773-365-0040 While 18-wheelers are essential to our economy, they are inherently dangerous. If you have been injured in a Chicago Heights truck accident, a lawyer from Shea Law Group can help you level the playing field. We’ll hold every responsible party accountable, including the driver, their employer, and their insurers.
We fight to secure compensation not just for your financial losses, like medical bills and lost wages, but also for non-economic damages, such as your pain and suffering. If a crash tragically claimed the life of a loved one, we will help your family pursue a wrongful death claim to secure your future.
We offer free case evaluations, and you pay absolutely no upfront fees. We only get paid when we win or settle your case. Call us or contact us online to get started.
Potentially Liable Parties and Holding Them Responsible
A commercial truck crash is not a standard car accident. In a car crash, you usually just file a claim against the other driver. In a truck accident, there may be a web of interconnected entities that share the blame and thus, the financial responsibility.
To maximize your recovery, our team will thoroughly investigate every potentially liable party in your Chicago Heights truck accident. We look at:
The Truck Driver
Were they speeding, driving fatigued, under the influence, or texting? We read logbooks and acquire cell phone records to prove negligence. We’ll also check whether the driver was following the federal Hours of Service Regulations.
The Trucking Company
Did the company force the driver to meet unrealistic, illegal deadlines? Did they fail to perform background checks or hire drivers with a history of safety violations? If so, the corporation is liable for the actions of its employee.
The Cargo Loaders
An improperly loaded or overloaded trailer can cause a truck to jackknife, blow a tire, or roll over. If a third-party vendor botched the loading process, we hold them accountable.
The Manufacturer
If the crash was caused by a blown tire, brake failure, or a defective steering column, the manufacturer of the truck or its parts may be legally responsible.
The Corporate Insurance Companies
While the driver or logistics company may have caused the crash, it is their insurance provider who actually controls the payout. These federal insurers have massive legal teams dedicated to minimizing your claim. If the insurance company refuses to pay what you are owed out of court, we will not hesitate to file a lawsuit and present your case to a jury.
If you were injured in a Chicago Heights truck accident, we’re ready to hold the responsible parties financially accountable. Call us or reach out online for a free case evaluation.
How a Chicago Heights Truck Accident Lawyer from Shea Law Group Will Fight For Your Financial Recovery
Here are the steps our team takes to build claims that cover the true, lifetime costs of Chicago Heights truck accidents.
Immediate Evidence Preservation
Commercial trucks have “black boxes” (Event Data Recorders) that track the truck’s speed, braking, and steering at the exact moment of impact. Preserving this evidence is the first, and one of the most important, things we’ll do when building your claim.
Calculating Total Damages
We work with medical and economic experts to calculate the full spectrum of your losses. This includes past and future medical bills, lifelong rehabilitation costs, lost earning capacity, and profound pain and suffering.
Litigation-Ready Strategy
We prepare every single case as if it were going to a jury. When the trucking company’s defense lawyers see that we are fully prepared for trial, they are forced to make real, substantial settlement offers.
What If I Were Partially At Fault?
Insurance adjusters love to shift the blame. They might claim you were lingering in the truck’s blind spot, merged too closely, or were driving a few miles over the speed limit. They do this to convince you that your claim is worthless.
Don’t accept this. Contact us instead. Illinois operates under a Modified Comparative Negligence law. This means that even if you were partially at fault for the crash, you can still recover financial damages so long as you were less than 50% responsible.
The Statute of Limitations in Illinois
In general, Illinois gives you two years from the date of the crash to file your personal injury lawsuit. If a loved one was killed in the crash, the family has two years to file a Wrongful Death claim. However, you shouldn’t wait two years to reach out. The federal government only requires trucking companies to keep driver logbooks for six months.
The longer you wait to hire a Chicago Heights truck accident attorney, the more evidence disappears. It’s in your best interest to reach out as soon as you can after your truck accident.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Truck Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love was injured in a Chicago Heights truck accident, contact Shea Law Group today. We offer aggressive, elite legal representation with no upfront costs. You pay absolutely nothing until we secure your financial recovery. Call us today or reach out online to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.
