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Illinois Car Accidents Questions & Answers
Q: State Farm insurance coverage discrepancy after car accident

I have State Farm insurance and bought my car five years ago. I was supposed to have full coverage, both for myself and for my financial bank, but I only have liability coverage. I was unaware of this until after an accident occurred. I need assistance on how to address this issue and what steps to... View More

Robert Shipley
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Robert Shipley
answered on Jun 10, 2025

The question does not describe when the policy which covered the vehicle on the date of accident was issued. Illinois law requires a policy holder to read/review the policy when it is issued to verify they have the insurance coverage they requested and if unsure, to contact their agent/broker to... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Civil Litigation, Legal Malpractice and Personal Injury for Illinois on
Q: Settlement delay: lawyer not informing about lien resolution process.

I received a settlement from my motor vehicle accident in September 2024, and my lawyer has been handling liens associated with it. I've been trying to check in monthly, but I usually get the same response of "working on liens" without further details. Despite requesting an in-person... View More

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Jun 8, 2025

You provide none of the details necessary to provide any meaningful answer to your question. Liens and subrogation interests can be complicated and are easily confused. Why didn't you ask these questions when you authorized the settlement? In my experience, clients don't care whether... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Civil Litigation, Legal Malpractice and Personal Injury for Illinois on
Q: Settlement delay: lawyer not informing about lien resolution process.

I received a settlement from my motor vehicle accident in September 2024, and my lawyer has been handling liens associated with it. I've been trying to check in monthly, but I usually get the same response of "working on liens" without further details. Despite requesting an in-person... View More

Lindsey Seeskin
Lindsey Seeskin
answered on Jun 9, 2025

I'm very sorry to hear of the situation you find yourself in. Though not all necessary facts are provided in your description, I can confidently inform you that under nearly all circumstances, it should never take 10 months to resolve a client's liens. Personal injury attorneys know the... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Traffic Tickets, Car Accidents and Personal Injury for Illinois on
Q: Will paying a failure to yield ticket lead to suspension in Illinois?

About four years ago, I had my license suspended due to too many moving violations within a 24-month period when I was under 21. Since then, I attended driving school and haven't received any tickets until recently. Yesterday, I was involved in a minor car accident, resulting in a ticket for... View More

Theodore J. Harvatin
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answered on Apr 27, 2025

if you were insured and this was a minor accident, chances are the other driver will not be motivated to show up. The ticket would be thrown out

But if the other driver does appear, ask for supervision. No points will be assigned and it will save on insurance. However, in answer to your...
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4 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Traffic Tickets and Personal Injury for Illinois on
Q: Will paying a ticket for failing to yield risk my Illinois license suspension after past suspension?

Four years ago, my driver's license was suspended in Illinois due to accumulating too many tickets in a 24-month period. Since my license was reinstated in 2021, I have maintained a valid license without any further violations until now. Yesterday, I was involved in a car accident and received... View More

Theodore J. Harvatin
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answered on Apr 27, 2025

Show up in court. If you had insurance and it was a minor accident, it’s likely the other driver will not show up in court, and the ticket will be dropped.

If the other driver does show up, you could plead guilty and it would not affect your license because it would not be a third Moving...
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4 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Traffic Tickets and Personal Injury for Illinois on
Q: Will paying a ticket for failing to yield risk my Illinois license suspension after past suspension?

Four years ago, my driver's license was suspended in Illinois due to accumulating too many tickets in a 24-month period. Since my license was reinstated in 2021, I have maintained a valid license without any further violations until now. Yesterday, I was involved in a car accident and received... View More

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Apr 27, 2025

I don't disagree with any of the facts stated by my colleague, Mr. Harvatin.

That said, there is an old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Accumulating multiple violations in the past should have taught you that lesson. The accumulation of multiple...
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4 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Traffic Tickets and Personal Injury for Illinois on
Q: Will paying a ticket for failing to yield risk my Illinois license suspension after past suspension?

Four years ago, my driver's license was suspended in Illinois due to accumulating too many tickets in a 24-month period. Since my license was reinstated in 2021, I have maintained a valid license without any further violations until now. Yesterday, I was involved in a car accident and received... View More

Cheryl Powell
Cheryl Powell
answered on Apr 27, 2025

It sounds like you were under 21 with your earlier tickets but you are over 21 now. When a person is over 21, they are allowed 3 moving violation convictions a year. Your license gets suspended after the 3rd conviction. It is always better to take driving school to prevent a conviction from... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Consumer Law, Insurance Bad Faith, Car Accidents and Personal Injury for Illinois on
Q: Paid for car insurance via dealership, no coverage record; need help.

I bought a car on March 7, 2025, with the requirement to have full coverage insurance in order to drive it off the lot. The car salesman informed me that he would set up insurance for $401. I paid this amount via Cash App but did not receive a declarations page or any official documentation. On... View More

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Mar 26, 2025

First things first. Begin by contacting the dealer and requesting the name and contact information of the insurance company. In the future, avoid the situation by comparing various insurance carriers ahead of time and advising them of your intention to purchase this make and model vehicle so... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Traffic Tickets and Car Accidents for Illinois on
Q: Consequences of improper left yield ticket with collision in Illinois?

I received a traffic ticket for improper left yield near my driveway, which resulted in a collision with another car in Illinois. The ticket doesn't mention the cost, and there were no injuries reported. I have no previous traffic violations and have been instructed to appear in court. What... View More

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Mar 17, 2025

The responding officer cited you for failure to yield the right-of-way and you did fail to yield or there would not have been an accident. I'm sure there was damage to both vehicles and by morning the other driver and/or passengers will experience some symptoms and may go to the ER. All of... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Traffic Tickets and Car Accidents for Illinois on
Q: Consequences of improper left yield ticket with collision in Illinois?

I received a traffic ticket for improper left yield near my driveway, which resulted in a collision with another car in Illinois. The ticket doesn't mention the cost, and there were no injuries reported. I have no previous traffic violations and have been instructed to appear in court. What... View More

Theodore J. Harvatin
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answered on Mar 17, 2025

Most likely, if you had insurance covering the accident, the other driver will not show up and the ticket will be dismissed. If the other driver shows that show up you can request court supervision. The consequences will be a small fine. The amount depends on factors that vary by courthouse.

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2 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Personal Injury and Insurance Defense for Illinois on
Q: Can I sue after signing a law and injury form with State Farm and my car was totaled?

I was in a car accident and signed a law and injury form with State Farm. A couple of days later, State Farm totaled out my car. Given this situation, am I still able to sue?

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Mar 10, 2025

There is no such thing as a "Law and Injury Form," so it is difficult to answer. Your property damage claim is handled entirely separately from your personal injury claim. Before any insurance company will release any money to you for property damage or personal injury, you must... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Insurance Defense and DUI / DWI for Illinois on
Q: Can the other driver go over $25,000 settlement cap without DUI proof?

I was involved in a minor collision early last year where my grill was chipped and my license plate bent. The police told me to "just go," and I didn't take a DUI test. Now, the other driver is suing my car insurance for injuries, but they don't want to settle for my policy cap... View More

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Feb 24, 2025

Let's get something clear. When you have an accident, you are either at fault or not at fault. Beyond that, for the purposes of calculating the value of the claim nothing else matters. You could be a nun, driving sisters to a convent or you could be a junkie, with an open bottle of... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Insurance Defense and DUI / DWI for Illinois on
Q: Can the other driver go over $25,000 settlement cap without DUI proof?

I was involved in a minor collision early last year where my grill was chipped and my license plate bent. The police told me to "just go," and I didn't take a DUI test. Now, the other driver is suing my car insurance for injuries, but they don't want to settle for my policy cap... View More

Theodore J. Harvatin
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answered on Feb 23, 2025

They probably will not be able to prove you were under the influence but there’s nothing stopping them for making the claim although there should be some evidence to support it before they claim it is the case.

On your other thing, you probably received a letter from your insurance...
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1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law, Car Accidents and Domestic Violence for Illinois on
Q: Can a indiana warrant be executed in Illinois

I have a possible warrant in Indiana but I live in illinois

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Feb 11, 2025

An arrest Warrant can be executed in ANY state. Take care of the warrant immediately. Contact an experienced criminal defense attorney who regularly practices in the jurisdiction where the warrant was issued. If it is something very minor, the attorney may be able to take care of it for you.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and Car Accidents for Illinois on
Q: Should the car insurance have provided me a car rental / paid for my car payments while my car is in the shop?

For a deer collision? My car was in the shop for 6 months, and i was only given 30 days of car rental. I continued paying for my car even though i wasn't driving it. I had no vehicle for 5 months. I have a full time job, and i’ve missed a lot of work. Should the insurance have paid for my... View More

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Oct 7, 2024

This is not a legal question but I will answer it as best I can from personal experience. When you purchase car insurance, car rental coverage is usually defined by duration and the amount payable per day. For example, 30 days at $50 per day. The duration is generally fixed at 30 days. The only... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Car Accidents and Traffic Tickets for Illinois on
Q: My husband caused an accident and was issued a citation for running a red light. No injuries. Court appearance required.

My husband, 28, has a clean driving record prior to this incident. He got t-boned in an intersection and was issued a citation from the reporting officer for running a red light. The officer told him, because it was a collision, that traffic court is required. Why is that?? Will it be considered... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Sep 17, 2024

An Illinois traffic ticket defense attorney should advise, but you await a response for over a week. The short answer in most places is that it shouldn't be considered reckless driving if it didn't involve speeding, a distraction, or other factors. In many instances, it would be failing... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury and Car Accidents for Illinois on
Q: What If I feel like I was wrongly accused of a accident that was partially my fault?

I was involved in a car accident where I was coming down the wrong side turning lane and I took fault for that part but in doing so he wasn't supposed to be turning without one a turning signal then he came down a turning lane stating that he was jus trying to go on on coming traffic headed... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Jul 23, 2024

If you could arrange a free initial consult with an Illinois attorney, that might be the most thorough way to sort out what happened here, between the matter of how liability was apportioned (it isn't fully clear from the brief post - if you have a police report, that would be valuable to an... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury and Car Accidents for Illinois on
Q: What If I feel like I was wrongly accused of a accident that was partially my fault?

I was involved in a car accident where I was coming down the wrong side turning lane and I took fault for that part but in doing so he wasn't supposed to be turning without one a turning signal then he came down a turning lane stating that he was jus trying to go on on coming traffic headed... View More

Gary K. Burger Jr
Gary K. Burger Jr
answered on Jul 22, 2024

Illinois has a modified comparative fault rule, which means that someone who is partially at fault can still recover compensation from the other party's insurance as long as they were 50% or less at fault (the amount they recover would be reduced by the share of fault they carry, so if they... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Car Accidents for Illinois on
Q: If i didn’t have any car insurance and the insurance of other party asking for it

I was involved in a car accident and it was my fault for not being in the correct turning lane first car and first accident i didn’t have any insurance due to stability issues but now the other party is asking me for insurance or they will take legal actions

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Jun 3, 2024

If you were at-fault, you are liable. If the other driver had full coverage, THEIR insurance will pay and you will owe them WHATEVER THEY PAY for property damage and injury. There are only 2 ways you can keep a driver's license, in ANY state. You can enter into a repayment plan that is... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury and Car Accidents for Illinois on
Q: I had an accident.I was in passenger side in Lincoln MKT town car and while airbags being deployed and it burst on face.

I think it was a issue with airbags as it bursted.

Voss Skoullos
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answered on Jun 4, 2024

Here is the best chance for a personal injury claim based off the information you shared. You were a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in a car crash. One thing is for sure, the accident likely wasnt your fault. The airbag case sounds rather weak. Instead, you probably have a claim against... View More

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