If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident in Joliet, IL, you may be entitled to recover significant compensation from the at-fault party. At Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 30 years of combined experience. An experienced Joliet car accident lawyer at our personal injury law firm can help you fight for the maximum compensation available.
Since we opened our doors in 2011, we’ve dedicated our legal practice to fighting for accident victims like you. We’ve used our experience to recover tens of millions in settlements and verdicts.
We’re ready to fight to help you recover fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. Contact our law offices in Joliet, Illinois, you can call (312) 766-4878 to schedule your free consultation today.
How Can Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Help Me Recover Compensation After a Car Accident in Joliet?
When you file a claim for compensation after an accident, the insurance company will have questions. You’ll have to know why the accident happened, who was to blame, and the amount of compensation you deserve.
Those aren’t always easy questions to answer when you’re struggling with an injury. Our Joliet personal injury attorneys at Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers have the skills to handle all of the legal issues. We’ve been listed by Super Lawyers and The National Trial Lawyers “Top 40 Under 40”.
We can help by:
- Determining who is responsible for your damages
- Bringing in experts to build your case and resolve contested issues
- Assessing the value of your claim
- Handling all paperwork, communications, and insurance negotiations
- Rejecting lowball settlement offers
- Bringing your case to trial if necessary to win a fair compensation award
Our Joliet personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. You won’t owe us anything in attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. For more information about legal representation, call for a free consultation today.
How Common Are Car Accidents in Joliet, Illinois?
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Joliet recorded 3,486 traffic crashes in 2023, including 929 injury-producing crashes and 9 fatal crashes. These accidents resulted in 1,299 people injured and 10 fatalities.
At the county level, Will County recorded 13,570 traffic crashes in 2024, including 2,972 injury crashes and 56 fatal crashes. Statewide, Illinois reported 303,913 motor vehicle crashes during 2024, resulting in 89,023 injuries and 1,178 fatalities.
What Should I Do After a Car Wreck in Joliet?
There are important steps that you can take to protect yourself after a car accident in Joliet. First and foremost, call 911 to report the accident and request emergency medical assistance.
You should also:
- Exchange insurance information and contact details (the police can obtain this if you were too injured)
- Take photos and videos of the accident scene and any obvious injuries
- Obtain contact information for any witnesses who stopped at the scene
- Seek medical care even if you don’t notice any injuries
- Don’t apologize or admit fault–you may not know exactly what caused the crash
- Avoid making any recorded statements or signing insurance documents
It’s also important to contact an experienced attorney. Although it may take time to build your case, we tend to find the strongest evidence when we can start our investigation quickly after a crash.
What Causes Most Car Accidents in Joliet, Illinois?
According to IDOT’s 2024 Illinois Crash Facts & Statistics, speed-related crashes accounted for 45.3% of fatal crashes and 35.2% of injury crashes throughout Illinois in 2024.
Aside from speeding, some of the most common causes of car accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Tailgating
- Drunk driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Fatigued driving
- Road rage
- Aggressive driving
- Texting while driving
- Weaving between lanes
- Dangerous turns
- Illegal U-turns
- Running a red light or stop sign
Traffic accidents can also happen due to negligent vehicle maintenance, which can cause malfunctions while driving or make it more difficult to prevent accidents.
Joliet Roads and Traffic Conditions That Can Contribute to Car Accidents
Joliet motorists rely on several key transportation corridors, including I-80, I-55, Illinois Route 53, and Houbolt Road. These major routes link residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, and regional distribution centers, resulting in a constant mix of daily commuters, local traffic, and heavy commercial vehicles.
Shifting traffic patterns at highway interchanges, merge lanes, turns, and construction zones create hazardous driving conditions. Tailgating, failing to check blind spots, or refusing to yield in these areas often leads to rear-end, sideswipe, and intersection crashes.
The circumstances of each accident matter. Evidence such as photographs, witness statements, vehicle damage, traffic-camera footage when available, and police reports can help establish how a collision occurred and who may be responsible.
How to Obtain a Joliet Car Accident Report
If your accident was investigated by the Joliet Police Department, you can request a copy of the crash report through LexisNexis BuyCrash, the online service recommended by the department’s Traffic Unit.
To obtain your report, follow these steps:
- Visit the LexisNexis BuyCrash website.
- Select Illinois and choose the appropriate reporting agency.
- Enter the available accident details, such as the crash date, location, or report number.
- Locate the matching accident report.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to access or purchase a copy.
For certain minor accidents occurring on private property within Joliet, the police department provides an online reporting option. This service generally applies to collisions involving no injuries and estimated property damage of less than $1,500.
For accidents occurring on public roads or involving injuries, contact the Joliet Police Department at 815-726-2491 for non-emergency assistance. Call 911 if immediate emergency assistance is needed.
Before requesting an accident report, verify which law enforcement agency handled the investigation, as some collisions may fall outside the Joliet Police Department’s jurisdiction.
Our Team Handles All Types of Car Accident Claims in Joliet, IL
Regardless of how your crash happened, our lawyers in Joliet are here to provide the quality legal representation you deserve.
We often handle car accident cases involving:
- Rear-end collisions
- Rollovers
- Highway crashes
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Sideswipe accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Accidents involving uninsured or underinsured motorists
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Auto accidents involving motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians
Our lawyers are here to handle all legal issues that you may encounter. All you have to do is call to schedule a free case evaluation.
What Is My Joliet Car Accident Case Worth?
Every personal injury case involves a unique set of facts. As such, there’s no way to tell you what your case is worth before we evaluate the situation.
Many factors can influence the value of your personal injury claim, including:
- The nature of your injuries
- The cost of your medical treatment and future medical care
- The cost of repairing your damaged property
- Whether the injury impacts your ability to earn a living during recovery
- How the injury will impact your future, including education, career, and your quality of life
- The strength of the evidence in your case
- Whether you share any blame for the accident
You’ll generally only have one chance to recover full compensation for your injuries. Insurance companies don’t always hand over the correct amount without a fight. Our Joliet car accident attorneys have the resources to calculate the fair value of your claim–and the experience to successfully negotiate for a fair settlement.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Car Accident Victims in Joliet?
Illinois personal injury laws allow victims to seek compensation that will make them “whole” again after a crash. Your compensation should cover all of your past and future financial costs (economic damages). It should also attempt to compensate for your personal losses (non-economic damages).
You may be entitled to receive compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Nursing care
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress, anxiety, and PTSD
- Depression
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
The damages you recover will depend on the nature of your losses. We can provide more information in a free case review, so call for yours today.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Blamed for a Car Crash in Illinois?
It depends on the amount of blame you share.
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence law. Once your share of fault reaches 51%, you cannot recover compensation. If you were less than 51% responsible, your compensation is reduced according to your level of fault.
Negligent drivers often try to pin the blame on someone else. Insurance companies are also known for taking advantage of the shared fault rules. As the victim, you don’t have to accept the allegations at face value. Contact our law firm today to learn more about how we can protect you from blame-the-victim tactics.
Our Attorneys Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Accident Injuries
While vehicle safety features continue to improve, they can’t prevent all injuries. Even a relatively minor crash can leave victims struggling with serious injuries.
At Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers, we often see clients who have sustained:
- Cuts, lacerations, and scarring
- Broken bones
- Crushing injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Joint injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Facial injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Paralysis, amputations, and other permanent and catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Immediately after a crash, you may not know exactly how your injuries will change your life. Our lawyers have seen cases like yours before. We’ll work with your doctors and other experts to fully understand your losses and fight for fair compensation.
What Is Negligence and Why Is It Important for My Car Accident Claim?
Negligence is a legal term. It means someone failed to exercise due caution under the circumstances and caused an injury.
You can only recover compensation if you can prove that someone else’s acts or omissions caused your injuries. Most crash victims must prove negligence to successfully recover compensation.
The four elements of negligence are:
- A legal duty of care existed
- A breach of duty occurred
- The breach was the direct cause of your accident
- You suffered damages, or injuries
It’s also possible that your case can be based on strict liability theories. For example, if a product manufacturer sold defective safety equipment and what’s why your crash happened, they can be held strictly liable for damages.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Car Accident in Illinois?
Under Illinois law, you have two years from the date of an injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in most cases. The statute of limitations is an important deadline. If you wait longer than two years, you cannot pursue compensation for your injuries.
Since there are exceptions in some circumstances, it is best to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after your crash to protect your legal rights.
Contact a Respected Joliet Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you’re struggling with painful injuries, call our team at Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers today. An experienced Joliet car accident lawyer can help you recover fair compensation to make up for your losses.
