Anyone who has been involved in a traffic accident and has suffered significant injuries or damages to a personal vehicle should be aware of certain Illinois laws involving the filing of claims and court cases where compensation may be involved. Here are the Illinois car accident laws you should know.
Illinois is an At-Fault State
What this means is the individual who is responsible for causing the accident is required to pay damages to others involved in the mishap. In most cases,that at-fault driver’s insurance will pay for damages. Drivers in Illinois are required to carry insurance coverage of at least $20,000 for property damages and $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury coverage. Plaintiffs have the option of suing an at-fault driver for additional damages.
Vehicle Accident Statute of Limitations
Illinois’ Accident Statute of Limitations sets a time frame by which plaintiffs must abide fit they want to file a lawsuit for damages against the driver and other possible individuals who may be at fault for the accident. For most cases,the state’s Statute of Limitations for vehicle accidents is the same as for other personal injury cases. Generally,you will have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. The one major exception to this rule is if your lawsuit includes a wrongful death claim. In that case,you must file the lawsuit within one year of the date of the accident. Another exception is if you have difficulty getting an insurance company to pay for physical damages to your vehicle. In these instances,you have five years to file a lawsuit,so get in touch with a - right away.
Beware of Comparative Negligence
If you file a lawsuit over a vehicle accident in Illinois,the courts may award you less money if both you and the other party or parties involved are found to have contributed in some way to the mishap.