical bills and lost income. To bring the strongest claim possible, it is crucial to work with a personal injury attorney who has experience successfully handling truck accident cases.  

Collecting Information and Preserving Evidence

When someone contacts a personal injury attorney about a possible truck accident claim, the first thing the attorney will need to do is collect information about the accident. Your lawyer will want to know the circumstances of the collision, what types of injuries you suffered, and what medical treatments you have sought for those injuries. Your attorney may also utilize evidence such as the truck’s event data recorder (EDR), traffic camera footage, the truck driver’s electronic logbook, and forensic evidence from the crash scene. In many cases, a personal injury attorney sends a “preservation letter” or spoliation letter to the trucking company which prohibits the company from destroying evidence.

Identifying the Liable Parties

Truck accident cases are often complicated. It is not always clear who is legally at fault for a truck crash. In some cases, the truck driver himself or herself is responsible for causing the accident. Distracted driving, drowsy driving, and driver intoxication are all common causes of truck collisions. In other cases, the trucking company’s failure to properly maintain the truck or correctly load truck cargo is the cause of the accident. It is also possible that defects in the truck’s brakes, tires, or cargo securement devices are a key contributor to the crash. By pinpointing the cause of the crash, your lawyer can build a more compelling claim for damages and ensure that the claim is brought against the correct party or parties.

Your brain is one of the most valuable and important organs in your body. It is literally what keeps you alive. Sustaining an injury to the brain can cause much pain and suffering for you and unnecessary worrying and stress for your family. Traumatic brain injuries, also referred to as TBIs, can even end up causing symptoms that last for years or even the rest of your life. If you have sustained a brain injury from any type of accident, you should speak with an Illinois catastrophic injury lawyer to discuss your options for compensation.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

A TBI occurs when the brain suffers injuries from a violent blow, jolt, or bump to the head and can range in severity from mild to severe. There are various ways a person can sustain a traumatic brain injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls were the leading cause of TBIs and accounted for nearly half of all emergency room visits in 2014. Falls are also the leading cause of hospitalizations for TBIs, with motor vehicle accidents a close second.

Symptoms to Watch Out For

There are various symptoms that you may experience if you have sustained a TBI, both physical and psychological. Some symptoms can manifest right away or within a few days, while other symptoms might take weeks or even months to appear. The severity of the symptoms also depends on the severity of the injury. For most TBIs, symptoms to look for include:

The loss of a loved one is always a tragic affair. The loss of a loved one in an avoidable truck accident is devastating. If your loved one died in a collision caused by a negligent truck driver, you may be seeking justice. You may also be dealing with the financial burden caused by your sudden and unexpected loss. A wrongful death lawsuit may help you recover monetary compensation for your losses while simultaneously holding the at-fault parties accountable for the tragic outcome. Read on to learn about bringing an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit after losing a family member in a fatal truck crash.

Truck Collisions Caused by Negligence

Illinois law states that a wrongful death occurs when a death is caused by wrongful or negligent actions and, had the victim survived his or her injuries, he or she would have had the right to bring a legal action for damages. Negligence refers to a party’s failure to act as a reasonably prudent person would have acted in a similar situation. For example, a truck driver may act negligently by continuing to drive even though he or she is much too sleepy to drive safely. A trucking company may act negligently by allowing truck drivers to violate the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) rules regarding rest breaks and consecutive driving hours. Other examples of truck driver or trucking company negligence may include:

• Failing to ensure that truck freight is loaded and secured properly

  ...

A typical car accident injury case is already complicated. When multiple vehicles are involved in a collision, the case becomes even more complex. If you or a loved one were involved in a pile-up accident, you may be curious about how these accidents are handled from a legal perspective. Is the driver of the vehicle that initially caused the collision liable for all of the other collisions? Am I liable for hitting someone else’s vehicle because I was rear-ended? Questions like these are what make injury claims involving pile-ups so difficult to navigate.

Seeking Compensation for Damages Through a Personal Injury Claim

Last month, smoke from a grass fire caused a multiple vehicle pile-up accident in Illinois. Nine vehicles and one semi-truck were involved in the collision. Several of the individuals involved in the crash sustained serious injuries and needed to be airlifted to the hospital. Accidents involving multiple vehicles often cause chain reactions that result in multiple severe injuries and fatalities. If you or a loved one were hurt in a multiple vehicle accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages.

Assigning Fault for a Multiple Vehicle Accident

Liability in a pile-up accident often falls to multiple parties. Understanding exactly how an accident unfolded and who is at fault is no simple task. Accident reconstruction is often a very useful tool in situations such as these. Your personal injury attorney may work with an accident reconstruction specialist to recreate the accident using computer programs, illustrations, and physical models. Evidence such as vehicle crash recorder data, traffic camera footage, and witness testimony is often key to understanding fault through accident reconstruction.

If an accident victim suffers a spinal cord injury, brain injury, or broken neck, he or she may be left with partial or full paralysis. Waking up in a hospital room and realizing that you are paralyzed is one of the most terrifying experiences that a person can go through. Paralysis victims often require a tremendous amount of medical care and attention and are unable to complete work tasks and daily responsibilities. This can lead to a heavy financial burden. Through a personal injury lawsuit, a paralysis victim may be awarded financial compensation for the damages caused by his or her paralysis.

When is a Successful Paralysis Injury Lawsuit Possible?

Paraplegia, quadriplegia, and other forms of paralysis are often caused by motor vehicle accidents. Work accidents, falling, and physical violence may also lead to paralyzing injuries. Whatever the cause of the paralysis, a successful paralysis injury lawsuit requires the same basic components as other injury lawsuits:

• Duty – The defendant had a duty to exercise reasonable care.
• Breach of duty – The defendant breached or violated the duty of care.
• Causation – The defendant’s actions or lack of action caused the plaintiff’s injuries.
• Damages – The plaintiff suffered damages because of his or her injuries.

Often, one of the hardest parts of a personal injury claim is identifying who is liable for the injury. For example, many catastrophic motor vehicle collisions involve several different vehicles and multiple liable parties. A skilled personal injury lawyer can identify who is liable for damages and pursue compensation for those damages.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roofing is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States. In 2017 alone, 2,060 roofers were injured and 96 were killed on the job. Falling accounts for a large percentage of severe and deadly roofing accidents. If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury on a roofing job, you may be facing expensive medical bills and major financial hardship. You may be able to get compensation for your losses through workers’ compensation or a third-party claim.

Getting Financial Compensation for Injuries Caused in a Roofing Accident

Roofing accidents are often life-changing. Severely broken bones, internal organ damage, and debilitating spine injuries are not uncommon. An injured roofer may be left with limited mobility or may even be paralyzed in a roofing accident. Traumatic brain injuries with devastating physical, mental, and psychological effects are also common consequences of a roofing accident. If you or a loved one were hurt while on a roofing job, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. However, the types and amount of compensation that you may recover depend on your worker classification, who is liable for the accident, and several other factors.  

Determining Liability for Your Accident  

If you are an employee of a company in Illinois, your employer is required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation typically covers medical expenses and two-thirds of the injured worker’s lost income. An employee is covered by workers’ compensation regardless of who is at fault for the accident. However, getting the compensation you need and deserve from a workers’ compensation insurer is often much more difficult than it would seem. Furthermore, if you are classified as an independent contractor and not an employee, you may not be entitled to workers’ compensation.

Our senses enable us to interact with the world around us. Everything from working to communicating with our loved ones involves our senses. When an injurious incident leaves a person with reduced hearing or vision, the consequences are often life-changing. If you or a loved one have suffered vision or hearing loss because of another party’s negligent or malicious actions, you may be able to file a personal injury claim and recover damages.

Incidents Resulting in Vision or Hearing Loss

Accidents causing vision or hearing loss can happen almost anywhere. A workplace accident may expose a worker to toxic chemicals that harm his or her eyes. Explosions or working around loud machinery can cause hearing loss as well. Car accidents resulting in lacerations to the face or traumatic brain injury may also lead to hearing or vision problems. The cause of an individual’s hearing or vision impairment may be intentional physical violence as well. Being the victim of a robbery, assault, or another violent attack can leave a person with temporary or permanent vision loss.

A personal injury claim may help a victim of negligence or intentional wrongdoing hold the at-fault party accountable for their disability. The at-fault party may be an individual or it may be a company, property owner, government entity, or another party.

For many, riding a motorcycle is one of the best things in life. Unfortunately, motorcyclists are significantly more likely to die during a collision than occupants of cars and trucks. If your loved one died in a fatal motorcycle crash, you may be shocked and unsure of what to do next. In addition to your grief, you may be facing considerable financial hardship because of your loss. One legal option that you may have after losing a loved one in a motorcycle accident is a wrongful death lawsuit. Through a wrongful death action, you may be able to recover financial compensation for the losses incurred by your loved one’s death.

A Wrongful Death is a Death Caused by Negligence or Wrongdoing

According to Illinois law, a wrongful death action is possible when a death is caused by “negligence,” meaning carelessness or recklessness, or wrongdoing. You may be able to bring a wrongful death case if your loved one’s motorcycle accident was caused by:

• Negligent driving such as distracted driving, running a red light, or speeding
• Drunk driving or drugged driving
• Negligent road design or substandard road maintenance
• Defective motorcycle parts
• Other conduct that is negligent or unlawful

Potential Benefits of a Wrongful Death Claim After a Motorcycle Collision

A wrongful death action may allow you to get justice for your loved one and hold the responsible party accountable. You may also be able to recover financial compensation. There is no amount of money that could make up for someone’s death. However, a wrongful death claim may ease the financial burden you are facing.  

A personal injury lawsuit can serve two vital functions in an injured person’s life: Holding the liable party responsible for the injury and recovering financial compensation for damages. When we think about personal injury damages, medical bills and immediate costs incurred by the injury usually come to mind. However, these losses often pale in comparison to the long-term costs resulting from the injury. In many catastrophic injury cases, the greatest loss that an injured person suffers is the loss of his or her ability to earn a living. If you or a loved one suffered severe injuries in an incident caused by negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to compensation for lost earning capacity.

Compensation for Injuries That Cause Loss of Functioning or Disability

Semi-truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, construction accidents, intentional acts of physical violence, and countless other incidents can leave a person with catastrophic injuries. If you or a loved one suffered an injury that caused paralysis, amputation, neurological damage, loss of vision or hearing, or other long-term health consequences, is it important to know your rights. You or your loved one may be entitled to compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost income, damage to your future earning capacity, and more.

Determining How Much Compensation You Are Entitled To

If your injuries forced you to work fewer hours, take a lower-paying position, or left you unable to work at all, you may be compensated for the reduction in your earning capacity. The amount you could receive depends on an estimation of the income you would have received if not for the injury-causing incident. The amount of compensation that you could recover depends on several different factors, including: