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Champaign-Urbana · Car Accident Lawyers

Champaign & Urbana Car Accident Lawyer

Fighting for justice, securing your future

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Aerial view of the Champaign-Urbana campus area in Champaign County, Illinois

If you or a family member was harmed by a car crash in Champaign or Urbana, a Champaign car accident lawyer at Mixan Mahony can review your claim at no cost. Partners Colleen Mixan Mikaitis and Mackenzie J. Mahony personally oversee every case, and there is no fee unless there is a recovery.

If you were hurt in a car crash in Champaign, Urbana, Savoy or Rantoul, you may be able to recover medical bills, lost wages and other losses from the driver who caused it. Mixan Mahony represents people injured on I-57, I-74, I-72, Prospect Avenue, Neil Street and the rural roads of Champaign County. There is no fee unless there is a recovery.

Where Crashes Happen in Champaign County

Champaign sits where three interstates meet: I-57 runs north to Chicago and south to Effingham, I-74 crosses east to west toward Danville and Bloomington, and I-72 heads west to Decatur and Springfield. In town, Prospect Avenue, Neil Street, University Avenue, Kirby Avenue and Windsor Road carry heavy traffic, especially near Market Place Mall and the north Prospect shopping district. For related cases, see our page on Champaign pedestrian injury claims.

  • Rear-end and lane-change crashes at the I-57 and I-74 interchanges
  • Left-turn and red-light crashes on Prospect Avenue and Neil Street
  • Game-day and move-in weekend traffic near Memorial Stadium and the State Farm Center
  • Crashes with farm equipment and grain trucks on rural county roads
  • Deer collisions and winter whiteout crashes on open stretches of I-57 and I-74

Crashes Involving Students and Visitors

Champaign-Urbana sees thousands of young and out-of-town drivers each year, including students, parents and visiting fans. Crashes with these drivers can involve out-of-state insurance companies and family policies. We track down every available policy, including your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under 215 ILCS 5/143a when the at-fault driver has too little insurance.

Rural Road Crashes

Outside Champaign and Urbana, two-lane county roads cross miles of farmland. Tall crops can block views at intersections, slow-moving tractors and combines share the road during planting and harvest, and drivers often travel at highway speeds. These crashes can be severe, and investigating sight lines and road conditions quickly is important.

Where a Champaign Car Accident Case Is Filed

Most Champaign County injury lawsuits are filed in the Circuit Court of Champaign County at the courthouse on East Main Street in Urbana. Crashes in neighboring counties may be filed there instead. See our Champaign and Champaign County personal injury page for more on the region.

Evidence That Strengthens Your Claim

  • The crash report from the Champaign, Urbana or Savoy police, the Champaign County Sheriff or the Illinois State Police
  • Photos of the vehicles, the scene and your injuries
  • Witness names and phone numbers
  • Business, traffic and dash camera video
  • Vehicle event data recorders and phone records when speeding or distraction is suspected

Illinois Deadlines and Fault Rules

Most Illinois injury claims must be filed within two years of the crash under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. If a city, county, township or other local public entity vehicle was involved, the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act generally requires suit within one year (745 ILCS 10/8-101). Illinois also uses modified comparative fault under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116: your damages are reduced by your share of fault, and you are barred only if you are more than 50 percent at fault.

What a Car Accident Claim Can Cover

A claim may include medical bills and future treatment, lost wages and earning ability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, loss of a normal life and vehicle damage. Interstate crashes often cause serious injuries that require treatment at Champaign-Urbana hospitals and long rehabilitation. If a crash took a loved one, the family may have a wrongful death claim.

Game Days, Move-In and Holiday Travel

Champaign traffic changes dramatically on football Saturdays, basketball nights, move-in weekend, graduation and holiday breaks. Thousands of visitors drive unfamiliar streets, park in neighborhoods and leave all at once. Impaired driving and distracted driving both rise during these events.

Crashes during these peak times may involve drivers from far away and insurers in other states. We act quickly to get police reports, camera footage and witness statements, and we identify every policy that may apply, including your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Crashes With Trucks on I-57 and I-74

The interstates through Champaign carry heavy truck traffic between Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis and the rest of the Midwest. Crashes with semis near the I-57 and I-74 interchange, in construction zones and in winter whiteouts can cause catastrophic injuries. These cases involve federal trucking rules, commercial insurance policies and evidence such as engine data and driver logs that must be preserved quickly. Learn more on our Illinois truck accident page.

Champaign County roads also see crashes involving buses, delivery vans and university vehicles. Claims involving a local public entity can have a one-year deadline under 745 ILCS 10/8-101, so prompt action is important.

If you were hurt in a crash on your way through Champaign, you do not need to live here to bring a claim. We handle cases for travelers, students and commuters from across Illinois, request records from local agencies and hospitals and keep you updated by phone, email or video so you can focus on getting better.

What to Do After a Crash in Champaign

  • Call 911 and get medical care right away
  • Get the crash report number and responding agency
  • Photograph the scene and the other driver insurance card
  • Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver insurer
  • Talk with a car accident lawyer before signing anything

Mixan Mahony meets Champaign County clients in person, by phone or by video. There is no fee unless there is a recovery.

Champaign and Urbana Car Accident FAQs

Where is a Champaign car accident case filed?

Most Champaign County cases are filed in the Circuit Court of Champaign County in Urbana. Crashes in neighboring counties may be filed there instead.

What if the driver who hit me was a student or from out of state?

You can still bring a claim. Their insurer, possibly a family policy, must respond, and your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may help if their limits are too low.

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Illinois?

Most claims must be filed within two years under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Claims involving a local government vehicle can have a one-year deadline under 745 ILCS 10/8-101.

Can I recover if I was partly at fault?

Yes, in many cases. Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, and you are barred only if you are more than 50 percent at fault.

How much does it cost to hire Mixan Mahony?

There is no fee unless there is a recovery, and the first consultation is free.

Related Pages

Mixan Mahony, LLC
River Point, 444 W. Lake St., Suite 1707, Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 262-3971 | Open 24 hours
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This page provides general information, not legal advice. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Talk With a Champaign Car Accident Lawyer

Call (312) 262-3971 any time, day or night, to speak with a Champaign car accident lawyer about what happened and what your options may be. For more background, see our Champaign County page and our Illinois car accident page.