100% Focus on Your Recovery,
Chicago Auto Accident Lawyer
Chicago Auto Accident Lawyer
Our Team of Attorneys Are Committed to Maximizing the Value of Your Case
Cicero Car Accident Lawyer
If you were hurt in a car accident in Cicero, a Cicero car accident lawyer can help you recover compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Illinois gives most injured people two years to file a lawsuit, so it helps to call us as soon as you can.
We are Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC, a Chicago personal injury firm that helps drivers in the Town of Cicero and across Cook County. Your first consultation is free, and we work on a contingency fee, so you pay no fee unless we win.
This page covers car accidents. If your crash involved an Uber or Lyft, read about a Chicago rideshare accident lawyer. Truck, motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian crashes follow different rules, so we keep them off this page.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Cicero
The steps below are simple, and a Cicero car accident lawyer can walk you through every one of them. Do them in this order if you can:
- Call 911 and get a police report. In the Town of Cicero, the Cicero Police Department will usually respond. Ask for the report number before you leave.
- Get medical care right away. Even if you feel fine, tell the doctor about every ache. Records made today protect your claim later.
- Take photos of the scene, vehicles, and injuries. Shoot wide, then close. Get skid marks, traffic signals, damage and any bruising.
- Collect witness names and contact info. A stranger who saw the crash can settle a fault argument.
- Do not admit fault at the scene. Say you are hurt, not that you are sorry. Fault is sorted out later, with the facts.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other insurer. You do not have to. Send them to us instead.
Why Hire a Cicero Car Accident Lawyer
After a crash, you are dealing with pain, missed work and phone calls from strangers. We take the paperwork and the pressure off you. A good Cicero car accident attorney does four things:
- Gathers the evidence. We request the police report, find witnesses, and secure photos, videos and vehicle data before they disappear.
- Handles the insurance adjuster. An insurance adjuster is the person who decides what the company will pay. We deal with them, so you do not have to. Read how the car insurance claim process works.
- Fights fault disputes. When the other driver blames you, we build the proof that shows what really happened.
- Values your whole claim. We count your medical bills, lost income and future care, not just the first offer.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Cicero
Most Cicero crashes start with a few ordinary mistakes. These are the ones we see most:
- Distracted driving: a phone, a coffee, a quick look at the navigation.
- Speeding: on long, straight stretches of Cicero Avenue and Pulaski Road, and on the I-55 and I-290 ramps nearby, where traffic merges fast.
- Failure to yield: left turns across traffic on Cermak Road, also known as 22nd Street, and on 26th Street.
- Ice and snow: winter slush and black ice on Ogden Avenue and the side streets that feed the main roads.
- Impaired driving: late nights and weekends, when Cermak Road and 26th Street stay busy after dark.
Because the Town of Cicero sits on Chicago’s West Side border, through-traffic from both sides uses these roads. Stop-and-go traffic on Cicero Avenue and Ogden Avenue can turn one second of distraction into a rear-end car accident. Whatever the cause, a car crash lawyer Cicero IL drivers can reach at any hour can start protecting your claim right away.
Cicero Car Accident Statistics
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) publishes crash numbers for cities and towns across the state. Here is what its latest full-year City Summary Crash Report shows for Cicero.
Local Traffic Laws and Codes That Can Affect Your Cicero Claim
Breaking a traffic law is not the whole case, but it can be strong evidence of who was careless. These rules matter most on Cicero roads. You can read more about Illinois car accident laws on our site.
Illinois laws that apply on Cicero roads:
- Handheld phone ban, 625 ILCS 5/12-610.2. Drivers cannot hold a phone while driving. Hands-free use is allowed.
- Move-over law, 625 ILCS 5/11-907. Drivers must slow down and change lanes for stopped emergency vehicles with flashing lights when it is safe.
- Duty to report a crash, 625 ILCS 5/11-406. A crash must be reported if it involves an injury, a death, or more than $1,500 in property damage, or $500 if any driver is uninsured.
If a government vehicle hit you:
Shorter notice rules can apply when the at-fault vehicle belongs to a city, village, township, school district, or transit agency.
Illinois Fault Rules After a Crash
Illinois uses modified comparative negligence. In plain words: you can recover money if you are not more than 50% at fault, and your compensation is reduced by your share of the blame (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). If you are 51% or more at fault, you are barred from recovering anything.
Here is how it works. Say your damages total $80,000 and a court finds you 25% at fault. Your compensation drops by 25%, and you recover $60,000.
That is why fault fights matter so much. Insurers often try to push even a few percentage points onto you, and we push back with evidence.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Cicero Car Accident?
Illinois law lets injured people recover two kinds of damages. Economic damages cover money you lost or spent. Non-economic damages cover how the crash changed your life.
- Medical bills: ER visits, surgery, therapy and future care
- Lost wages: time off work and, if the injury is lasting, lost earning power
- Property damage: vehicle repair or replacement
- Pain and suffering: the physical pain and daily limits caused by your injury
- Emotional distress: anxiety, sleep loss and fear of driving
Wondering what a claim is worth? Learn how to calculate a car accident settlement, and see how long a car accident settlement takes.
How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit From Cicero?
Two years for most injury claims, counted from the date of the crash (735 ILCS 5/13-202). If you miss that deadline, a court can dismiss your Cicero car accident lawsuit.
Do not wait that long. Evidence fades and witnesses move on. Cicero is in Cook County, so a lawsuit is typically filed in the Cook County Circuit Court. We handle the filing and the court deadlines for you. Read our guide to the Illinois car accident statute of limitations and what an Illinois car accident lawsuit involves.
If a government vehicle was involved, the notice deadline can be much shorter than two years. Call us quickly so we can check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident in Cicero?
Yes, if you were injured. A lawyer deals with the insurer, gathers the proof and pushes back on blame. A free consultation costs you nothing, so you can find out where you stand.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Cicero?
Two years from the date of the crash for most injury claims. Claims against a city, village, school district or transit agency can have much shorter notice deadlines, so call early.
What if I Was Partly at Fault?
You can still recover if you are not more than 50% at fault. Your compensation is reduced by your share, and at 51% or more you are barred. Do not assume you were to blame until we review the facts.
What if the Other Driver Has No Insurance?
You may still have options. Your own uninsured motorist coverage can pay, and the same goes for a hit and run accident. Check your Illinois car accident insurance coverage and call us.
Should I Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company?
No, not before you speak with a lawyer. Their job is to pay you as little as possible, and a recorded statement can be used against you. You can give them your name and contact details, nothing more.
How Much Does a Cicero Car Accident Lawyer Cost?
Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee, which means we are paid only if we win your case. Your first consultation is free.
What Should I Do if My Injuries Show Up Days Later?
See a doctor right away and tell them about the crash. Neck, back and head injuries often show up late, and a gap in treatment gives the insurer something to argue about. Read about delayed car accident injuries.
Contact a Cicero Car Accident Lawyer
Your first consultation with Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC is free, and we work on a contingency fee, so there is no fee unless we win. We answer calls 24/7. Our office is at 225 W Wacker Dr in Chicago, and we meet clients from the Town of Cicero and across Cook County. Tell us what happened in your own words. We will explain your options in plain language and never pressure you to sign anything. You can also read about our Chicago car accident lawyer work.
Call (312) 313-0306 today for a free consultation with a Cicero car accident lawyer.
Legally Reviewed By
Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld
Content legally reviewed by Jonathan Rosenfeld This page has been reviewed for legal accuracy by Jonathan Rosenfeld, a Chicago personal injury attorney with nearly 25 years of experience representing people injured in car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, and rideshare accidents. Jonathan has recovered more than $450 million in settlements and verdicts for injured clients and families in Chicago. He holds a 10/10 rating on Avvo, is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and has been repeatedly recognized by Super Lawyers. Jonathan leads the firm’s approach to holding insurance carriers and corporate defendants accountable for serious traffic injuries.