Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Lemont, IL?
Everyone who has been injured in a car accident has a unique experience. For many, a car accident is a jarring event that leaves your head spinning. Any time 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 may need 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 some factors require legal help. It is important that you have a car accident attorney to fight on your behalf in the following situations:
- Your injuries are severe
- The insurance company's offer does not come close to fairly compensating you
- 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
- There are other complications to your case, such as those involving multiple parties, hit and run accident or were hit by a commercial vehicle
Resources to Help With Your Lemont, 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 make the most of 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 Lemont, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured by someone else's negligence, it is crucial to pick the right law firm to represent you. Burger Law is a well-respected 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 case.
Award-Winning 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 Lemont, 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 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 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. Less than 4 percent of all practicing attorneys are certified by an ABA accredited certification board.
Understanding and Experienced Attorneys
At Burger Law, we know that being injured through another's negligence is stressful and overwhelming. That is why we have a client-centered approach. With over 30 years of experience, our attorneys have the knowledge and expertise to handle even the most complex legal cases. We are dedicated to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, and we work tirelessly to ensure that their rights are protected. You need to spend your time on healing; let us 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.
Commitment to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are dedicated to excellence in everything we do. We have high moral standards for the way we handle cases and the way we communicate with our clients. We pursue every possible avenue to get you the compensation you deserve.
Our Ratings and Victories
Any car accident attorney can say they will fight for you, but proving they are qualified is another matter entirely. We are among 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.
Get a free consultation with an car accident attorney in Lemont, IL immediately at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to learn more about seeking compensation in a car accident and how Burger Law can help.
How is Fault Determined in Car Accident in Lemont, IL?
Determining 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 from unreasonable harm. Under Illinois Law, all motorists need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with others on the road.
- Breach of duty — That they failed in 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 got a concussion from hitting your head on the dashboard.
- Proximate cause — That the breach of duty caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was speeding, or because a mechanic was negligent and their brakes were not working.
- Damages — That you sustained harm because of your injuries. Do you have medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering you can make a claim for?
Liability is determined by a police officer, insurance adjuster, attorney, mediator or jury. In some cases, the negligent driver will admit fault, but too often negligent actors 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 assign fault. While adjusters are trained to do this, 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.
In those cases, you need to hire a car accident attorney to ensure you get the compensation you are owed. The attorney will investigate the case further, 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 send this information to the insurance adjuster to get them to be fair.
If the insurance company refuses to be fair, your attorney may seek mediation, where an unbiased attorney or judge tries to help both parties find common ground. 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 bare.
Meaning, if a jury awards you $100,000 in damages, but finds that you share 30 percent of the fault 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 share more of the blame than the other party, you cannot make a recovery in Lemont, IL.
Serious Injuries in Lemont, IL Car Accidents
Catastrophic injuries in car accidents have a significant impact on your daily life and future, leading to long-term physical, emotional and economic consequences. Some common examples of serious injuries in car accidents include:
- 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 fatigue, to grave, such as loss of consciousness or permanent disability.
- 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 permanent paralysis.
- Fractures — 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 change your life in an instant. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can be made whole again. Call us immediately to discuss your case at (314) 500-HURT.