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Michael Agruss

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

  • Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
  • Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
  • Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
  • Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.

Each year, thousands of drivers and passengers suffer serious injuries and even death in head-on auto accidents, and many of these occur when a vehicle departs from its lane and collides with an oncoming vehicle in an opposite lane. If you or a loved one has been injured in a head-on collision due to another driver’s negligence, we at Mike Agruss Law are here for you every step of the way to ensure that your rights are protected and you are fully compensated for your injuries and losses.

Head-on auto accidents still rank among the most deadly types of auto accidents for both motorists and passengers, and here are some of the most common causes:

  • Distracted driving – Distractions, especially electronic devices, can cause drivers to veer into an oncoming lane.
  • Intoxicated driving – Impairment by drugs or alcohol can cause a driver to move into a lane, briefly or not, in which traffic is coming from the opposite direction.
  • Fatigued driving – Up to 20% of serious auto accidents each year result from fatigued driving, and these include head-on accidents.
  • Reckless driving – Road rage, speeding, frequent lane-changes, and dangerous attempts to pass other drivers by moving into the oncoming lane can result in serious head-on accidents.
  • Road conditions – Poor road-maintenance, inclement weather, or unexpected debris or objects in the road can cause drivers to swerve into an oncoming lane.

Unfortunately, head-on accidents are especially severe for motorcyclists due to their physical exposure and the likelihood of being thrown from the motorcycle after colliding with a vehicle moving in the opposite direction. Motorcyclists may suffer serious injuries and even death in these accidents, so it’s especially important to seek the help of an attorney to cover not only short-term expenses and losses, but also long-term.

If your accident results in long-term injuries, or your loved one loses his/her life in an accident, you need an attorney to ensure that your compensation covers all damages for a lifetime, and not just in the near future. Without an attorney, victims who are offered an insufficient settlement by the insurance company are likely to accept it without understanding that it won’t actually cover all expenses and losses.

Here is Illinois state law as it applies to changing lanes responsibly in any motor vehicle:

(625 ILCS 5/11-709) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-709)

Sec. 11-709. Driving on roadways laned for traffic. Whenever any roadway has been divided into 2 or more clearly marked lanes for traffic the following rules in addition to all others consistent herewith shall apply.

(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.

Typically, the driver responsible for the accident is cited for a traffic violation; however, this citation is not necessary for the victim to hold the at-fault driver legally liable for the accident and resulting injuries. For victims, recovery from these accidents can be long and strenuous, and some even lose their lives: in 2010, about 10% of all traffic fatalities resulted from head-on accidents, and those who survive may require long-term treatment for serious injuries such as facial lacerations, fractures in the arms, legs, or ribs, or traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

We at Mike Agruss Law are proud to serve our fellow citizens in personal injury cases, especially when you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, and we are fully committed to protecting your rights and ensuring that the other party is held legally accountable when negligence occurs. We will fight until the very end to ensure that you are fully compensated for all injuries and losses resulting from the accident, including medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering, and you won’t owe us a dime for our services.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, you need an experienced personal injury attorney. Contact Mike Agruss Law today for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based personal injury law firm, and helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people and not the powerful, we will file your claim and take care of the insurance company, medical bills, property damage, and lost income. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you. Lastly, our personal injury lawyers are not paid attorney fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.

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