Illinois Snowplow Accident Lawyers

Award-Winning Attorneys for Victims Injured by Plows on Highways and in Parking Lots

Snowplows are essential public-safety tools in Illinois. Each winter, state, county, municipal, and private contractor fleets work around the clock to keep highways, streets, and parking areas passable. But because snowplows are large, heavy, and operate in low-visibility, high-traffic, or slippery conditions, collisions and serious injuries can, and do, occur.

At John J. Malm & Associates, we are committed to standing up for individuals and families who have been injured due to negligence on Illinois roadways. With decades of experience handling complex personal injury and wrongful death cases, our attorneys have built a reputation for achieving successful outcomes in challenging cases, including those involving government vehicles, large commercial equipment, and winter-related collisions. Our top-rated Illinois snowplow accident attorneys know the unique legal hurdles posed by snowplow accidents, from governmental immunity defenses to insurance disputes, and we work relentlessly to overcome them for our clients. When winter road hazards turn your life upside down, you can trust our firm to pursue justice on your behalf with skill, compassion, and an unwavering focus on results.

“Snowplow collisions are deceptively complex, they happen in the worst driving conditions, involve heavy equipment, and often require fighting through government immunity and contractor defenses. Our job is to take those complexities off your plate and make sure your medical needs and legal rights are front and center.” — John J. Malm, Naperville snowplow accident lawyer

What the Data Tells Us About Snowplow Crashes

Nationwide, winter-weather crashes remain a significant contributor to injuries and fatalities. Federal and transportation agencies compile weather-related crash statistics that show:

• The Federal Highway Administration and related research note that over 1,300 people are killed and more than 116,800 injured annually in crashes on snowy, slushy, or icy pavements. A significant percentage of weather-related crashes occur during snowfall or sleet.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that in 2023 there were roughly 320 fatal traffic crashes and about 22,293 injury crashes occurring when snow or sleet were present at the time of the crash, underscoring the seasonal spike in winter crash risk.

Because dedicated tallies of “snowplow collisions” are not always published, attorneys and researchers often combine agency crash-data fields (weather condition, vehicle type, and accident narrative) or consult local police reports and agency incident logs to identify and quantify snowplow-specific collisions for a county or period.

How Snowplow Accidents Typically Occur

Snowplow crashes arise from a mix of environmental conditions, vehicle characteristics, and human factors:

• Low visibility and blowing snow: Snow-removal operations often occur during or immediately after snowfall, when visibility can be limited. Drivers may fail to see a plow until it’s too late to react.
• Speed differential and lane blocking: Plows move slowly compared with normal traffic flow. Drivers who do not slow down, who attempt to pass unsafely, or who follow too closely risk rear-end or sideswipe collisions.
• Road surface and vehicle control: Ice, packed snow, and slush reduce tire traction. Even careful drivers can lose control near a plow, especially if the plow creates drifting or exposes icy patches.
• Large equipment hazards: Modern snowplows, whether truck-mounted plows, dedicated plow-trailers, or heavy snowcats, weigh many tons and have wide clearing wings, increasing the severity of impact when collisions occur. High-mass vehicles are also more likely to cause catastrophic injury when they strike smaller passenger vehicles or pedestrians.

Understanding these mechanisms helps explain both why collisions with snowplows are often severe and why liability and fault can be complicated: the driver of a passenger car may be partially responsible for unsafe driving, but agencies or contractors operating plows may also be at fault for negligent driving, improper maintenance, or unsafe work practices.

Common Injuries in Snowplow Accidents

Snowplow accidents can lead to serious, sometimes catastrophic injuries because of the size, weight, and force of snow-removal vehicles. Victims may be injured not only from direct impact with a plow but also from secondary crashes caused by loss of vehicle control, snow displacement, or sudden lane changes.

Here are some of the most common injuries seen in snowplow-related crashes:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Concussions, skull fractures, and severe TBIs often result from head trauma during high-impact collisions or rollovers on icy roads.
• Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis: Rear-end or side-impact collisions with a snowplow can lead to serious back, neck, and spinal cord trauma, potentially resulting in partial or full paralysis.
• Fractures and Crushing Injuries: The weight and design of snowplows make crushing injuries particularly severe. Victims may suffer broken limbs, crushed extremities, or pelvic fractures.
• Internal Injuries: Blunt-force trauma to the chest or abdomen can cause internal bleeding or damage to organs such as the lungs, liver, or spleen, injuries that may not be immediately obvious at the crash scene.
• Soft Tissue and Whiplash Injuries: Even less severe crashes can lead to whiplash, torn ligaments, and long-term soft tissue conditions that require extensive therapy and disrupt daily life.
• Wrongful Death: Due to the sheer mass of snowplows, fatal injuries may occur when pedestrians, cyclists, or occupants of smaller vehicles are struck. Surviving families may have grounds for a wrongful death claim if negligence or misconduct was involved.

These injuries can lead to long-term medical care, lost income, and ongoing pain and suffering, which is why pursuing fair compensation quickly and strategically is so important.

Who Can Be Liable in a Snowplow Accident in Illinois?

Liability depends on who owned and operated the plow, what the operator did (or failed to do), and the conduct of other drivers:

• Municipalities, counties, and the State (public entities): Many snowplows are operated by public agencies (city public works, county highway departments, IDOT, the Illinois Tollway). Suing a government entity in Illinois raises special issues: sovereign immunity, notice-of-claim requirements, and statutory limits can all apply. Illinois has statutes and legal doctrines that protect public entities in certain snow- and ice-removal contexts, but these protections are not absolute. Courts look to operational decisions, negligence, and whether an agency acted unreasonably under the circumstances.
• Private contractors: Many jurisdictions hire private companies to perform winter maintenance. If a contractor’s employee negligently operates a plow, the contractor (and sometimes the hiring public body) can be liable. Contracting does not automatically shield a municipality from liability for negligent oversight or negligent road design/maintenance.
• Snowplow drivers: A plow operator’s careless conduct, such as speeding, distracted driving, failing to use lights or flagging when required, or improper use of wing blades may create individual liability, and the operator’s employer (public or private) can be vicariously liable.
• Other drivers: In multi-vehicle crashes, fault is often shared. A passenger car driver who tailgates, fails to yield, or attempts a dangerous pass may bear some or all responsibility.

Plaintiffs must investigate operator training records, vehicle maintenance logs, GPS and dash-cam footage, dispatch schedules, and weather reports to build a case. For claims against public agencies, strict compliance with notice and filing deadlines is essential.

Common Legal Hurdles in Snowplow Accident Claims

• Sovereign immunity and notice requirements: Suits against cities, counties, or the state require timely notice under Illinois law (for example, the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act and statutory notice-of-claim rules). Failing to comply can bar a claim. However, immunity is not blanket: courts examine whether the agency acted unreasonably or failed to follow its own snow-removal plan.
• Comparative fault: Illinois follows modified comparative negligence rules. If a plaintiff is found more than 50% at fault, recovery may be barred, if less than 50% at fault, damages are reduced proportionally. That makes careful evidence-gathering about the plow driver’s conduct, road conditions, and warnings especially important.
• Proving negligence during weather operations: Agencies and contractors often defend by pointing to hazardous weather conditions and asserting that the risks were inherent to winter operations. Plaintiffs must show the operator’s conduct fell below reasonable standards (improper lane placement, lack of required lights, drowsy driving, or failure to warn of an obstruction).

What To Do Immediately After a Snowplow Accident

If you are involved in a collision with (or caused by) a snowplow, these steps protect your safety and a potential claim:

• Seek medical attention immediately, even if symptoms seem minor (head injuries and internal injuries can appear later).
• Call police and obtain an accident report. Ask for the responding officer’s name and report number.
• Photograph the scene: vehicles, road surface conditions (ice, packed snow), skid marks, plow damage, signage, and weather/visibility.
• Collect witness information and contact details for the plow operator and fleet. If the plow is municipal or contracted, note the agency name and vehicle markings.
• Preserve evidence: keep medical records, repair estimates, and communications with insurers. If dash-cam or phone video exists, save the original files.
• Contact an Illinois snowplow accident attorney experienced in winter-weather and governmental/municipal claims, especially before you give recorded statements to insurance companies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Snowplow Accidents

Q: Are snowplow drivers allowed to stop in lanes and divert traffic?
A: Yes, operators sometimes stop to clear a hazard, perform maintenance, or assist emergency closures. But if such stopping is negligent (no warning, inadequate lights, or sudden stops without cause), the operator and employer can be liable. Document the scene and seek counsel right away.

Q: Can I sue the city, or do I have to sue the driver?
A: Often, both. Many plow drivers are municipal employees; suing the governmental employer is common. Remember to follow Illinois notice-of-claim rules and deadlines if the responsible party is a public entity. Missing notice windows can be fatal to a claim.

Q: Do private contractors face the same immunity defenses?
A: Not typically. Private contractors are generally subject to ordinary negligence law. Liability depends on their conduct and the terms of their contract. However, the public agency that hired the contractor may still face liability if it was negligent in oversight.

Q: How long will it take to settle a snowplow accident claim?
A: It depends on injury severity, liability complexity, and whether a public entity is involved. Cases involving municipalities or complex fault allocations often take longer because of notice requirements, discovery of maintenance and training records, and possible litigation. Early investigation and counsel can shorten delays.

How John J. Malm & Associates Can Help After a Snowplow Accident

Snowplow collisions raise a unique mix of technical, factual, and procedural issues: reconstruction of the crash in snowy conditions, access to governmental maintenance and training records, and strict procedural rules for claims against public entities. At John J. Malm & Associates, we gather the evidence that matters: police reports, vehicle telematics, plow dispatch records, maintenance logs, weather data, and witness statements and we use those facts to build claims against negligent drivers, contractors, or public agencies. We also ensure compliance with notice-of-claim deadlines and handle negotiations with insurers or government legal departments so that you can focus on recovery.

Contact the Trusted Illinois Snowplow Accident Lawyers at John J. Malm & Associates

Snowplow accidents are unlike typical vehicle collisions, they often involve government agencies, specialized equipment, and complicated crash scenes made worse by winter weather. If you or a loved one has been injured in a snowplow-related crash in Illinois, you don’t have to face the medical bills, legal battles, and insurance delays alone.

At John J. Malm & Associates, Our Illinois snowplow accident attorneys understand how high the stakes are in these cases, and we are ready to stand by your side from start to finish. Our experienced team will investigate the crash, identify all liable parties, and fight aggressively to secure full and fair compensation for your injuries.

Don’t let winter road conditions or bureaucratic red tape keep you from getting the justice you deserve. Contact our office today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Let us help you navigate the legal process and get your life back on track.