Why Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Hanover Park, IL?
Everyone who has been injured in a car accident has a unique experience. For many, a car accident is a shocking event that introduces sudden pressure. Regardless of the specifics, when you are injured 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 crucial that you have a car accident attorney to fight for your in the following situations:
- Your injuries are significant
- 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 negligent driver or their insurance company is blaming you for your injuries
- There are other complications to your case, such as being in a multi-car accident, hit and run accident or were injured by a government vehicle
Resources for Your Hanover Park, IL Car Accident Claim
At Burger Law, we believe that our role as your personal injury law firm is more than simply arguing your case and negotiating with the insurance company; we have also taken it upon ourselves to offer free materials and resources to people injured in car accidents to to help them through their injury claims. Burger Law has published books on car accident and personal injury cases, created a Youtube channel and we are always willing to answer questions.
Other Resources
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your Hanover Park, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured through no fault of your own, it is crucial to pick the right 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 30 years. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your case.
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 Hanover Park, 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 numerous awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from our peers include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a notable achievement awarded to less than 5 percent of all lawyers 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 ABA accredited certification board.
Empathetic and Experienced 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. After having fought for over 30 years, 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 focus on healing; trust in us to stand up to the insurance company.
Customized Approach
At Burger Law, we know that no two clients or cases are the same. 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.
Dedication to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are committed to providing the highest standard of legal advocacy. We have high ethical expectations for ourselves and the insurance adjusters we stand up to. We leave no stone unturned when we investigate cases and search for insurance coverage.
Our Ratings and Results
Any car accident attorney can say they know how to handle your case, but proving they are qualified 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 check out our client testimonials and case results.
Discuss your case for free with an car accident attorney in Hanover Park, IL today at (314) 500-HURT, or keep reading to find out more about pursuing compensation in a car accident and what Burger Law can do for you.
How is Fault Determined in Car Accident in Hanover Park, IL?
Assigning liability in a car wreck 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 safe. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, all motorists need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with pedestrians, bicyclist and other vehicles.
- 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 wreck caused your injury. For example, you were t-boned and broke your arm.
- Proximate cause — That their negligence caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was distracted, or because a mechanic was negligent and the other driver has faulty brakes.
- Damages — That you sustained losses because of the injuries. Do you have medical bills, lost wages and emotional distress 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 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 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 patently untrue.
In those cases, you need to hire a car accident attorney to ensure that you are treated fairly. The attorney will obtain 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 compile a settlement demand package to the insurance adjuster.
If the insurance company remains firm, your attorney may seek 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, 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 your damages total $100,000 but you share 30 percent of the blame for your accident, you can recover $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 over half to blame for the accident, you cannot make a recovery in Hanover Park, IL.
Serious Injuries in Hanover Park, IL Car Accidents
Serious injuries in car accidents have a significant impact on your daily life and future, causing long-term physical, mental 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 damage to the brain. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or loss of balance, to severe, such as loss of consciousness or permanent disability.
- 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 cause permanent paralysis.
- Fractures — 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 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 disfigurement.
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 immediately for a free consultation at (314) 500-HURT.