The causes of car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois cover a wide range. Whether you’re dealing with a drunk driving accident on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, a texting while driving accident on I-55 in Illinois or any other type of accident, the consequences can often be catastrophic.
Determining the cause of your auto accident can be very difficult. The other driver might deny any wrongdoing. Insurance companies can be uncooperative. That’s why it’s critical you contact an attorney as soon as possible. We’re familiar with many of the common causes of car accidents, including:
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Distracted Driving Accidents
- Fatigued and Asleep at the Wheel Accidents
- Texting While Driving/Cell Phone Accidents
- Defective Automobile Products
Here’s a sobering statistic: 38.1 percent of all drivers fatally injured in 2011 in Illinois who were tested had a positive blood alcohol content, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Alcohol often plays a role in many car accidents. When someone gets behind the wheel after drinking and causes a serious or fatal accident, they need to be held accountable.
Injuries in drunk driving accidents can range from broken bones to traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage and even fatal injuries, which may be grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit.
The emotional and financial toll of a drunk driving accident can be staggering. You might not be able to work for weeks or months at a time due to injuries you sustained in an auto accident caused by a drunk driver. You might require extensive medical care and treatment. In Illinois, the average motor vehicle accident costs tens of thousands of dollars, and many cost even more than that. You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s mistakes.
Illinois has strict laws prohibiting drinking and driving. These laws exist to protect everyone on the road. When someone breaks these laws and hurts someone else, the drunk driver needs to be held accountable. That’s our job. That’s what we do best. Seek justice for drunk driving accident victims.
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Distracted Driving Accidents
Texting while driving accidents might generate the most attention. But there are many other forms of distracted driving that regularly result in serious car accidents. And it’s important for injury victims to take legal action right away to protect their rights.
Some of the most common – and most serious – distracted driving accidents often involve eating while driving, operating a GPS behind the wheel, personal grooming (shaving, applying makeup, etc.) or even watching videos or television while driving, especially on mobile devices.
Knowing what to do after a distracted driving accident can be confusing. You might think you don’t even need a lawyer since the other driver clearly caused your accident. Don’t be so sure. Drivers often deny doing anything wrong. They might even try to blame you. We can help.
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Fatigued and Asleep at the Wheel Accidents
Falling asleep at the wheel might seem understandable. But the reality is tired drivers have a choice. They could have pulled over and taken a break in order to avoid causing a serious car accident. Instead, they chose to continue driving and caused an accident.
Fatigued and asleep at the wheel accidents can be very complicated for many different reasons. Often, the driver doesn’t even remember what happened right before the accident. And even if they do, they often deny doing anything wrong. They might even try to blame you.
Our law firm has years of experience handling asleep at the wheel accidents in Chicago and throughout Illinois. We know what to look for – there are often telltale signs the driver was asleep at the time of the accident. We then use that information to build a strong legal case.
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Texting While Driving/Cell Phone Accidents
Texting while driving is illegal in Illinois. It’s also illegal to use a handheld phone in a school zone or construction zone statewide. But that hasn’t stopped some drivers from texting or using a handheld phone when they’re not supposed to on the road. And when they do, they put everyone at risk, often resulting in serious car accidents.
If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by a texting driver or someone using a cellphone, contact Coplan & Crane, a hard-working, dedicated Oak Park car accident lawyer who puts people first. We understand the laws and know how to use this information to get people the compensation they rightfully deserve.
Texting while driving and using a cellphone behind the wheel falls under driver distraction. Indeed, texting is a particularly dangerous distraction because it occupies the driver’s attention manually, visually and cognitively. Research has found that texting drivers react twice as slowly as non-texting drivers. That’s why so many rear-end collision and head-on crashes in recent years have been linked to texting while driving. Texting drivers are dangerous.
Every second counts in an accident. Failing to step on the brake a split second earlier can be the difference between a minor auto accident and a fatal car crash. People who text while they drive make a conscious decision to do so and put people at risk. You shouldn’t have to suffer because of someone else’s reckless behavior.
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Defective Automobile Products
Defective automobile products cause serious car accidents in Illinois each year. Even the smallest error on the smallest car part can result in a horrific highway accident. That’s why car companies routinely recall vehicles if they believe there’s something wrong with them. The most up to date list of motor vehicle related recalls can be found here:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety/Recalls+&+Defects
Has your vehicle been recalled? Were you involved in a car accident because of a defective part? Don’t expect the car companies to take care of your problem. Take charge. Contact Coplan & Crane. Connect with a no-nonsense, Oak Park defective automobile lawyer serving Chicago and residents throughout Illinois. We handle all different types of dangerous products cases involving serious injuries.
Defective vehicles have been linked to rollover accidents, unintentional acceleration, tread separation on tires and seemingly spontaneous fires in vehicles. Sometimes, automakers don’t discover such mistakes soon enough. When that happens, serious accidents with serious injuries become a real possibility.
Don’t try to take on an auto company on your own. These cases can be complicated, expensive and very time-consuming. Luckily, there is no risk when you hire us to represent you. That’s because we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing unless there is a recovery in your case.
