Adams County Car Accidents

Adams County Lawyers for Car Accident Victims

Located in the westernmost part of Illinois, Adams County is home to 65,737 people. Quincy is its county seat, and the courthouse is located on Vermont Street in the city. Cars travel the county by means of I-172; U.S. Route 24 and 36; Illinois Routes 57, 61, 95, 96, 104, and 336. I-172 links I72/U.S. 36 with Quincy and the expressway along Illinois Route 336 north to Macomb. It is also part of the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway and referred to as CKC. If you suffered injuries or a loved one passed away in a car collision, call the trustworthy Adams County car accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. We have more than 60 years of experience and insights that we can put to work for you.

Prove Liability for Car Accidents

Car accidents happen for a wide range of reasons. When they are the fault of a negligent driver or another party’s negligence, it may be appropriate to bring a lawsuit for damages. In order to recover damages from another driver, our seasoned Adams County lawyers will need to gather evidence to establish the following: (1) the defendant owed you a duty of reasonable care, (2) breach of the duty of reasonable care, (3) the breach caused your injuries, and (4) actual damages as a result of your injuries. All drivers owe a duty to use reasonable care to avoid injuries to others with whom they share the road. They may breach the duty to use reasonable care by:

• Speeding
• Failing to obey traffic signs and signals, such as by running red lights
• Tailgating
• Driving recklessly or aggressively
• Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Driving while distracted, such as by driving while texting or calling
• Driving while fatigued
• Failing to yield
• Making unsafe lane changes.

If any of these behaviors caused the accident and your injuries, the other driver may be held accountable for your losses.

It’s important to be aware that the other driver and his or her representatives, such as an insurance adjustor or lawyer, are looking to find ways in which you were at fault for the accident. They may act friendly, or say sympathetic things, but anything you say to them can be used to establish your fault for the accident. Under the rule of modified comparative negligence, your damages can be reduced by an amount equal to your percentage of fault. Needless to say, this incentivizes the other side to look for ways you were negligent in order to avoid paying the full scope of your damages. If the jury finds you were 50% or more at fault for an accident, you can be barred from recovering any damages at all, even if your injuries were quite serious.

There are accidents that are more complicated. In those situations, our attorneys may need to retain an accident reconstruction specialist. There are car accident cases that involve at-fault parties such as manufacturers, repairmen, or property owners.

Recover a Damages Award or Settlement

When our Adams County lawyers are able to establish another party’s fault for your injuries, we can recover compensatory damages for economic and noneconomic losses. Economic losses may include replacement services, lost wages, out-of-pocket costs, and medical bills. Noneconomic losses may include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment, disfigurement, and lost earning capacity.

In most car accident cases, it’s not possible to recover punitive damages, which are intended to punish and deter misconduct. However, if a driver’s conduct was egregious, such as in a drunk driving case, it may be appropriate to seek punitive damages.

Consult an Adams County Personal Injury Attorney

If you were injured or a loved one died in a car crash caused by someone else, call the seasoned Adams County car accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca to find out what your legal options are. We’ve been fighting for the injured over the course of more than 60 years. Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form.