Joliet Truck Accident Lawyer

If you or a family member was harmed by a truck crash on I-80, I-55 or another Joliet-area route, a Joliet truck 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 a semi or delivery truck hit you in Joliet or anywhere in Will County, you may have claims against the driver, the trucking company and other businesses behind the load. Mixan Mahony helps people hurt in truck crashes on I-80, I-55, I-355 and the warehouse roads around Joliet and Elwood. There is no fee unless there is a recovery.

Why Joliet Sees So Many Truck Crashes
Who May Be Responsible
Evidence That Disappears Fast
Where a Joliet Truck Case Is Filed
Illinois Deadlines and Fault Rules
What a Claim Can Cover
What to Do After a Truck Crash
How Mixan Mahony Builds a Will County Truck Case
FAQs

Why Joliet Sees So Many Truck Crashes

Joliet sits at one of the busiest freight crossroads in the country. Interstate 80 and Interstate 55 meet here, I-355 feeds traffic from the north, and US-30, IL-53 and Houbolt Road carry trucks between the highways and the warehouses. The intermodal yards in Joliet and Elwood move containers between rail and road around the clock, so tractor-trailers share the road with commuters at every hour.

The same crash patterns come up again and again in Will County:

Rear-end crashes in slowdowns on I-80 near the Des Plaines River bridge and in long-running construction zones
Unsafe lane changes and blind-spot crashes on I-55 between Bolingbrook and Channahon
Wide right turns and left turns at warehouse driveways along Laraway Road, Arsenal Road and Route 53
Jackknife and rollover crashes on icy ramps in winter
Crashes caused by overweight or badly secured loads leaving the intermodal yards

Who May Be Responsible for a Joliet Truck Crash

A truck crash claim often reaches well beyond the driver. Depending on the facts, responsible parties can include:

The truck driver, for speeding, distraction, fatigue or impairment
The motor carrier, for hiring, training, supervision and pushing drivers past federal hours-of-service limits
A freight broker that chose an unsafe carrier (see our freight broker liability page)
The shipper or loader, when an overloaded or shifting load caused the crash
A maintenance shop or parts maker, for brake, tire or lighting failures
Retail and delivery networks, such as the contractors who run Amazon delivery routes

Identifying every party matters because commercial carriers usually carry much higher insurance limits than ordinary drivers, and more than one policy may apply.

Evidence That Disappears Fast

Trucking companies send their own investigators quickly. Key evidence can be overwritten or lost within days or weeks unless someone demands that it be kept. That evidence includes:

Engine control module data showing speed, braking and throttle
Electronic logging device records of driving hours
Forward and driver-facing dash camera video
Dispatch messages, delivery schedules and GPS data
Inspection, repair and driver qualification files
Traffic and business camera footage near the crash scene

Our lawyers send preservation letters early so the carrier cannot claim the records were routinely deleted.

Where a Joliet Truck Case Is Filed

Many truck crash lawsuits from Joliet, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Channahon and Elwood are filed in the Circuit Court of Will County, which sits at the courthouse on West Jefferson Street in downtown Joliet. Some cases belong in Cook County or in federal court in Chicago, depending on where the carrier is based and where the parties live. Choosing the right court early affects timing, jury pools and strategy. See our Joliet and Will County personal injury page for more on local courts.

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 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. Trucking insurers know these rules well and often argue the other driver caused the crash.

What a Truck Accident Claim Can Cover

Truck crashes cause some of the most serious injuries on Will County roads, including brain injuries, spinal cord damage, amputations and crush injuries. A claim may include medical bills and future care, lost wages and lost earning ability, pain and suffering, disfigurement, loss of a normal life, and property damage. When a crash takes a life, the family may bring a wrongful death claim.

What to Do After a Truck Crash in Joliet

Call 911 and get medical care right away
Photograph the truck, its DOT number, the trailer and the scene
Get names and numbers for witnesses
Keep your medical records, bills and missed-work notes
Do not sign anything or give a recorded statement to the carrier
Contact a truck accident lawyer quickly so evidence can be preserved

How Mixan Mahony Builds a Will County Truck Case

Trucking companies and their insurers start building a defense the day of the crash. Our job is to move just as fast for you. In a typical Joliet truck case, our lawyers: For related cases, see our page on I-55 truck crashes in Romeoville and Bolingbrook.

Send preservation letters to the carrier, the broker and nearby businesses before data and video are erased
Pull the carrier safety history, inspection results and crash records kept by federal regulators
Download engine and logging device data and compare driving hours against federal limits
Visit the crash site, whether it is an I-80 work zone, an I-55 ramp or a warehouse entrance on Route 53
Work with accident reconstruction engineers and expert witnesses when the facts call for them
Document your medical care, future treatment needs and lost income

Many trucks involved in Will County crashes are based at the distribution centers in Joliet, Romeoville, Bolingbrook and Elwood, so the company records and the people who know what happened are often close by. When the insurer will not make a fair offer, we are prepared to file suit and take the case to court. Through it all, you pay no fee unless there is a recovery.

Joliet Truck Accident FAQs

How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Illinois?

Most Illinois personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the crash under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Claims against a local government or its employees can have a one-year deadline. Waiting can also mean losing truck data and video.

Where would my Joliet truck accident case be filed?

Many Will County truck cases are filed in the Circuit Court of Will County at the courthouse in downtown Joliet. Depending on where the trucking company is based, a case may also belong in Cook County or federal court in Chicago.

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, but you are barred only if you are more than 50 percent responsible.

Should I talk to the trucking company insurer?

You do not have to give the trucking company insurer a recorded statement. Adjusters work for the carrier, and early statements are often used to shift blame. Speak with a lawyer first.

How much does it cost to hire Mixan Mahony?

There is no fee unless there is a recovery. The first conversation is free, and we can meet you in Joliet, at our Chicago office or by phone.

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 Joliet Truck Accident Lawyer

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