Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Crystal Lake, 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. Any time you are injured in a car accident caused by someone else, you deserve financial compensation from the responsible person and their insurance company. To get the full compensation for your damages, you may require the help of 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 some factors necessitate legal help. 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 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
- 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 Crystal Lake, IL Car Accident Claim
At Burger Law, we believe that our role as your personal injury law firm extends beyond presenting your case and communicating 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. Burger Law has published books on car accident and personal injury cases, is active on our Youtube channel and is always available to answer questions.
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your Crystal Lake, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are facing a legal issue, it is essential to choose the right law firm to represent you. Burger Law is highly respected and experienced law firm that has been fiercely fighting for the injured for more than 30 years. Here 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 Crystal Lake, IL legal community and knows how to get results. In order to have a good understanding of the abilities of a 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 the Crystal Lake, IL legal community include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a notable achievement awarded to not more than 5 percent of all attorneys in the country
- 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 comprised 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 attorneys are certified by an ABA accredited certification board.
Understanding and Experienced Attorneys
At Burger Law, we know that being injured through another's negligence is stressful and overwhelming. That is why we strive to build personal relationships with our clients. With more than three decades of experience, our attorneys are willing to take on the tough cases other law firms are not. We are dedicated to helping our clients recovery both physically and financially, and we work relentlessly to ensure they do. You need to spend your time 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 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 how your case is going.
Commitment to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are devoted to providing the highest standard of legal advocacy. We have high ethical standards for the way we handle cases and the way we treat our clients. 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 proving they are qualified is another matter entirely. We are among the highest-reviewed law firms, with a 4.9 rating from almost 500 reviews. You can also check out our client testimonials and case victories.
Get a free consultation with an car accident attorney in Crystal Lake, IL immediately at (314) 500-HURT, or keep reading to learn more about car accident claims and what Burger Law can do for you.
How Do You Determine Liability in Car Accident in Crystal Lake, IL?
Assigning liability 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 a responsibility to keep you safe. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, all drivers need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with others on the road.
- Breach of duty — That they neglected their responsibility. Did they run a red light or drive drunk?
- Cause in fact — That the accident directly led to your injury. For example, you were t-boned and broke your arm.
- Proximate cause — That their failure 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 harm because of the injuries. Do you have medical bills, lost wages and emotional distress you can make a claim for?
Liability can be determined through a number of factors. In some cases, the other driver will admit that they are to blame, but too often negligent drivers deny they did anything wrong. After an accident, police officers will write a report explaining what they believe happened. Then, insurance adjusters will analyze 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 deny that it was the other driver's fault, even if that is patently untrue.
In those cases, you need to hire a car accident attorney to ensure you get the compensation you are owed. The attorney will gather more evidence, take depositions of all parties involved, and hire crash experts to determine how the accident likely occurred. Then they will compile a settlement demand package to the insurance adjuster.
If the insurance company remains firm, your attorney may recommend mediation, where a neutral third party tries to help both parties come to a fair settlement. If they will not be fair in negotiations, your car accident attorney can take your claim to trial, present the evidence to a jury and convince them the other driver was at fault.
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 a jury awards you $100,000 in damages, but finds that you share 30 percent of the fault for your injury, 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.
Meaning, if you share more of the blame than the other party, you cannot make a recovery in Crystal Lake, IL.
Serious Injuries in Crystal Lake, IL Car Accidents
Catastrophic injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for your life, causing long-term physical, emotional and economic 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 bleeding and disrupting the brain's function. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or dizziness, to severe, such as loss of consciousness or lifelong dysfunction.
- Spinal cord injuries — These can occur when the spinal cord is damaged, resulting in loss of movement or feeling in the arms, legs or other parts of the body. In the worst case scenario, 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 prompt 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 scarring.
At Burger Law, we know how serious injuries can completely upend your life. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can be made whole again. Call us now for a free consultation at (314) 500-HURT.