There are many different types of car accidents in the Chicago area, from rear-end collisions to accidents involving hit-and-run drivers. While some crashes can be more devastating than others, every car wreck must be taken seriously. A minor injury can lead to a major ordeal when you’re trying to get a fair settlement from the insurance company. As a result of the car wreck, you might be unable to work or pay your bills. You may be unable to enjoy life the way you did before the accident. That’s why it’s critical you have someone on your side that thoroughly understands the legal system and knows how to get results.
Some of the most common types of car accidents we handle include:
- Rear-End Collisions
- Rollover Accidents
- Speeding
- Head-On Crashes
- Hit and Run
- T-Bone/Broadside Accidents
Rear-end collisions often cause serious head and neck injuries to drivers and passengers. Speeding is often to blame. Texting while driving is another common cause of rear-end collisions. Whatever the reason, when another driver’s car slams into the back of your vehicle, your head often gets thrust forward violently due to the force of the other vehicle. The pain and suffering you sustain in a rear-end car accident can last weeks or months or even years. That’s why it’s vital you obtain the compensation you rightfully deserve after your accident.
Your accident could result in costly medical expenses and physical therapy. You might be unable to work or perform other regular tasks. Paying your bills and staying on top of your finances can become difficult. You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s mistakes. You shouldn’t have to suffer due to someone else’s reckless behavior.
Whiplash injuries are especially common in rear-end car accidents. Whiplash is the term used to describe the motion of the neck when an impact causes the head to be “snapped” (moved quickly in a direction opposite the direction of impact). It is also known as CAD (cervical acceleration/deceleration) trauma or syndrome.
The sudden sharp movement can cause damage to the joints of the neck, as well as the nerves, muscles, and discs. In extreme cases, not only is the neck damaged, but the brain is also bruised. These injuries can include dizziness, headache, pain in the body and arms, and, in the case of brain injury, blurred vision, tinnitus, nausea, vertigo, and numbness. All of these injuries can lead to long-term pain and disability.
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Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents have become a common cause of many car accidents in recent years in Illinois and across the country. The injuries sustained by people in a rollover accident can often be severe. Many people often mistakenly blame drivers for causing the accident. Reckless drivers can make mistakes. But in reality, defective automobile products often cause such accidents. That’s why car companies like Ford and Toyota have recalled thousands of vehicles in recent years due to SUV rollover accidents and crashes involving other vehicles.
If you’re dealing with a large auto manufacturer and a dangerous product case, you should not attempt to take on a car manufacturer and teams of lawyers working for them on your own. They might offer a quick settlement that seems enticing, but you may be getting short-changed. You need Coplan & Crane in your corner.
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Speeding
Speeding might not seem like a serious offense. But every second counts in an accident. And the faster someone is driving, the less time the driver has to react. Moreover, a vehicle traveling at a higher speed will cause a collision with more force, leading to severe injuries. Often, simply traveling 5 or 10 miles per hour faster can make a difference between life and death in a motor vehicle accident.
Just how much of a difference does someone driving 10 miles per hour faster make? Consider this. If you are going 30 miles per hour and someone pulls out of a driveway 125 feet ahead of you, you will just have enough time to react if you apply the brakes 1.5 seconds (the average reaction time) after you see the vehicle in front of you. If you’re going 40 miles per hour, you would drive an additional 22 feet before you hit the brake and travel an extra 44 feet before you stopped the vehicle. That extra 66 feet would result in an auto accident.
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Head-On Crashes
Head-on car accidents cause some of the most serious accidents on the road in Chicago, Oak Park and across Illinois. Due to the speed and force of two vehicles colliding head-on into each other, the damage and injuries can often be severe. Fatal injuries are common in head-on accidents.
If you or your family were injured in a head-on crash in Illinois, contact Coplan & Crane. Let a hard-working, no-nonsense Oak Park car accident lawyer who is committed to fighting for the rights of injury victims represent you. If a loved one died in a head-on collision, you may have grounds for a legitimate wrongful death case. That’s why it’s vital you contact us today to discuss your rights and the rights of loved ones after a head-on crash.
Your accident case might seem straightforward. The driver who hit you head-on might have been drunk. You might think you don’t need a lawyer. Don’t be so sure. Often, a seemingly clear-cut case can become complicated. People change their stories. They blame the other driver. Even worse, many insurance companies will do everything they can to make sure people get as little as possible after an accident.
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Hit and Run
Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious crime in Illinois, but in too many cases, drivers ignore the law. A hit-and-run can be one of the most devastating and confusing types of auto accidents for someone who is injured or loses a loved one.
You might think you don’t have any options after a hit-and-run accident. Just because you don’t know who hit your vehicle doesn’t mean you will be stuck with the bill. You may be able to collect compensation from your own insurance company after a hit-and-run accident in Illinois. But your insurance company may play hard ball with you and deny your payment. The adjuster may come back with an offer that doesn’t begin to cover your losses. That’s why it’s crucial you have an experienced, knowledgeable lawyer in your corner, fighting for your rights.
Why do hit-and-run accidents happen? Why would someone flee the scene of an accident? Often, people do so because they don’t have a driver’s license or they don’t have insurance, resulting in uninsured or underinsured driver accidents. Another common reason: the driver who caused the drunk driving accident is intoxicated. Drunk drivers don’t want to be caught. So they race away from the crash.
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T-Bone/Broadside Accidents
One of the most common types of car accidents at intersections involves one car crashing into the side of another car. These accidents are known as T-bone or broadside accidents. And depending on the circumstances of your crash, you or a loved one could have a serious injury.
T-bone accidents are especially complicated since the other driver often denies doing anything wrong. This can be especially frustrating since the other driver may have run a red light or stop sign and then crashed into your vehicle.
Don’t underestimate the complexity of your T-bone car accident. Talk to an auto accident attorney who knows how to handle such cases and has experience defending the rights of accident victims in Illinois. Contact Coplan & Crane law firm today.
