You can never foresee if or when you will be involved in a car accident. For some, they may experience their lives flashing before their eyes during a crash, while others may be caught in a number of accidents throughout their life. Whether you are the at-fault party or not, being involved in a car accident can greatly impact your life. For those who were not responsible for the crash and have resulting injuries, their financial savings, ability to work, and quality of life can all be diminished depending on the severity of the accident. For those responsible, the cost of compensating the other party can be difficult to manage. This is especially true for those who are uninsured and are required to pay these fees out of pocket. Regardless of your level of insurance coverage, Illinois requires those who are found at-fault to provide financial assistance to the other party.
Determining Who Is At-Fault
Like most states in the U.S., Illinois is considered an “at-fault state.” Under these laws, the drivers involved in auto accidents within the state of Illinois will be assigned a level of fault, determining who is primarily responsible for the accident and how much they will owe the other party. Understandably, you may assume that one party’s actions are what cause the accident, making them solely responsible.
Most accidents, however, are a bit more complex. For instance, if two cars are turning into the same lane from different directions and one car had the right of way, but was also found to be texting while driving, a portion of the blame for the accident may be taken off of the other driver since they were not driving distracted. While you are filing your claim, both attorneys will work to discover who was more at-fault for the accident and fight on their client’s behalf to secure compensation for any injuries, car damage, medical bills, and pain and suffering.
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