When most people envision a car accident, they imagine two or more cars colliding. The truth is single-vehicle crashes aren’t just common: they result in more traffic fatalities than collisions between vehicles.
Have you been injured in a single-vehicle crash in Chicago, Illinois? Passengers and drivers both may have options to recover fair compensation for medical bills, lost earnings, and more.
A Chicago single-vehicle accident lawyer at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys can help you explore your options during a free consultation. Our Chicago single-vehicle accident attorneys will put decades of experience to work for you in your Chicago, IL car crash case.
Contact us today at (312) 726-1616 at your convenience to learn more. Your initial consultation with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers is free of charge.
How Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help After a Single-Vehicle Accident in Chicago
Any accident can be traumatic and devastating. A single-vehicle crash, however, can leave you with even more questions and fears about how you will pay your bills and get medical care. An experienced Chicago car accident attorney can help you by handling your claim while you focus on getting better.
At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we put decades of experience to work to fight for injury victims in Chicago, IL. We have recovered more than $100 million in life-changing awards for our clients. Our law firm includes Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. We have also been recognized with membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, one of the most prestigious groups for trial attorneys.
When you hire our firm to help you with your injury claim, you can count on us to:
- Clearly explain your legal rights and options
- Investigate your crash and gather evidence
- Identify all parties who may be liable
- Handle all communications and negotiations with the insurance company
- Protect your best interests
- Take your case to court if necessary to fight for fair compensation
Contact our law office today for a free case review with a Chicago single-vehicle accident lawyer. We’ll help you through every step of your case.
How Common Are Single-Vehicle Accidents?
In 2022, there were 97,388 traffic accidents in Chicago.
Many crash types indicate a single-vehicle accident, including:
- Animal: 52 crashes
- Fixed object: 5,213 crashes
- Parked vehicle: 20,698 crashes
- Other objects: 876 crashes
Nationwide, single-vehicle crashes cause more fatalities than accidents involving two or more vehicles. 52% of traffic deaths in 2021 happened in single-vehicle crashes. In Illinois, 661 fatalities (50%) involved a single-vehicle collision in 2021.
In the same year, 38% of motorcycle fatalities involved single-vehicle motorcycle accidents. 29% of fatally injured motorcyclists had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, but this increased to 43% for single-vehicle crashes.
Rollover accidents are one of the most dangerous types of crashes. According to the NHTSA, about 85% of rollover fatalities involve a single-vehicle crash.
A single-vehicle crash can involve any of the following:
- Motorcycle crashes
- Rollover accidents
- Head-on collisions with an animal or object
- Rear-end collisions
- Sideswiping an object like a tree or building
- Run-off-road accidents
These accidents can even involve large potholes, roadway debris, or inadequate signage that causes a driver to leave the road inadvertently.
What Causes Single-Vehicle Accidents in Illinois?
Single-vehicle crashes are usually caused by human error or negligence.
While there is a lot of overlap in the causes, a single-car crash is often caused by one or more of the following:
- Speeding, a factor in 29% of traffic deaths in 2021
- Drunk driving
- Distracted driving
- Running off the road
- Mechanical failure or defect
- Drowsy driving
- Poor visibility or weather-related road conditions
- Potholes and other damage to the road
- Debris on the road
- Striking an animal
Running off the road may happen when a driver swerves to avoid something, hits debris on the road, or simply loses control of the vehicle. These crashes often involve a rollover, one of the most dangerous situations with a high fatality rate.
Is Compensation Available After a Single-Vehicle Accident?
Depending on the cause and circumstances of the accident, the driver and/or passengers involved in a single-car crash may have the ability to recover compensation.
The driver may be entitled to damages in certain circumstances if they weren’t at fault for the crash.
Potential avenues to explore may include:
- Company responsible for property or road maintenance
- Company or organization that owns a parking lot or road
- City of Chicago
- State of Illinois
- Manufacturer of defective parts
It’s not uncommon for issues like potholes, poorly maintained roads, and other hazards to cause single-car accidents. The party, organization, or municipality responsible for maintenance may be held liable for injuries and damage. In fact, the City of Chicago has claim forms for motor vehicle accidents handled by the City Claims Unit.
Injury victims may have a product liability claim if defective airbags, tires, or other parts caused the crash or injuries.
Passengers may be entitled to compensation in these same scenarios. They may also have a claim against the driver and their insurance policy. If the driver’s negligence caused the crash, passengers can recover compensation through a passenger injury claim.
Many car insurance policies have “family” or “household exclusions.” This means the company isn’t required to cover damages if a family or household member is injured. Even if the driver is a member of your household and carries coverage with this exclusion, there may still be options to recover compensation.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Chicago Single-Vehicle Accident Lawyers
You have just two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline can be even shorter if your claim is against a municipality. Do not delay in seeking legal assistance after an accident in Chicago, Illinois. Doing so may require more work to gather the evidence needed to strengthen your case.
At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we are ready to put our decades of trial experience to work for you. Contact our law office today at (312) 726-1616 for a free consultation with a Chicago single-vehicle accident lawyer ready to help.
