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​Experienced ILLINOIS Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
& CHICAGO Injury Lawyers

Backover Accidents

Car Crash Attorneys Helping Chicago Residents Seek Compensation for Injuries

As a densely populated area, Chicago and the surrounding communities have a high rate of backover accidents. These collisions that take place when a driver reverses into a pedestrian can occur in driveways, crowded parking lots, and other locations where pedestrians are present. The serious injuries resulting from a backover accident can render victims and their families overwhelmed financially and emotionally. If you or someone close to you has been hurt by a careless driver, the Chicago car accident lawyers at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca can help you pursue the compensation that you deserve. Our experienced attorneys advocate on behalf of accident victims throughout Illinois, recovering maximum compensation for many clients.

Hold a Negligent Driver Legally Responsible for a Backover Accident

Backover accidents cause thousands of injuries annually and result in hundreds of deaths each year. Unfortunately, a high percentage of victims are young children, who are often playing behind cars in driveways and are not visible to a driver. In addition to driveways, crowded parking lots and dense urban streets are common sites of these serious collisions.

Since backover accidents often occur on private land, such as driveways, there may be more than one individual or entity responsible for the accident. Careless drivers who have backed over a pedestrian may be held accountable, as well as property owners who have failed to address known hazards on their property. In order to hold a driver accountable, victims typically must prove negligence through showing that the driver owed them a duty of reasonable care, breached this duty of care through their actions, and directly caused the victim’s injuries, which led to quantifiable damages.

A breached duty of care in a backover accident may involve failing to properly check rear view mirrors before backing up or placing the car in reverse at a high rate of speed. These unreasonable actions, under the circumstances, may be found to have violated the duty of care that all drivers owe to others on the road. The circumstances surrounding the accident must be evaluated, such as weather conditions, the time of day, and the location.

Property owners who are aware or should be aware that their driveway or parking lot is unsafe may be at fault for injuries caused in a backover accident. A premises liability claim is one method that a victim can use to hold these parties accountable for their harm. If a property owner knows of a potential obstruction, such as an overgrown hedge that prevents a clear view for a driver, but does not address this hazard, a judge or jury may find them at fault in a premises liability claim.

Damages available to accident victims following a backover accident include treatment costs for all of their medical care, including past and future treatment. Injured individuals may also recover damages for loss of income and earning capacity due to injuries sustained in the accident. Emotional pain and suffering and a decreased quality of life are other damages available to victims pursuing a personal injury claim against an at-fault driver. In the situation of an injured child, long-term rehabilitation or medical treatment costs can be significant, since injuries can be more severe and complicated. A knowledgeable attorney can help determine the appropriate steps for preserving the legal rights of children injured in a backover accident.

Retain a Chicago Lawyer When Seeking Compensation for a Car Crash

Throughout Chicago and the surrounding areas, the motor vehicle collision attorneys at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca are here to provide compassionate, vigorous legal representation to accident victims. We prove the full extent of a victim’s injuries, accounting for past, current, and future medical costs. To discuss your claim in further detail, call our office at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form to set up a free consultation at no obligation. We help people throughout the state, including in Aurora, Springfield, Champaign, Rockford, Quincy, and other communities in Cook, Kane, Adams, Sangamon, and Winnebago Counties.