Chicago Car Accident Lawyers

Have you been hurt in a car accident in Chicago?

Car Accident Lawyer Car accidents can be some of the most devastating events imaginable, particularly when you are not the one responsible. In an instant, your whole world can be turned upside down, leaving you with punishing injuries, mounting medical bills, and significant wage loss and placing you and your family on the brink of disaster, all because of somebody else’s negligent actions.

At GWC Injury Lawyers, we understand the stress, trauma, and often life-altering implications that car accident victims and their loved ones face because we have seen it up close so many times. For this reason, our team of Chicago car accident lawyers will work quickly to obtain the maximum compensation for your case so that you can start to get back to normal if you are hurt in a car crash.

For more than four decades, GWC Injury Lawyers has been fighting for the rights of injury victims throughout Illinois. We are one of the leading Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Chicago. With over $2 billion recovered in verdicts and settlements, GWC has the proven track record of success necessary to get you and your family the justice you deserve.

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What To Do After a Car Accident

Car Accident Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who Is At Fault for My Multi-Vehicle Accident?

A: When a car accident involves more than two vehicles, it can be more difficult to determine the party or even parties that are financially responsible for the incident.

Q: Can I Be Compensated for Pain and Suffering in a Car Accident?

A: Under Illinois law, plaintiffs may seek compensation for a number of non-economic damages sustained in a car accident, including pain and suffering.

Q: How Much Is My Car Accident Case Worth?

A: A variety of factors may impact how much your case is worth, including legal merit, medical bills, wage loss, permanency of injury, and available coverage.

Q: Can I Claim Wage Loss for a Car Accident?

A: If your injuries prevent you from going to work, your wage loss may be considered when calculating the total value of your car accident injury claim.

Q: Do I Have a Car Accident Injury Case Without Medical Treatment?

A: If you do not receive medical treatment within a reasonably short period of time, you will not have sufficient evidence to establish a car accident injury case.

Q: What Do I Do If I Have Been Injured by a Drunk Driver in Illinois?

A: In addition to receiving damages from relevant car insurance policies, you may be able to go after the establishment that overserved the driver with a Dram Shop Claim.

Q: What If I Have Been in an Accident with an Uninsured Driver in Illinois?

A: You may be able to recover financial compensation for injuries sustained in an accident with an uninsured driver provided there is uninsured motorist coverage.

Q: Should I File a Police Report for My Illinois Car Accident?

A: Always make sure to file a police report when you are in a car accident in Illinois, especially if you may be thinking about pursuing a personal injury claim.

Q: What If I Am Listed as Unit 2 on the Police Report for My Car Accident?

A: If you have been listed as Unit 2, the responding officer has probably determined that you were not at fault, which can help your personal injury claim.

Q: I’ve Been Listed as Unit 1 on the Police Report. Am I at Fault?

A: The driver believed to be at fault will typically be listed as Unit 1, which can make your personal injury claim more difficult, though not necessarily impossible.

Q: Should I Tell My Insurance Company About My Car Accident?

A: If you have your own car insurance policy, which is legally required in Illinois, make sure to tell your insurance company about your accident as soon as possible.

Q: Does Auto Insurance Cover Medical Expenses?

A: Depending on your policy, your auto insurance may cover your medical expenses through what is known as Medical Payments Coverage or “MedPay.”

Q: How Do I File a Car Accident Injury Claim?

A: If you get hurt in a car accident because of another driver’s negligence, you must formally notify the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to begin pursuing a claim.

What Are The Causes of Chicago Car Accidents?

It’s unfortunate that despite recent advancements in automotive safety devices like automatic braking, lane-changing sensors, and other accident-avoidance technology, human error is still a dominant factor in almost all serious auto accidents.

GWC has achieved successful outcomes in virtually every kind of auto accident claim, including those involving the most frequent types of causes involving human error:

Distracted Drivers – A driver who is not paying attention can miss critical objects and events on the road or abandon control of the vehicle.
Texting While Driving – Almost one-third of Americans admit to texting while driving, which can be deadly; a driver who spends only five seconds to send a text while going 55 miles per hour on the highway is effectively traveling the length of a football field with closed eyes.
Bad Weather Conditions – Drivers who fail to adjust their behavior to difficult weather conditions can lose control of their vehicles.
Drunk Drivers – Each day in the United States, an average of 28 people are killed in car accidents involving a drunk driver, which translates to one DUI-related death every 53 minutes.
Driver Fatigue – Missing just two to three hours of sleep can more than quadruple the risk for a crash, which is the equivalent of driving drunk.
Speeding – Exceeding the speed limit is a factor in about one-third of all motor vehicle deaths and can result in catastrophic injuries even in non-fatal crashes.
Mechanical Failure – Drivers who do not respond appropriately to unexpected vehicle malfunctions on the road can put themselves and others at serious risk.

Have you been involved in an accident in Chicago and need effective advice from an experienced lawyer?

GWC is one of Chicago’s premier personal injury law firms. Our Chicago car accident attorneys have the resources and the tenacity to see your case through from beginning to end.

Common Auto Accident Injuries – Are You A Victim?

Car accidents can produce some of the most serious injuries imaginable, including:

Traumatic brain injuries
Spinal cord damage
Broken bones
Concussions
Wrongful death
Lacerations
Herniated discs
Dental injuries

In addition to the immediate physical toll they can take, injuries of this magnitude can be long-lasting and financially ruinous. For this reason, whenever practical, we try to include provisions in our damages lawsuits to cover future medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, outpatient treatment costs, medication costs, and any other expense that may be associated with your recovery.

What Happens If the Other Driver Does Not Have Insurance?

Illinois is an “at-fault” car insurance state, meaning that the insurance company of the driver responsible for the accident should cover the costs of the damages and the injuries up to the limits of the policy.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that Illinois requires all vehicles in the state to have liability insurance, an estimated 12.6 percent of drivers across the country are uninsured. However, even if you are injured by a vehicle without insurance, you may still be able to obtain financial compensation for your injuries through uninsured motorist (UM) coverage.

UM coverage typically adheres to the insurance policy for the vehicle in which you are traveling, whether it was your own vehicle or if you were only a passenger. UM coverage could even apply if you were injured as a pedestrian, provided that you owned a vehicle with UM coverage or resided with a close family member who did.

At GWC, we have decades of experience identifying all possible avenues of recovery in order to make sure that our clients receive the most compensation possible, even in car accidents with the uninsured.

Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer?

While you could try to negotiate with the negligent driver’s insurance company yourself, you will likely be at a natural disadvantage. This may be your first car accident injury claim, but it is certainly not the insurance company’s. The average insurance adjuster has likely negotiated hundreds of car accident claims or more, many that are very much like yours. The adjuster can take advantage of your relative inexperience to make a settlement offer that is pennies on the dollar compared to what your claim is worth, or simply deny liability entirely, preying upon your relative ignorance of the law in the hopes that you just give up on the claim.

This is where GWC’s knowledgeable car accident lawyers bring value. Like these adjusters, we have also negotiated hundreds of car accident claims or more, many that are probably similar to yours. We can help construct a case that fully conveys the extent of your damages and the degree of culpability of the at-fault party.

In all of the Chicago car accident cases that we handle at our firm, our objective is to put our clients in the best situation possible. By performing a comprehensive review of the incident, which may include calling upon the services of industry professionals to help reconstruct the accident scene or using evidence that has been gathered from the crash site, we aim to build a robust argument for your car accident injury claim.

Fighting a multibillion-dollar insurance company is a David vs. Goliath proposition. Let us be your slingshot.

How Much Does Hiring a Lawyer Cost?

Hiring GWC’s Chicago car accident injury lawyers costs you NOTHING upfront because our firm works on a “contingency fee” basis. Only when the case is resolved successfully will we take any payment in the form of a percentage of the final settlement, along with any case-related expenses. If you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid, and the more you get paid, the more we get paid. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement that removes the upfront worries and stress for the injured client.

GWC Injury Lawyers: Experienced Chicago Car Accident Lawyers

Chicago Car Accident Lawyers When you have been injured by a negligent driver in Chicago, it is important to contact a reputable car accident attorney that has an established history of helping victims obtain the MAXIMUM amount for their claims.

At GWC, we work tirelessly to preserve all of our clients’ rights and hold the people who have hurt them accountable.

Our highly trained Chicago auto accident lawyers have EXTENSIVE knowledge of Illinois’ traffic and insurance laws and will use that knowledge to fight for the justice that you and your loved ones deserve.

We proudly offer free consultations and provide legal counsel to injury victims in Illinois, including in:

Chicago
Burr Ridge
Libertyville
Rockford
Cicero
Berwyn
Forest Park
Lyons
River Forest
Summit
Evergreen
Burbank

… and all of the areas throughout the state.

Protect your interests. Call our auto accident lawyers today at 1-312-464-1234 so we can discuss the merits of your claim. We can also be reached online by filling out our “Free Case Evaluation” form. We will contact you shortly after we receive your inquiry.

Ten-Point Car Accident Checklist

GWC Injury Lawyers wants to make sure that you are prepared should an unfortunate accident occur. For your safety, we have created a car accident checklist to help make a smoother experience at the scene of an accident so that you can build a more powerful case. New and experienced drivers can benefit from printing this page and keeping it in the glove box. Please BE AWARE, or the consequences may affect you down the road.

1. Stop
Stop your vehicle and, if possible, move to the side of the road and turn off the ignition.

2. Stay Calm
Remaining calm is essential in order to accurately assess and handle the realities of the situation.

3. Do Not Take Responsibility
This might be the MOST important thing to remember if you are in an accident. NEVER admit to fault, accept responsibility, or agree to pay any damages. Do not sign any papers or in any way insinuate that you are at fault. Assigning fault is your insurance company’s job.

4. Call 911
Call the police. They are responsible for handling the interaction between you and any other drivers or passengers involved. The police officer will take down witness statements and file an accident report. You will need to obtain a copy of your accident report for your insurance claim.

5. Check for Injuries and Intoxication
Once the police have been called, check yourself for injuries, and, depending on the severity of the situation, check others involved if you are able. Be aware and affirm whether you suspect the possibility of intoxication or the influence of any illegal drugs or medications.

6. Take Pictures
Take as many pictures as possible at the site of the accident. You should take pictures of your own vehicle, other vehicles involved, and any injuries sustained.

7. Exchange Information
After an accident, you should exchange the following information with the other parties involved:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• E-mail address
• Insurance company and policy number
• Driver’s license number
• License plate number

8. Call an Experienced Attorney

You should contact an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer as soon as possible following your accident. An attorney will guide you and help you think of a wide range of circumstances that otherwise would be overlooked, possibly costing you a substantial amount of money and negatively impacting your claim.

9. Know What Your Insurance Covers
Be aware of what your insurance policy covers. Specifically, you will want to know if your insurance covers the cost of towing and rental cars.

10. Be Ready to Fight for Your Rights

Sadly, car accidents are a fact of life that nearly all of us will face at one time or another. Knowing what steps to take, and what your rights are, will make a consequential difference in the outcome of this unfortunate situation. Dedicated and experienced Chicago personal injury lawyers such as the ones at GWC Injury Lawyers can help you navigate through the trying times following an accident and work to get you what you are owed.

If you or your loved one is a victim of a car accident injury, call 1-312-464-1234. You can also fill out the free case evaluation form at the bottom of the page and let us get started today!

Further Information

At GWC, our knowledgeable attorneys have handled a wide variety of vehicular injury claims, and we are dedicated to sharing the fruits of our experience with our clients and the general public. The following are some links to informational pages on a variety of topics:

Directions to our Chicago Office

GWC Injury Lawyers

111 E Wacker Dr Suite 600 Chicago, IL 60601

Phone: 312-999-9999

Nationally Recognized

We Win Cases

With a proven track record of success and more than $2 BILLION in courtroom victories and negotiated settlements for our clients, we have grown into one of the premier personal injury and workers’ compensation law firms in the entire state.

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Settlement -A male driver sustained a traumatic brain injury after a truck from a major trucking company collided with his vehicle.

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