Car Accident Lawyer East St. Louis, IL

Getting into a car accident can change your life. If you are injured in an accident, You will experience extreme pain and you will have to go to multiple doctor’s appointments. You may need months of physical therapy and you are certain to have very high medical bills. Not only will your medical bills cost you money, but you may lose time away from work. If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries.

The trained personal injury attorneys at Hipskind and McAninch are well-versed in the laws of Illinois. They will fight hard to get you the money you need to recover from your injuries. Our attorneys have represented big corporations in the past. We know the arguments insurance company lawyers will use to keep you from getting the settlement you deserve.

Traffic Statistics Illinois 

The state of Illinois saw 1,159 fatal crashes in the year 2022 alone. The City of Chicago and the greater Chicagoland area take up a great deal of the state. It is known as a hub for many different industries. 

2022 saw an equal number of deaths of people wearing seatbelts and those who did not use seat belts. Unlicensed drivers caused a large portion of these crashes. Accidents happened on every type of road in the state. There are not many studies of traffic accidents in East Saint Louis proper. However, its proximity to the state border and downtown Saint Louis often means that traffic is thick.

Car Accident Law in Illinois 

There are two different kinds of insurance laws in the United States; fault and no fault. In a no-fault state, a driver will be required to buy personal injury protection insurance. Their own insurance will pay for rent and their hospital bills if they are injured in an accident. It does not matter who caused that accident.

There are several different types of fault rules. Illinois goes by a moderated comparative fault rule. If a person is more than 51% responsible for an accident, they may not collect any insurance money. 

If a driver is 50% or less responsible for an accident, they can collect on the percentage of the accident they did not cause. For example, if you were 40% responsible for an accident and the other driver was 60% responsible, you would get 60% of your bills paid for by the other driver’s insurance policy.

In a fault or tort state, The driver who caused the accident is responsible for paying any medical bills that result from it. Illinois is a fault state. Hence, it is very important to establish who caused a collision. There are a few different ways that insurance companies and the police go about doing this.

Any insurance company wants to keep its money in-house. If you have an accident with another driver, each of the insurance companies will look for a way to get out of paying an injured person what they should pay them. 

What to Do at the Scene of an Accident 

When you have a car accident, you should pull over to the side of the road and see if anyone is injured. You should then call the police and wait for them to arrive. Take pictures if you can and get the names of any witnesses who may have seen what happened.

Exchange insurance information with the other driver. Never admit to fault at the scene, even if you think you caused the accident. There are all kinds of circumstances that can contribute to a car crash.

If an ambulance arrives, you should never refuse treatment. See your doctor even if you feel fine, there are some injuries that you may not feel right away. 

Save Your Bills

Always save all of your accident-related bills. Any insurance company will want to see proof of your medical expenses. Not only should you save all your doctor’s bills. but those for physical therapy and alternative treatments as well. 

Gather the receipts for any medications you have taken. Some prescriptions can be very expensive and even inexpensive ones can add up over time.

If you need maid service or if you need to use ride-sharing services as a result of your injuries, you should save those bills as well.

Record Lost Income

Not only are medical treatments painful and expensive, but they are also very time-consuming. You are likely to have to miss some time off of work to take care of your injuries. You should have your employer write a letter stating the number of hours you have missed from work and the amount of income that you have lost as a result. If you are self-employed, you can write yourself a letter and back up the information with the previous year’s tax returns.

Call Your Insurance Company 

Once you have gathered all the necessary paperwork, you will want to contact your insurance company. Your case will be assigned to an insurance adjuster who will look at your documentation and investigate your case. They will decide whether to accept or deny your claim. If they accept your claim, they will offer you a certain amount of money as a settlement. You should always call us before you accept that settlement.

Searching for a Car Accident Attorney in East St. Louis

The insurance company is unlikely to offer you the money you deserve. When you come to our office for your free consultation we will look at your case and tell you if we think you should accept the offer. If the settlement offer is too small, we can negotiate with the insurance company for you to get you more money. If the insurance companies still will not give you a reasonable settlement, we can represent you in a lawsuit.

Getting in a car accident is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. A trained personal injury attorney from Hipskind and McAninch will help you get the compensation you need to get better.