Aurora, Illinois Car Accident Lawyer

Aurora is an incredibly diverse city in the western suburbs of Chicago. With a population of just under 200,000, Aurora is Illinois’ second-largest city. With so many residents, the roads can be extremely crowded. So it is no surprise that car crashes happen frequently. Even though accidents are commonplace, however, most people don’t realize how traumatic a car accident can be until they are in one. That is why it is critical to have a car accident lawyer protecting your rights. Here at The Collins Law Firm, we understand how stressful it is to be injured in a car crash and to file a legal claim. That is why our experienced car accident attorneys guide you through every step of the legal process, so you can stop worrying and focus on your recovery. We will fight so you don’t have to.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) compiles car accident statistics for each city in Illinois in City Summary Crash Reports. According to their data, there were 4,162 reported car accidents in Aurora in 2018. Below are more details from IDOT about those crashes:

• 9 of the accidents were fatal.
• 1,620 people were injured in car accidents. Among the injuries were:
  • 119 A injuries. These are injuries that affect the injured person’s ability to live his or her life and can include things like broken bones, severe lacerations, or skull injuries.
  • 509 B injuries. These are injuries that are clearly identifiable at the scene of the crash but are not life-altering, these can include things like bruises, abrasions, or minor lacerations.
  • 992 C injuries. C injuries are injuries that were reported that do not fall into the category of A or B injury, these can include claims of nausea, pain, unconsciousness, etc.
• Surprisingly, weather was not a factor in the majority of the car crashes: 3,285 of the car accidents occurred in clear weather conditions, 427 were during rainy weather, 223 were during snowy weather, 59 were during cloudy or overcast weather, 39 were during sleet or hail, and 24 were during fog, smoke, or haze.
• And less than half of the auto accidents occurred after dark: 2,802 of the accidents occurred during daylight, 928 occurred in the dark on a road with lights, 240 occurred in the dark on an unlit road, 54 occurred at dusk, and 38 occurred at dawn.
• The most deadly accidents were fixed object collisions (with 5 fatalities) and pedestrian accidents (with 3 fatalities).

According to The Patch, as of 2017, the most dangerous intersections in Aurora, Illinois for fatal crashes or crashes with serious injures were:

• Orchard & Sullivan with 16 crashes
• Montgomery & Route 59 with 15 crashes
• Ogden & 75th, Butterfield & Eola, and Route 59 & 75th with 13 crashes each

The intersections with the most car accidents in 2017 were:

• Eola & North Aurora with 68 crashes
• New York & Route 59 with 67
• Indian Trail & Lake with 59
• Butterfield & Eola with 58
• Ogden & Route 59 with 54
• Eola & New York, Eola & Liberty, Galena & Orchard all with 50 each
• Route 59 & 75th with 49
• Liberty & Route 59 with 47
• Montgomery & Route 59 with 44
• Farnsworth & Molitor and McCoy & Route 59 both with 43 each

Many of these accidents happen because of driver negligence, including reckless driving, driving under the influence, distracted driving, or excessive speed. One hundred and twenty of the accidents in Aurora were caused by alcohol or drug impairment; 29 of them were caused by driver fatigue. If you are the victim of a car crash caused by another driver’s negligence, you need to contact an experienced car accident lawyer to defend your rights.

The majority of the car crashes in Aurora were rear-end collisions, which accounted for 1341 of the accidents. Next in line: accidents involving turning (862), followed by angle accidents (598), then collisions with parked cars (564), sideswipe accidents (330), and collisions with fixed objects (306). Crashes involving pedestrians accounted for 41 of the traffic accidents and accidents involving bicyclists accounted for 28.

The immediate aftermath of a car accident is an extremely stressful time for everyone involved, but it is also a time when you need to ensure your rights are being preserved. There are many steps you can take to help yourself and any future potential personal injury claim in the minutes following a collision.

1. Get medical help ASAP. Call an ambulance to take you to the ER if you are injured.
2. Exchange information with the other driver(s) and any witnesses to the crash.
3. Call the police. Make sure to tell them your side of the story.
4. Take photos of your injuries, your vehicle’s damage, and the scene of the crash if possible.
5. Write down the details of the accident while they are fresh in your mind.
6. In the days or weeks after an accident, follow up with a doctor if you are in pain.
7. Save all documents that relate to your accident. Lost wages, medical bills, car repair bills, etc.
8. Do not talk to the other driver’s lawyer or insurance company.
9. Call a car accident attorney.

Following these steps will help to ensure that you have the strongest case possible.

An experienced car accident attorney can help you gather evidence from the crash, including photos and any security videos that may have captured the scene. Your lawyer will also gather medical records and bills, request income loss verification, interview witnesses, and build your case, including hiring an accident reconstruction specialist to prove fault if necessary. Once the facts of the accident and the liability have been established, your lawyer will speak to the insurance company or its lawyers to begin negotiating on your behalf. He or she will work to get the maximum compensation available to reimburse you for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, and loss of companionship if your loved one has died in the accident. Studies have shown that car accident victims who hire a lawyer recover more in compensation than those who decide not to. Hiring a lawyer is critical to achieving justice.

Our clients choose us because they know we will take care of them. And we can help you, too. Our dedicated car accident attorneys will take the burden of filing a claim off your shoulders, so you can get your life back on track. We have the experience and financial resources necessary to get you the justice you deserve and a record of success fighting for car crash victims just like you. Moreover, we are conveniently located right next door to Aurora, just off Diehl Road. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, you should speak to one of our experienced car accident lawyers as soon as possible. Call us today at (630) 527-1595 or fill out our contact form for a FREE evaluation of your case.

Why Should I Hire a Lawyer?

What Are the Most Important Things to do After a Car Accident?