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Bensenville sits on the edge of O’Hare International Airport, and the trucks serving its cargo area share Irving Park Road, York Road, and Route 83 with everyone else. When a crash on those roads leaves you hurt, Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can be the car accident lawyer in Bensenville who takes on the insurance companies for you.
We’re a boutique firm built around client service, so you work with people who know your name and your case. Our personal injury lawyer in Bensenville can meet with you for a free consultation, in person or on Zoom, and you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.
What Makes a Truck Crash Claim Different?
A truck crash claim differs from a typical car accident claim because federal rules shape who’s responsible and how much insurance is available. For-hire carriers hauling general freight in interstate commerce must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage under 49 U.S.C. § 31139, far above Illinois’s $25,000 minimum for passenger cars.
More than one party may share the blame for a truck crash. Depending on the facts, a claim may name:
- The truck driver who caused the crash
- The trucking company that employed the driver or owned the truck
- A freight broker that arranged the load
- A company that loaded the cargo unevenly or overloaded the trailer
- A repair shop that failed to fix the truck’s brakes or lights
Federal hours-of-service rules generally limit property-carrying drivers to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window after 10 hours off duty, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. A driver’s electronic logging data can show whether those limits were broken.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Bensenville
The right first steps depend partly on where the crash happens. The Bensenville Police Department handles crashes on village streets, while Illinois State Police Troop 15 patrols the Route 390 Tollway, I-294, and the other Chicago-area tollways. After a crash, try to follow these steps:
- Call 911 and stay at the scene until officers arrive.
- Photograph the vehicles, the truck’s company name and USDOT number, and the road.
- Get names and contact information from the other driver and any witnesses.
- See a doctor the same day if you can, even if you feel fine.
- Keep any damaged property, such as a broken phone or child car seat.
- Request your crash report from the village, which offers reports by mail or in person for $5, according to its traffic accident report page.
Don’t give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before you talk with a car accident attorney in Bensenville. Through our client app, you can send your report and photos to Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers without leaving home.
How Our Bensenville Car Accident Lawyers Help
Before founding the firm, Charles Therman worked on the insurance side with Allstate, so he knows how insurers evaluate claims and what it takes to negotiate a fair settlement. That perspective helps when a trucking company’s insurer sends its own investigators to look at a crash. We push back with evidence, not guesses.
Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers has recovered more than $100 million for injured clients. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Our attorneys bring more than 75 years of combined experience, and we’ve represented injured Illinois residents since 2002. Charles Therman has practiced law in Illinois since 2000.
Our Chicago headquarters near O’Hare is a short drive from Bensenville, and it’s where clients who need a car accident lawyer in Chicago meet our team. You can also meet with us on Zoom if travel is hard while you recover.
How Long Do You Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bensenville Crash?
You generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit after a Bensenville crash, under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. The larger part of Bensenville lies in DuPage County, so many cases go to the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton, while crashes in the village’s Cook County section may go to the Rolling Meadows courthouse.
Shorter and longer deadlines apply in some cases. A claim against a local public entity, such as the Village of Bensenville or a park district, generally must be filed within one year under 745 ILCS 10/8-101. For an injured child, the two-year clock generally starts at age 18 under 735 ILCS 5/13-211.
Insurance negotiations don’t pause these deadlines. If you’re not sure how much time you have, Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers can check the dates in your case during a free consultation. Bring the date of the crash and any letters you’ve received from insurers.
What Compensation Can a Bensenville Crash Claim Include?
A Bensenville crash claim may include compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, depending on your injuries and who caused the crash. If a case goes to judgment, Illinois generally adds 6% yearly prejudgment interest from the date the suit was filed, for up to five years, under 735 ILCS 5/2-1303.
Truck crashes often cause serious injuries that need months of treatment, and future care counts too. A claim can include the cost of surgery, physical therapy, and income you may lose if you can’t return to the same job. We work with your doctors to document what that future care is likely to cost.
If you don’t have health insurance, we can connect you with medical providers who may treat you on a lien, which means they wait to be paid until your case resolves. Keep every bill, receipt, and pay stub, because each one helps show what the crash has cost you. Gaps in treatment can give an insurer a reason to argue your injuries weren’t serious.
Crash Numbers in a Village Built Around O’Hare Freight
In 2023, Bensenville recorded 438 traffic crashes, including 90 injury crashes that hurt 112 people and two fatal crashes, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. The same report counts 87 trucks and truck-tractors among the vehicles in those crashes, 47 of them tractor-trailers.
Rear-end crashes (133) and turning crashes (130) were the two leading types. Both are common where heavy trucks mix with commuters, because a loaded semi needs far more room to stop and swings wide when it turns. Sideswipe crashes, another risk around wide-turning trucks, added 54 more.
Much of the traffic runs on a handful of corridors. Irving Park Road (IL 19) connects the village to O’Hare’s cargo area, Route 83 and York Road carry traffic north and south, and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway cuts across the village’s north end toward I-294.
Talk With Our Team About Your Crash
Trucking companies and their insurers start building their defense quickly. A car accident lawyer in Bensenville can preserve the evidence, deal with every insurer involved, and keep your claim moving while you heal. Truck logging data and camera footage can be lost if no one asks for them in time.
Our team is responsive, so when you reach out, you hear back quickly. Contact Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers for a free consultation at our Chicago office or on Zoom, and we’ll explain your options in plain language.
