Large commercial trucks move goods across the country and keep businesses running. However, the results can be catastrophic when these massive vehicles collide with passenger cars. Victims are often left with life-altering injuries, emotional trauma, and financial burdens that can take years to recover from—if recovery is even possible.
At Kaveny + Kroll, our auto accident attorneys stand with truck accident victims and their families. Our team fights for the justice and compensation you deserve. If you need a Chicago truck accident lawyer, call us today for a free, confidential consultation.
Truck accidents are not like regular car crashes. A truck can easily weigh more than 10 times the largest passenger vehicle, so the force of the impact in a collision is often deadly.
Our Chicago lawyers have experience helping truck accident victims suffering spinal cord injuries, brain trauma, broken bones, burns, internal bleeding, or even wrongful death. The most common causes of 18-wheeler accidents include:
Because truck drivers often operate under tight deadlines, many are pushed to skip breaks or cut corners, putting everyone on the road at risk.
Truck accident claims involve more than just two drivers. They are legally complex, often including trucking companies, cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, and vehicle manufacturers. Each may share some responsibility for the crash, meaning multiple insurance companies and legal teams are involved.
There are also federal regulations to consider in truck accident cases. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) oversees and sets rules for trucking, including driver hours and vehicle maintenance. Proving violations of these rules can be key to holding companies accountable, but it takes skill and experience to build a strong case.
At Kaveny + Kroll, we understand the intricacies of truck accident litigation. Our Chicago truck accident attorneys know what evidence to look for—logbooks, black box data, driver records, maintenance logs—and how to use it to help your case.
Injuries from truck accidents can lead to long-term or permanent disabilities. Many victims face a lifetime of treatment, therapy, and care. Depending on your case, you may be entitled to recover:
If a truck crash resulted in the death of a loved one, our Chicago legal team could also pursue a wrongful death claim on your behalf. These lawsuits may compensate for funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and the financial support your loved one would have provided.
Stay safe and seek medical attention immediately, even if you do not feel hurt, as some injuries take time to show symptoms. Call first responders to get assistance.
If safety permits, you can begin collecting evidence, such as by:
You should avoid speaking with insurance companies until you have legal representation. Trucking companies and their insurers often begin their investigations immediately after a crash, sometimes working to limit liability. You should start investigations immediately and contact an attorney in Chicago as soon as possible after your truck accident.
At Kaveny + Kroll, we are relentless in our pursuit of justice because we know what is at stake. When you work with us, you are more than just a case number.
If you or a loved one were injured in a collision with a heavy commercial vehicle, do not wait. Talk to a Chicago truck accident lawyer today.
Recovery for an 8-year-old girl whose four-limbs were amputated after a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of an infection, leading to severe septic shock.
Recovery for wrongful death of a husband and father of three due to undiagnosed aortic dissection in emergency department 2 days earlier.
Recovery for a 37-year-old man who suffered the partial amputation of both of his legs and one of his arms after a hospital failed to give him antibiotics for a serious infection (Featured in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin).
Recovery for a brain-injured newborn after doctors failed to timely deliver the baby by cesarean section.
Verdict for the wrongful death of a 40-year-old wife and mother of six children and her unborn seventh child after she suffered respiratory arrest due to pneumonia while in the hospital.
Recovery for an infant who suffered brain damage and developed cerebral palsy due to a delayed cesarean section after indications that the baby was not tolerating the labor well.
Recovery for the wrongful death of a 64-year-old man and the debilitating injuries of a 62-year-old woman—both from southern Illinois—arising from a multi-vehicle pile-up on a highway in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Verdict for the wrongful death of a 25-year-old helmet-wearing cyclist who was struck and killed by a truck.
Recovery for a 55-year-old Chinese immigrant whose leg was crushed by a Chicago Transit Authority bus making too-tight-a-turn at a downtown intersection. The 55-year-old woman was within the crosswalk at the time of the Chicago accident.
Recovery for a 34-year old property adjuster in Dallas, Texas, left severely burned after being electrocuted by a dangerously-low-hanging electrical wire on a roof, about which the company had received complaints but failed to correct.
Recovery for three college students killed in an apartment fire when one fell asleep smoking. Apartment did not have working smoke detectors at the time.
Recovery for the wrongful death of a 24-year-old truck driver who was killed in an Adams County heptane gas explosion, leaving behind a wife and a 3-year-old daughter.
Recovery for a 29-year-old who suffered skull fractures, a traumatic brain injury, an 18-day coma, and partial quadriplegia after his pickup was broadsided by another vehicle, which was attempting to flee from a reckless and unnecessary police chase involving a minor traffic infraction (Featured in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin).
Verdict resulting from an improper police chase. Fleeing suspect hit car driving through an intersection with mother in front seat and minor daughter in rear. Mother was killed. Entire accident was caught on a nearby CTA bus videocam (Featured in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin).
Verdict for a 58-year-old public school principal whose reputation was damaged after she was wrongfully arrested, wrongfully charged, and wrongfully prosecuted following a fight involving six students at her school in which she merely called 9-1-1.
Verdict for a paralyzed 24-year-old female injured at O’Hare International Airport (highest compensatory verdict awarded to an individual in Illinois, and top five in U.S., excluding punitive damages).
Recovery for a 34-year old property adjuster in Dallas, Texas, left severely burned after being electrocuted by a dangerously-low-hanging electrical wire on a roof, about which the company had received complaints but failed to correct.
Recovery for a Rolling Meadows high school football player who became a quadriplegic after he was tackled by a teammate into an unpadded, 25 foot-high steel post located 11.5 feet from the sideline of the school’s practice field.
Verdict for a 33-year-old veteran forced to undergo seven surgeries after his left foot was degloved when it was run over by a forklift while working at an international technology show at McCormick Place.
Recovery for a 34-year old property adjuster in Dallas, Texas, left severely burned after being electrocuted by a dangerously-low-hanging electrical wire on a roof, about which the company had received complaints but failed to correct.
Recovery for a 42-year-old Chicago construction worker whose leg was shattered when he fell 20 feet after the steel beam on which he was working collapsed.
Currently seeking recovery on behalf of clients who have filed lawsuits against Abbott Laboratories, Inc. (“Abbott”), Mead Johnson & Company and Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (“Mead Johnson”). Babies born to these plaintiffs developed necrotizing enterocolitis (“NEC”) after they were fed infant formula manufactured by Abbott or Mead Johnson. NEC is a serious gastrointestinal problem that mostly affects premature babies and can lead to permanent injury or death.
Received financial compensation for the families of plaintiffs who were prescribed the pain medication Vioxx manufactured by Merck. The drug was found to cause heart attacks and strokes and has subsequently been withdrawn from the marketplace.
Verdict obtained on behalf of homeowners who lived near the Sterigenics facility and contracted various forms of cancer as a result of ethylene oxide (“EtO”) emissions into the environment by Sterigenics and its parent company, Sotera Health.
Verdict for a paralyzed 24-year-old female injured at O’Hare International Airport (highest compensatory verdict awarded to an individual in Illinois, and top five in U.S., excluding punitive damages).
Recovery for a 55-year-old Chinese immigrant whose leg was crushed by a Chicago Transit Authority bus making too-tight-a-turn at a downtown intersection. The 55-year-old woman was within the crosswalk at the time of the Chicago accident.
Recovery for a 31-year-old woman who suffered permanent brain damage after she was struck by public transit bus while jogging.
Verdict against school district for sex abuse of two minor children by gym teacher off school grounds.
Kaveny + Kroll has filed suit against Northwestern University due to its failure to protect a student who was knowingly experiencing suicidal ideation and planning. The student jumped from a fourth story window and suffered two punctured lungs, multiple broken ribs, damage to internal organs, and traumatic brain injury. The case remains pending.
