Illinois Motorcycle Accident Laws and Statistics
Motorcycle accident statistics on Illinois crashes and injuries are telling: riding a motorcycle can cause personal injury and even wrongful death. In 2006 alone, there were 132 motorcycle accident fatalities in Illinois – 10 percent of the 1,254 motor vehicle accident fatalities in the state that year*. If you, too, have suffered a motorcycle accident injury or the death of a loved one in a crash, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries, pain, and suffering. You need an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to help you obtain a settlement. Proner & Proner can help. Staffed by a team of experienced motorcycle accident attorneys serving all of Illinois, our law firm is known for its track record of successful case resolutions. This history of success – and our passion for protecting the rights of injured motorcyclists – makes us the choice of accident victims throughout the state and the nation. When you secure our services, you will receive the top-notch legal representation for which the firm is known.
Protecting the Rights of Motorcycle Accident Victims
When a motorcyclist suffers personal injury in a motorcycle accident caused by another party’s negligence – whether that party is the manufacturer of a defective product ( product liability), a reckless motorist, or another party – the injured may seek damages by filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit. The types of injuries for which a victim may seek damages, components of a motorcycle accident settlement, and process of filing suit are as follows:
Types of Injuries
Given motorcycles’ lack of crashworthiness, motorcycle accident injuries tend to be catastrophic (e.g., burn, back, spinal cord, and brain injury, and wrongful death). Victims may also sustain relatively minor injuries such as “road rash” and broken bones. Whatever the severity of the injury, victims (or their surviving family members, in cases of wrongful death) may be entitled to damages and should hire a lawyer with experience handling motorcycle accident claims.
Motorcycle Accident Compensation
The size of a motorcycle accident settlement depends on several factors, including the severity of the victim’s injuries, the circumstances of the crash, state law, and the skill of the victim’s attorney. The settlement may include compensation for the victim’s medical expenses, rehabilitative care, lost income, decreased earning potential, diminished earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, and additional financial losses caused by the motorcycle accident injury.
Filing a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
Motorcycle accident victims who believe they have a case should hire a lawyer to undertake the process of filing a lawsuit. The process of filing suit can be complex and overwhelming without representation by an attorney, as pressing charges involves reconstructing the crash, proving the guilt of the liable party, filing the appropriate paperwork within the required time frame, and additional steps. Our seasoned motorcycle accident attorneys have the know-how necessary to complete the process and obtain a favorable case outcome.
Learn more about Illinois motorcycle accident laws.
If you have suffered personal injury in a motorcycle accident, you need a practiced attorney to fight for your rights. Our firm can help. Contact Proner & Proner to schedule a consultation. When you enlist our services, we will work diligently to obtain any damages to which you are entitled.
Motorcycle Accident Statistics
The following motorcycle accident statistics underscore accident trends in Illinois and throughout the U.S. since 1998*:
- In 1998, there were 2,294 motorcycle accident deaths and an additional 49,000 motorcycle accident injuries in the U.S.
- In 1999, there were 2,472 motorcycle accident deaths and an additional 50,000 motorcycle accident injuries in the U.S.
- In 2004, there were 1,356 highway traffic fatalities in Illinois, 517 (38 percent) of which involved driver impairment and 151 of which were motorcyclists. There were 4,028 motorcycle accident fatalities and 76,000 motorcycle accident injuries in the U.S. in 2004.
- In 2005, there were 1,361 highway traffic fatalities in Illinois, 477 (35 percent) of which involved driver impairment and 157 of which were motorcyclists. There were 4,553 motorcycle accident fatalities and 87,000 motorcycle accident injuries in the U.S. in 2005.
- In 2007, there were 142 motorcycle accident fatalities in Illinois, 81 percent of which were not helmeted and 38 percent had a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 or higher at the time of the crash. There were 103,000 motorcycle accident injuries and 5,154 motorcycle accident fatalities in the U.S in 2005.
- Illinois is one of three states without a helmet law and 27 states with anti-impaired riding educational programs.
Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Contact Proner & Proner if you have suffered personal injury in a motorcycle collision and would like to learn more about your rights, motorcycle accident statistics, or other information. Our motorcycle accident attorneys serve clients throughout Illinois.
*Motorcycle accident statistic references: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and Governors Highway Safety Association websites.
We serve motorcycle accident victims throughout Illinois, including the following cities:
- Chicago
- Aurora
- Rockford
- Joliet
- Naperville
- Springfield
- Peoria
- North Peoria
- Elgin
- Waukegan
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