Your Chicago personal injury lawyer

Each year, thousands of unsuspecting motorists find themselves in an accident—often due to no fault of their own.

According to the most recently available data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, over 310,000 Illinois car accidents occur every year. This is truly a shocking number for a state with fewer than 9 million drivers and 13 million people. This means that almost 2.5 out of every 100 people in Illinois are involved in a car accident each year.

Some accidents are minor, such as fender-benders and certain low-speed collisions. However, in about one in five Illinois car accidents, at least one person is seriously injured.

Illinois motorists have a duty to always drive in a safe and responsible manner. Those who are injured as a result of another driver’s negligence can pursue a claim for compensation against that driver. Often, these claims are defended by the insurance company that holds the at-fault driver’s policy.

Identifying fault is not always straightforward, even when one driver was clearly responsible for the crash. This is why having an experienced car accident attorney on your side is so important. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, we routinely handle cases against the nation’s largest insurance companies. We can vigilantly advocate on your behalf at every step of the way.

Truck accidents are unique from other types of motor vehicle collisions. First, truck accidents are much more likely to result in severe or fatal injuries. According to the Illinois DOT, there are over 22,000 Illinois truck accidents per year that result in more than 2,200 injuries and 100 fatalities. Fewer than 200 of those hurt in a truck accident were truck drivers; the rest were other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Truck accidents also differ from other types of collisions in what causes them. The nature of the trucking industry incentivizes drivers to stay on the road for as long as possible. Thus, one of the leading causes of Illinois truck accidents is fatigued driving.

Motorcycles present increased risks for riders. Some of these risks, such as the lack of protection offered by the bike, relate to the motorcycle itself. However, the most serious hazards facing motorcyclists come from other drivers.

Drivers have a harder time noticing motorcycles on the road and, even when they see a motorcycle, they may have difficulties assessing its speed. This frequently leads to a driver attempting a turn in front of a motorcyclist without enough time to do so. Other common types of Illinois motorcycle accidents include merging into a motorcyclist, rear-end accidents, failure to yield the right of way, left-turn accidents, and road hazards.

Motorcyclists injured in an accident face an uphill battle when bringing a claim for compensation due to the unfair societal stigma that all motorcyclists are aggressive drivers. A recent study found that 75 percent of all motorcycle accidents involve more than one vehicle—a figure comparable to the rate of single-vehicle car accidents. Further, two-thirds of multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents involve another driver violating the motorcyclist’s right of way.

Many continue to believe that motorcyclists are at fault for an accident when the evidence supports the opposite conclusion. By disproving this false narrative, Briskman Briskman & Greenberg has successfully represented many motorcycle accident victims, helping them obtain fair compensation for their injuries.

Each year, thousands of people are seriously injured or killed in Illinois pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents. In Illinois, over 100 pedestrians and 20 bicyclists die on Illinois roads every year.

Pedestrian-related accidents accounted for 1.4 percent of all car accidents, while bicycle-involved accidents resulted in less than one percent of all car accidents. However, those accidents tend to be more serious. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, we proudly represent pedestrians, bicyclists, and their families in cases against those responsible for their injuries. Our skilled attorneys are prepared to negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf or take your case to trial if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement offer.