Evanston Car Accident Lawyer

A crash on Sheridan Road, Ridge Avenue or near Northwestern University can leave you dealing with medical bills, car repairs and time away from work. An Evanston car accident lawyer at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can help you establish who was responsible and pursue compensation for your losses.

Our Chicago-based personal injury firm represents drivers injured in Evanston and across Cook County. Your first consultation is free, and we work on a contingency fee, so you pay no attorney fee unless we win your case.

If your collision involved an Uber or Lyft, see our Chicago rideshare accident lawyer page for information about rideshare claims. Truck and motorcycle crashes can involve different insurance rules and legal issues, which we cover separately.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Evanston

The steps below are simple, and an Evanston car accident lawyer can walk you through every one of them. Do them in this order if you can:

1. Call 911 and get a police report. In Evanston, the Evanston Police Department will usually respond. Ask for the report number before you leave.
2. Get medical care right away. Even if you feel fine, tell the doctor about every ache.
3. Take photos of the scene, vehicles, and injuries. Get skid marks, traffic signals, damage and bruising.
4. Collect witness names and contact info. A stranger who saw the crash can settle a fault argument.
5. Do not admit fault at the scene. Say you are hurt, not that you are sorry.
6. Do not give a recorded statement to the other insurer. You do not have to. Send them to us instead.

Why Hire an Evanston Car Accident Lawyer

We take the paperwork and the pressure off you. A good Evanston 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 Evanston

Most Evanston crashes start with a few ordinary mistakes. These are the ones we see most:

• Distracted driving: a phone, a coffee, a quick look for parking.
• Speeding: on Sheridan Road, Green Bay Road and Ridge Avenue, where long blocks invite a heavy foot.
• Failure to yield: left turns across traffic on Dempster Street, Church Street and Howard Street.
• Ice and snow: wind and snow off Lake Michigan, and black ice on Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue.
• Impaired driving: late nights and weekends, when downtown and the Northwestern University area stay busy after dark.

Stop-and-go traffic on Chicago Avenue and Howard Street can turn one second of distraction into a rear-end car accident. Whatever the cause, a car crash lawyer Evanston IL drivers can reach at any hour can start protecting your claim right away.

Car Accidents Near Northwestern University and Evanston’s Busiest Streets

Students, staff and visitors share the road with commuters near Northwestern University, and that mix causes crashes. Move-in week, game days and rush hour fill the roads around campus and downtown, and drivers heading to the CTA Purple Line add to the crowd.

The busiest spots, like Sheridan Road at the lakefront and Church Street at Chicago Avenue, are also shared with people on foot and on bikes. If you were hit while walking or riding, read about a bicycle accident lawyer or a pedestrian accident lawyer.

Evanston 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 Evanston.

Local Traffic Laws and Codes That Can Affect Your Evanston 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 Evanston roads. You can read more about Illinois car accident laws on our site.

Illinois laws that apply on Evanston 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 such as the CTA.

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.

Insurers often try to push a few percentage points onto you, and we push back with evidence.

What Compensation Can You Recover After an Evanston Car Accident?

You can recover two kinds of damages: economic, which covers money lost or spent, and non-economic, which covers 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 Evanston?

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 Evanston car accident lawsuit.

Evanston is in Cook County, so a lawsuit is typically filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. 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 (312) 313-0306 quickly so we can check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident in Evanston?

Yes, if you were injured. A lawyer deals with the insurer, gathers the proof and pushes back on blame.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Evanston?

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.

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 an Evanston 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 an Evanston 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 Evanston and across Cook County. You can also read about our Chicago car accident lawyer work.

Call (312) 313-0306 today for a free consultation with an Evanston car accident lawyer.