Sangamon County Truck Accidents

Sangamon County Attorneys for Truck Accidents

Sangamon County is a county at the center of the state of Illinois. In 2023, there were 14 people killed in accidents in Sangamon County. In 2022, there were 32 deaths in accidents in the county, and in 2021, there were 24 deaths. Highways on which trucks may pass through the county include Interstate 55 and I-55 Business Loop, I-72, U.S. Route 36, and Illinois Routes 4, 29,54, 97, 104, 123, 125, and 125. It is also served by the Sangamon Mass Transit District. If you were injured or a loved one was killed in a truck collision, you should call the experienced Sangamon County truck accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. We have more than 60 years of experience that we can put to work for best results in your case.

Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can leave devastation in its wake. Many victims may face huge medical bills; weeks, months, or a lifetime of medical bills; lost wages; and a reduced quality of life due to catastrophic injuries. In many cases, all of the accident victims are making claims against the truck driver’s insurance policy, which may be quickly exhausted.

Interstate truck drivers are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), which are intended to make the roads safer. These regulations set forth speed limits, hours of service rules, logbooks, rules about cargo weight and truck maintenance; and more. They are meant to keep other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians safe. Unfortunately, some truck drivers go rogue, and even worse, some trucking companies actively encourage their drivers to violate these rules so that cargo can be delivered more quickly.

When regulations are disregarded, there is a strong argument that the truck driver and perhaps even the trucking company acted negligently. The state of Illinois has adopted the FMCSR, so even truck drivers who drive only in Sangamon County can be held accountable for violations. It is crucial to retain a seasoned truck accident lawyer who can look at how the regulations and other laws apply to your particular case.

Liability

In order to establish liability in your case, our lawyers will likely need to prove that another party was negligent, and that this negligence caused the accident and your injuries. Sometimes there are multiple negligent parties, and a case must be built against each of them. In some cases, they will try to point fingers at each other, and settling the case or taking it to trial can become quite complicated.

To prove a truck driver or trucking company’s negligence, our attorneys will need to prove: (1) the defendant owed you a duty of reasonable care, (2) that duty was breached, (3) the breach actually and proximately caused your injuries, and (4) you suffered actual damages. A truck driver may breach the duty to use reasonable care by speeding, failing to control a jackknifing truck, carrying too heavy or unbalanced a load, failing to inspect the vehicle before setting out, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or violating hours of service rules, thereby driving while fatigued. A trucking company can be held vicariously liable for a truck driver’s actions when the truck driver is an employee, but it also owes its own duties to those on the road. It can be held directly liable for negligently hiring a truck driver, negligently supervising him, or negligently training him. A trucking company’s failure to obey the regulations can be evidence of its negligence.

Other parties that may be responsible for a truck accident include a mechanic, a truck manufacturer, a third party loading company, or another driver.

Damages for a Truck Accident

The value of your case depends on the severity of your injuries. If you suffered catastrophic injuries such as a traumatic brain injury, internal organ damage, burns, crush injuries, spinal cord injuries, compression fractures, tendon damage or paralysis, you may be entitled to greater damages. Likewise, truck accidents can result in fires, rollovers, and flying debris that cause your significant economic and noneconomic losses.

Consult a Sangamon County Truck Accident Lawyer

Whether you were injured or your loved one died because of a truck crash, you should discuss your legal options with the results-oriented Sangamon County truck accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. Our firm has fought for best results for truck accident victims for more than 60 years. As appropriate, we also pursue relief for accident victims in the form of SSDI or workers’ compensation benefits. Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form.