Illinois and Missouri Motor Vehicle Accidents Law Blog

Many people in Illinois depend on bicycles as their primary form of transportation, while others just enjoy the sport. Come rain or shine, it is common to see cyclists out and about daily. Unfortunately, motorists often fail to be on the lookout for them, causing numerous individuals to suffer injury or worse in auto versus bicycle accidents. Victims or -- in the event of fatality -- their surviving family members may be entitled to seek compensation for any resulting losses.

Dooring is just one type of bicycle accident that is seen far too often in Illinois and elsewhere. This is where a motorist in a parked car opens his or her door just before a cyclist is passing. The cyclist has no time to react, hits the door at full speed and, typically, suffers significant injury. Some dooring accidents have resulted in death.

When involved in a motor vehicle accident, whether as a driver or a pedestrian, one would expect the responsible party to step up and accept liability. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. There are those who flee in an effort to escape any consequences. Most times hit-and-run drivers are caught, though sometimes they are not. If one is the victim of a hit-and-run car accident in the state of Illinois, even if the responsible party is not found, it may be possible to seek relief for one's losses through legal means.

Following a typical car crash, a victim has the opportunity to file a claim with the other driver's insurance provider. Following a hit-and-run collision, the victim, in order to seek relief, will need to file a claim with his or her own insurance provider. One would think that doing so would mean all damages experienced would be covered, but that is usually far from the case.

You hear about drunk driving-related collisions happening all the time. You never expected to be in one yourself, though, but here you are. You were injured by a drunk driver, and now you are wondering if you can seek compensation for your losses. The good news is, in Illinois, as in other states, you may file legal claims against the responsible party in an effort to seek monetary relief.

It does not matter where or when your accident occurred. It does not matter if the driver who hit you was only slightly buzzed or full-on impaired. Drunk drivers are negligent drivers, and according to state laws, they may be held criminally and civilly responsible for the damage and losses that they cause.

Experience and proper training are essential when driving any motor vehicle. It is particularly important, though, for individuals who wish to operate commercial trucks. These vehicles are difficult to maneuver and do not manage the same as typical passenger cars. As such, inadequate driver training can lead to truck accidents. Those in Illinois who have suffered losses in such events may seek relief through legal means.

How is commercial driver training different than regular driver training? The truth is, they are a lot the same. Both require drivers attend classes for the type of license they are seeking and pass written exams. Both also require that driver applicants pass hands-on training. The only real difference is that commercial drivers have to make sure they are in good standing with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which means they have to ensure they have met all FMCSA standards in order to obtain and keep their commercial driver's licenses.