Urbana Car Accidents
Lawyers for Urbana Car Accident Victims
Urbana is the 38th most populous municipality in the state as of 2010 and covers 11.90 square miles. Its downtown is located southwest of the intersection of U.S. 150 or University Avenue and U.S. 45, also known as Vine Street-Cunningham Avenue. Three exits from west to east serve the city, with the Cunningham exit going to downtown Urbana. IDOT keeps track of fatal crashes, and on an annual basis hundreds of fatal crashes occur across the state. There have been 55 fatalities caused by crashes on interstate routes as of four months into 2023. There were four fatal accidents in the city in 2020; drivers, passengers and nonoccupants have been killed in crashes over the years. An estimated half of Urbana fatal accident victims are pedestrians. If you were injured in a car accident, call the seasoned Urbana car accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. We have more than 6 decades of experience that we can put to work to obtain a damages award or settlement in your case.
Car Accidents in Urbana
Car accidents arising out of the negligence of drivers who are expected to use reasonable care are sadly common. If you were injured as the result of another driver’s negligence, you may be able to recover damages in a lawsuit. When we represent you, our lawyers will need to establish liability to recover damages on your behalf. This means we will need to show the following elements by a preponderance of the evidence: (1) the other driver owed you a duty to use reasonable care, (2) the other driver breached the duty of care owed, (3) the breach caused your injuries, and (4) actual damages arose from the breach. Evidence could include testimony of witnesses, photographs, police reports, debris at the accident scene, and in some cases, expert testimony and analysis.
All drivers owe a duty of care to others with whom they share the road. This duty may be breached in a wide range of ways including by:
- speeding,
- failing to follow traffic signals and signs,
- drunk driving,
- distracted driving,
- texting while driving,
- tailgating,
- failure to yield,
- or driving with road rage.
Your damages can be reduced by an amount proportionate to your degree of fault for an accident. Illinois follows the rule of modified comparative negligence, under which you can recover damages only if you are less than 50% at fault for the injury or the losses. Needless to say many defendants try to argue that a plaintiff is to blame for the accident and seek out ways to establish comparative fault. It is crucial to call an attorney before you talk to the other side.
Some car accident cases involve multiple victims, or the fault of multiple drivers combined. In complex cases, it may be necessary to retain a credible and knowledgeable expert to determine which parties were responsible and by how much.
Recover Damages as an Accident Victim With the Help of a Lawyer
When we successfully establish liability, we can recover compensatory damages, which are intended to make up for both economic and noneconomic losses suffered by an accident victim. These damages may be past, present, and future losses. Economic damages, which are damages that cover tangible and concrete losses, often provable through documentary evidence, could include lost wages, medical bills, replacement services, and out-of-pocket costs. Noneconomic losses include mental anguish, emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, and loss of earning capacity.
Consult a Seasoned Urbana Car Accident Attorney
It can be stressful and emotionally challenging to be injured in a car crash. If you were injured or a loved one died as a result of a crash, you should call the seasoned Urbana car accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. Our firm has fought for full and fair compensation for car accident victims for more than 60 years. We also handle SSDI benefits and workers’ compensation claims. Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form.