Johanna Bukowski
1 month ago
Ed and Maggie have both been a pleasure to work with! They keep you up to date on your case, clearly explain the process and next steps along the way, respond quickly to any questions and always offer different options to discuss details (email, phone, text, Zoom, etc.). What I appreciate more than anything, is their genuine compassion and concern for you as a person. They both demonstrate true empathy for what is most likely one of the most unexpected and traumatic events in a person’s life and do everything they can to ensure justice is served. I highly recommend Collins Law!
Jeff Matticks
2 months ago
I became aware of Collins Law Group after I was involved in a motorcycle, several years ago. Since that time I have reached out to Ed Manzke, at Collins Law Group, for assistance in a couple of other areas. In each instance, I have found Ed and his team to be very helpful with great communication, keeping me informed every step along the way. Everyone who I have interacted with, at Collins Law Group, demonstrated that they are interested in building relationships so that you know who you can turn to for any of your legal needs.
Ella Folson
3 months ago
Chris and John were attentive and thorough to my needs throughout my entire case. I appreciate the all the time and effort they took. I will be recommending their services going forward to family and friends! Thank you so much for all your help!
J. Savv
3 months ago
Ed Manzke was very patient and kind with helping me and my sister with our mom’s case. He often took the time out his day to explain everything to ensure we understood what was going on. The law firm itself is organized making our whole process run smoothly. I appreciate Ed and his team.
Unique Morris
3 months ago
Ed Manzke was very informative, clear and honest when it came to my mother and father’s case. He took his time with all of my questions and concerns, making sure that no questions went unanswered and that there was no room for confusion with our case. I’m forever grateful for Ed and everyone at the law firm.
Nick Erlenbaugh
3 months ago
Collins Law was recommended to me after I was involved in an accident with a semi-truck. Amber Blevins was exceptional to work with. She is a total pro at what she does and made the process as easy as she could for me. Ed ensured I received the best outcome possible and exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone who might be shopping around for an attorney!
Dwayne Kurfirst
3 months ago
I want to take a moment to recognize John at Collins Law for the incredible work he did in helping my mom secure her settlement. It wasn’t a quick or easy process—it took time, patience, and persistence—but John stayed committed every step of the way. What stood out most was his professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine care for getting the best possible outcome. He kept us informed, navigated the complexities with confidence, and ultimately delivered results that truly made a difference for our family. If you’re looking for someone who will put in the work, stand by you through a long process, and follow through, I highly recommend John and the team at Collins Law.
Helen Montague
5 months ago
We are fortunate to have had the chance to work with John Risvold as he represented my brother in his case. Professional, personable and authentic in his manner, John kept us informed throughout the long process, and was always available to respond to my many questions. Having never been involved with a law suit, I really appreciated John's patience (especially since I am 1,000 miles away) and his genuine care for my brother's well being. We are forever grateful, John. Thank you.
Matthew Malone
6 months ago
I had an excellent experience being represented by Collins Law Firm. Ed Manzke and Amber Blevins were amazing to work with and truly helped me in my time of need. Both were extremely personable and knowledgeable throughout every step of the way. I would absolutely recommend them for anyone’s legal needs.
Ronnie Sanchez
6 months ago
I had an excellent experience with The Collins Law firm. Amber was extremely helpful, kind, and friendly throughout the entire process. She took the time to explain everything clearly whenever I didn’t understand something, which meant a lot to me. I truly felt supported and informed. I will absolutely seek Collin’s help again if I ever need legal assistance in the future. Thank you again :)
Maddie Scheele
6 months ago
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Ed Manzke and Amber Blevins. They are truly the best of the best. The efficiency and professionalism throughout the entire process of my case has been unmatched. What I really want to point out, though, is the empathy and compassion both Amber and Ed hold. That was the true difference maker. I knew they both prioritized my well-being and made that their number one priority. They represented me to their highest capabilities through every step of my case, and I cannot thank them and Collins Law Firm enough.
Leticia Pink
7 months ago
Ms. Maggie Galka is an experienced environmental (radon) attorney who prioritizes her clients' health and safety in her legal practice. She maintains thorough records and offers strategic advice while working with government agencies. Ms. Galka demonstrates key values such as integrity, expertise, respect, empathy, and compassion essential for positive outcomes. Her professionalism, follow-up and communication skills are excellent. Ms. Galka's guidance extends beyond legal issues, and the Collins Law Firm advocates strongly and effectively for clients. We sincerely thank Collins Law Firm, and in particular Ms. Galka, for helping our family reach a successful outcome and for their meaningful impact on our community. I strongly recommend Ms. Galka and Collins Law Firm as an outstanding legal firm.
Megan
7 months ago
I can’t say enough good things about John Risvold at The Collins Law Firm. From start to finish, John was professional, responsive, and incredibly knowledgeable. He took the time to explain everything clearly, kept me informed throughout the process, and always made me feel like my case truly mattered. His dedication, attention to detail, and genuine care made a stressful situation much easier to handle. John’s expertise and clear communication built a lot of trust, and I’m very grateful for his hard work. I would highly recommend John Risvold to anyone looking for a reliable and skilled attorney.
David Bretti
7 months ago
(Translated by Google) They are very responsible in what they do, they were able to resolve my case quickly and efficiently, I especially recommend Mr. Chris for always being in contact and being honest throughout the process 👏🏻 (Original) Son muy responsables en lo que hacen, pudieron resolver mi caso de forma rápida y eficaz, recomendando, especialmente el Se Chris por siempre estar en contacto y ser sincero en todo el proceso 👏🏻
Jas R.
7 months ago
Amber was very thorough, informative, and made this process very easy for me, which I greatly appreciated considering all the events that led up to this point. Justice isn’t always served, but working with Collin’s Law Firm really me feel that my injuries were tangibly worth something, and that to some degree, justice was served. Would highly recommend this law firm to anyone seeking out a personal injury firm/attorney.
Amy Ressen
8 months ago
I wana say a huge thank you to the Collin’s Law firm and Chris Gauthier for helping me with my Complicated case. They helped me put my life back together after a horrible incident that I didn’t think I could over come. Chris was always good about communicating and he made sure I got what I deserved! I highly recommend this law firm they were so kind and reassuring that things would work out. Thank you again for all the hard work and being there to help me through the process when I didn’t know where to turn to for help! Thanks again Chris and The Collin’s Law firm!
Lauren Dryanski
9 months ago
I had an exceptional experience with Collins Law Firm . A special thank you to Chris, my lawyer, and Patti, the legal assistant. They helped me navigate my car accident proceedings from start to finish, and I always felt like I was in great hands. Chris was incredibly knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and explained everything in a way I could understand. He always made sure I felt informed and supported, especially when it came to legal details I wouldn’t normally know. Patti was also wonderful—very helpful, communicative, and always made sure I had everything I needed throughout the process. I never once doubted this team. They made everything easy and stress-free. I would absolutely recommend Collins Law Firm to anyone in need of legal support!
Will Brooks
10 months ago
John brings impressive expertise and heartfelt dedication to every matter he handles. His thoughtful approach and clear communication make it easy to trust his advice, and it’s evident he is committed to fighting for what’s right with both professionalism and empathy. John’s balance of insightful expertise and warm, personal attention truly sets him apart.
Icela Hernandez
11 months ago
If ever needed. I will gladly go to the Collins law firm again. They were always quick to respond any questions. Happy to say case is closed and all went well .
Sharif Maadi
1 year ago
I’ve had the opportunity to co-counsel with John Risvold and he is a great attorney. He brings a high level of experience, strategic insight, and tenacity to every case. Truly an asset to the personal injury field. Rest assured, your case is in good hands with this firm
Semi-truck accidents (also called tractor-trailer or big-rig accidents) are especially dangerous because these vehicles are longer, taller, heavier, and more powerful; provide worse vision for the driver; and are harder to maneuver than other vehicles on the road. That’s why a far greater percentage of semi-truck accidents result in fatalities or serious injuries than any other type of accident on American roads. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there are 11,200 semi-truck crashes per year, on average, in Illinois. And while these crashes accounted for only 3.1% of all injury crashes in Illinois, they account for 18.6% of crashes with serious injuries.
There are many reasons why semi-truck accidents happen. Many of the accidents are attributable to driver error, including situations where truck drivers:
Other semi-truck accidents result from trucking company negligence, including inadequate maintenance, failure to repair vehicles, or failure to secure cargo properly. Moreover, semi-truck accidents are exacerbated by the semi-truck’s size and power, relative to that of the average car with whom it shares the road:
Length and height: The average length of a semi-truck (including trailer) is 70-80 feet. That’s about 5 times the length (14.7 feet) of the average car. The average height of a semi-truck is 13.5 feet, which is more than twice the height of the average car.
The massive size of semi-trucks means these vehicles are difficult to maneuver, even when road conditions are the safest, and their drivers most alert. These drivers must be experienced and incredibly careful to avoid life-endangering accidents.
Weight: Semi-trucks are allowed to weigh up to a whopping 40 tons, or 80,000 pounds. That’s 16 times the weight of the average car. Needless to say, this extraordinary mismatch in weight of a semi-truck vs a car puts the passengers of the car in grave danger whenever the two vehicles collide.
Power: Given the size and weight of semi-trucks, you would imagine it takes a very powerful engine to make them go. And you would be right. The average semi-truck has a 400-600 horsepower engine, compared to the 100-200 horsepower of the average car.
The sheer size and power of semi-trucks create built-in dangers, which present serious threats to the passengers of other vehicles on the road:
Harder to stop: Even under safe road conditions, it takes a semi-truck 40% longer to stop than a car. Their sheer weight creates two dangers: it makes them harder to stop, and also makes them especially likely to cause serious injury if they do not stop in time, and strike a car, person, street sign or structure. The experienced, alert, and careful semi-truck driver will not engage in risky driving practices, such as tailgating a car, that makes the size and speed of the semi-truck potentially lethal. If you are driving a car that is being tailgated by a semi-truck, you must change lanes as promptly as you safely can, to take yourself and your passengers out of harm’s way. You do not want to find out the hard way that the driver of the tailgating semi-truck has not had enough sleep the previous night or does not have adequate experience with stopping his vehicle in time.
Wide Turns: A vehicle 70-80 feet long is going to take a lot more time and space than a 15-foot-long car to execute a safe turn. We have all seen these very long semi-trucks (tractor-trailers) do a wide turn: they take up two or more lanes, and generally need an intersection with no other vehicles near them to get the job done. For semi-truck drivers, turns require special care: they must wait for intersections to clear, and proceed with great caution, alert at all times for the presence of another vehicle whose driver has failed to appreciate what the semi-truck is trying to do, or how much space it needs. For drivers of those vehicles in the presence of a semi-truck trying to execute a wide turn, it’s important to back off a great distance.
Blind Spots: As with the driver of a car, the semi-truck driver is responsible for knowing what is going on all around him—front, back, and sides—at all times on the road. But this is easier said than done, and no driver of a car should assume that the driver of the semi-truck immediately in front of her car, or behind it, or to the side of it, has a perfect line of sight to, or is even paying attention to, all that is going on. Semi-trucks have “blind spots”, which are areas where the driver of the very tall and very long semi-truck can easily fail to see a nearby vehicle. These “blind spots” are directly in front of the semi-truck; directly behind; and along its 70-80 foot sides. Small cars and motorcycles are particularly vulnerable to a life-threatening collision with a semi-truck if they are riding in one of these “blind spots”. This threat is especially acute when semi-truck drivers lose awareness, even for a second, of their surroundings. For this reason, car and motorcycle drivers must maintain a safe distance from all sides of a semi-truck, erring on the side of exaggerating the need for distance.
When the risks inherent in the sheer size, power and weight of semi-trucks are combined with human error—such as distracted or aggressive driving, failure to respect the dangers of “blind spots”, or failure to adequately maintain the vehicle—these types of accidents occur:
Jackknifing: When the trailer swings out at an angle to the cab, it’s called “jackknifing”. The longer the semi-truck, the more vulnerable it is. Pressure suddenly applied to the brakes and turning too quickly, particularly on wet pavement, can cause jackknifing. Other drivers should keep their distance from semi-trucks which are suddenly braking, turning, or driving on wet pavement. These moments are loaded with the potential for serious injury for all.
Rear-end collisions: There are, on average, some 33,000 rear-end collisions involving semi-trucks every year in the United States. In most of these, the semi-truck rear-ends the car, and serious injury to the passengers of the car often results. Semi-truck drivers are responsible for keeping a safe distance behind all vehicles in front of them, taking into consideration the weight and length of the semi-truck, road conditions, driver alertness, etc. Of course, the driver of the car in front of the semi-truck must recognize when the semi-truck is too close behind, and change to a safer lane, as soon as reasonably possible to do so.
T-Bone accidents: These accidents result when two vehicles collide, creating a “T” shape. It is also referred to as a “side impact” collision. If either of the vehicles is a semi-truck, its size and weight almost ensure that the accident will be one involving serious injury.
Rollovers: When a semi-truck is traveling too fast while executing a turn, or following a curve in the road, its tires on one side will initially lose contact with the road. The semi-truck will then tip to one side and roll completely over. Wet pavement presents a special risk for this kind of accident. So does the sudden shifting of the cargo inside the vehicle, which can change the truck’s center of gravity, causing it to lose its balance.
Underride Accidents: These common accidents occur when a vehicle hits the trailer of a much larger semi-truck and the force propels the car underneath the body of the truck. Oftentimes, this causes the top of the vehicle to sheer off, injuring, or killing the passengers in the car. These serious crashes can result in head injuries, brain injuries, and even decapitation. Unfortunately, despite crash test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that show that underride guards can prevent these accidents and save lives, many trucks are still not equipped with this safety feature.
Tire blowouts: One of the most dangerous scenarios involving a semi-truck is when one of its tires blows, especially if the semi-truck is traveling at a high rate of speed. This can cause the driver to lose control, which in turn can result in rollovers; the semi-truck weaving across lanes as the driver struggles to regain control; cargo suddenly and violently shifting, creating a de-stabilizing of the semi-truck; and pieces of the blown tire flying across the road. Needless to say, serious injury can result to the passengers of any nearby vehicle, as well as to the driver of the semi-truck involved. Many such blowouts are preventable, as they are the result of inadequate tire maintenance.
Semi-trucks are longer, taller, heavier, and harder to maneuver, with larger blind spots and longer stopping distances. Because of that size and weight disparity, a far greater share of semi-truck crashes result in serious injuries or fatalities than other types of crashes.
Liability may extend beyond the driver to the trucking company, the trailer or cargo owner, a maintenance provider, a parts manufacturer, or a freight broker. Truck cases often involve multiple defendants and multiple insurance policies, which is part of why they are more complex than ordinary car accident claims.
Driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations, speeding, distracted driving, improperly loaded or overweight cargo, inadequate maintenance, equipment failure such as brakes or tires, and adverse weather combined with the truck's reduced maneuverability.
Electronic logging device data, the truck's black box data, driver qualification and maintenance files, dispatch records, and cargo loading documentation. Much of this evidence is controlled by the trucking company and can be lost quickly, so a preservation request needs to go out early.
In most cases, two years from the date of the crash for personal injury claims, and a separate deadline applies to wrongful death claims. Confirming your exact deadline with an attorney early protects your right to recover.
Look for a local Illinois firm with real experience in commercial truck cases, a track record of significant results, and the resources to investigate a crash quickly, preserve trucking company evidence, and take on large carriers and their insurers. Collins Law Group is based in Naperville and represents injured people throughout the Chicago area and across Illinois. Your consultation is free.
Nothing up front. We handle semi-truck accident cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fee unless and until we recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is always free, so there is no financial risk in finding out whether you have a case.
Unlike a typical car crash, a semi-truck accident often involves several potentially responsible parties. Identifying every liable party is one of the most important things an experienced attorney does, because it can dramatically affect the compensation available to you. Depending on the facts, liability may rest with the truck driver, the trucking company (motor carrier) that employed them, a freight broker or shipper that arranged or loaded the cargo, a maintenance contractor responsible for the truck's brakes or tires, or the manufacturer of a defective truck part. In many cases, more than one of these parties shares responsibility.
Building this kind of case depends on evidence that disappears quickly. Modern semi-trucks record data through electronic logging devices (ELDs) and onboard "black box" event recorders that can show speed, braking, and hours behind the wheel. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hours-of-service rules limit how long a driver can operate without rest, and carriers are required to keep detailed logs and maintenance records. We move quickly to preserve this evidence before it can be overwritten or lost, then use it to establish exactly what went wrong and who is accountable.
Our home region is one of the busiest freight hubs in the country, which is a major reason serious semi-truck crashes happen here. Will County is home to the Joliet and Elwood intermodal terminals and the CenterPoint logistics complex, one of the largest inland ports in North America, feeding constant semi-truck traffic onto Interstates 80, 55, and 355 and the surrounding local roads. That volume of heavy commercial traffic through Naperville, Joliet, Bolingbrook, and the surrounding suburbs puts local drivers in close contact with fully loaded semis every day. When a crash happens close to home, you want a semi-truck accident lawyer who knows these roads, these courts, and how these cases are handled in Illinois.
If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck accident, you will need an experienced truck accident attorney on your side, collecting and preserving critical evidence as soon as possible. Here at Collins Law Group, we have the knowledge and resources necessary to investigate and win your case. Let our dedicated truck accident attorneys get you the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (630) 527-1595 or fill out our contact form for a FREE consultation.
Every truck crash is different. If your case falls outside the situations described above, our Illinois truck accident lawyer handle the full range of commercial truck and semi-truck claims across Illinois. Related case types we handle include:
