Were you injured in a truck accident in Waukegan, IL?
At Kass & Moses Personal Injury Lawyers, we are plaintiff-focused truck accident lawyers preparing every case with experience and dedication.
If you were injured in a collision with a commercial truck in Waukegan, our Waukegan, IL truck accident lawyer can obtain the electronic logging data, maintenance records, and driver qualification files maintained by the trucking company. We use those records to determine how the crash occurred and to pursue compensation from each party responsible for your injuries.
Kass & Moses Personal Injury Lawyers is led by two founding attorneys who have each practiced injury law for more than 30 years. We give you a direct assessment of the claim before you commit to anything. Schedule a free case review with our office.
Truck Accident Lawyer Waukegan, IL
A truck accident lawyer represents people injured in collisions with tractor-trailers, box trucks, dump trucks, and other commercial vehicles. These claims differ from ordinary car accident cases. The trucking company, its insurer, and sometimes a separate cargo or maintenance company each have a role, and each keeps its own records. Injured drivers and families in Waukegan, IL often contact a truck accident lawyer after the carrier’s insurer reaches out within days of the crash.
Lake County crash reports in 2023 involved 336 tractor-semitrailers and 247 single-unit trucks, according to IDOT county crash data. A truck accident attorney in Waukegan, IL reviews the carrier’s records alongside the police report to determine which parties share responsibility. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration tracks crashes and safety violations involving commercial trucks, which helps put an individual carrier’s record in context.
Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Waukegan
The size and weight of a loaded commercial truck make most collisions serious. The cause of the crash determines which records matter most. Our Waukegan truck accident lawyer handles the following cases.
- Bicycle accidents. Cyclists riding along the curb are at particular risk when a truck makes a right turn across their path. The trailer’s turning path and the driver’s mirror coverage are often central to these claims.
- Rideshare accidents. An Uber or Lyft passenger injured in a collision with a commercial truck may have claims against the carrier and under the rideshare company’s coverage. Illinois requires higher coverage limits while a rideshare driver has accepted a trip or is carrying a passenger.
- Construction accidents. Dump trucks, cement mixers, and equipment haulers enter and leave job sites and road work zones throughout the day. A crash involving one of these vehicles may involve the hauler, the contractor, and the company that controlled the site’s traffic plan.
- Catastrophic injuries. The force of a loaded truck can cause spinal cord injuries, amputations, and severe burns from fuel fires. These claims require a projection of lifetime medical care and lost earning capacity.
- Car accidents. When a passenger car collides with a commercial truck, the difference in vehicle weight usually means the car’s occupants sustain the more serious injuries.
- Motorcycle accidents. Riders struck by trucks have almost no protection. These cases often depend on whether the truck driver checked mirrors before changing lanes or turning.
- Pedestrian accidents. Delivery trucks and box trucks strike pedestrians in crosswalks, parking lots, and loading zones, often while turning or backing up. Store and traffic cameras sometimes capture these crashes.
- Wrongful death. When a truck crash takes a life, the family may pursue the carrier and every other party whose negligence contributed to the death.
Why Choose Kass & Moses Personal Injury Lawyers as My Truck Accident Lawyer in Waukegan, IL?
Recognition for Serious Injury Work
Andrew Kass received a 2024 Elite Lawyer recognition for brain injury cases, an injury common in truck collisions. He has more than 30 years of experience, a degree from Syracuse University, and admission in Illinois, New York, and Washington. Joel Moses has handled personal injury cases for more than 34 years and judges national trial advocacy championships. Outside the firm, he serves as a volunteer attorney. He studied economics at Michigan State University. Both founders earned their J.D. degrees at UIC School of Law in 1991, and the firm is recognized by The National Trial Lawyers.
Injured people across Lake County rely on that background when they need a personal injury lawyer in Waukegan, IL.
$125 Million Recovered for Injured Clients
Our attorneys have recovered more than $125 million for clients. Results from other roadway collision cases include:
- $300,000 in a motorcycle crash
- $100,000 in a motorcycle crash
- $90,000 in a bicycle crash
Results in prior cases do not guarantee a similar outcome in yours. Truck accident clients pay nothing upfront under our contingency fee arrangement.
Understanding Truck Accident Cases
What Are Important Aspects of a Truck Accident Case?
A truck accident claim requires evidence that ordinary crash claims rarely involve. Four issues come up repeatedly.
- Electronic data. Most commercial trucks record speed, braking, and hours of operation electronically. That data can be overwritten or lost if no one requests it, so we send preservation demands to the carrier at the outset. Dashcam footage and GPS tracking records can also show the truck’s route and speed.
- Multiple defendants. The driver, the motor carrier, the company that loaded the cargo, and a maintenance contractor may each bear part of the fault. Proving negligence against each one requires its own evidence.
- Driver qualifications. We review the driver’s training, prior violations, and whether the driver held the correct class of CDL for the vehicle. The carrier’s federal safety record shows its inspection results and reported crashes.
- Filing deadlines. Injury claims generally must be filed within two years under the two-year statute. A family’s claim after a fatal crash generally must be filed within two years of the death under the wrongful death statute.
What Is the Truck Accident Case Timeline?
Truck cases often take longer than car accident claims because more parties and insurers are involved. The process usually includes:
- Medical treatment and documentation. Head injuries can produce delayed concussion symptoms, so follow-up care matters.
- The crash report. Collisions on I-94 and other state highways are often handled by the Illinois State Police, which issues its own reports.
- Evidence preservation and investigation. We obtain the truck’s electronic data, inspection records, and dispatch logs.
- Claims and negotiation. We present the claim to each insurer once the extent of your injuries is clear.
- Litigation. If the case does not resolve, we file suit with the Lake County Circuit Clerk in Waukegan. A verdict may later be challenged on appeal.
- Payment. After a settlement, several steps remain before the settlement check is issued.
Resolution can take a year or longer when an injury is permanent and future care must be projected.
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Truck Accident Cases
Truck collisions frequently cause fractures, spinal injuries, and brain trauma that affect a person for years. Some of these injuries require surgery and months of rehabilitation. A claim may include:
- Economic damages such as hospital bills, surgery, rehabilitation, and lost income
- Reduced earning capacity when an injury prevents a return to the same work
- Non-economic damages for pain, emotional distress, and loss of normal life
- Costs of long-term care when an injury results in one of the most common disabilities
- Vehicle repair or replacement
Liability typically extends beyond the driver. A motor carrier is generally responsible for the negligence of a driver operating on its behalf, and it may also be responsible for its own hiring, training, and maintenance decisions. Commercial carriers typically carry larger insurance policies than individual drivers. Our Waukegan truck accident attorney evaluates each policy that may apply and works with treating physicians and economists to project future costs when an injury is permanent.
What Should You Bring to Your Truck Accident Consultation?
The following items help us identify the carrier and preserve evidence quickly.
- The crash report number, or the name of the agency that responded
- Photographs of the truck, including the company name and DOT number on the cab
- Your medical records and bills
- Letters or calls from the trucking company or its insurer
- Names and contact information for witnesses
- Any paperwork the truck driver gave you at the scene
- Pay stubs or other proof of lost income
At the first meeting, we confirm which carrier was involved and what must be requested from it.
Reach Out to Kass & Moses Personal Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation
Our Waukegan truck accident lawyer can review your crash and the carrier’s potential responsibility at no cost. Kass & Moses Personal Injury Lawyers handles truck accident cases on a contingency basis, and no attorney fees are owed unless we recover compensation. The consultation addresses what evidence must be requested first and who may be liable. Contact us to arrange a time to talk.
