If another driver caused your crash, a motorcycle accident lawyer in Harwood Heights can investigate the collision and pursue compensation for your injuries.
Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., brings more than 75 years of combined legal experience to injury claims. We are a boutique firm that emphasizes responsive communication and personal attention throughout your case.
Contact us for a free consultation with a Harwood Heights personal injury lawyer.
Why Motorcycle Accident Claims Require a Close Look at Fault
Motorcycles are smaller than passenger vehicles and can be harder for careless drivers to notice. That does not relieve drivers of their responsibility to check traffic, yield when required, and make safe turns and lane changes.
Many motorcycle collisions involve disputes over what each person saw and did in the seconds before impact. Our Harwood Heights motorcycle accident lawyers examine the physical evidence, witness accounts, and available video footage rather than relying solely on an insurance adjuster’s interpretation of the crash.
Helpful Evidence That Can Show How the Crash Happened
Motorcycle cases can become heavily disputed when the drivers give different accounts. Evidence from the scene and surrounding area can help establish which account is supported by the facts.
Evidence From the Collision
Our legal team may obtain:
- Police reports.
- Traffic camera footage.
- Business or residential surveillance video.
- Dashcam recordings.
- Photographs of the vehicles and roadway.
- Witness statements.
- Motorcycle and vehicle damage.
- Available electronic vehicle information.
- Cell phone records when relevant and legally obtainable.
Evidence Showing Your Losses
We also document the consequences of the crash through:
- Medical records.
- Diagnostic imaging.
- Surgical records.
- Physical therapy records.
- Work restrictions.
- Wage records.
- Photographs of injuries and scarring.
- Records concerning future treatment.
A motorcycle accident attorney in Harwood Heights can use these records to connect the collision to both your injuries and the compensation being sought.
What If the Other Driver Says You Were Partly at Fault?
Insurance carriers may claim that a motorcyclist was speeding, following too closely, improperly passing, or otherwise contributing to the collision. Those allegations can directly affect compensation under Illinois law.
Illinois follows modified comparative negligence. If you are found more than 50% at fault, you generally cannot recover damages. If you are 50% or less at fault, you may still recover, although the award is reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, a person found 15% responsible would generally have their award reduced by 15%. A Harwood Heights motorcycle accident attorney can challenge an unsupported allocation of fault with evidence from the collision.
Compensation Available After a Motorcycle Injury
Compensation should reflect the losses caused by the crash.
Depending on your case, damages may include:
- Ambulance and emergency treatment.
- Hospital care.
- Surgery.
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy.
- Future medical care.
- Lost wages.
- Reduced future earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering.
- Disability.
- Scarring and disfigurement.
- Damage to your motorcycle and other personal property.
The value of your claim depends on the evidence, your prognosis, the effect of your injuries, and the insurance coverage available.
How Insurance Companies Evaluate Motorcycle Claims
An insurer may investigate the crash immediately, sometimes before you know how long your recovery will take. Adjusters may request statements, medical authorizations, or other information as they assess how much the company may have to pay.
They may also dispute:
- Who had the right of way.
- Your speed before the collision.
- Whether the driver could see your motorcycle.
- Whether all of your medical treatment was related to the crash.
- How long you needed to remain off work.
- Whether you have fully recovered.
- The extent of any permanent limitations.
Our team handles these communications and supports the claim with medical, financial, and accident evidence.
Serious Injuries Can Affect Your Ability to Work
A motorcycle injury may prevent you from returning to the same job even after your initial treatment ends. This can be particularly significant for people whose work requires physical strength, mobility, prolonged standing, or driving.
We review physician restrictions, your employment history, your wages, and the duties you performed before the accident. When an injury reduces your ability to earn income in the future, that loss may be part of the damages sought.
We also account for time already missed from work and any periods when you returned to work at reduced hours or in a lower-paying position due to accident-related restrictions.
How Long Do You Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?
Illinois generally requires personal injury lawsuits to be filed within two years after the claim accrues. Different rules may apply depending on the defendant and the circumstances, including for certain claims involving public entities.
Waiting can also create practical problems. Video may be erased, witnesses may become difficult to locate, and the vehicles involved may be repaired or sold.
Speaking with a lawyer earlier can give your legal team more opportunities to preserve available evidence and determine which filing deadline applies.
Why Choose Our Harwood Heights Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for Your Claim?
Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., works with everyday people who need clear answers after an injury disrupts their health and income. Our clients are not treated as file numbers, and we place a high value on being available when you need information about your case.
Our firm offers:
- More than $100 million recovered for clients.
- Personal attention from a boutique injury firm.
- Responsive communication throughout your claim.
- Free consultations, including Zoom consultations.
- Electronic options for sending forms and communicating with our team.
- Relationships with medical providers who may treat qualifying patients on liens.
- Contingency-fee representation, so you do not pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Our founding partner previously worked on the insurance side with Allstate. That experience gives us insight into how insurers assess accident claims, evaluate injuries, and approach settlement negotiations.
Discuss Your Crash With Our Harwood Heights Motorcycle Accident Legal Team
You should have an opportunity to present your claim based on what actually happened and how the collision has affected you. We can examine the evidence, address insurance disputes, and determine what compensation you may be able to pursue under Illinois law.
Choose Charlie. Contact Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. for a free consultation with our motorcycle accident attorneys in Harwood Heights. We can review the collision and explain the legal options available based on your circumstances.
