Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Godfrey, IL?
There are countless factors involved in car accidents that make each case different. For many, a car accident is a shocking event that causes no small amount of residual stress. The fact remains that any time you are injured in a car accident caused by someone else, you are entitled to financial compensation from the responsible person and their insurance company. To get the full compensation for your damages, 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 some factors necessitate legal help. It is essential that you have a car accident attorney on your side if the following applies to your case:
- Your injuries are significant
- The insurance company is lowballing you
- The other driver is uninsured or underinsured
- You need help with the insurance and legal process
- The other driver disputes liability or fault in the accident
- There are other complications to your case, such as those involving multiple parties, hit and run accident or were hit by a government vehicle
Resources to Help With Your Godfrey, 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 published books on all types of personal injury cases including car accidents, created a Youtube channel and we are always willing to answer questions.
Other Resources
View More FAQs
Why Choose Burger Law For Your Godfrey, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured by someone else's negligence, it is crucial to choose 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. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your claim.
Award-Winning 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 Godfrey, 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 look at the cases they have won, and their reputation among their clients and peers. The many awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from the Godfrey, IL legal community include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a significant achievement awarded to not more 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 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 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 our attorneys are compassionate and dedicated to helping our clients be made whole again. With more than 30 years of experience, our attorneys have the knowledge and expertise to handle even the most complex legal cases. 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; trust in us to fight the insurance company.
Customized 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 keep in constant contact so you know the status of your claim.
Commitment to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are devoted to providing the highest standard of legal advocacy. 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 Reviews and Results
A car accident attorney can say just about anything, but having a demonstrated track record of success is another matter entirely. We are among the highest-reviewed law firms, with a 4.9 rating from almost 500 reviews. You can also look at our client testimonials and case victories.
Get a free consultation with an car accident attorney in Godfrey, IL today at (314) 500-HURT, or keep reading to find out more about car accident claims and how Burger Law can help.
How is Fault Determined in Car Accident in Godfrey, 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 a responsibility to keep you from unreasonable harm. Under Illinois Law, all motorists need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with others on the road.
- Breach of duty — That they failed in their responsibility. Did they text while driving or drive drunk?
- Cause in fact — That the crash caused your injury. For example, you were rear ended and got a concussion from hitting your head on the dashboard.
- Proximate cause — That their negligence caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was following you too close, 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 bills, lost wages and emotional anguish you can make a claim for?
Liability is determined by a police officer, insurance adjuster, attorney, mediator or jury. Sometimes, 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 assign fault. While adjusters are trained to do this, their real job is to make sure their company's profits stay high by denying and minimizing claims. 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 that you are treated fairly. 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 send this information to the insurance adjuster to get them to be fair.
If the insurance company remains firm, your attorney may recommend mediation, where an unbiased attorney or judge tries to help both parties find common ground. If that fails, 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 can recover 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 share more of the blame than the other party, you cannot make a recovery in Godfrey, IL.
Serious Injuries in Godfrey, IL Car Accidents
Catastrophic injuries in car accidents have a significant impact on your daily life and future, 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 head is violently shaken or struck, causing bleeding and disrupting the brain's function. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or confusion, 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 mobility or feeling in the arms, legs or other parts of the body. In severe cases, they can lead permanent paralysis.
- Fractures — Fractures 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 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 immediately for a free consultation at (314) 500-HURT.