Why Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Harrisburg, IL?
Each car accident is different. For many, a car accident is an upsetting event that introduces sudden stress. Any time you are injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you are entitled to financial compensation from the person who caused you harm and their insurance company. However, to receive the compensation you are rightfully owed, you may require the help of 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 important 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 does not have insurance or enough insurance to cover your damages
- You need help with the insurance and legal process
- The negligent driver disputes liability or fault in the accident
- You are dealing with complex legal issues, such as those involving multiple parties, hit and run accident or were injured by a commercial vehicle
Resources to Help With Your Harrisburg, 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 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 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 Harrisburg, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are facing a legal issue, it is imperative to choose the best law firm to fight for you. Burger Law is a reputed 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 case.
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 Harrisburg, 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 many awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from our peers include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a remarkable achievement awarded to not more than 5 percent of all attorneys in the U.S.
- 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 attorneys are certified by an ABA 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 we strive to build personal relationships with our clients. With more than 30 years 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 faithfully 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 alike. 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 dedicated to excellence in everything we do. We have high ethical 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 Results
Any car accident attorney can say they know how to handle your case, but having a demonstrated track record of success is another matter entirely. We are one of the most- and best-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 Harrisburg, IL now at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to find out more about car accident claims and how Burger Law can help.
How Do You Determine Liability in Car Accident in Harrisburg, IL?
Determining liability in a car accident is the first step toward getting compensation. Fault comes down to proving the five elements of negligence:
- Duty of care — That the other driver had a responsibility to keep you safe. Under Illinois Law, all drivers owe all others on the road "due care."
- Breach of duty — That they neglected their obligation. Did they run a red light or drive drunk?
- Cause in fact — That the accident directly led to your injury. For example, you were rear ended and that gave you a whiplash injury.
- Proximate cause — That their negligence caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was tailgating, or because a manufacturer was negligent and their brakes were not working.
- Damages — That you sustained losses because of the injuries. Do you have medical bills, lost wages and emotional anguish you can make a claim for?
Fault 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 try to avoid being held accountable for what they did. 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 fault. While this is part of an adjuster's job, their real job is to save their insurance company money. 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 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 letter to the insurance company.
If the insurance company remains firm, your claim might require a mediation, where a neutral third party tries to help both parties find common ground. 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 can recover 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. 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.
Meaning, if you share more of the blame than the other party, you cannot make a recovery in Harrisburg, IL.
Catastrophic Injuries in Harrisburg, IL Car Accidents
Catastrophic injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for your life, causing long-term physical, mental and financial 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 damage to the brain. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or temporarily blurry vision, to significant, such as loss of consciousness or permanent dysfunction.
- 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 cause paraplegia or quadriplegia.
- 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 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 find justice, recognition and a financial recovery. Call us immediately to discuss your case at (314) 500-HURT.