Streamwood is a busy suburb in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and if you drive through it regularly, you know that certain roads and intersections seem to attract accidents. Schaumburg Road, Irving Park Road, and the area around the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway all see heavy traffic, and the mix of commercial and residential driving patterns creates dangerous conditions.
If you've been in a car accident in Streamwood, here's what you need to know. First, Illinois is an at-fault state for car accidents, which means the driver who caused the accident (or their insurance company) is responsible for paying for your damages. You can pursue a claim through the at-fault driver's liability insurance, or you can file a claim through your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage if the other driver doesn't have enough insurance.
One of the most important things you can do after a Streamwood car accident is document everything. If you're able to at the scene, take photos of the damage to both vehicles, the road conditions, any traffic signs or signals, and your injuries. Get the other driver's insurance information and the police report number. All of this evidence will be important when we build your case.
Something that trips up a lot of accident victims in the Streamwood area: they give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company before talking to a lawyer. Don't do this. The insurance adjuster is trained to ask questions designed to get you to say things that hurt your case. They might ask 'are you feeling okay?' and when you politely say 'I'm doing alright,' they'll use that statement months later to argue that your injuries aren't serious.
If you were hurt in a car accident in Streamwood, call us at 312-500-4500 for a free consultation. We'll review the facts of your accident and give you an honest assessment of your case.
If you have been in a car accident or any other kind of accident, you probably have a lot of questions. The questions vary from victim to victim.
Can you recommend a doctor for me? Does seeing a doctor cost money? What if I get hurt? Will my injuries heal? Will I be required to miss work? I should consult an injury lawyer. Where can I find the best one?
Questions of this nature are normal and expected. Thousands of accident victims have sought my assistance over the years. Our clients receive full medical treatment after their injuries. We make sure that they get paid for their lost wages, and we pay for all of their medical bills. In most cases, our clients settle their cases quickly and with little hassle.
Technology enables us to see people living anywhere in Streamwood, IL who were injured in a car accident or any other kind of injury. I rarely need to see someone in person. I travel and visit clients at home or at a nearby restaurant. We use Zoom and Docusign so clients do not need to travel to my office to be a client. Therefore, you can easily gather information about your case and resolve it to your advantage if that is what you desire.
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After a car accident, neck and back injuries are the most common. Rear-end collisions and side impacts are the most common causes. They will occur if you move violently backwards, forwards, or sideways. Those over 35 or those with a history of back or neck injuries are more likely to suffer new injuries in a Streamwood, IL car accident.
Injuries to the neck and back begin similarly, whether they are short-term muscle strains or longer-term and more severe injuries. Any injury, no matter how minor or serious, should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.
The ideal doctor to choose after a car accident is one who knows how to handle car accident injury claims. Therefore, your doctor will record all of the necessary information in your medical record that an insurance company will need to proceed with your claim. A doctor should be honest and communicate well with you. It is not fair for you to be treated by a physician who does not spend time with you, who does not explain the injuries or treatment protocol. You want a doctor who communicates with you and your attorney so that the three of us can cooperate to make your case a success.
I almost always get asked this question by accident victims. The answer will vary depending on the circumstances. It may take years.
Until you see your doctor, we can begin to resolve your case. Until you heal as much as you can, this will need to be done. It should be painless after some time. As a result of permanent injuries, one can suffer both permanent disabilities and chronic pain.
In retrospect, it makes sense. If you've been injured in a car accident, we won't settle your case until we know exactly how it happened. We can take care of any surgery you need. Clients who require surgery should wait until they are fully recovered from the surgery. Some surgeries require other surgeries to be performed. A single operation is not always the solution for some problems. In spite of a successful surgery, permanent damage can still occur.
Injuries that are permanent are much more valuable than those that are temporary. Please seek appropriate medical care prior to settlement.
Therefore, it is impossible to predict when a case will settle. We have a completely trained staff who understand how important it is to get your money as soon as possible. We typically settle our cases within a year of the accident. That's on par with other accident lawyers. Clients get excellent service as soon as possible.
It depends on the seriousness of your injuries. Most of our cases settle within a year of the accident, which is on par with other Illinois car accident lawyers. But we will not settle until you have healed as much as you can. If you need surgery, we wait until you are fully recovered. Some cases require multiple surgeries. Permanent injuries are worth significantly more than temporary ones, so settling before you reach maximum medical improvement leaves money on the table. Serious cases can take years. The right answer is to get proper medical care first, then settle when the case is ready.
Yes. The minute you are in a Streamwood car accident, the at-fault driver's insurance company hires a lawyer to defeat your case. Their adjusters use written scripts designed to get you to say things that minimize what they have to pay you. They ask tricky questions in tricky ways. Do not give a recorded statement before you have a lawyer. Be careful about signing any paperwork. Be careful what you say on the phone. My consultation is free, my office is available 24/7, and I can sign you up over email, DocuSign, in person, or by mail. Call me at 312-500-4500.
Irving Park Road (Route 19), Schaumburg Road, Bartlett Road, and Lake Street are the busiest corridors in Streamwood and produce the most car accidents - especially at major intersections. The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway corridor sees high-speed crashes including multi-vehicle incidents. Commercial development along these routes creates dense intersection traffic and significant accident exposure. High-speed and intersection crashes typically produce more severe injuries, higher medical bills, and higher case values than typical low-speed fender benders.
Streamwood is in Cook County, so car accident cases there file in Cook County Circuit Court. Cook County has the largest jury pool and one of the busiest court calendars in Illinois. Many Cook County jurors are familiar with the realities of medical bills, lost wages, and the impact of a serious crash on a family. I have practiced in Cook County Circuit Court for almost 30 years and know the judges, the calendars, and the local practices.
Call 911 and file a police report - that report becomes the backbone of your case. Get medical attention the same day, even if you feel fine, because car accident injuries can take 24 to 48 hours to show up. Take photos of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries. Get contact information from the other driver and any witnesses. Do not admit fault, do not apologize, and do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company before talking to me. Call me at 312-500-4500 - I am available 24/7.
Two years from the date of the crash. That is the Illinois personal injury statute of limitations and it is strict - miss it and your case is over no matter how badly you were hurt. There are limited exceptions for minors and certain other categories. If a government entity may be partly responsible - for example, if a dangerous road condition contributed to the crash - the notice deadline can be as short as one year. Do not wait. Call me at 312-500-4500 as soon as possible after a Streamwood car accident.
Yes. You have the right to choose your own doctor in a car accident case - the insurance company cannot force you to use their preferred provider. Choose a doctor who handles car accident injury claims regularly, because they will need to record the right information in your medical records for the insurance company to evaluate your claim properly. A good car accident doctor communicates with you and with your attorney so all three of us can work together to make your case successful.
Illinois follows a modified comparative fault rule. As long as you are 50 percent or less at fault for the crash, you can still recover - your damages just get reduced by your percentage of fault. If a jury finds you 20 percent at fault and awards $100,000 in damages, you recover $80,000. If you are 51 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. Do not assume you have no case just because you think you were partly to blame. The insurance company will try to push your percentage as high as possible to reduce what they pay - I push back. Call me at 312-500-4500.
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If you or a loved one is dealing with a situation like this, give us a call any time, day or night. We are here to help. 312-500-4500
Scott DeSalvo founded DeSalvo Law to help injured people throughout Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Licensed to practice law in Illinois since 1998, IARDC #6244452, Scott has represented over 3,000 clients in personal injury, workers compensation, and accident cases.
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