Motor vehicle accidents can cause serious injuries no matter where they occur, but highways can pose more of a danger than streets in city centers and residential neighborhoods. On highways, vehicles travel at faster speeds, and large vehicles share the roads with cars and motorcycles. That can increase the risk of collisions resulting in catastrophic injuries.
If you were involved in an accident on a highway, you may have been rushed to the hospital and treated for head, neck, or back injuries; broken bones; internal bleeding; organ damage; or paralysis.
You may have undergone one or more surgeries and may have spent weeks in the hospital. If you have been discharged, you may now be recuperating at home and seeing a chiropractor or a physical therapist on a regular basis, or you may be receiving care at an in-patient rehabilitation facility.
It may be months before you will again be able to do things that you used to do with ease. You may have to relearn how to walk, for example. Even after receiving the best care available, you may continue to suffer from limited mobility and chronic pain.
The crash may have left you unable to work. You may be able to go back to work in the future, at least on a part-time, light-duty basis, or physicians may have told you that the seriousness of your injuries will make it impossible to return to your former occupation. You may have to figure out how to earn a living in an entirely new field, or you may be unable to work at all.
The accident may have caused financial devastation for your family. On top of the medical bills, you most likely still have bills coming in every week for your regular living expenses, such as housing, utilities, and car loans. Without your income, you and your spouse may be falling behind and struggling to figure out how to make ends meet.
An Aurora highway accident lawyer may be able to help. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit and seek a financial award to compensate you for your losses. Call our office at (800) 223-5115 to speak with a member of our staff.
Causes of Highway Accidents
Crashes on highways often occur when a driver is speeding. A person may be running late for work or rushing to get home after a long day. A driver may be distracted by a song on the radio or a conversation with a passenger and may not realize how fast he or she is going. A person may not notice a sign marking a reduction in the speed limit or warning of a construction zone up ahead. In any event, speeding can lead to a collision and serious injuries.
Driving while intoxicated is another frequent source of highway crashes. Motorists may drive while under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, and other drugs.
Prescription medications can also cause dangerous side effects, such as drowsiness and blurred vision, which can lead to accidents. A driver who is impaired may be held liable for a crash, even if he or she was taking a medication that was legally prescribed by a doctor.
Crashes Involving Large Vehicles
Tractor-trailers, moving trucks, delivery trucks, and other large vehicles share highways with cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles. Highway accidents may result in catastrophic injuries if one of the vehicles involved is much larger than the other.
Operators of large vehicles have a duty to exercise caution and to follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. Those rules apply to speed, placement of cargo, hours worked, time taken to rest, vehicle maintenance, and other factors that can affect the safety of the driving public. Despite the potential for serious accidents and the penalties that companies can face for violations, many businesses and drivers fail to adhere to the rules.
If a large vehicle crashes, it can seriously injure drivers and passengers in other vehicles. An out-of-control semi-truck can collide with a car and push it into others. A jack-knifed tractor-trailer can block the roadway and cause a pileup. A truck can spill its cargo, which may include anything from boxes to fuel and toxic chemicals. Some forms of cargo can create a fire hazard and can be dangerous to human health and to the environment.
For a free legal consultation with a Highway Accidents Lawyer serving Aurora, call (800) 794-0444
What to Do If You Were Injured in a Crash
An Aurora highway accident lawyer may be able to help you seek financial compensation. Our team can investigate to figure out who was liable for the collision and work to hold that party accountable.
We can review the police report, statements from you and others who were present, and any surveillance or cellphone video of the crash that may exist. If the collision involved a commercial vehicle, we may also review records related to the hiring and training of employees, the loading and securing of cargo, vehicle maintenance and repairs, the number of hours the driver had worked without a break, and other factors that may have contributed to the crash.
After we have determined who was liable for the accident, we can file a personal injury lawsuit against that party and seek compensation for the losses you have suffered. Those may include costs for past and future medical treatment, lost income, lost or reduced earning potential, and pain and suffering.
Aurora Highway Accidents Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
An Aurora Highway Accident Lawyer Can Pursue Justice for You
If you were seriously injured in a crash on a highway, Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help. If you would like to sue the party responsible for the collision, but you are worried about legal fees, that should not be a concern because our firm operates on contingency. That means that you will not have to pay us any money upfront to represent you. We will only get paid if we obtain a financial award for you.
You have a limited amount of time to act. Illinois’ statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is just two years, according to 735 ILCS 5/13-202. If you do not file a lawsuit within that time frame, you may miss out on your ability to seek a financial award. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 223-5115 so our team can begin working on your case as quickly as possible.
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