Most Common Causes of Serious Injuries and Deaths in Car Crashes

 Posted on April 24, 2025 in Car Accidents

Most car accidents do not result in serious injuries. However, when a collision goes beyond a simple fender bender, accident victims may be placed at risk of grievous harm. If you or somebody you love has been badly hurt in an auto collision, an experienced Will County, IL personal injury attorney can provide you with valuable representation and counsel to help you get the compensation that you deserve.

Moreover, if you have lost a close relative to a car accident caused by the other driver’s negligence, a car accident attorney can file a wrongful death claim on your behalf. At Schwartz Injury Law, our lawyers are ready to take on your case, working with you to identify the exact cause of the accident and building a case for a full payout.

Excessive Speeding

Speed limits exist for a reason. When a driver exceeds the speed limit by 20, 15, or even 10 miles, the risk of a serious collision increases exponentially. The reason for this is twofold. First, going over the speed limit reduces your ability to react to incoming obstacles, so if another car comes to a sudden stop on the road ahead, you might be unable to brake in time. Second, the force of the impact from excessive speeding can result in more severe injury than if the driver had been going the speed limit. For instance, the sudden jolt of a collision at high speeds can induce whiplash.

If you have been injured in a crash caused by speeding, our lawyers can look for proof of the other driver’s fault. A traffic camera might show that the driver was moving faster than the regular pace of traffic. Witness testimony can also support your claim that the other driver was speeding.

Drunk Driving

Drunk drivers pose an obvious risk to everybody else on the road. Having alcohol in your system while driving can slow down your reactions, inhibit your judgment, and impair your coordination to a wildly unsafe degree. When you add in other factors like poor visibility at night or many other drivers on the road, the likelihood of serious injury or death increases. Many head-on collisions result from drunk drivers becoming disoriented and heading into the wrong lane of traffic.

After you have been struck by a drunk driver, you should call the police as soon as possible. The officer who arrives at the crash site can write an official report that names the driver at fault, which can serve as invaluable evidence for your claim.

Distracted Driving

Now more than ever, we live in an age of constant distractions. When a driver’s attention is pulled away from the road by a cell phone or another distraction, he or she may be oblivious to changing conditions on the road. This can easily lead to T-bone collisions caused by running a red light, or rear-end accidents caused by failing to brake in time.

At Schwartz Injury Law, we fight to hold distracted drivers accountable for the harm they cause. We will cite the distraction as clear evidence of fault for your claim, arguing for your right to a fair settlement or verdict. As part of your injury claim, we will push for compensation for your hospital bills, any damage to your property, and your pain and suffering.

Reckless Driving

Reckless driving can describe different kinds of unsafe behaviors behind the wheel, such as:

• Failing to use a turn signal

• Street racing

• Tailgating

• Disregarding traffic signs

• Passing another driver

These behaviors can put other drivers at risk, especially on congested roadways. To make a case for reckless driving, we may use techniques of crash reconstruction analysis to understand the circumstances that led up to the accident. We can take pictures of the vehicles involved in the crash, and debris on the road can show us where your car was impacted.

When you take your claim to the other driver’s insurance policy, the insurance representative may attempt to deny any wrongdoing on the part of the driver. At Schwartz Injury Law, we will contest these attempts to reject your claim, and if necessary, we can escalate your claim to trial.

What Are Catastrophic Injuries?

When an injury is so severe that it leaves you with life-altering damage, it is referred to as a catastrophic injury. Often, these injuries have a permanent impact on your quality of life or your ability to find employment. Examples include:

• Traumatic brain injuries, which can affect your cognitive functioning and leave you with long-term headaches, nausea, or confusion

• Spinal cord injuries, which can leave you partially or completely paralyzed

• Severe burns, which can result in severe disfigurement

Certain kinds of car accidents like rollover accidents come with a greater risk of catastrophic injury. If you or somebody you love has suffered permanent damage in a crash, our attorneys can fight for maximum compensation from the liable party. A full payout for a catastrophic injury can cover the costs of long-term medical care as well as make up for any lost earning potential.

The Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents

In Illinois, there is a hard time limit to file a personal injury claim for a car accident. Specifically, you have two years from the date of the crash to take legal action against the driver at fault. This window for taking legal action is known as the statute of limitations. When the statute of limitations expires, you lose the right to file a claim against the at-fault driver.

Generally speaking, it is best to file a personal injury claim for a car accident as soon as possible after the accident. Aside from the ticking clock of the statute of limitations, you may stand a better chance of recovering evidence and documentation from the accident if you act sooner rather than later. At Schwartz Injury Law, we can help you build a case as quickly as possible to increase the chances of a successful claim.

Meet With a Will County, IL Car Accident Attorney Today

Recovering from a serious car accident can be an expensive, lengthy process. At Schwartz Injury Law, our Joliet, IL personal injury lawyers are here to look out for your best interests, whether you are filing a claim for your own damages or the death of a close loved one. Call us at 708-888-2160 to schedule a free consultation today.