Car Accidents
195 articles
The biggest topic on this site: settlements, coverage issues, UM/UIM, fault, drunk driving, and what to do after a crash.
Need a Car Accident Lawyer in Peoria?
Peoria Car Accident Lawyer →
Coverage Issues
Denied claims, recorded statements, delay tactics, carrier-specific playbooks
11 articles
Coverage Issues
Denied claims, recorded statements, delay tactics, carrier-specific playbooks
11 articlesCan Your Insurer Deny a Claim Over an Unlisted Household Driver in Illinois? (2026 Guide)
By Robert Parker, Illinois trial attorney practicing personal injury law in central Illinois since 2009. Last updated October 2026. Household drivers 14+…
Why Won’t the Insurance Company Pay After a Car Crash? What 2026 Data Shows Illinois Drivers
By Robert Parker, Illinois trial attorney practicing personal injury law in central Illinois since 2009. Last updated August 2026. 45% closed without…
What Happens After a Policy Limit Demand in an Illinois Personal Injury Case?
By Robert Parker, Attorney, Parker & Parker. Last Updated October 6, 2026. Illinois minimum bodily-injury liability: $25,000 per person under 625 ILCS…
Worst Insurance Companies for Car Accident Claims in Illinois
In Illinois, the insurers that most often delay or lowball car accident claims, in Parker and Parker’s Central Illinois experience, are Progressive,…
Farmers Insurance Accident Claims in Illinois: What You Need to Know
After an Illinois car accident, you can file a Farmers Insurance claim at 1-800-435-7764, online, or through the app. Illinois is a…
Liberty Mutual Accident Claims in Illinois: What You Need to Know
To file a Liberty Mutual claim after an Illinois car accident, call 1-800-225-2467 or file online. Illinois is a fault state, and…
Progressive Accident Claims in Illinois: What You Need to Know
File a Progressive claim at 1-800-776-4737 or through the Progressive mobile app, but expect an aggressively low first offer. In cases we’ve…
Illinois Publishes Complaint Data on Every Auto Insurer, Here’s What It Shows
The Illinois Department of Insurance publishes an annual Consumer Complaints Ratio Report ranking every auto insurer by complaints per $1 million in…
Allstate Accident Claims in Illinois: Your Rights, Their Tactics
File an Allstate claim at 1-800-255-7828 or through the Allstate mobile app, but do not accept the first settlement offer without understanding…
GEICO Accident Claims in Illinois: What You Should Know Before You Call
File a GEICO claim at 1-800-841-3000 or through the GEICO mobile app, but decline the recorded statement until you’ve spoken with an…
State Farm Accident Claims in Illinois: What You Need to Know
Call State Farm at 1-800-732-5246 to open a claim, but do not give a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney. State…
Settlement, Value & Compensation
Case value, pain and suffering, loss of normal life, settlement timelines
24 articles
Settlement, Value & Compensation
Case value, pain and suffering, loss of normal life, settlement timelines
24 articlesHurt in a Car Accident While Working in Illinois: Do You Have a Third-Party Claim?
By Robert Parker, Illinois trial attorney. Robert Parker has handled personal injury cases in Peoria and the surrounding central Illinois counties since…
My Car Was Totaled. Do I Need a Lawyer for That?
For a totaled car claim by itself, with no injury, you usually do not need a lawyer in Illinois. The insurer owes…
How Much Is My Car Accident Case Worth in Illinois?
The value of an Illinois car accident case depends on injury severity, liability evidence, and available insurance coverage. In cases our firm…
How Long Does a Car Accident Settlement Take in Illinois?
Most Illinois car accident settlements resolve in 6 to 18 months from the date of the accident. Cases that go to litigation…
What Happens If You Refuse Medical Treatment After a Car Accident in Illinois?
Refusing medical treatment after an Illinois car accident does not forfeit your right to file a claim, but it gives the insurance…
Car Accident Settlement Calculator: How to Estimate Your Case Value in Illinois
No online calculator can reliably estimate an Illinois car accident settlement because value depends on injury severity, treatment, economic losses, liability, and…
Back Injury Settlement Without Surgery: What Is My Claim Worth?
Back Injury Settlement Without Surgery: What Is My Claim Worth? You were in a car accident. Your back hurts. The MRI shows…
How We Saved Our Client Over $20,000 by Fighting a Medical Lien for Over a Year, On Top of the Settlement We Negotiated
Negotiating or fighting medical liens, claims by providers for payment from your settlement, can preserve tens of thousands of dollars for you.…
Punitive Damages in Illinois Drunk Driving Accident Cases
735 ILCS 5/2-1115 bars punitive, exemplary, vindictive, and aggravated damages in legal, medical, hospital, and other healing-art malpractice. It does not grant…
Damages in Illinois Road Defect Car Accident Claims
735 ILCS 5/2-1117 makes defendants found liable jointly and severally liable for past and future medical and medically related expenses, except as…
Illinois Car Accident Civil Court: What to Expect (2026)
735 ILCS 5/13-202 says the personal-injury action it describes shall be commenced within two years next after the cause of action accrued.…
What Should Parents Know About Child Passenger Injuries in Illinois Car Accidents?
Section 735 ILCS 5/13-211(a) lets a child who was under 18 when a covered claim accrued bring that action within 2 years…
What to Expect During a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Illinois
Filing the complaint starts the lawsuit. When the summons requires an appearance within 30 days after service, exclusive of the day of…
Medical Bill Audit Illinois: Why Insurers Fight Your Charges
Insurance companies fight medical bills by arguing charges are excessive, duplicative, or unnecessary; a medical bill audit reduces inflated charges, negotiates with…
Who Pays Medical Bills After a Car Accident in Illinois?
Medical bills after a car accident are paid through the at-fault driver’s liability insurance if you win your claim or settle; if…
Illinois Car Accident Settlement Timeline (2026)
Most Illinois car accident settlements take months, not weeks, because treatment, liability proof, demand review, and medical liens must usually be resolved…
Loss of Normal Life in Illinois: A Daily Log That Can Strengthen Your Injury Claim
A daily log documenting pain levels, activities you cannot do, symptoms, and impact on your life strengthens your injury claim by quantifying…
How Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer Turned a $1,000 Offer into $30,000 (and Cut Medical Bills by 66%)
An initial $1,000 insurance offer often dramatically undervalues injury claims; hiring a lawyer who negotiated the offer up to $30,000 shows how…
Settle or Go to Court After a Car Accident in Illinois
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 bars recovery in a bodily-injury, death, or property-damage action based on negligence, or in product liability based on strict…
What Increases Personal Injury Case Value in Illinois?
In Illinois, personal injury case value depends on nine factors: injury severity, medical bills and future treatment, lost income, pain and suffering,…
Insurance Release After an Illinois Crash (2026)
Do not sign an insurance release after an Illinois crash until you know what claims it waives. A release usually ends your…
How Is Pain and Suffering Calculated in Illinois? (2026)
By Robert Parker, Illinois trial attorney practicing personal injury law in central Illinois. Last updated July 2026. Instruction 30.05 states pain and…
Go to Trial or Settle? Peoria Injury Claim Guide
Whether to settle or go to trial depends on the evidence, the medical course, the coverage, and the risks of proving the…
What Affects a Car Accident Settlement in Peoria, IL?
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 bars recovery in a bodily-injury, death, or property-damage action based on negligence, or in product liability based on strict…
UM/UIM & Uninsured Motorist
Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, stacking, arbitration, hit-and-run coverage
5 articles
UM/UIM & Uninsured Motorist
Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, stacking, arbitration, hit-and-run coverage
5 articlesUM/UIM Claims and Medical Payment Coverage in Illinois
Medical payments coverage pays reasonable medical expenses from a crash regardless of fault, up to the limit the policy states. Uninsured and…
Phantom Vehicle Claims Under Illinois Uninsured Motorist Coverage
A phantom vehicle is an unidentified vehicle that causes a crash. Whether uninsured coverage pays when that vehicle did not touch yours…
How UM/UIM Coverage Works with Multiple Vehicles in Illinois
215 ILCS 5/143a(1) says the limit for one vehicle may not be aggregated with a similar limit on another vehicle, from the…
Stacking UM/UIM Coverage in Illinois (2026)
215 ILCS 5/143a(1) says the limit for one vehicle may not be aggregated with a similar limit on another vehicle to set…
Uninsured & Underinsured Drivers in Illinois Crashes
215 ILCS 5/143a(1) requires an auto liability policy to provide uninsured-motorist coverage for bodily injury or death, including hit-and-run motor vehicles, in…
Drunk Driving & DUI
DUI crashes, dram shop liability, punitive damages, BAC evidence
14 articles
Drunk Driving & DUI
DUI crashes, dram shop liability, punitive damages, BAC evidence
14 articlesCan I Sue the Bar or the Party Host After a Drunk Driving Crash in Illinois?
Yes, when the bar, restaurant or store holds a liquor license and its drinks were a real and substantial part of getting…
Drunk Driver’s Insurance: What Happens When the At-Fault Driver Was Intoxicated
625 ILCS 5/7-601(a) requires a liability policy at the 625 ILCS 5/7-203 amounts for a motor vehicle operated or registered on a…
Social Host Liability for Drunk Driving Accidents in Illinois
235 ILCS 5/6-21 gives a person injured in Illinois, in person or property, by an intoxicated person a claim against a person…
How a DUI Conviction Affects a Civil Injury Claim in Illinois
A criminal DUI case and a civil injury claim are separate proceedings. Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Civil, 60.01 treats a violation of…
Underage Drunk Driving Accidents in Illinois: Who Is Liable?
An underage driver, a licensed seller, and a person who supplies alcohol to someone under 18 are different claims. 235 ILCS 5/6-16(a)(i)…
Drunk Driving Accidents During Holidays in Illinois: Your Legal Rights
A holiday crash is still a civil injury claim. Contributory fault follows 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. The licensed-seller claim follows 235 ILCS 5/6-21,…
Illinois Dram Shop Act: Can I Sue the Bar? (2026 Guide)
Every person injured in this State, in person or property, by an intoxicated person has a claim under 235 ILCS 5/6-21 against…
Hit by a Drunk Driver in Illinois? 9 Steps (2026)
If a drunk driver hit you in Illinois, you may have claims against the driver, the driver’s insurer, and sometimes a licensed…
Drunk Driving Accident Claims in Illinois: Your Right to Compensation
Victims of drunk driving accidents in Illinois may be entitled to compensation beyond a standard car accident claim, including punitive damages. Learn…
Drunk Driving Accident: What To Do in Peoria, IL
After a drunk driving accident in Peoria, call 911, tell the officer what you saw, get medical care even if you feel…
What Should I Do If I Am In A Car Accident with a Drunk Driver?
If a drunk driver hit you, call 911, tell the officer what you saw, get medical care even if you feel fine,…
Automaker aims to stop drunk driving crashes with technology
On March 20, 2019, Volvo said in-car cameras and other sensors could warn a driver and, as a last step, slow and…
Technology joins the fight against drunk driving
Technology tools like breathalyzers, ignition interlocks, and accident prevention systems are reducing drunk driving incidents. Mandatory arrests, license suspensions, and vehicle impoundment…
Bradley Professor Drunk At Time of Crash
A drunk driving crash in Illinois can support a civil injury claim separate from the criminal DUI case. Illinois law allows a…
Distracted, Reckless & Speeding
Texting crashes, road rage, drowsy driving, phone-record evidence
5 articles
Distracted, Reckless & Speeding
Texting crashes, road rage, drowsy driving, phone-record evidence
5 articlesRoad Rage Accidents in Illinois: Liability and Your Legal Rights
The driver whose aggressive maneuver causes a crash can be liable for the resulting damages. Reckless driving under 625 ILCS 5/11-503 means…
Distracted Driving Accidents in Peoria, Illinois: Your Legal Options
625 ILCS 5/12-610.2(b) says a person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device. Instruction…
Hit by a Distracted Driver in Illinois? (2026)
If a distracted driver hit you in Illinois, preserve evidence quickly. Illinois bans most handheld electronic-device use while driving under 625 ILCS…
Safety advocates raise awareness about distracted driving dangers
The National Safety Council’s April 2, 2026 release says that in 2024, over 3,000 people died in distraction-affected crashes, about nine a…
More needed to stem tide of distracted driving
Distracted driving, especially texting and phone use, causes thousands of crashes annually. Illinois bans handheld phone use while driving. Enforcement through education,…
Crash Types
Head-on, rear-end, sideswipe, rollover, parking lot, hit-and-run collision patterns
5 articles
Crash Types
Head-on, rear-end, sideswipe, rollover, parking lot, hit-and-run collision patterns
5 articlesWrong-Way Drunk Driving Accidents in Illinois: Causes and Legal Claims
A wrong-way crash is a civil injury claim. Contributory fault follows 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. The licensed-seller claim follows 235 ILCS 5/6-21. A…
Illinois Head-On Collision Fault at Intersections (2026)
625 ILCS 5/11-902 requires a driver turning left in an intersection to yield to a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction that…
Head-On Collision on Rural Illinois Roads: 7 Steps [2026]
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 measures the injured person’s own share of the proximate cause. Crossing a center line is a fact in that…
Motorcycle vs Car Crashes: Common Collision Types
This page discusses six collision types: left-turn crashes, pull-outs from side streets and driveways, lane-change sideswipes, rear-end impacts, right-hook crashes, and head-on…
Wrong-Way Driving Accidents in Illinois (2026)
Wrong-way crashes in Illinois often cause head-on impacts, catastrophic injuries, and fast-moving insurance disputes. The wrong-way driver is usually the primary defendant,…
What to Do After a Crash
First steps, medical treatment gaps, recorded statements, evidence preservation
27 articles
What to Do After a Crash
First steps, medical treatment gaps, recorded statements, evidence preservation
27 articlesMulti-Vehicle Pileup on an Illinois Interstate: What to Do at the Scene
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 bars recovery when the plaintiff’s contributory fault is more than 50 percent of the proximate cause. It diminishes damages…
What to Do After a Car Accident in Illinois: A Step-by-Step Guide
After a car accident in Peoria or Central Illinois, the steps you take immediately can make or break your injury claim. Learn…
Hidden Injuries After a Car Accident in Illinois (2026)
Hidden injuries after an Illinois car accident can appear hours, days, or weeks later as pain, concussion symptoms, numbness, dizziness, abdominal pain,…
Illinois Car Accident Statute of Limitations: Deadlines You Cannot Miss
735 ILCS 5/13-202 says an action for an injury to the person shall be commenced within 2 years next after the cause…
Witness Statements After a Crash in Peoria
Witness statements in a Peoria crash are collected by police at the scene and preserved in the accident report; these statements support…
First 30 Days After a Serious Car Accident
In the first 30 days after a serious Peoria car accident, seek immediate medical care for all injuries, report to police and…
Preponderance of the Evidence in Illinois Car Accidents
In an Illinois car-accident injury case, each required proposition must be more probably true than not true: the defendant was negligent, the…
Medical Bills After a Car Accident in Illinois
Medical bills after a car accident are often handled first through health insurance, optional auto medical-payments coverage, workers’ compensation when the injury…
Peoria Car Accident Injuries: What Changes and What To Do
After a car accident, report changes in physical condition (pain, stiffness), mental function (memory, concentration), and emotional state (anxiety, irritability). Some injuries…
Prior Accident? Filing a New Injury Claim in Illinois (2026)
IPI Civil 30.21 says that if the jury decides for the plaintiff on the question of liability, it may not deny or…
Lost Wages After a Car Accident in Illinois (2026)
Can I recover lost wages after a car accident in Peoria? IPI Civil 30.07, inserted when the evidence justifies it, includes the…
Delivery Driver Accidents in Illinois: Who Pays?
If you’re hit by a delivery driver in Peoria or Central Illinois, liability may involve the driver’s personal auto insurance, the delivery…
Wrongful Death After a Fatal Car Accident in Illinois
740 ILCS 180/1 says that whenever the death of a person is caused by a wrongful act, neglect, or default, and the…
Delayed Injuries After a Car Accident (Illinois)
735 ILCS 5/13-202 gives a personal-injury action two years next after the cause of action accrued, with a conviction exception, an escrow-account…
Mistakes to Avoid After a Car Accident in Peoria
Common mistakes after a Peoria car accident include admitting fault, signing documents without reading, giving recorded statements, discussing the accident on social…
Insurance Companies in Personal Injury Lawsuits
215 ILCS 5/154.6 says any listed act by a company, if committed without just cause and in violation of 215 ILCS 5/154.5,…
How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Claim?
735 ILCS 5/13-202 gives a personal-injury action two years next after the cause of action accrued, with a conviction exception, an escrow-account…
Is My Injury Severe Enough After a Car Accident?
Severity is determined by medical diagnosis and documentation, not by accident impact; serious injuries (fractures, head injuries, spinal cord injuries) are always…
Illinois Car Accident Evidence Guide: What to Keep and What Disappears Fast
After an accident, keep photos of vehicle damage, the scene, and injuries; witness contact information; police report and case number; medical records…
Why Pain Shows Up Days After a Car Accident: What’s Happening in Your Body
Pain appearing days after a car accident results from inflammation, muscle activation, and soft tissue healing processes that develop over time, the…
Taking a Road Trip this Summer? Check Out These Tips for Staying Safe
For summer road trips, maintain your vehicle (tires, brakes, fluids), get adequate sleep to avoid drowsy driving, take breaks every 2 hours,…
Spring Daylight Saving Time and Fatal Crash Risk | Peoria
Josef Fritz and colleagues reported a 6 percent higher fatal-crash risk on the Monday-to-Friday workweek after the spring daylight saving time change.…
What To Do After a Car Accident in Illinois
After a car accident in Illinois, check for injuries, call 911, move to safety if possible, exchange information with other drivers, photograph…
Researching car accidents to improve treatment
Researchers study accident causation, injury patterns, and treatment effectiveness to improve public safety and medical care. Accident data reveals dangerous conditions and…
The emotional consequences of amputation
Amputation injuries cause significant physical, emotional, and financial consequences including phantom pain, depression, and loss of employment. Recovery requires extensive rehabilitation, prosthetics,…
Motor vehicle accidents: life after amputation
Last Updated: September 13, 2026 Life after amputation from a motor vehicle accident involves rehabilitation, prosthetics, and lifestyle adaptation. If a liable…
After the Accident: Helpful Tips
Last Updated: October 23, 2026 Document the accident scene with photos, exchange information with all parties involved, and report it to police…
Fault, Liability & Comparative Negligence
Proving fault, multi-vehicle liability, Illinois comparative negligence rules
27 articles
Fault, Liability & Comparative Negligence
Proving fault, multi-vehicle liability, Illinois comparative negligence rules
27 articlesNo Ticket, No Illinois Police Report Yet: Can I Still Call a Lawyer?
You can call a lawyer before the Illinois police report is ready, and a ticket, or no ticket, does not decide who…
What “Full Coverage” Actually Covers in Illinois
“Full coverage” is not a legal term. In Illinois it usually means the required liability minimums plus collision and comprehensive on your…
Can I Sue If I’m Partially at Fault for a Car Accident in Illinois?
Yes, Illinois allows you to recover damages even if you were partially at fault for a car accident, as long as your…
Comparative Fault in Illinois: Can You Recover If Partially at Fault?
Section 2-1116 bars recovery when the plaintiff’s contributory fault is more than 50 percent of the proximate cause of the injury or…
Illinois Car Insurance Requirements: Minimums, UM/UIM, and What You Really Need
Illinois minimum coverage is $25,000/$50,000/$20,000 (bodily injury per person, bodily injury per crash, property damage), but these limits are dangerously low and…
Is Illinois a No-Fault State? What It Means for Your Accident Claim
No, Illinois is not a no-fault state, you must prove the other driver’s fault to recover damages. You can file a claim…
Parking Lot Backing Accidents in Illinois: Fault & Claims
In an Illinois parking-lot backing crash, the backing driver is often at fault if they hit a vehicle already moving in the…
Sideswipe Collisions in Illinois: Who Is at Fault?
On a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes, 625 ILCS 5/11-709(a) requires a driver to stay as nearly as…
Hit by a Car on Your Bike in Illinois? (2026)
625 ILCS 5/11-1502 grants a person riding a bicycle on a highway all of the rights and all of the duties of…
Illinois Dooring Law: Cyclist Rights Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1407
625 ILCS 5/11-1407 says no person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and…
Pedestrian Accidents in Parking Lots: Who Is Liable in Illinois?
625 ILCS 5/11-201 says the Chapter 11 provisions on operating a vehicle refer exclusively to highways, except a section that names a…
Crosswalk Accidents in Illinois: Proving Driver Fault When a Pedestrian Is Hit
625 ILCS 5/11-1002(a) requires a driver to stop and yield when traffic-control signals are not in place or not in operation and…
Illinois Pothole Damage Claims: Peoria Rules & 1-Year Deadline
745 ILCS 10/3-102(a) gives a local public entity a duty to exercise ordinary care to maintain its property in a reasonably safe…
Multi-Vehicle Pileup Claims in Illinois: Sorting Out Fault and Getting Compensated
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 measures each person’s contributory fault as a share of the proximate cause. 735 ILCS 5/2-1117 separates medical expenses from…
Car Accidents Caused by Poor Road Conditions in Illinois: Who Is Liable?
745 ILCS 10/3-102(a) gives a local public entity a duty to exercise ordinary care to maintain its property in a reasonably safe…
Can a Passenger Be Blamed for a Car Accident in Illinois?
A passenger who sues for bodily injury is still a plaintiff under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. Recovery is barred when the passenger’s contributory…
Insurance Claims After a Multi-Vehicle Pileup: Why These Cases Take Longer
When more than one defendant is found liable for bodily injury, 735 ILCS 5/2-1117 makes them jointly and severally liable for the…
Multi-Vehicle Pileup in Illinois: How Fault Is Divided Among Multiple Drivers
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 diminishes damages when the plaintiff’s contributory fault is not more than 50 percent of the proximate cause, and it…
Proving Fault in an Illinois Head-On Collision: What the Evidence Actually Shows
Lane position at impact is a fact. Section 2-1116 uses that fact in measuring the injured person’s own share. The section does…
Bicycle Accident Claims in Illinois: Legal Rights for Injured Cyclists
Bicycle accident claims in Illinois can include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and permanent injury. Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116, contributory…
What Happens When the At-Fault Driver Has Minimum Coverage in Illinois?
For a policy or bond referred to in 625 ILCS 5/7-202, section 7-203 sets limits of not less than $25,000 for bodily…
Car Crash Phone Records
Carrier records may show calls and basic message activity around a crash. Those records do not, by themselves, prove who was holding…
Who’s at Fault in a Multi‑Car Crash in Peoria?
Fault in a multi-car crash in Peoria is determined by analyzing each driver’s conduct against traffic laws and rules of the road;…
Eggshell Skull Rule & Pre-Existing Conditions in Illinois
Illinois Pattern Jury Instruction, Civil, 30.21 says that if the jury decides for the plaintiff on the question of liability, it may…
What To Do After a Car Accident on Private Property
A car accident on private property in Illinois is still a negligence claim. Recovery is barred if the plaintiff’s contributory fault is…
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Illinois
Common car accident causes include distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, reckless driving, and failure to obey traffic signals. Weather and road conditions…
Liability in self-driving car crashes uncertain
Self-driving car liability law in Illinois remains unsettled as technology develops. Manufacturers may be liable for design defects, operators may be liable…
Specific Injury Types
Spinal cord, soft tissue, concussion, amputation, and other crash-related injuries
10 articles
Specific Injury Types
Spinal cord, soft tissue, concussion, amputation, and other crash-related injuries
10 articlesWhat Speed Do Airbags Deploy in an Illinois Car Accident?
Frontal airbags are built to deploy in crashes equal to hitting a fixed wall at about 8 to 14 mph unbelted, or…
Post-Concussion Syndrome After a Car Accident: Why Logging Your Symptoms Matters
Logging your symptoms daily matters because post concussion syndrome rarely shows on MRI, and Illinois insurers use that to dispute claims. Research…
The Specialists Who Matter Most After a Car Accident in Illinois
After a car accident in Illinois, the specialists you see, and when you see them, directly affect both your medical recovery and…
PTSD and Emotional Trauma After a Car Accident in Illinois
Emotional distress that accompanies a physical injury can be submitted to an Illinois jury when the evidence supports it and the court…
Spinal Cord Injuries from Car Accidents in Illinois
Pain and suffering follows Instruction 30.05 when it is proved. Medical expense follows Instruction 30.06. Lost earnings follow Instruction 30.07. Instruction 30.01…
Bulging Disc vs. Herniated Disc After a Car Accident: What You Need to Know
A bulging disc is intact but protrudes into the spinal canal; a herniated disc has a tear allowing material to leak out.…
Soft Tissue Injury Car Accident: Proving Pain in Peoria
Soft tissue injuries in Peoria car accidents are proven through medical records (PT notes, imaging, injections), testimony about functional limitations, and a…
Normal X-Ray After Whiplash in Illinois (2026)
A normal x-ray after an Illinois crash does not rule out whiplash, because x-rays primarily show bones, not most soft-tissue injuries. 735…
PTSD After an Illinois Car Crash: Symptoms & Proof
PTSD after a car crash is proven through diagnosis by a mental health provider, treatment records, and testimony about how the trauma…
Injuries after a car accident
After a car accident, seek medical evaluation even if you feel fine, as some injuries appear delayed. Document injuries, treatment, and lost…
Choosing & Working With a Lawyer
Contingency fees, what to look for, how hiring a lawyer changes outcomes
31 articles
Choosing & Working With a Lawyer
Contingency fees, what to look for, how hiring a lawyer changes outcomes
31 articlesInjury Claims Against Illinois Government Entities: The One-Year Deadline
If you were injured by an Illinois city, county, school district, park district, or other local government entity, you do not file…
The $800 Offer: What Happens When State Farm Knows You Don’t Have a Lawyer
When State Farm knows you have no lawyer, it often makes a fast lowball offer, like $800 for a chest injury still…
What to Do After a Hit and Run in Illinois
Call 911. The driver of a vehicle involved in a crash that causes personal injury or death must stop and remain at…
What to Do After a Fender Bender in Illinois
Take photos of all vehicle damage and the accident scene, exchange driver information and insurance details, file a police report, and notify…
How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost in Illinois?
Parker & Parker’s car-accident fee is one-third of the full recovery before case costs. MedPay benefits are excluded from the fee calculation.…
Should I Get a Lawyer After a Car Accident?
You should strongly consider hiring a lawyer if you have significant injuries, ongoing medical treatment, or the insurance company disputes fault. A…
Illinois Car Seat Laws: What Every Parent Needs to Know
625 ILCS 25/4 requires a child under 8 to be secured in an appropriate child restraint system in the listed vehicles. A…
Delayed Injury After a Car Accident in Illinois: Protecting Your Claim
Injuries that appear days or weeks after a crash can still be part of an Illinois claim. Document the pain, symptoms, and…
When Your Own Insurance Company Fights Your UM/UIM Claim in Illinois
A dispute with your own insurer over an uninsured or underinsured claim is often handled under the policy’s arbitration term. 215 ILCS…
Bad Faith Denial of UM/UIM Claims in Illinois
In an action on a policy, or for an unreasonable delay in settling a claim, 215 ILCS 5/155 lets the court allow…
UM/UIM Arbitration in Illinois: What to Expect
215 ILCS 5/143a(1) requires the policy to send a dispute about uninsured or hit-and-run coverage, and about the amount of damages, to…
Underinsured Motorist Claims After a Truck Accident in Illinois
A truck is underinsured under 215 ILCS 5/143a-2(4) when the sum of the applicable bodily-injury liability limits is less than the underinsured…
Illinois Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements and Why They Are Not Enough
625 ILCS 5/7-203 sets minimum liability amounts of $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more…
Lost Wages After a Car Accident in Illinois: What You Can Recover
Illinois Pattern Jury Instruction 30.07 uses the value of time, earnings, profits, salaries, or benefits lost, and the present cash value of…
Soft Tissue Injuries After a Car Accident in Illinois: Why They Matter
Pain, medical expense, and lost earnings are elements a jury may consider when the evidence justifies them. Instruction 30.01 requires the amount…
Bicycle Accidents Caused by Road Hazards in Illinois: Potholes, Debris, and Poor Maintenance
745 ILCS 10/3-102(a) says a local public entity has a duty, except as otherwise provided in that article, to exercise ordinary care…
Hit-and-Run Bicycle Accidents in Illinois: Recovering Compensation Without a Driver
215 ILCS 5/143a(1) requires a qualifying motor-vehicle liability policy to cover a person insured under that policy who is legally entitled to…
Pedestrian Injuries Caused by Distracted Drivers in Illinois
625 ILCS 5/12-610.2(b) says a person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device, including…
Pedestrian Hit-and-Run Accidents in Illinois: What to Do When the Driver Flees
215 ILCS 5/143a(1) requires a qualifying motor-vehicle liability policy to cover a person insured under that policy who is legally entitled to…
Child Pedestrian Accidents in Illinois: Holding Drivers Accountable
625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 requires every driver to exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian and to exercise proper precaution upon…
Proving a Government Entity Failed to Maintain an Illinois Road
745 ILCS 10/3-102(a) gives a local public entity a duty to exercise ordinary care to maintain its property in a reasonably safe…
Injured as a Passenger in an Illinois Car Accident: Your Rights and Options
A passenger who sues for bodily injury is a plaintiff under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. Recovery is barred when the passenger’s contributory fault…
Ice, Fog, and Chain-Reaction Crashes: Weather-Related Pileups on Illinois Highways
625 ILCS 5/11-601(a) requires a speed that is reasonable and proper for the traffic and the highway. A speed within the maximum…
Illinois Injury Case Depositions in Peoria
A deposition is sworn testimony taken outside a trial. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 206(f) requires the officer to put the witness on…
Peoria Car Accident Interrogatories
Interrogatories are written questions one party serves on another party. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 213(c) provides that, except for a standard form…
Accident Reconstruction and Expert Witnesses in Illinois Personal Injury Cases
Illinois Rule of Evidence 702 lets a qualified witness explain facts that call for specialized knowledge. The witness may testify in the…
How Personal Injury Lawyer Fees Work in Illinois
Parker & Parker charges one-third of the recovery, and no attorney fee unless money is recovered. The consultation is free, and nothing…
Should I Give a Recorded Statement to the Insurance Adjuster After an Accident?
Do not give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster without consulting a lawyer first, your words can be used against you…
What To Look For in a Personal Injury Lawyer in Peoria
Look for a personal injury lawyer in Peoria with significant car accident trial experience, a track record of strong settlements, availability for…
Umbrella Insurance After an Illinois Car Accident: Finding Additional Coverage
Umbrella insurance is extra liability coverage that sits above a basic auto policy. An insurer that covers damages arising out of a…
Injured on Vacation? What To Do Next
If injured on vacation, seek immediate medical treatment and keep all medical records, receipts, and documentation. Report the incident to the property…
More articles
Does Chiropractic Care Count in an Illinois Injury Claim?
Chiropractic care counts in an Illinois injury claim like any other medical care. The claim must show the treatment was needed because…
Body Aches After a Car Accident: Do You Need to Be Seen?
Body aches after a car accident need a medical visit, even when the pain started later. Call 911 for a headache that…
Do I Have to Give the Insurance Adjuster a Recorded Statement?
After an Illinois car accident, the Illinois Department of Insurance says there is no law that sets forth the information you must…
What Happens If the Driver Was Not Listed on the Insurance Policy in Illinois?
By Robert Parker, Illinois trial attorney. Robert Parker has handled personal injury cases across Peoria and central Illinois since 2009. Last updated…
Totaled Car, Injured Driver: Why Illinois Treats Them as Two Separate Claims
In Illinois, the damage to your car and the injury to your body are two separate claims. Settling the vehicle claim does…
Proving Lost Income When You Are Self-Employed After an Illinois Crash
Yes. In Illinois a self-employed person can recover both lost earnings and loss of earning capacity after an injury. Because there is…
How Do I Pay My Medical Bills While My Injury Case Is Pending in Illinois?
While an Illinois injury case is pending, the medical bills come to you. Which source pays first depends on your policies: health…
What to Do After a Car Accident in Peoria, Illinois
For Illinois law, insurance coverage, and how car accident claims unfold after the first night, see our Peoria car accident attorney hub.…
Insurance Policy Limits in Illinois: How a $25,000 Cap Changes Everything About Your Case
By Robert Parker, Attorney, Parker & Parker. Last Updated October 6, 2026. Illinois minimum bodily-injury liability: $25,000 per person under 625 ILCS…
Five Illinois Injury Cases, Five Different Outcomes
Two Illinois car accidents with similar facts can settle for very different amounts. The result depends on five things: how clear the…
Illinois Window Tint Laws: What You Need to Know
625 ILCS 5/12-503(a) allows a nonreflective tinted film only on the top 6 inches of the windshield. Subsection (a-5) allows front side…
Passenger Injury Claims After an Illinois Car Accident
A passenger can make a claim against a driver whose negligence contributed to the crash. An action for an injury to the…
Rollover Car Accidents in Illinois: Causes, Injuries, and Legal Options
Rollover accidents are often caused by driver error (excessive speed, improper lane changes), defective vehicles, or road hazards; they result in severe…
Comparative Fault in Illinois Drunk Driving Accident Cases
In a negligence action for a drunk driving crash, 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 bars recovery when the plaintiff’s contributory fault is more than…
Repeat DUI Offenders in Illinois: Stronger Civil Claims for Victims
Repeat DUI offenders face enhanced liability in civil cases and may be ordered to pay punitive damages. Prior DUI convictions show willful…
Damages in Drunk Driving Accident Cases in Illinois
Damages in drunk driving cases include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages. Permanent injuries like paralysis or disfigurement…
Evidence in Drunk Driving Accident Cases: What Your Attorney Needs
Evidence in drunk driving cases includes blood alcohol content, field sobriety tests, and witness testimony. Police reports and DUI convictions are admissible…
Civil vs. Criminal DUI Cases in Illinois: What Injured People Need to Know
Civil DUI cases recover damages for your injuries; criminal cases punish the driver with jail time. You can pursue civil recovery even…
The Complete Guide to Drunk Driving Accident Claims in Illinois
In Illinois, a person injured by a drunk driver can bring a civil claim separate from the criminal DUI case. A violation…
UM/UIM Coverage for Passengers in Illinois
A passenger can claim uninsured coverage only when a policy defines that passenger as an insured. 215 ILCS 5/143a(1) requires that coverage…
How to File an Uninsured Motorist Claim in Illinois (2026)
If an uninsured driver hit you in Illinois, you usually file a UM claim with your own auto insurer. Illinois requires uninsured…
Passengers Injured by Drunk Drivers in Illinois: Your Legal Options
A passenger’s recovery follows 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. Contributory fault of more than 50 percent bars recovery. Otherwise the damages are reduced in…
Bicycle Accidents at Intersections in Illinois: Right-of-Way and Liability
625 ILCS 5/11-1502 grants a person riding a bicycle on a highway all of the rights and all of the duties of…
Passenger Injury Claims in Illinois: Your Rights When You Weren’t Driving
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 measures a passenger’s own contributory fault as a share of the proximate cause. 625 ILCS 5/7-601(a) requires a liability…
Head-On Collision Accidents in Illinois: Causes, Injuries, and Legal Claims
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 measures each person’s contributory fault as a share of the proximate cause. Which vehicle crossed the center line is…
How Passengers File Insurance Claims After an Illinois Car Accident
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 measures a passenger’s own contributory fault as a share of the proximate cause. 625 ILCS 5/7-601(a) requires a liability…
What Determines the Value of a Head-On Collision Case in Illinois?
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 diminishes damages when the plaintiff’s contributory fault is not more than 50 percent of the proximate cause. A share…
Head-On Collision Injuries in Illinois: Causes & Fault
Section 2-1116 measures the injured person’s own share. 625 ILCS 5/12-603.1(c) provides that failure to wear a seat safety belt in violation…
Pedestrian Accident Claims in Illinois: What to Do After Being Hit by a Car
Call 911 and get medical care, and keep the scene, the driver’s information, and your clothing. Section 13-202 requires a personal-injury action…
Tips to Deal With Insurance Adjusters After an Injury
When dealing with insurance adjusters, be polite but cautious, document all conversations and obtain written summaries. Do not accept early settlement offers…
Stay safe this 4th of July, don’t drink and drive
Stay safe during Independence Day celebrations by avoiding fireworks, following water safety rules, and driving sober. Never drive after drinking and use…
Personal Injury
Personal injury claims require proof that the defendant owed you a duty, breached it, and caused injury and damages. In Illinois, you…