Why Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Campton Hills, IL?
Everyone who has been injured in a car accident has a unique experience. For many, a car accident is a shocking event that causes no small amount of residual stress. Regardless of the specifics, when you are hurt in a car accident caused by someone else, you are entitled to compensation from the responsible person and their insurance company. To get the full compensation for your damages, you will often need 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 factors that call for legal representation. It is essential that you have a car accident attorney to fight for your if the following applies to your case:
- You sustained serious injuries in a car accident
- The insurance company is not offering a fair settlement
- The other driver does not have insurance or enough insurance to cover your damages
- You need help with the insurance and legal process
- The other driver or their insurance company is blaming you for your injuries
- There are other complications to your case, such as those involving multiple parties, hit and run accident or were injured by a commercial vehicle
Resources for Your Campton Hills, IL Car Accident Claim
Our philosophy at Burger Law is that, as your personal injury law firm, our responsibility extends beyond presenting your case and negotiating with the insurance company; we have also taken it upon ourselves to provide 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 car accident and personal injury cases, is active on our Youtube channel and we are always willing to answer questions.
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your Campton Hills, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are facing a legal issue, it is crucial to pick the best law firm to fight for you. Burger Law is highly respected 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.
Recognized Leaders in Car Accident Claims
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 Campton Hills, IL legal community and knows how to get results. In order to gauge the abilities of an injury law firm, you need to look at their previous victories, and their reputation among their clients and peers. The numerous awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from the Campton Hills, IL legal community include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a remarkable 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. Less 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 that being injured through another's negligence is stressful and overwhelming. That is why our attorneys are compassionate and dedicated to helping our clients be made whole again. With more than three decades of experience, our attorneys are willing to take on the tough cases other law firms are not. We are devoted to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, and we work tirelessly to ensure that their rights are protected. You need to focus on healing; let us fight the insurance company.
Personalized Approach
At Burger Law, we know that no two clients or cases are the same. That is why we treat each claim individually. Our attorneys explain the legal process to you and keep in constant contact so you know the status of your claim.
Commitment to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are dedicated to excellence in everything we do. We have high ethical expectations for ourselves and the insurance adjusters we stand up to. We pursue every legal 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 one of 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 Campton Hills, IL today at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to discover more about seeking compensation in a car accident and what Burger Law can do for you.
How is Fault Determined in Car Accident in Campton Hills, IL?
Assigning liability in a car accident is the first step toward collecting damages. Liability comes down to proving 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 drivers need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with pedestrians, bicyclist and other vehicles.
- Breach of duty — That they neglected their obligation. Did they text while driving or drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- Cause in fact — That the wreck directly led to your injury. For example, you were rear ended and that gave you a whiplash injury.
- Proximate cause — That their failure caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was looking at their phone, or because a manufacturer was negligent and their brakes were not working.
- Damages — That you sustained harm because of the injuries. Do you have medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering you can make a claim for?
Fault is determined by a police officer, insurance adjuster, attorney, mediator or jury. Sometimes, the negligent driver will admit fault, but too often irresponsible 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 fault. While this is part of an adjuster's job, their real job is to save their insurance company money. That means they may say they do not owe you a recovery, even if that is demonstrably false.
In those cases, you need to hire a car accident attorney to ensure you get the compensation you are owed. The attorney will acquire more evidence, take depositions of all parties involved, and hire crash experts to interpret photographs and the damage to both vehicles to show how the accident 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 helps analyze the evidence and determine fault. If that fails, your car accident attorney can take your claim to trial 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 will be compensated for the percentage of the accident that is not your fault.
Meaning, if your damages total $100,000 but you share 30 percent of the fault for your accident, you will receive $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 share more of the blame than the other party, you cannot make a recovery in Campton Hills, IL.
Devastating Injuries in Campton Hills, IL Car Accidents
Catastrophic injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for your life, leading to long-term physical, emotional and economic consequences. Some common examples of serious injuries in car accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — This can occur when the the brain twists inside of the skull, causing bleeding and disrupting the brain's function. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or temporarily blurry vision, to severe, such as loss of consciousness or lifelong cognitive impairment.
- 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 the worst case scenario, they can cause permanent paralysis.
- Broken bones — Fractures can often heal well, but cause months or years of pain and discomfort.
- Internal injuries — These can include damage to the internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, liver and others, and require immediate medical attention in order not to be fatal.
- 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 turn your life upside down. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can find justice, recognition and a financial recovery. Call us immediately to discuss your case at (314) 500-HURT.