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Car crash from car accident on the road in a city. Minor Car Accidents Can Still Lead to Major Injuries
Minor car accidents can still lead to major injuries in Chicago because your body isn’t designed to handle even the sudden jolt of a low-impact collision. The forces involved in minor crashes can make your body move in unnatural ways that cause severe injuries, especially if you weren’t braced for the impact. Insurance companies often downplay these injuries. Understanding why and how injuries occur in low-speed crashes can help ensure you protect your health and legal rights.
Damaged in car accident vehicle on city street crash site. Why Car Accident Evidence Disappears
Knowing why car accident evidence disappears, and how to preserve it, is the first step in protecting your rights. Weather conditions can wash away tire marks and debris, surveillance systems automatically delete or overwrite footage after set periods, and witnesses may become unreliable or unavailable over time. When crucial evidence from your Chicago car accident case vanishes, it can undermine your claim and affect your compensation. While you focus on recovering from your injuries and managing medical treatment, a car accident lawyer can employ legal tools to preserve this essential evidence before it's lost forever. Acting swiftly to protect evidence creates a strong foundation for your case and could significantly impact your outcome.
Big red truck and a stop sign. Liable in a Chicago Delivery Truck Accident
When a delivery truck driver causes an accident in Chicago, the truck driver or the delivery company is generally the party liable for the accident. Whether the driver is an employee of the delivery company and what the driver was doing when the crash happened will affect who you can hold liable in a Chicago delivery truck accident. Depending on circumstances, other third parties, such as the owner of the vehicle, the vehicle’s manufacturer, and cargo loaders, may also be liable.
If you were injured in a trucking accident in Chicago, Berwyn, Oak Lawn, Cicero, or a nearby community, call the injury attorneys at Lloyd Miller Law for a free consultation.

How Do I File a Claim After a Traffic Accident?

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A car accident claim is a request for compensation the insurance policy provides for personal injuries, vehicle, and property damage. Filing an accident claim involves contacting the insurance company and providing them with information about the crash. Traffic accident attorneys are a valuable resource when working with insurance companies to ensure that victims get a fair payout from their claims.

Steps to Follow to Make an Accident Claim

The claims process begins in the immediate moments following a traffic accident. Victims should first check for serious injuries on themselves, passengers, and occupants of other involved vehicles. If the accident occurred in an area that creates additional hazards, vehicles should be moved out of harm’s way when possible. Next, victims should call emergency services or a non-emergency police line, depending on the severity of the crash.

Contacting authorities initiates the police report process. In addition to a police report, victims can benefit from documenting the scene of the crash, collecting eyewitness testimonies, collecting insurance information from involved drivers, and documenting injuries and treatment.

Working with Insurance Companies

Once a police report has been filed, victims should contact their insurance companies to report the accident. Reporting as soon as possible provides the victim with the opportunity to represent the accident with the most accurate information, as evidence can be damaged over time, and it can be difficult to remember details long term.

Victims should be ready to provide all the information the vehicle’s insurance policy requires. Generally, that will include the following:

  • Which vehicle was involved that the policy covers, and who was driving it? 
  • Where and when did the accident happen?
  • Who was the driver of the other vehicle, if another vehicle was involved, and what is his or her insurance information?
  • The names and contact information of anyone else involved in the accident, including any witnesses to what happened. 
  • The police report identification number

Keeping track of the above information helps victims to prove fault in a car accident claim. In some claims, fault is obvious, such as in rear-end auto accidents. However, other accident types may require further investigation to prove fault.

Working with a Traffic Accident Attorney

Victims should work with a traffic accident attorney as soon as possible following a crash. Victims should avoid speaking directly to the other party’s insurance company; instead, an attorney should act as the direct contact on the victim’s behalf. If the traffic accident claim is contested, either by the other parties involved or their insurance companies, an accident lawyer can help victims validate their claims, prove they are not at fault for an accident, and ensure all information provided is complete and accurate. 

About the Author

Kurt D. Lloyd is a plaintiff’s trial lawyer who focuses on medical malpractice and other catastrophic injury cases. He lives in Chicago and represents injured clients throughout Illinois. He is also the founder of Lloyd Miller Law, Ltd.

Years of Experience: Over 35 years
Illinois Registration Status: Active
Bar Admissions: Illinois State Bar

Kurt D. Lloyd is a plaintiff’s trial lawyer who focuses on medical malpractice and other catastrophic injury cases. He lives in Chicago and represents injured clients throughout Illinois. He is also the founder of Lloyd Miller Law, Ltd.

Years of Experience: Approx. 20 years
Minnesota Registration Status: Active
Bar & Court Admissions: Illinois State Bar Association U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Kurt D. Lloyd is a plaintiff’s trial lawyer who focuses on medical malpractice and other catastrophic injury cases. He lives in Chicago and represents injured clients throughout Illinois. He is also the founder of Lloyd Miller Law, Ltd.

Years of Experience: Over 35 years
Illinois Registration Status: Active
Bar Admissions: Illinois State Bar
About the Author

Kurt D. Lloyd is a plaintiff’s trial lawyer who focuses on medical malpractice and other catastrophic injury cases. He lives in Chicago and represents injured clients throughout Illinois. He is also the founder of Lloyd Miller Law, Ltd.

Years of Experience: Over 35 years
Illinois Registration Status: Active
Bar Admissions: Illinois State Bar