The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reports that there were 3,129 pedestrian accidents in 2020 which included 160 fatal accidents and 2,879 injuries. Crash data for 2023 indicates there have already been 34 pedestrian fatalities thus far this year. 

The bottom line remains that pedestrians are constantly placed at risk in towns and cities throughout the state. Unfortunately, negligent drivers in these cases sometimes flee the scene of the accident to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. If you or a loved one were hurt in a hit-and-run accident, read on to learn about your legal options. 

Options for Hit-and-Run Victims

In most pedestrian accident cases, the victim will be able to file a claim against the negligent driver. In a hit-and-run accident case, however, there can be concerns about whether an offender will be apprehended and what a hit-and-run victim can do if they are not located.

Driving while impaired due to the use of drugs or alcohol increases the likelihood of a car accident by 36 times. Even with the sobering statistics that demonstrate the dangers of drunk driving, people continue to risk their lives and the lives of others by driving while they are intoxicated. In Illinois, more than 20,000 people are arrested for drunk driving each year. If you have been injured by a drunk driver, a skilled attorney can help you establish liability and take steps to get the compensation you deserve.

BAC and Negligence

Drunk driving is associated with negligent behavior that could have been avoided. Driving under the influence of alcohol is considered reckless behavior, because willingly got behind the wheel of a vehicle when they knew they were too intoxicated to drive safely. The legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC) in Illinois is .08 percent, and driving with a BAC above this limit can result in serious legal ramifications, including jail time, fines, and the suspension of a person's driver's license.

If you are injured in a drunk driving accident, you can seek compensation for your injuries by proving that the accident was caused by another driver’s negligence. If a chemical blood alcohol test showed that a driver’s BAC exceeded the legal limit, this is usually sufficient evidence of their negligence, and they can be held liable for the damages they caused. The presumption of negligence in these cases is known as negligence per se. 

If you have been injured in a truck accident in the Chicago area, the medical bills may be piling up, you have lost your stable income, and are trying to recover from severe injuries. According to federal estimates, some 107,000 truck accidents resulted in life-altering injuries in 2020. Truck accidents are among the most dangerous vehicle accidents. Semi-trucks are simply heavier and more difficult to handle than your average car. So who is liable for the injuries that you suffered?

Potentially Liable Parties in a Truck Accident

In many cases, truck accidents are caused by a negligent driver due to various factors including driver fatigue, drunk driving, improperly secured loads, and defective truck parts. These are some of the potential parties you may be able to sue following a truck accident depending on the cause of the accident:

• Truck Driver – If the driver was speeding, driving drunk, or being negligent in any way and caused the accident, you could sue the driver for your losses.
• Trucking Company – The employer is supposed to properly train drivers to ensure that commercial trucks are operated safely. This includes regular maintenance and inspection of the company trucks.
• Cargo Loading Companies – If the truck driver is transporting merchandise for another company, the loaders share responsibility for checking that the cargo is properly secured or that the truck is not overloaded.
• Parts Manufacturers – Steering problems, tire blowouts, or brake failures could be the result of defective parts in which case the manufacturer or distributor may be liable.
• Other Parties – The county, state, and national authorities responsible for road maintenance and the implementation of trucking regulations could also be held liable.

Determining Liability  

Truck accidents require a full investigation into what led to the accident to determine if the injuries caused were due to the negligence of one or more parties. Modified comparative laws in Illinois dictate how responsibility for an accident is shared. They allow individuals to recover compensation for their losses even if they are partially responsible for the accident. If you are found to be 20 percent at fault for the accident, you will recover 80 percent of the damages. As long as you are not more than 50 percent at fault, you can still collect damages. 

Whether you are running errands or driving around enjoying the sights, if you are rear-ended, it may feel like getting the wind knocked out of you because you do not see it coming. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of car accident in the United States, occurring in about 29 percent of all crashes. We see it all too often on Illinois freeways such as I-294 or I-90 when drivers do not slow down in time and, in some cases, these crashes lead to a pileup accident. If you are in the middle of one, you may be left wondering: Who is liable for the damage if you hit the car in front of you?

Rear-End Crash and Liability

A variety of things cause rear-end collisions every year, including people following too closely, distracted driving, and speeding. In Illinois, drivers are supposed to keep enough distance between their car and the car in front of them to avoid a crash. Therefore, in most rear-end car crashes, the rear driver is liable. In cases in which the front driver cuts off the rear driver or slams on the brakes without warning, the rear driver may not be liable. 

Illinois law allows someone involved in a car accident to pursue financial compensation for their damages. In such cases, the at-fault driver or their insurance provider may be required to pay for vehicle damage, medical bills, and other damages they caused.

You never know when you might be involved in a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Panic may set in when you learn that the driver at fault for the accident does not have car insurance. Who will pay the bills related to your injuries? Unfortunately, one in eight drivers is uninsured. At Quinn Law Group, LLC, we can explore several possible options to get the compensation that you are entitled to receive.

Uninsured Motorist 

Having protection in case you get in an accident with an uninsured driver offers some peace of mind. If you are in an accident with someone who does not have insurance, having uninsured or underinsured driver coverage on your own policy helps pay the costs of treating bodily injuries you and your passengers sustain. Any auto insurance company that provides policies to the residents of Illinois is required by law to offer their customers uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

After an accident, you will need to file a claim with your own insurance company. Your coverage may also help cover your lost wages. However, under the law, policyholders can decide not to carry this type of coverage.