Chicago Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a commercial vehicle in Chicago, Illinois, it’s time to call the Attorneys of Chicago. You have certain rights as a crash victim, including the ability to seek damages for your loss of income, medical expenses, and more difficult-to-value trauma. Our experienced Chicago commercial vehicle accident lawyers are here to help you maximize your financial recovery.

For over 10 years, victims of life-changing commercial truck accidents have trusted Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers to help them move forward with their lives. Together, our award-winning team of Illinois litigators have over 30 years of experience and a demonstrated ability to positively impact the lives of the people we represent. Our case results include tens of millions in settlements and jury verdicts.

Now, you can discover how we can help you take on the owner of the commercial vehicle, the negligent driver, and other liable parties and fight for the compensation you deserve. We offer a free consultation, so call our Chicago law office at (312) 929-2884 to get started today.

How the Attorneys of Chicago Help Victims of Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Chicago, IL 

How the Attorneys of Chicago Help Victims of Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Chicago, IL 

What caused the commercial vehicle accident? Is the driver of the commercial rig at fault? What about the company that owns the vehicle? Can you still get compensation if you’re blamed for the collision? Is the insurance company’s settlement offer fair?

Accidents involving commercial vehicles can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming. Chances are, you’re dealing with some pretty serious physical injuries and struggling under the weight of your day-to-day expenses and your new crash-related costs. The last thing you need to do is spend all of your energy trying to navigate a complex legal claim and answer questions like these.

Focus on your recovery and trust our Chicago personal injury lawyers to handle the rest for you.

At Attorneys of Chicago, we’re recognized as Super Lawyers and Top 100 Trial Attorneys by The National Trial Lawyers. As award-winning Illinois trial attorneys, we’re committed to providing dedicated, trustworthy, and compassionate representation for injury victims and families. Our unwavering defense of our clients’ rights has helped us win tens of millions from trucking companies, transportation services, government agencies, manufacturers, and insurance companies.

When you ask for our help after a wreck with a commercial vehicle in Chicago, we will:

  • Launch a prompt and thorough independent investigation into your collision
  • Discover the underlying cause of the commercial vehicle wreck and establish liability
  • Evaluate vehicle black box data (if applicable), dashcam footage, photographs of damaged property and the scene of the accident, eyewitness statements, medical records, accident reports, vehicle inspection and maintenance records, and more
  • Enlist experts and specialists to consult on your claim and help us assess your damages
  • File your personal injury lawsuit with the local court clerk in Chicago
  • Engage in meaningful settlement negotiations with the defense and work to obtain a life-changing settlement agreement for you
  • Reject insulting settlement offers and bring your commercial vehicle accident lawsuit to trial, if necessary

Don’t stress about what it might cost to hire a commercial vehicle accident attorney in Chicago, IL. At Attorneys of Chicago, we advocate for crash victims on a contingency fee basis. Simply put, it costs nothing to hire our law firm unless we win compensation for you.

Ready to learn more? Contact our law office in Chicago to set a time for a free, no-obligation case assessment. Our team members are always available to answer your call.

What is a Commercial Motor Vehicle?

In theory, a commercial vehicle is any vehicle driven for a business-related reason. This could be anything from a large tractor-trailer to a pickup used for a part-time landscaping business. 

Illinois has a slightly more narrow definition. Under 625 ILCS 5/18b-101, a commercial motor vehicle is defined as:

  • A self-propelled or towed vehicle
  • Used on public highways in interstate or intrastate commerce to transport passengers or property
  • With a gross vehicle weight, a gross vehicle weight rating, or a gross combination weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds

Under Illinois state law, vehicles designed or used to transport 15 or more passengers are also considered commercial vehicles.

Advocating for Clients in All Types of Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Commercial vehicles, by definition, are considerably large. They’re often heavy and much longer than other vehicles on the road. In turn, they can do extensive damage when they’re involved in a car accident.

Accidents of this nature tend to require an in-depth knowledge of state and federal commercial vehicle operations, experience investigating these unique collisions, and resources to enlist experts and specialists when necessary.

At the Attorneys of Chicago, we have over 30 years of combined experience representing clients in complex commercial vehicle accident disputes such as:

Force better results by putting our skilled legal team in your corner. Call our Chicago, IL, law office to discuss the details of your commercial vehicle accident case today.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Accidents With Commercial Vehicles in Chicago?

Even though commercial vehicles are required to adhere to extra safety regulations, accidents involving these types of vehicles still happen every day. In fact, Illinois had at least 7,050 commercial vehicle accidents across the state in 2023 – an average of 19 collisions every day.

These accidents often happen because regular traffic laws and/or commercial regulations are ignored. 

Common contributing factors include:

  • Distracted driving
  • Drunk driving
  • Speeding
  • Wide turns
  • Illegal turns
  • Unsafe passing
  • Driver fatigue
  • Following too closely
  • Blind spot errors
  • Braking errors
  • Merging errors
  • Failing to yield the right of way
  • Vehicle malfunctions
  • Negligent vehicle maintenance
  • Road defects
  • Vehicle defects
  • Road rage
  • Aggressive driving

When you file an injury lawsuit after your accident, you’ll need to be able to pinpoint precisely why and how your commercial vehicle wreck happened. Our law firm will execute a prompt investigation of the wreck, gather evidence, and consult with experts to get you the answers you need.

Who Could Be Liable For a Commercial Vehicle Crash?

Liability for a commercial vehicle accident can potentially extend to a:

  • Driver of a commercial vehicle
  • The commercial vehicle owner
  • Vehicle maintenance professionals
  • Manufacturer
  • Third-party motorist
  • Negligent party’s employer
  • Government agency
  • Transportation company

Under Illinois’ modified comparative fault law, liability is shared proportionately to fault. Anyone – including accident victims themselves – can be liable for a wreck with a commercial vehicle. When a victim shares responsibility, it will adversely affect their ability to recover compensation. Damages are prohibited when a victim’s shared fault is greater than 50 percent.

Our commercial vehicle accident attorneys in Chicago will work to determine liability and protect you from any claims of shared fault. Left unchallenged, these allegations can be a huge barrier to a successful and substantial financial recovery.

What Damages Can Be Awarded to a Chicago Commercial Truck Accident Victim?

After a collision with a large commercial truck in Chicago, you will have the opportunity to seek two types of monetary awards through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.

Economic damages are designed to help you navigate the financial consequences of your commercial vehicle accident, such as:

Non-economic damages help to soften the blow of harder-to-value trauma you experience as a victim and might include money for:

There may be times when a jury can award punitive damages, too. This is only the case when a commercial vehicle accident lawsuit goes to trial and there is convincing evidence of a defendant’s grossly negligent conduct or attempt to cause intentional harm.

You Deserve Compensation for All of Your Commercial Vehicle Accident Injuries

Attorneys of Chicago is here to help you seek compensation for any of the injuries you’ve sustained in a recent car accident with a commercial vehicle, including:

After a collision, report it to the local Chicago Police Department immediately, and then get yourself to the closest emergency room. Once your injuries have been diagnosed and treated, contact our Illinois commercial vehicle accident lawyers to discuss your situation.

What is Illinois’ Statute of Limitations on Commercial Truck Accident Lawsuits?

The state of Illinois has a two-year statute of limitations that applies to most commercial vehicle accident lawsuits, including wrongful death cases.

The two-year time limit has few exceptions which are typically reserved for situations where a child is injured in a commercial vehicle accident or when you bring a government tort claim.

Do not miss the filing deadline that applies to your case. When the statute of limitations runs out, you’ll lose the ability to demand accountability from a negligent commercial truck driver or another liable party.

Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Chicago Commercial Truck Accident Lawyer

You deserve compensation after a commercial vehicle wreck in Chicago. Attorneys of Chicago can help you fight for a life-changing monetary award.

Our Chicago commercial vehicle accident lawyers have 30+ years of legal experience and a proven ability to help everyday people stand up to powerful companies. We’ve successfully recovered tens of millions for our clients, and now we’re ready to fight for you, too.

Contact our law office in Chicago to schedule a free case evaluation. We’re here to answer your call 24 hours a day.

Our personal injury law firm in Chicago, IL, also provides: