Why Hire a Car Accident Attorney in La Grange, IL?
There are countless factors involved in car accidents that make each case different. For many, a car accident is an upsetting event that introduces sudden pressure. Regardless of the specifics, when you are hurt in a car accident caused by someone else, you deserve compensation from the person who caused you harm and their insurance company. However, to receive the compensation you are rightfully owed, you may need 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 require legal help. It is important that you have a car accident attorney to fight for your in the following situations:
- Your injuries are severe
- 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
- You are dealing with complex legal issues, such as those involving multiple parties, hit and run accident or were hit by a commercial vehicle
Resources to Help With Your La Grange, 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 through their injury claims. Burger Law has written books on all types of personal injury cases including car accidents, created a Youtube channel and is always available to answer questions.
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your La Grange, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are facing a legal issue, it is imperative to pick the best law firm to represent you. Burger Law is a reputed and experienced law firm that has been fiercely fighting for the injured for over 30 years. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your legal needs.
Recognized Leaders in Car Accident Claims
It can be hard to know how to choose the best personal injury lawyer for you. You want someone who has won your type of case before and who you know is not afraid to take the case to trial if they have to. In order to gauge the abilities of an injury law firm, you need to take into account their previous victories, 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 noteworthy achievement awarded to less than 5 percent of all attorneys 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 made up of the most qualified lawyers 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 American Bar Association 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 committed to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, and we work relentlessly to ensure that their rights are protected. You need to focus on healing; allow us to stand up to the insurance company.
Personalized Approach
At Burger Law, we know that no two clients or cases are the same. That is why we treat each claim individually. 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 dedicated to excellence in everything we do. We have high ethical 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 having a demonstrated track record of success 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 look at our client testimonials and case victories.
Get a free consultation with an car accident attorney in La Grange, IL immediately 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 La Grange, IL?
Determining liability in a car wreck 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 motorists need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with pedestrians, bicyclist and other vehicles.
- Breach of duty — That they failed in their obligation. Did they drive reckless or drive drunk?
- Cause in fact — That the accident caused your injury. For example, you were rear ended and that gave you a whiplash injury.
- Proximate cause — That the breach of duty caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was following you too close, or because a manufacturer was negligent and the other driver has faulty brakes.
- 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?
Fault 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 people 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 assign fault. While adjusters are trained to do this, their primary goal is to pay out as little money as possible. 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 you get the compensation you are owed. The attorney will launch a full investigation into the accident, take depositions of all parties involved, and hire crash experts to evaluate 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 seek mediation, where a neutral third party 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 blame you do not bare.
Meaning, if your damages total $100,000 but you share 30 percent of the fault 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 are more than half to blame for the accident, you cannot make a recovery in La Grange, IL.
Serious Injuries in La Grange, IL Car Accidents
Serious injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for your daily life and future, 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 bleeding and disrupting the brain's function. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or dizziness, to grave, 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 severe cases, they can lead paraplegia or quadriplegia.
- Broken bones — Fractures 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 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 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 now for a free consultation at (314) 500-HURT.