Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Kane County, 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. The fact remains that any time you are injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you deserve compensation from the responsible person 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 pursue your claim.
While some minor car accidents can be resolved successfully without the use of an auto accident attorney, some factors necessitate legal help. It is vital that you have a car accident attorney to fight on your behalf in the following situations:
- You sustained serious injuries in a car accident
- The insurance company is lowballing 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 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 injured by a government vehicle
Resources to Help With Your Kane County, IL Car Accident Claim
At Burger Law, we believe that our role as your personal injury law firm is more than simply presenting your case and communicating 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 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 is always available to answer questions.
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your Kane County, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured through no fault of your own, it is important to choose the best law firm to fight for you. Burger Law is a well-respected and experienced law firm that has been defending the rights of the injured for over 30 years. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your case.
Premier Attorneys That Deliver
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 Kane County, 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 many awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from other attorneys 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 award 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 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 committed to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, and we work faithfully to ensure they do. You need to focus on healing; allow 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 take a personalized approach to each case. Our attorneys explain the legal process to you and always keep you up-to-date on the status of your claim.
Dedication to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are dedicated to offering the highest standard of legal advocacy. We have high moral expectations for ourselves and the insurance adjusters we stand up to. We pursue every possible avenue to get you the compensation you deserve.
Our Ratings and Victories
Any car accident attorney can say they know how to handle your case, but proving they are qualified is another matter entirely. We are among the most- and best-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 Kane County, IL now at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to discover more about pursuing compensation in a car accident and how Burger Law can help.
How Do You Determine Fault in Car Accident in Kane County, IL?
Determining liability in a car crash 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 an obligation to keep you from unreasonable harm. Under Illinois Law, all motorists need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with pedestrians, bicyclist and other vehicles.
- Breach of duty — That they failed in their responsibility. Did they run a red light or drive drunk?
- Cause in fact — That the accident caused your injury. For example, you were t-boned and broke your arm.
- Proximate cause — That the breach of duty caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was speeding, 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 expenses, lost wages and emotional anguish you can make a claim for?
Fault is determined by a police officer, insurance adjuster, attorney, mediator or jury. Sometimes, the other driver will admit fault, but too often irresponsible people deny they did anything wrong. After an accident, police officers will write a report explaining who they link is liable. Then, insurance adjusters will evaluate the police report and other evidence to determine blame. While adjusters are trained to do this, their primary goal is to make sure their company's profits stay high by denying and minimizing claims. That means they may say they do not have to compensate you, even if that is demonstrably untrue.
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 both drivers and eyewitnesses, 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 refuses to be fair, your claim might require a mediation, where an unbiased attorney or judge tries to help both parties come to a fair settlement. If that fails, your car accident attorney can file a lawsuit in civil court 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 blame for your accident, you can recover $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 will not be able to recover any compensation in Kane County, IL.
Devastating Injuries in Kane County, IL Car Accidents
Serious injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for your life, leading to long-term physical, emotional and financial consequences. Some injuries we have helped people get compensation for are:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — This can occur when the the brain moves inside of the skull, causing damage to the brain. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or temporarily blurry vision, to severe, 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 movement or sensation in the arms, legs or other parts of the body. In severe cases, they can lead paraplegia or quadriplegia.
- Broken bones — Broken bones can occur in any part of the body in a car accident, leading to severe pain and long-term disability.
- 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 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.