In regard to vehicle insurance liability, Illinois follows the guideline of comparative negligence. Drivers are responsible for covering accident-related expenses if they are found to be 51% or more at fault for the incident. Sometimes this person’s insurance company decides the other driver was mostly at fault. If that individual was riding a motorcycle, consulting a motorcycle accident attorney in Chicago is advisable.
Expert Insight
Many people assume motorcyclists are almost always to blame for collisions with other vehicles, but that’s not the case. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that a common scenario involves a vehicle turning left in front of a motorcycle going straight. Another relatively common occurrence is an automobile pulling onto a highway from a parking lot or side road in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
An Example
Insurance adjusters look for reasons the motorcyclist may have been more at fault than their policyholder. They read police reports to determine whether the motorcyclist was traveling above the speed limit, for example.
A motorcycle accident attorney in Chicago knows how to use the same police report to verify that the other driver was at fault. As a licensed driver, the person should have recognized that the biker was traveling a bit faster than might be expected and waited for the motorcycle to continue past.
Safety Gear
Another tactic is to focus on a lack of safety gear like a helmet and chaps. The insurer may refuse to pay expenses for a head injury if the rider wasn’t wearing a helmet. Yet Illinois does not require head protection for this activity.
Details about Shea Law Group are provided at their website.
