Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in La Grange Park, IL?
Each car accident is different. For many, a car accident is a jarring event that leaves your head spinning. 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. However, to receive the compensation you are rightfully owed, you may require the help of a good car accident attorney to fight for you.
Sometimes you can resolve a minor car accident in a way that is favorable for all parties without involving car accident attorneys. However there are certain factors that call for legal representation. It is important that you have a car accident attorney on your side if the following applies to your case:
- 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 Park, 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 believe it is also important to provide free materials and resources to people injured in car accidents to to help them through 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.
Other Resources
View More FAQs
Why Choose Burger Law For Your La Grange Park, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured through no fault of your own, it is important to choose the right law firm to represent you. Burger Law is highly respected and experienced law firm that has been defending the rights of the injured for more than three decades. Below are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your case.
Acclaimed Attorneys That Get Results
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 the cases they have won, and their reputation among their clients and peers. The numerous awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from the La Grange Park, IL legal community include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a noteworthy achievement awarded to less 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 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. Fewer than 4 percent of all practicing lawyers 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. After having fought for over 30 years, our attorneys are willing to take on the tough cases other law firms are not. We are devoted to helping our clients recovery both physically and financially, and we work tirelessly 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 no two clients or cases are alike. That is why we treat each claim individually. 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 devoted to providing the highest standard of legal advocacy. We have high moral expectations for ourselves and the insurance adjusters we stand up to. We pursue every legal 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 among the highest-reviewed law firms, with a 4.9 rating from over 480 reviews. You can also look at our client testimonials and case results.
Discuss your case for free with an car accident attorney in La Grange Park, IL today at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to learn more about seeking compensation in a car accident and what Burger Law can do for you.
How is Fault Determined in Car Accident in La Grange Park, IL?
Determining fault in a car wreck is the first step toward getting compensation. 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 Illinois Law, all motorists need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with others on the road.
- Breach of duty — That they neglected their obligation. Did they drive with excessive speed or drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- Cause in fact — That the wreck directly led to 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 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 distress you can make a claim for?
Fault can be determined through a number of factors. Sometimes, the negligent driver will admit that they are to blame, but too often negligent people try to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. 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 liability. While this is part of an adjuster's job, their primary goal is to make sure their company's profits stay high by denying and minimizing claims. 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 investigate the case further, 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 send this information to the insurance adjuster to get them to change their position.
If the insurance company refuses to be fair, your attorney may recommend 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 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 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 are over half to blame for the accident, you cannot make a recovery in La Grange Park, IL.
Catastrophic Injuries in La Grange Park, IL Car Accidents
Devastating injuries in car accidents have a significant impact on your daily life and future, causing 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 head is violently shaken or struck, 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 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 the worst case scenario, they can cause permanent paralysis.
- 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 bleeding or other injuries to the internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, liver and others, and require immediate 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 turn your life upside down. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can find justice, recognition and a financial recovery. Call us today for a free consultation at (314) 500-HURT.