Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Altona, IL?
There are countless factors involved in car accidents that make each case different. For many, a car accident is a jarring event that introduces sudden stress. Regardless of the specifics, when you are hurt in a car accident caused by someone else, you are entitled to financial compensation from the person who caused you harm and their insurance company. To get the full compensation for your damages, you may require the help of a good car accident attorney to fight for you.
While some minor car accidents can be resolved successfully without the use of an auto accident attorney, there are certain situations that call for legal representation. It is crucial that you have a car accident attorney to fight on your behalf in the following situations:
- Your injuries are severe
- The insurance company's offer does not come close to fairly compensating you
- The other driver is uninsured or underinsured
- You are unsure of the legal procedures and rights following a car accident
- The other driver disputes liability or fault in the accident
- You are dealing with complex legal issues, such as those involving multiple parties, hit and run accident or were hit by a commercial vehicle
Resources to Help With Your Altona, IL Car Accident Claim
Our philosophy at Burger Law is that, as your personal injury law firm, our responsibility is more than simply arguing your case and communicating with the insurance company; we believe it is also important to offer free education and resources to people injured in car accidents to to help them make the most of their injury claims. Our team has written books on all types of personal injury cases including car accidents, is active on our Youtube channel and we are always willing to answer questions.
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your Altona, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are facing a legal issue, it is important to pick the best law firm to represent you. Burger Law is a reputed and experienced law firm that has been fiercely fighting for the injured for more than three decades. Below are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your legal needs.
Award-Winning Attorneys That Deliver
It can be hard to know how to choose the best personal injury lawyer for you. You want someone who has won your type of case before and who you know will not back down from a fight. In order to gauge the abilities of an injury law firm, you need to take into account the cases they have won, and their reputation among their clients and peers. The many awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from other attorneys include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a significant achievement awarded to less than 5 percent of all lawyers nationwide
- Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Honor — Members of the Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an honor only given to 1 percent of attorneys in the United States.
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers Honor — Selected to the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only honor that is made up of the most qualified lawyers in each state.
- Board Certified By the National Board of Trial Advocacy — Board certified in Civil Trial Advocacy and Civil Pretrial Practice Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Less than 4 percent of all practicing lawyers are certified by an ABA accredited certification board.
Understanding and Knowledgeable Attorneys
At Burger Law, we know that being injured through another's negligence is stressful and overwhelming. That is why we have a client-centered approach. With over 30 years of experience, our attorneys are willing to take on the tough cases other law firms are not. We are devoted to helping our clients recovery both physically and financially, and we work relentlessly to ensure they do. You need to focus on healing; let us stand up to the insurance company.
Personalized Approach
At Burger Law, we know that no two clients or cases are the same. That is why we customize our legal strategies to meet the specific needs of each client. Our attorneys explain the legal process to you and always keep you up-to-date on the status of your claim.
Dedication to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are committed to excellence in everything we do. We have high moral expectations for ourselves and the insurance adjusters we stand up to. We pursue every legal avenue to get you the compensation you deserve.
Our Reviews and Results
A car accident attorney can say just about anything, but proving they are qualified is another matter entirely. We are among the highest-reviewed law firms, with a 4.9 rating from over 480 reviews. You can also look at our client testimonials and case victories.
Discuss your case for free with an car accident attorney in Altona, IL immediately at (314) 500-HURT, or keep reading to learn more about seeking compensation in a car accident and what Burger Law can do for you.
How Do You Determine Liability in Car Accident in Altona, IL?
Assigning fault in a car accident is the first step toward collecting damages. To do that, you and your car accident attorney must prove the five elements of negligence:
- Duty of care — That the other driver had an obligation to keep you from unreasonable harm. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, all motorists owe all others on the road "due care."
- Breach of duty — That they neglected their responsibility. Did they run a red light or drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- Cause in fact — That the crash directly led to your injury. For example, you were rear ended and that gave you a whiplash injury.
- Proximate cause — That the breach of duty caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was speeding, or because a mechanic was negligent and their brakes were not working.
- Damages — That you sustained losses because of the injuries. Do you have medical expenses, lost wages and emotional distress you can make a claim for?
Fault is determined by a police officer, insurance adjuster, attorney, mediator or jury. In some cases, the other driver will admit fault, but too often reckless people try to avoid taking responsibility for what they did. After an accident, police officers will evaluate the accident scene and speak to both parties to help make their report. Then, insurance adjusters will evaluate the police report and other evidence to determine blame. While this is part of an adjuster's job, their primary goal is to pay out as little money as possible. That means they may say they do not have to compensate you, even if that is demonstrably untrue.
In those cases, you need to hire a car accident attorney to ensure that you are treated fairly. The attorney will launch a full investigation into the accident, take depositions of both drivers and eyewitnesses, and hire crash experts to determine how the accident likely occurred. Then they will send this information to the insurance adjuster to get them to be fair.
If the insurance company refuses to be fair, your claim might require a mediation, where an unbiased attorney or judge tries to help both parties come to a fair settlement. If that fails, your car accident attorney can file a lawsuit in civil court and take your claim in front of a judge and jury.
The Illinois Comparative Negligence Rule
In many states, including Illinois, adjusters, lawyers and juries can apply the comparative negligence or comparative fault rule to personal injury claims. In comparative fault, you will be compensated for the portion of the fault you do not share.
Meaning, if a jury awards you $100,000 in damages, but finds that you share 30 percent of the blame for your injury, you will receive $70,000. Keep in mind that 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 states that:
The plaintiff shall be barred from recovering damages if the trier of fact finds that the contributory fault on the part of the plaintiff is more than 50 percent of the proximate cause of the injury or damage for which recovery is sought.
That means that if you are more than half to blame for the accident, you will not be able to recover any compensation in Altona, IL.
Serious Injuries in Altona, IL Car Accidents
Serious injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for your life, causing long-term physical, mental and financial consequences. Some injuries we have helped people get compensation for are:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — This can occur when the head is violently shaken or struck, causing damage to the brain. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or temporarily blurry vision, to significant, such as loss of consciousness or permanent disability.
- Spinal cord injuries — These can occur when the spinal cord is damaged, resulting in loss of mobility or sensation in the arms, legs or other parts of the body. In severe cases, they can cause permanent paralysis.
- Fractures — Broken bones can occur in any part of the body in a car accident, leading to severe pain and long-term disability.
- Internal injuries — These can include bleeding or other injuries to the internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, liver and others, and can be life-threatening if not promptly treated.
- Burns — Burns can occur from the ignition of fuel or from contact with hot surfaces, such as a vehicle's engine or exhaust system. They can cause significant pain and scarring.
At Burger Law, we know how serious injuries can completely change your life in an instant. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can be made whole again. Call us now to discuss your case at (314) 500-HURT.