Personal Injury Lawyers for Sterling and Rock Falls
Our lawyers have fought for clients in over 30 of Illinois’ 102 counties. Whiteside County is no exception. With numerous state highways and I-88 bisecting the county, we are not strangers to personal injury cases near Sterling or Rock Falls.
We recently recovered $100,000 for a victim of a car crash in Whiteside County. A great outcome for something that could have been avoided.
With over 22,000 people between the Sterling-Rock Falls metro area, the need for a quality personal injury law firm will always exist. Our office handles more than just car accident cases. We work with anyone where their injuries could have been avoided if it weren’t for the carelessness of others.
If you’ve been injured, contact our offices to see how we can help.
What Happens if I’m in an Auto Accident in Sterling or Rock Falls?
Generally if there has been a car crash the responding law enforcement agency will dispatch an officer or deputy to the area so that they can radio for emergency services, interview witnesses, have vehicles towed, and issue citations if necessary to at fault drivers. If your case involves a car crash you likely have one of the three following agencies being responsible for the preparation of your crash report based on Illinois Statute.
- Either the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Department at 300 N. Cherry St. Morrison, IL 61270, 815-772-4044, or on the web.
- Or the Sterling City Police Department at 212 3rd Ave. Sterling, IL 61081 815-632-6640 or on the web.
- Or the Rock Falls Police Department at 1013 7th Avenue, Rock Falls, IL 61071 815-622-1140 or on the web.
Once you have your crash report that will help us not only review what the officer’s initial reaction was at the scene of your crash. But it will also indicate to us what insurance company the at-fault party had so that we can begin the claim process to take care of any of your property damage, as well as a claim for any bodily injuries you or your passenger(s) suffered.
If You’ve Been in an Accident, Call Us
Get help from a skilled Sterling-Rock Falls car accident attorney who will protect your rights when you or a loved one is hurt or killed in a motor vehicle accident. We protect individuals in any of the following motor vehicle personal injury cases:
- Drunk driving
- Uninsured driver or underinsured driver
- Distracted or careless driver of a passenger vehicle
- Inattentive truck drivers
- Drivers of commercial vehicles with unsecured or improperly loaded cargo or other equipment, or trucking violations that caused a motor vehicle accident
- Drivers of buses, vans, cabs, shuttles, or various other public transportation
- Vehicle rollovers
The most common type of personal injury claims involve motor vehicle accidents. This is not surprising since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that a traffic accident occurs in the United States every ten seconds, and the rate of auto accidents in Rockford is generally no exception to the overall nationwide rate. Accidents can happen in only a few short moments, but can have long-lasting effects on your life.
What Should I Do if I’m Involved in a Car Accident in Sterling or Rock Falls, Illinois?
Illinois has more than 400,000 car accidents every single year. These include around 90,000 injures and around 1,000 fatalities every year. Even a minor collision can result in a trip to the hospital, lost wages, bumps, bruises, and scrapes, and the inconvenience of losing a vehicle for a significant period of time. If it’s a major car accident, it can have life-altering consequences for yourself and your family well into the future.
- First, assess the situation and call the police to report the accident. Exchange insurance information with the police officer (if available) or the other driver.
- If possible, preserve as much evidence of the scene as possible, if you can do so safely. This can be done by taking video or pictures with a cell phone. If you must move your vehicle, pay very close attention to where your vehicle is relative to any other involved automobiles, as it will be very important to address these issues when litigating your claim later, especially if pictures or other media are not available.
- Ask for names, addresses, and, if possible, the plate and license numbers of the other involved drivers and their vehicles. If you see witnesses who stop, make sure you ask for their names, addresses, and contact information.
- Do NOT make any admissions (e.g., apologies) if you believe that you were at fault in the car crash.
- As soon as you are able to, write down everything you remember about the accident. The time period immediately following the accident is when things are freshest in a driver’s memory. As the months go on, it helps to have a recollection of what you may remember from the exact day of the accident.
- If you are injured, it is best for your physical recovery and eventual case that you seek proper medical treatment as soon as possible. If you cannot afford medical treatment, there are providers that will treat victims of motor vehicle accidents without upfront payment. It is significantly more difficult to litigate a claim if medical treatment is sought after a large gap in time following the date of the crash. This is something that an experienced personal injury attorney can give you guidance on to preserve as much medical documentation as possible that details the full extent and severity of any injuries you may have suffered in the car crash.
Common Causes of Motor Vehicle Accidents
Every driver has the responsibility to drive safely for the sake of others on the road, their passengers, and themselves. Despite our modern technology that’s designed for motor vehicle safety, more and more accidents occur every year. Failure to drive carefully leaves drivers responsible for any consequences of resulting accidents. If they injure someone, they are obligated to pay for it.
Despite the risks, and even when faced with the possibility of so much loss, people continue to make risky decisions when behind the wheel. According to data evaluated by the Insurance Information Institute, the following types of driver behavior are commonly involved in severe car accidents:
- Speeding above the posted limit, or driving too fast for conditions
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Distracted driving (e.g., texting or talking)
- Aggression
- Fatigue
Accident Statistics
The Illinois Department of Transportation records indicate that 1,097 people were killed in car accidents in 2017. 1,017 people were killed in auto accidents throughout the state in 2016. Cook County saw the highest number of collisions, fatalities, and severe injuries compared to any other part of the state, with 211 deaths and 27,075 reported injuries, of which 3,223 were deemed significant. Meanwhile, in the same year, more than 40,000 people across the United States were killed in traffic-related incidents. According to assessments made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle accidents amount to a massive $871 billion in damages each year.
Teenagers and Driving
The NHTSA has determined that distracted driving accounts for 25% of all crashes involving teenage drivers. This was affirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which reported that drivers under the age of 20 are at the highest risk of distracted driving-related crashes.
We all know how connected teenagers are to their phones. In many cases, this connection continues when teenagers take to the wheel. A study released by the CDC in 2011 revealed that nearly half of all American high school students aged 16 and over texted or emailed while driving. That study also showed that teenagers who text while driving are almost two times as likely to get in a car with a driver who has been drinking. These teens are also five times as likely to drink and drive under the influence. The results of these behaviors are tragic. They destroy lives. They destroy families.
In 2013, almost one million teenage drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 were involved in motor vehicle crashes. These accidents resulted in 2,865 deaths and 383,000 injuries nationwide. Mobile phone use (e.g., talking, texting, or searching for information) were implicated as a cause for 12% of teen accidents. In more than half of the rear-end crashes involving mobile phone use, the distracted teen driver had no idea he or she was about to be hit.
Illinois Time Limits on Filing Suit
Illinois sets a time limit of two years to file a personal injury lawsuit in the state’s civil court system. In most cases, this two-year time limit, known as a “statute of limitations,” begins to run on the date of the accident. Sometimes, however, a statute of limitations might run from the date that you discovered you were injured, rather than the date of the event that injured you. This later date is known as a “discovery date.”
or injury claims against a city or county, you have one year to file a lawsuit. The time limit to sue the state is generally two years, but you must file a formal claim within one year in order to sue.
Get in Touch
For an honest, free, and compassionate consultation about your Sterling/Rock Falls, or Whiteside County, Illinois personal injury case, feel free to call or text message us confidentially at (815) 964-8303. Remember, our service comes at absolutely no cost to you unless we earn a recovery on your behalf. Let our accident lawyers help you or your loved one navigate the legal side of your case and fight for your financial recovery, while you focus on your physical recovery.