Posted on February 26, 2026 in Pedestrian Accidents

You can sue if you were hit by a car while walking in Illinois if the driver’s negligence caused your injuries. Pedestrians have little protection, which makes these accidents especially serious.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 195 pedestrians were killed, and more than 4,300 were injured in crashes in Illinois in a recent reporting year. If you were hit by a vehicle in 2026, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim. Our Orland Park, IL pedestrian accident lawyer helps injured pedestrians understand their rights and pursue compensation so they can focus on recovery.

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 Posted on February 13, 2026 in Car Accidents

You may be able to recover compensation for permanent disabilities after a car crash if someone else’s negligence caused the accident. These claims focus on the long-term impact the injury has on your health, ability to work, and daily life.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 2.38 million people were injured in traffic accidents in 2022 alone. Serious injuries remain a major concern nationwide. If you are coping with lasting effects from a collision in 2026, understanding your legal options is an important step. Our Cook County, IL car accident lawyer helps injured individuals pursue compensation that reflects the full impact of their injuries.

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 Posted on January 29, 2026 in Wrongful Death

A wrongful death lawsuit in Illinois is meant to hold someone financially responsible when they cause the death of another. This includes paying compensation to surviving family members.

As of 2026, the majority of these cases are related to auto accidents, even though they stem from many different situations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently reported that tens of thousands of people died in traffic crashes nationwide during previous years, with a significant share of those deaths involving impaired driving.

When a fatal accident happens, families are often left asking who has the legal right to take action. Our Orland Park, IL wrongful death lawyer can help you understand the laws that apply to these cases and how they affect your family.

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 Posted on January 13, 2026 in Personal Injury

Many personal injury cases in Illinois benefit from having a lawyer involved. This is especially true when injuries require medical care or insurance companies dispute fault.

Car accidents make up a large share of personal injury claims. In a 2025 estimate, the National Safety Council reported that more than 6,500 people are injured in motor vehicle crashes every day in the United States.

As of 2026, Illinois personal injury law still requires injured people to prove fault, document losses, and meet strict filing deadlines to recover compensation. If you are unsure how to move forward, a Cook County, IL personal injury lawyer can help you decide what makes sense for your situation.

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 Posted on December 22, 2025 in Car Accidents

If you are injured in a crash with a negligent driver, you may be left with expensive damages and major losses. Filing a car accident claim against the other driver can help you get payment for your losses, but this takes a detailed investigation. For most people, returning to the scene of the crash to find evidence is not possible. This is only part of why seeing a lawyer after a crash is so important.

At the Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C., our Orland Park, IL car accident attorney can help you build a case against the driver responsible for your injuries. As a solo attorney, Jaime Barker will give your case his full attention – your case will not get passed off to a less experienced lawyer.

Do I Need Proof of My Injuries After an Accident on I-80?

Every personal injury case is only as good as the evidence behind it. After any crash — especially on a busy highway like I-80 — you need to get medical attention right away. Even if you feel only a little uncomfortable at first, hidden injuries such as whiplash or internal trauma can take hours or days to appear. A prompt medical exam creates official records that link your condition directly to the accident.

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 Posted on December 04, 2025 in Car Accidents

Getting in a car accident is stressful enough on its own, but it is made even worse to discover that the driver responsible for the crash has no insurance – an unfortunately common occurrence. However, you may still have options to get paid for your medical expenses, property damage, pain and suffering, and other losses.

At the Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C., our Cook County, IL personal injury attorney can help you explore your options to recover compensation after a crash involving a driver without insurance, whether it was a hit-and-run or not. No case is too big or small for our firm, so you can rest assured that we will thoroughly investigate your claim.

What Is an Uninsured Motorist Claim?

In Illinois, all valid auto insurance policies include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage for bodily injuries. This means that as long as you are insured in Illinois, you will always have at least one avenue to obtain compensation after an accident.

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 Posted on November 21, 2025 in Motorcycle Accidents

Auto accidents can happen virtually anywhere. Save for extreme cases, the protection of a car and airbags can protect most motorists from serious injuries. However, motorcyclists are not afforded the same degree of protection, leaving them more susceptible to catastrophic injuries. These injuries are characterized by long-term damage and debilitating aftereffects.

If you or somebody you care about has sustained a catastrophic injury in a motorcycle crash, consider working with an Orland Park, IL motorcycle accident lawyer who can fight for your right to compensation. At Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C., we provide strong advocacy for clients in need, fighting for the best possible result in every case.

Three Kinds of Catastrophic Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord plays an integral role in motor control, carrying signals from the brain to the body. As such, any damage to the spinal cord carries the risk of paralysis, such as paraplegia (loss of control of the lower body) and quadriplegia (loss of control of all four limbs and the torso).

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 Posted on November 14, 2025 in Car Accidents

Not all car accidents are black-and-white. Sometimes, one driver’s negligence may cause another motorist to make a rash decision, leading to a collision. Both parties may share the blame for the accident, but oftentimes, one party bears a majority of the blame.

If you were partially to blame for a crash, do not assume that you cannot get compensation. A Cook County, IL car accident lawyer can help you take legal action and hold the negligent driver accountable.

At the Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C., our solo attorney is always ready to advocate for your rights. We can carry out a full investigation into the accident, getting an accurate picture of liability while seeking to minimize your fault for the crash.

What Does Comparative Negligence Mean?

Every state has its own interpretation of how negligence applies to car accidents. Illinois uses a model known as modified comparative negligence to decide who should be made to pay for an accident. Under state law, you can collect payment for your damages as long as you were no more than 50 percent to blame for the crash. However, any percentage of fault you share will reduce your final payout accordingly.

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 Posted on October 22, 2025 in Truck Accidents

Commercial truck drivers have a responsibility to watch out for other drivers on the road at all times. When this responsibility is overlooked, the consequences can be devastating. If you or somebody you care about has been hurt due to the carelessness of a truck driver, an Orland Park, IL personal injury lawyer can help you pursue compensation for your losses.

At the Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C., we can investigate the cause behind a truck accident and work to hold all parties accountable, including a negligent truck driver. As a solo practitioner, Attorney Jaime Barker provides one-on-one counsel and representation to every client, prioritizing quality service in every case.

Three Examples of Truck Driver Negligence

Driving Under the Influence

Drunk driving is dangerous enough in a car, but in a truck, the risk of serious injury or death is greatly magnified. Alcohol impairs a truck driver’s reaction time and coordination, which is a major problem because trucks need additional time to react to road conditions. This can result in grisly rear-end collisions, rollovers, or jackknifes as the truck driver loses control of the vehicle.

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 Posted on October 07, 2025 in Pedestrian Accidents

Trick-or-treating is a time-honored tradition on Halloween. However, children and their parents need to exercise extra vigilance when looking out for negligent drivers. Ahead of the holiday festivities, you should know that if you or your child is injured in a pedestrian car accident, you have a right to seek compensation for your damages. A Cook County, IL personal injury attorney can assist you in filing a claim, fighting for your rights with an advanced knowledge of the law.

At the Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C., we handle a wide range of cases, and no claim is too small for us to handle. Our solo attorney can help you investigate a car accident from Halloween night and compile evidence to hold the negligent driver accountable.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents on Halloween

Even at low speeds, a vehicle striking a pedestrian can result in serious, possibly life-threatening injuries. Some of the common causes of pedestrian accidents may include:

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