Effingham Car Accident Lawyer

Car Crash Statistics for Effingham County, IL

According to the 2022 Illinois Crash Facts & Statistics report published by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the following was true regarding the 1,054 auto accidents that occurred in Effingham County that year:

• An estimated 175 of those crashes caused injuries
• At least 38 individuals suffered an “A-injury” (which IDOT uses to refer to non-fatal incapacitating injuries)
• Eight individuals lost their lives in fatal accidents

Types of Wrecks That Occur in South Central Illinois

Some car accidents are caused by other motorists more often than others. As such, we handle car crashes such as the following more often than others:

• Head-on collisions
• Rollovers
• T-bone accidents
• Rear-end crashes
• Sideswipe accidents

Within the broader categories above are drowsy, drunk, and distracted driving crashes, among many others. These often cause catastrophic injuries to car passengers, and thus, we handle those as well.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Effingham

While a multitude of factors can be responsible for causing wrecks, some of the more pressing concerns that give way to crashes in our area include:

• Drunk driving
• Speeding
• Driver inexperience (i.e., teen drivers)
• Distracted driving

Older motorists who may have diminished cognitive abilities, as well as functional impairments, may pose a danger to the rest of us on the road. So, too, may drowsy drivers, as well as those who decide to drag race others or engage in road rage.

Catastrophic Injuries Car Crashes Cause

While many individuals involved in wrecks in Effingham, IL don’t suffer any injuries or relatively minor ones like superficial lacerations, bruising, or soft tissue damage in their crash, the harm sustained is significant. Those motorists end up suffering debilitating or life-altering injuries like:

• Broken bones, which may require surgical repair
• Spinal cord damage leading to paralysis
• Head or neck injuries, one of which can include a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Blunt force trauma leading to internal organ damage
• Burns

While the above injuries are certainly serious and potentially life-altering, there’s also the prospect of a collision such as this being fatal.

Steps To Take After an Auto Accident in Southern Illinois

If you just had a car wreck in Effingham, it can be hard to think straight, so we want to give you a rundown of what to do next. Those steps include:

• Stopping (as opposed to leaving the scene): This is important even if it doesn’t appear that the other vehicle involved sustained any damage or that any other motorist, pedestrian, bicyclist, or anyone else struck is hurt. Always make sure you and anyone else involved are okay and that you record license plates and exchange license plate information before ever considering vacating the scene, provided no one is hurt, and there’s not any significant property damage.
• Calling 911: It is critical to either report the crash or summon paramedics to the crash scene. In fact motorists must always report collisions when they cause injuries or deaths or cause $500 or $1,500 in damages, depending on whether one or both motorists have insurance.
• Begin gathering evidence: As you wait for the police to arrive, you should begin taking photographs of any property damage or your injuries, along with videos of traffic, road conditions, weather, or anything else that may assist you or your car accident attorney in proving liability in your case.
• Only provide factual statements to police: When law enforcement arrives, you should steer clear of making any statements regarding fault. Instead, you should just stick to the facts.
• Seek medical care right away: Even if you tell the police not to have paramedics come to the scene, you should still take time to get checked out by a medical provider to ensure there aren’t any underlying injuries that could cause irreparable harm to your health or even your death.
• Consider consulting with an Effingham car accident lawyer: Doing this is particularly important if you have suffered catastrophic injuries or the sudden, unexpected loss of a loved one in a car crash, as you’re likely to have significant accident-related losses that only a financial settlement can help you begin to service.

When To Consider Hiring an Effingham Car Crash Attorney

We mentioned consulting with a car crash attorney after you’re involved in an accident. Why might you want to do this? It comes down to the assistance that an Effingham auto accident lawyer can provide to help you secure maximum compensation for your crash-related damages in your case. Thus, the best time to consider bringing an attorney into the fold to handle your case is early on.

When seeking legal counsel to represent you after your wreck, be sure to prioritize an attorney candidate who:

• Is compassionate and thus understands how significantly your injury has impacted your life or how impactful the unexpected loss of a family member will have on your life
• Can provide you with a car accident case with the time and energy it needs to fully investigate it and interact with you and insurers or other responsible parties about it
• Has access to all necessary resources, including crash reconstructionists, medical experts, actuaries, etc., to thoroughly look into every facet of your case and how you can best recover the maximum compensation you’re entitled to
• Has (successfully) handled similar cases to your own
• Is willing to take your case to trial if that’s what is needed to secure a verdict and thus a settlement for you

At Prince Law Firm, our attorneys not only meet the criteria above but exceed them. We’re committed to being zealous advocates for car accident victims in South Central Illinois from a case’s inception to its conclusion.

Compensation You Can Recover After a Southern Illinois Car Crash

While losses may vary depending on the car accident victim and the severity of their injuries, we often aid our clients in securing compensation to pay for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost job earnings
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement

In some cases, punitive damages, which go to punishing perpetrators of particularly negligent acts, are also recoverable. And, of course, recovering funeral expenses and burial costs is something we assist with when an auto collision in Effingham, unfortunately, claims a person’s life.

How Much Does it Cost To Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Effingham?

You’ve already been through so much if a car accident injured you or took the life of someone close to you. It’s likely that your finances have already suffered because you’ve been unable to work as you recuperate or grieve your loss. We don’t want to add any other financial burdens on your plate at this time, which is why we not only offer free consultations but also represent you to your case’s conclusion on a contingency basis, meaning we don’t bill you for our legal services unless we secure a settlement for you.

Schedule Your Free Consultation With a Effingham Car Accident Lawyer

When it comes to finding an attorney to represent you after a car wreck in Effingham, whether it occurred on IL 32, IL 33, or IL 37, U.S. 40 or U.S. 45, I-57 or I-70, or one of our area’s busy surface streets, we urge you to carefully weigh any potential legal representative’s experience and results carefully.

If you’re ready to work with an Effingham car accident lawyer with the legal knowledge necessary to secure a settlement on your behalf, we’re here to help. Call or contact us online at Prince Law Firm to schedule your free case review so we can advise you of your legal options and get to work for you right away if you hire us.