Who To Blame If You Made A Left Turn?
When an automobile accident occurs, if you are the one turning left and the other driver hit you were speeding, do you have a case? Three separate persons have called me in the past year without first calling me, but given that Chicagoland has a lot of attorneys and huge advertising, this is not surprising.
When they called, they said, "Oh well, you know we talked to a couple of different lawyers, nobody wants to take our case, we don't understand why."
And they went on to explain what happened. It turns out that they were at a stoplight waiting to make a left turn without using their turn signal when the driver, who didn't see anyone coming, made a left turn, and then a car t-boned them.
Illinois Motor Vehicle Code
What do you know that the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code states that if you want to turn left it is on, you have to make sure it is clear before you make that left turn. The rules of the road state that if you're making a left turn, you must yield to all oncoming traffic if it is so close as to present a danger. I frequently receive calls from people who are exiting private driveways, such as those in shopping centers. According to the law, you should treat these driveways as stop signs, so if you have one and the other driver doesn't, you will be held responsible. Additionally, when exiting a private driveway, you are required to yield to any oncoming traffic that is sufficiently close to you.
People who are leaving private driveways, like those in shopping centers, regularly phone me. Since you are required by law to treat these driveways as stop signs, you will be held accountable if you have one and the other car does not. You must also yield to any approaching traffic that is sufficiently near to you when leaving a private driveway.
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You Might Still Win The Case
Listen, there are some instances; occasionally, if you're turning left, you can still win a personal injury lawsuit. Here are some examples: If the oncoming street has a curve and another car is traveling around the curve at 100, 80, or 60 miles per hour when there is a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit, you may have a case. If there is a turn arrow in the oncoming lane, that usually means that the oncoming traffic has a red light, so if there is a left turn arrow, you may have a case.
Again, there are extenuating circumstances, so it's a good idea to speak with a lawyer after a crash because your case might have one. For example, I know I have two cases in the office where our clients are turning left, one of which involves. If you're going straight and someone else makes a left turn, it's entirely their fault. There are circumstances in which you can win a left turn case, but they are uncommon. If you call and no one wants to take your case, it may be because they are simply not listening to you and are not getting all the details, or it may be because it is a typical left-turn case and the person turning left.
There are three types of car crash cases that, in the eyes of the law, are particularly difficult to win: those involving a left turn out of a private driveway, those involving a rear-end collision, and those involving pedestrians. Many attorneys prefer to take on these cases because they are straightforward and straightforward cases, but I think having an office full of such cases would be pretty awesome. I hope this helps. I know it's bad news, but if you rear-end someone after pulling out of a private driveway and making a left turn, you better have some unique circumstances since most attorneys won't take those cases.
I hope you and your family are having a good day. If you need any assistance, please call me at 312-500-4500.
