Truck Accident Lawyer in Evanston, IL

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If a trucking accident has left you with serious injuries and unexpected bills, you have legal options. Let our Evanston truck accident attorney help you navigate the process of pursuing compensation for your losses.

The Rooth Law Firm is guided by a strong sense of fairness: we do not believe the victims of negligence should have to pay for other people’s careless or illegal behavior. Call today and get started with a free consultation. Our Evanston personal injury lawyer is dedicated to seeking justice for people like you.

Put Our Knowledge of the Trucking Industry to Use After Your Accident

At The Rooth Law Firm, we have more than four decades of experience representing injured parties after motor vehicle accidents. We are extremely familiar with state and federal trucking regulations and traffic laws. We know the likely outcomes that result when these rules are broken or ignored.

From the moment you hire us, our legal team will do everything possible to support you through this difficult time and fight for the compensation you need:

• We are available 24/7, so you can call with questions or concerns at any time.
• Robert Rooth has extensive trial experience. If your case goes to trial, we can present the strongest possible arguments to persuade the jury that you deserve damages.
• We conduct an in-depth investigation into every case. This way, we can tell you who is liable for your accident and what kinds of compensation you are eligible for.
• Our team can manage all communications with the other parties involved in your case. You would not have to worry about dealing with the at-fault party, the trucking company, or anyone’s insurance company by yourself.
• We are tough negotiators. If the insurance company tries to get away with paying less than you deserve, or if the negligent party tries to deny liability, we fight hard to get you a just settlement or jury verdict.

How Much Do Personal Injury Lawyers Cost?

Different law firms use different pay structures. Our firm recognizes that you are under great financial strain because of your truck accident, so we charge nothing up front. We work for an agreed-upon percentage of your final payout. If you get nothing, you pay us nothing.

Our Clients Appreciate Our Service

When you call a personal injury law firm, it is because you have experienced something traumatic. We understand that the people who come to us for help have just had the worst day of their life and are seeking professional reassurance. As our client testimonials indicate, we know how to provide a sense comfort and stability:

• “From the beginning, they were supportive, kind, great listeners, and worked diligently on our case. We felt like they really cared about our case and our needs.” – Dawn
• “Mr. Rooth is my attorney and I had a very good experience with him while working on my case. My case is almost done and I am going to miss his sense of humor.” – Denise

What Damages Can You Get After a Truck Crash?

You are entitled to full and fair compensation for everything you lost because of the accident. This includes:

Economic Damages

Your first concern after a trucking accident might be how you will cover bills stemming from the accident as well as your family’s daily living expenses. Our lawyer can pursue compensation for:

• Short-term or emergency medical expenses, such as ambulance rides, diagnostic tests, or surgery
• Long-term medical care, such as therapy, chronic pain management, or home nursing
• Loss of wages or job benefits incurred when you had to stay home as your injuries healed
• Estimated future loss of earning capacity, if you suffered permanent injuries that will affect your career

We can also seek reimbursement for any property damage expenses related to your personal injury. For example, if your car was totaled in the same accident that caused your injuries, we can ask the insurer to pay for a new vehicle, as well as the cost of renting a car in the meantime.

Non-economic Damages

It is vital not to overlook the effect your physical and emotional suffering has on your right to compensation. This is especially important in trucking accident cases, where the truck’s larger size and weight can cause catastrophic injuries that permanently affect the victim’s life.

The Rooth Law Firm knows that your injury symptoms have upended your life. While nothing can undo this trauma, we can pursue an appropriate amount of compensation for your:

• Physical pain and suffering caused by new injuries or by the worsening of a preexisting condition
• Emotional distress, up to and including a diagnosable mental illness
• Reduced quality of life, if you are unable to care for yourself and/or others
• Loss of consortium, if your injuries have affected your relationship with close relatives

How Much Are Most Truck Accident Settlements?

Every settlement should reflect the accident victim’s losses. This amount varies greatly depending on how serious your injuries are, how long they will affect your life, and other factors.

Rooth Gets Results for our clients. We are committed to championing your rights, even if your case proves to be very complex.

Determining Who Is Liable for Your Truck Accident

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) data indicates that there were 6,405 large truck accidents in Illinois in 2023. These crashes resulted in 3,207 injuries and 172 fatalities.

When severe accidents like these happen, who is responsible? Who will pay your damages so you can start trying to rebuild?

While the answers to these questions vary from case to case, negligent truck drivers are often responsible for commercial vehicle accidents. This is because:

• Trucking companies sometimes put pressure on their employees to work harder and longer than they are legally supposed to.
• Truckers may be exhausted after long hours behind the wheel. Their drowsiness could lead them to make bad decisions or even fall asleep while driving.
• Regardless of outside pressures, truck drivers can and do make careless decisions, such as failing to obey traffic signs at dangerous intersections, looking at their phones instead of the road, or not checking blind spots before turning or changing lanes.

When a truck driver causes a crash, they will probably not pay your damages out of pocket. Instead, you could pursue money from the truck driver’s insurance company or even the trucking company’s insurer: trucking companies are generally liable for their employees’ negligence, meaning that they are legally responsible for any damage their employees cause.

Company insurance policies also tend to be larger, so you could potentially recover more in compensation.

Other Possible Liable Parties in Truck Accident Cases

In a few cases, the truck driver is either not liable or shares liability with someone else. The other parties could include:

• The trucking company. Aside from vicarious liability, trucking companies themselves can display negligent behavior, such as failing to examine their drivers for medical conditions that could affect their ability to safely do their job.
• Product manufacturers. A defect with a truck or car part could cause even the most cautious driver to lose control and hit someone else.
• Cargo loaders. Trucks can only stay balanced and stable if the people who loaded the cargo did so correctly and properly secured any cargo that could shift in transit.

How Do I Prove Liability in a Truck Accident?

The Rooth Law Firm works to hold all wrongdoers accountable, regardless of how powerful they are or how many resources they have to fight your claim. We prove negligence in truck accident cases by acting fast to collect all available evidence and then analyzing these materials closely. Evidence may include:

• Police reports
• Video footage or photos
• Witness testimony
• Expert testimony
• Black box data
• Trucking company records

What Do I Need to Know if I Have Been Involved in a Truck Accident?

Accidents involving tractor-trailers and other semis are unlike any other motor vehicle accident you may encounter. This is due to the numerous bodies of law and regulation surrounding commercial trucking, as well as the numerous types of investigations that all happen at the same time.

It is important for you to gain a basic understanding of what happens after a commercial truck accident so you are prepared to protect yourself and your claim. Our personal injury attorney can provide further guidance on the following topics:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

In addition to state motor vehicle and traffic laws, commercial truckers must also comply with federal rules and regulations. The FMCSA’s rules relate to everything from the number of hours a trucker can drive during any given time period, the types of logs each trucker must keep, and the routine maintenance that the company must perform on each vehicle.

Multiple layers of complication arise if a trucker or trucking company causes an accident by violating any one of these regulations.

Multiple Investigations of Your Accident

Depending on the severity and location of your trucking accident, you may find yourself on the receiving end of question after question from numerous investigators from different teams:

• The commercial truck company will send out its own investigator to review the accident scene and seek out statements from you and any witnesses.
• The National Transportation Safety Board may send out an investigator to perform its own review of the accident.
• The Illinois State Police or the Evanston Police Department, depending on who responded to your crash, will also try to get to the bottom of what happened.

The most important thing you can do is to politely decline to give a statement to any investigator or police officer until after you have spoken with your attorney. This is crucial. You do not want to say anything that may have a negative effect on your attempt to recover compensation for any injuries or property damage sustained in the accident.

Fast Action Can Protect Your Case

It is easy to feel powerless in the wake of a truck accident, but remember: you have rights and, potentially, multiple options for holding the at-fault party accountable. Our firm can start advising you about these rights from the moment you call us. In the meantime, you can:

• See a doctor. Always prioritize seeking medical help after a crash, and follow all of your doctor’s orders.
• Take photos. If it is safe for you to do so, use your phone to photograph the truck, your vehicle, your injuries, and the general environment.
• Get the driver’s information. Ask for their name, driver’s license information, and contact information.
• Report the accident. An official police report often serves as invaluable evidence when seeking compensation.
• Be careful about what you say. When answering an investigator’s questions, get right to the point. Do not exaggerate, speculate, or hide anything. Avoid speaking about the accident until you have consulted with a lawyer.

Once you are safe and have received treatment, we encourage you to call The Rooth Law Firm promptly. Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, you have a limited time to file a lawsuit against a negligent person or organization. If you fail to take action in time, you could be barred from recovering any compensation at all.

Act quickly so we can advocate for your rights and protect your future.

Our Personal Injury Lawyer Seeks Justice for Evanston Residents

Following a serious truck accident, you will likely have to deal with high medical bills, the loss of a vehicle, and a host of life-altering complications. Do not face all of this alone. Our Evanston trucking accident lawyer is here to help.Call upon our experienced legal team at The Rooth Law Firm today. During your free consultation, we will listen to your situation and offer you our opinion on your claim. Learn more by emailing our law office or by calling us directly.