Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Calumet City, IL?
Each car accident is different. For many, a car accident is a jarring event that leaves your head spinning. Any time you are injured in a car accident caused by someone else, you are entitled to compensation from the responsible person and their insurance company. However, to receive the compensation you are rightfully owed, you may need a good car accident attorney to pursue your claim.
Sometimes you can resolve a minor car accident in a way that is favorable for all parties without involving car accident attorneys. However there are certain factors that call for legal representation. It is essential that you have a car accident attorney to fight on your behalf if the following applies to your case:
- You sustained serious injuries in a car accident
- The insurance company's offer does not come close to fairly compensating you
- The other driver is uninsured or underinsured
- You need help with the insurance and legal process
- The negligent driver disputes liability or fault in the accident
- There are other complications to your case, such as being in a multi-vehicle accident, hit and run accident or were injured by a government vehicle
Resources for Your Calumet City, IL Car Accident Claim
Our philosophy at Burger Law is that, as your personal injury law firm, our responsibility extends beyond arguing your case and communicating with the insurance company; we believe it is also important to provide free materials and resources to people injured in car accidents to to help them through their injury claims. Burger Law has published books on all types of personal injury cases including car accidents, is active on our Youtube channel and is always available to answer questions.
Other Resources
View More FAQs
Why Choose Burger Law For Your Calumet City, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are facing a legal issue, it is essential to pick the best law firm to fight for you. Burger Law is a well-respected and experienced law firm that has been fiercely fighting for the injured for more than 30 years. Below are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your claim.
Acclaimed Attorneys Know How to Win
To ensure you get full compensation, you need to put your case in the capable hands of a car accident attorney who has earned the respect of the Calumet City, IL legal community and knows how to get results. 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 numerous 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 attorneys in the United States
- 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 award that is made up of the most qualified attorneys 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. Fewer than 4 percent of all practicing lawyers are certified by an American Bar Association accredited certification board.
Empathetic and Knowledgeable Attorneys
At Burger Law, we know the terrible financial, physical and emotional burdens an injury can cause. That is why our attorneys are compassionate and dedicated to helping our clients be made whole again. With over three decades of experience, our attorneys are willing to take on the tough cases other law firms are not. We are committed to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, and we work faithfully to ensure that their rights are protected. You need to spend your energy on healing; trust in us to take on the insurance company.
Personalized Approach
At Burger Law, we know that every client and every case is unique. That is why we take a personalized approach to each case. Our attorneys explain the legal process to you and always keep you up-to-date on how your case is going.
Dedication to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are devoted to providing the highest standard of legal advocacy. We have high moral standards for the way we handle cases and the way we treat our clients. We pursue every possible avenue to get you the compensation you deserve.
Our Ratings and Victories
Any car accident attorney can say they will fight for you, but having a demonstrated track record of success is another matter entirely. We are among the most- and best-reviewed law firms, with a 4.9 rating from almost 500 reviews. You can also look at our client testimonials and case results.
Get a free consultation with an car accident attorney in Calumet City, IL today at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to find out more about car accident claims and what Burger Law can do for you.
How Do You Determine Liability in Car Accident in Calumet City, IL?
Determining liability in a car crash is the first step toward getting compensation. To do that, you and your car accident attorney must prove the five elements of negligence:
- Duty of care — That the other driver had a responsibility to keep you safe. Under Illinois Law, all motorists need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with pedestrians, bicyclist and other vehicles.
- Breach of duty — That they failed in their obligation. Did they run a red light or drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- Cause in fact — That the wreck directly led to your injury. For example, you were t-boned and broke your arm.
- Proximate cause — That the breach of duty caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was speeding, or because a manufacturer was negligent and their brakes were not working.
- Damages — That you sustained harm because of your 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 that they are to blame, but too often reckless people deny they did anything wrong. After an accident, police officers will write a report explaining what they believe happened. Then, insurance adjusters will review the police report and other evidence to assign blame. While adjusters are trained to do this, their primary goal is to make sure their company's profits stay high by denying and minimizing claims. That means they may deny that it was the other driver's fault, even if that is demonstrably false.
When that happens, you need to hire a car accident attorney to ensure that you are treated fairly. The attorney will investigate the case further, take depositions of all parties involved, and hire crash experts to evaluate how the accident likely occurred. Then they will compile a settlement demand package to the insurance company.
If the insurance company remains firm, your claim might require a mediation, where an unbiased attorney or judge tries to help both parties find common ground. If they will not be fair in negotiations, your car accident attorney can file a lawsuit in civil court and take your claim to trial.
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 can recover for the percentage of the accident that is not your fault.
Meaning, if a jury awards you $100,000 in damages, but finds that you share 30 percent of the fault for your accident, you can recover $70,000. It is important to note 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 Calumet City, IL.
Serious Injuries in Calumet City, IL Car Accidents
Devastating injuries in car accidents have a significant impact on 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 the brain twists inside of the skull, causing damage to the brain. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or temporarily blurry vision, to grave, such as loss of consciousness or permanent cognitive impairment.
- Spinal cord injuries — These can occur when the spinal cord is damaged, resulting in loss of movement or sensation in the arms, legs or other parts of the body. In severe cases, they can lead paraplegia or quadriplegia.
- Fractures — Broken bones can often heal well, but cause months or years of pain and discomfort.
- Internal injuries — These can include bleeding or other injuries to the internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, liver and others, and require immediate medical attention in order not to be deadly.
- 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 disfigurement.
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 today to discuss your case at (314) 500-HURT.