Kankakee, Illinois Car Accident Lawyers

Aggressive Attorneys Representing Injured Car Crash Victims in Kankakee, IL

A sudden car accident can leave you with debilitating injuries and lasting trauma. A bad accident can also force you out of work for an extended period, jeopardizing your main source of income. To remedy your situation, consider working with a Kankakee car accident attorney who can help you file a personal injury claim against the liable driver.

The legal complexities of filing a car accident claim can be difficult to untangle. At Grauer & Kriegel, LLC, we are here to simplify things for you, as we have served as a trusted source of legal counsel for injury victims for over 40 years. We have secured many victories over the years for clients injured in car accidents, highlighting our consistently thorough investigations.

Who Is at Fault in a Car Accident in Illinois?

Determining fault in a car accident begins with establishing who breached a duty of care on the road. Under Illinois law, every driver must operate their vehicle safely, obey traffic signals, yield when required, and avoid distractions such as texting or driving under the influence. When a driver violates these duties, whether by speeding through an intersection on a red light, following too closely on the highway, or swerving into another lane without signaling, they can be found negligent and held liable.

Illinois applies a modified comparative negligence system, which means that fault can be apportioned between all parties involved. If you are found partly at fault for your own injuries, your recoverable damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault, provided that you are 50 percent or less responsible. For example, if you sustained $100,000 in damages but were deemed 20 percent at fault, your recovery would be limited to $80,000. Our firm will conduct a thorough investigation to pinpoint each party's level of culpability, looking for ways to dismiss any allegations of fault on your end.

Catastrophic Injuries in Car Accidents

Catastrophic injuries are life-altering injuries that often result in long-term disability, extensive medical care, and profound emotional distress. Common examples from accident injuries include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage that causes paralysis, severe burns, multiple bone fractures, and limb amputations.

Survivors of catastrophic crashes face not only mounting hospital bills but also the challenge of adapting to new limitations and ongoing therapies. Rehabilitation may involve months of physical, occupational, and speech therapy, assistive devices such as wheelchairs or adaptive vehicles, and home modifications to maintain independence. In many cases, psychological support is essential to address post-traumatic stress, depression, or anxiety that arise after a life-threatening event. Our firm can help you seek a lasting remedy for any catastrophic injuries, thinking about the long-term implications of the accident.

Calculating Damages in a Car Accident

Calculating damages requires a careful accounting of both economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages cover objectively verifiable costs, including hospital and doctor bills, prescription medications, rehabilitation expenses, property repair or replacement, and lost wages for time spent away from work. In the case of permanent impairment, you may also pursue future lost earnings and diminished earning capacity.

Non-economic damages compensate for losses that do not have a direct price tag, such as pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium. When a driver's conduct is especially reckless, such as driving the wrong way on a highway while intoxicated, you may be able to seek compensation for punitive damages as well.

In order to get a detailed idea of your damages, our firm will assemble detailed financial records, testimony, and medical records to present a compelling valuation of your claim. We will not accept any settlements we deem to be less than what your claim is worth, and we are always prepared to go to trial.

Meet With a Kankakee Car Accident Attorney

At Grauer & Kriegel, LLC, we stand as fierce advocates for car accident victims throughout the northwest suburbs of Chicago. To schedule a free consultation with our firm today, call us at 847-240-9010 or contact our Kankakee car crash lawyers.