Were you injured in a car accident involving a large semi-truck or big rig in Peoria, IL? Truck accidents can be devastating for occupants in smaller vehicles. You may deserve compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. An experienced Peoria truck accident lawyer at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys can help you fight for the full compensation you deserve.
We have decades of experience handling the most complex personal injury claims. We’ve used our experience, resources, and knowledge to recover over $100 million on behalf of accident victims.
If you were injured and it wasn’t your fault, contact our law offices in Peorias, Illinois, you can call (309) 271-0066 to schedule a free consultation today. We’re always here to help you understand your legal options.
How Can Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Help if I Was Injured in a Trucking Accident in Peoria, IL?
Truck accident claims tend to be more challenging than crash cases where only passenger vehicles are involved. Multiple parties may be involved. You may be filing a claim against a large trucking company and its commercial insurance companies.
Even worse, your injuries may be more severe because of the size of the truck. That only makes handling the claims process more difficult.
At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, our Peoria personal injury attorneys deal with insurance companies every day. We aren’t intimidated by their scare tactics–and we aren’t impressed with their efforts to downplay your losses.
When you hire our truck accident lawyers, we’ll fight for you by:
- Conducting a detailed investigation into the crash
- Analyzing all available evidence
- Hiring specialists in medicine, accident reconstruction, and other specialties as needed
- Assessing your financial and non-financial losses as we calculate your case value
- Protecting you from blame-the-victim insurance strategies
- Negotiating with the insurance companies and defense lawyers for a full settlement
Our Peoria personal injury lawyers have been recognized by Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers of America. We’ve also earned a spot on the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. You can learn more about how our top-rated attorneys can help by calling for a free consultation today.
Statistics on Accidents Involving Large Trucks in Illinois
The trucking industry is extremely important to the economy. The U.S. trucking industry is responsible for over $900 billion in gross revenue annually. In Illinois alone, trucking industry revenue is projected to reach $21.59 billion by 2024.
Unfortunately, when accidents involving trucks happen, they can cause serious damage.
According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports, 4,842 large trucks were involved in fatal accidents nationwide in 2020. About 107,000 large commercial trucks were involved in injury-producing crashes that year.
The Illinois Department of Transportation also publishes reports on motor vehicle accidents. In 2021, 12,040 accidents involving large semi-trucks and tractor-trailers were reported statewide. 117 of those accidents were fatal. Another 1,946 trucking accidents caused injuries.
What is the Value of My Peoria Truck Accident Case?
Our lawyers will closely evaluate all relevant factors when assessing your case value. While all personal injury cases are different, in general, more serious injuries tend to result in higher compensation awards.
Ultimately, the value of your personal injury case will depend on factors such as:
- The types of injuries you’ve suffered
- How long it will take to recover
- Whether you’ll make a full medical recovery or suffer a permanent disability
- Whether the injury prevents you from earning income during recovery
- Your out-of-pocket costs, including the cost of medical treatment
- Your need for ongoing therapies and medical care
- The ways the wreck impacted your emotional well-being
- How the accident is likely to impact your future
- Whether you contributed to the crash
At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, our job is to protect your best interests. That means fighting for every dollar you deserve. To learn more about how we can stand up for you, contact our law firm for a free case evaluation today.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Commercial Truck Accidents in Peoria, Illinois?
If your case is successful, Illinois personal injury laws give you the right to seek compensation for economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages offset your financial expenses. Your economic damages award should make it as though the accident never happened.
Common examples are:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
Non-economic damages compensate for trauma that’s more difficult to value, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental trauma
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Inconvenience
- Humiliation and fear
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
One thing is certain. You can count on the insurance company to do everything it can to downplay the extent of your non-financial losses. Our skilled truck accident lawyers know how to put a fair value on these difficult-to-value losses. Contact us today to schedule your free case review.
How Can Illinois Shared Fault Laws Impact My Truck Accident Settlement Amount?
Sharing blame will impact the value of your settlement or verdict.
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence law with a 51% bar to recovery. If your percentage of fault is less than 51%, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault. Once your percentage of fault reaches 51%, you’re completely barred from recovering compensation.
Truck Accident Injuries Are Often Severe and Life-Changing
Because trucks are so large and heavy, they often leave victims in passenger vehicles struggling with painful and even life-threatening injuries.
At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we often handle truck accident claims where victims have suffered:
- Broken bones
- Crushing injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Facial injuries
- Concussions
- Chest injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Regardless of how you were hurt, it’s important to understand your legal options. Even a relatively minor injury can be expensive to treat–and can make it difficult to work. Contact us today to schedule a free case review to get started.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Peoria, Illinois?
Truck accidents occur for many different reasons.
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents in Illinois include:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued and overworked truck drivers
- Speeding
- Violation of FMCSA safety regulations, including hours-of-service rules
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Aggressive driving
- Wide turns
- Failure to account for the vehicle’s longer stopping times
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving
- Weaving between lanes
- Improperly maintained trucks
- Failure to properly attach the “tractor” to the vehicle’s “trailer”
- Inexperienced truck drivers and negligent hiring practices
Truck drivers are often on tight deadlines. They’re pushed to meet those deadlines by any means possible. That often results in a situation where truck drivers are exhausted and in a hurry–making conditions ripe for accidents.
Who is Responsible for My Damages After a Truck Wreck in Peoria?
Multiple parties can share blame for the same trucking accident.
They might include:
- Negligent truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Maintenance companies
- Government agencies responsible for licensing or oversight
- Manufacturers of defective commercial vehicles or safety equipment
- Third-party motorists
- Cargo loading companies
These are the types of defendants that must carry insurance. Each insurance policy has its limits, however. The more parties you can name in your personal injury claim, the more likely it is that you’ll recover fair compensation.
How Can I Prove Negligence After a Semi-Truck Accident in Illinois?
Most truck accident claims are based on the tort theory of negligence.
To prove negligence, you must prove:
- Someone owed you a legal duty of care
- The at-fault party breached their duty
- The breach of duty directly caused your accident
- You suffered identifiable damages
Our Peoria truck accident attorneys have years of experience investigating and collecting evidence to prove personal injury cases.
In a truck accident case, our team will search for:
- The truck’s electronic control module or EDR event data recorder (the truck’s “black box”)
- The truck driver’s hours-of-service log
- Trucking company inspection and maintenance records
- Eyewitnesses
- Video surveillance footage from dash cams or traffic lights
- Evidence from the accident scene
- Photos of the wreckage and injuries
- Police reports and traffic citations
- Results of drug and alcohol tests
- Medical records
The trucking company is probably already investigating the crash. Truck drivers call their employers immediately after accidents happen. Our lawyers in Peoria are here to do the same for you. Contact us today so we can get started.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident in Illinois?
You have two years to file most personal injury lawsuits in Illinois. The statute of limitations starts to run on the date of your accident. Once two years pass, you cannot sue for damages–even if your claim for compensation is strong.
Contact a Respected Peoria Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Initial Consultation
If you or a loved one were injured in a truck accident in Peoria, IL, our team at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys is here to help. To learn more about your right to financial compensation, call an experienced Peoria truck accident lawyer to schedule a free consultation today.
