Side-impact car accidents can be quite serious, depending on what part of the vehicle was struck, its safety features, traveling speeds of the vehicles involved and their weights. One reason why these accidents can have such severe consequences is because the impact can cause the car to spin, rollover, or be pushed into other vehicles, pedestrians, utility poles, and other objects.
In 2016, side-impact car accidents accounted for 25 percent of 37,461 vehicle occupant deaths, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to a side-impact collision that was the fault of another driver, you have legal options that an experienced car wreck attorney could help you explore. Take action today by consulting with a Bolingbrook side-impact car accident lawyer about your case.
Common Side-Impact Accident Injuries
Due to their often forceful and unpredictable nature, side-impact collisions can cause a multitude of different injuries. Some victims are lucky enough to walk away with only some scrapes and bruises, while others may suffer spinal cord damage or a traumatic brain injury. Unfortunately, serious injuries are common in side-impact collisions, and often include:
- Concussions
- Whiplash and other neck and back injuries
- Broken or dislocated bones
- Burns
- Deep cuts and bruising
- Internal injuries
- Sprains
- Chronic pain
Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Ever-growing medical debt and the general pain and suffering they experience because of someone else’s negligence are usually what motivate plaintiffs to file suit. Illinois law provides the option for juries to award compensation for economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages, as well as non-economic damages like pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and emotional anguish. Accident victims can discuss their injuries and losses with a Bolingbrook side-impact car accident attorney to determine what a jury may be willing to award them compensation for.
Determining Fault in a Bolingbrook Side-Impact Collision Case
Plaintiffs should be aware that even if they win their case, the jury may find that the defendant is not 100 percent at fault for the accident. Since Illinois is a comparative fault state, this can have a significant impact on the amount of compensation a plaintiff may be able to receive.
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, a jury could determine that the plaintiff is partially to blame and assign them a percentage of fault. This percentage would then be deducted from whatever damage award they ultimately received, as per 735 ILCS 5/2-1116.
A jury may find the plaintiff partially to blame for a number of different reasons—for example, if they were speeding, on the phone, or not obeying traffic laws at the time of the accident. A side-impact car accident lawyer in Bolingbrook could provide further clarification and advice on what might result in a plaintiff having their damage award decrease, or in them being barred from receiving any compensation at all.
Get in Touch with a Bolingbrook Side Impact Car Accident Attorney
Before speaking to insurance adjustors, contact a seasoned attorney about your auto accident. Doing so could help preserve your legal rights.
A Bolingbrook side-impact car accident lawyer could review all the circumstances of your case to determine the best way to move forward. They could then present you with your viable options and let you make the final decision.
Attorneys are passionate about holding at-fault drivers responsible for the injuries they cause victims. Call today to learn about all your legal options from a car accident lawyer after a side-impact auto collision.