Our Local Chicago Fatal Car Accident Attorneys Can Help
You might not be able to imagine life without your spouse, parent, or child. We understand that pursuing compensation won’t bring back your cherished relative or ease your grief. However, financial recovery may help keep your family from debt and financial stress after a deadly crash in Chicago. You might also feel a sense of closure when you hold the at-fault party accountable.
Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. is here to help after a fatal car accident in Chicago. You should have time to mourn, but you also could deserve compensation for your loved one’s passing.
Call a Chicago car accident lawyer at (312) 236-2900 or use our online form for a free consultation. Once we hear your story, our fatal car accident lawyers can advise you on the next steps. We’ll fight for compensation and justice if you have a valid claim.
Fatal Car Crashes in Chicago, IL
In 2019, Illinois had 312,988 motor vehicle crashes. Of those accidents, 63,834 involved injuries, and 938 accidents were fatal. Many fatal crashes happened on dry roadways, and about half occurred during daylight hours. That means the environment isn’t the leading cause of accidents—drivers’ actions are.
Unfortunately, 2020 was an even deadlier year on Illinois roads. More than 1,100 people died in accidents – a 16% increase from the year before. Chicago saw a surge in traffic deaths during the pandemic: 139 people died in crashes, a 45% increase from 2019.
What Causes Deadly Car Crashes?
Fatal traffic accidents happen for all sorts of reasons. But we can pinpoint a few fundamental causes, including distraction, intoxication, and speeding. These behaviors increase a motorist’s risk of causing a collision and harming other drivers and passengers.
- Speeding — The faster a person drives, the harder the impact when they crash. Higher speed impacts can cause catastrophic and fatal injuries. In 2019, 33.4% of all crashes involved speeding, and 39.2% of fatal crashes involved speeding in Illinois.
- Distracted Driving — Drivers who talk on cell phones, text, eat, or put on makeup aren’t paying as much attention to the road as they should. The result is a higher risk of crashing into another vehicle, motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3142 people died in distracted driving crashes in 2019.
- Impaired Driving — When drivers are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, their reaction time is slower. They may weave in and out of lanes, speed, run ride lights, or fail to yield to vehicles with the right of way. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, In 2019, 144 drivers with a BAC of over .08 died in Illinois.
- Drowsy Driving — When someone drives after getting too little sleep the night before or for many weeks, they’re more likely to cause an accident. Many people don’t realize that drowsy driving is similar to drunk driving. The NHTSA reported 697 deaths were due to drowsy-driving-related accidents in 2019.
Fatal Car Accidents & Wrongful Death Accident Claims
When a car crash takes the life of a loved one, the last thing you need is to deal with the insurance company or the at-fault driver. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the process of pursuing compensation. A Chicago fatal car accident lawyer takes on these stresses for you. You focus on being with your family while we get you the compensation you deserve.
More importantly, an experienced wrongful death attorney knows what to expect during this process. Insurance companies aren’t forthcoming with settlements. You might find out the at-fault driver didn’t have insurance. The other driver and their insurer might deny liability. Or, in many cases, the insurer tries to push families into accepting low settlement offers.
We’ve seen how insurance companies try to take advantage of grieving families, and we won’t let that happen to you. Let Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. protect you after a deadly car crash takes away your loved one.
How to File a Fatal Auto Accident Claim & Seek Justice
The personal representative of your relative’s estate may file a wrongful death claim. That representative is often a surviving relative, like a spouse or adult child, but sometimes it’s not. A family friend or attorney may act as the representative. A wrongful death lawyer can approach your damages clearly and seek maximum compensation.
What is a Chicago Fatal Car Accident Claim Worth?
Every fatal car crash claim is unique, which is why it’s impossible to estimate your case value without knowing more. The representative can demand compensation for several damages, including:
- Lost companionship
- Lost parental guidance
- Lost prospect of inheritance
- Loss of spousal support
- Loss of consortium
- Damages for grief, mental suffering, and sorrow
We know money won’t bring anyone back. But recovering compensation ensures you and your family can move forward on stable footing. You may have lost your spouse’s or your parent’s income, and now you need compensation to pay your bills.
Who Can Receive Wrongful Death Compensation?
Any wrongful death compensation the representative recovers is distributed between the surviving relatives. This compensation is usually spouses and children, but it might also include parents or siblings. The court will award each person a part of the compensation based on how much they relied on the decedent.
Survival Action in Illinois
The Illinois Survival Act differs from the Illinois Wrongful Death Act. A survival action is filed to your loved one’s estate based on the injuries your loved one suffered between the crash date and their death.
A survival action may pursue damages for these injuries, including
Why Work with an Attorney after a Fatal Auto Accident
The Value of a Lawyer After a Fatal Car Accident in Chicago
Hiring an experienced fatal car accident attorney in Chicago is one of the most important decisions your family can make after a tragedy. A lawyer not only lifts the legal burden off your shoulders but also brings the resources and legal knowledge needed to build a strong wrongful death case.
A skilled attorney can:
- Investigate the crash scene thoroughly
- Preserve and analyze critical evidence such as traffic camera footage, police reports, and black box data
- Work with accident reconstruction experts
- Identify and hold all liable parties accountable, including drivers, vehicle manufacturers, or government entities if necessary
- Deal directly with insurance companies who may try to minimize or deny your claim
An attorney is also essential for accurately valuing your claim. They can calculate the full extent of your economic and non-economic damages to pursue the maximum compensation available under Illinois law. This includes financial losses, emotional suffering, and loss of future support. When you have a trusted legal advocate, you can focus on healing while they fight to protect your family’s future.
Contact a Fatal Car Accident Lawyer Today
Our injury lawyers in Chicago, IL want to hear about your loved one. We prepare evidence, file the insurance claim for wrongful death and survival benefits, and even take your case to court if it’s in your best interests.
Call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. (312) 236-2900 today for your free initial consultation.
