Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Loves Park, IL?
Each car accident is different. For many, a car accident is a shocking event that causes no small amount of residual stress. Regardless of the specifics, when you are injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you deserve financial compensation from the responsible person and their insurance company. To get the full compensation for your damages, you will often 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, there are certain factors that call for legal representation. It is important that you have a car accident attorney to fight for your in the following situations:
- You sustained serious injuries in a car accident
- 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
- There are other complications to your case, such as being in a multi-vehicle accident, hit and run accident or were injured by a government vehicle
Resources to Help With Your Loves Park, 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 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. 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 Loves Park, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured through no fault of your own, it is imperative to pick the right law firm to represent you. Burger Law is highly respected and experienced law firm that has been fiercely fighting for the injured for more than three decades. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your case.
Award-Winning Attorneys That Deliver
Choosing the right personal injury lawyer for your claim is crucial. 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 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 numerous awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from the Loves Park, IL legal community include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a notable 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 honor 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 American Bar Association accredited certification board.
Compassionate and Experienced 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 over 30 years of experience, our attorneys are willing to take on the tough cases other law firms are not. We are devoted to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, and we work relentlessly to ensure they do. You need to focus on healing; allow us to fight the insurance company.
Customized Approach
At Burger Law, we know that every client and every case is unique. 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 committed 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 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 almost 500 reviews. You can also look at our client testimonials and case victories.
Get a free consultation with an car accident attorney in Loves Park, IL now at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to learn more about car accident claims and what Burger Law can do for you.
How Do You Determine Liability in Car Accident in Loves Park, IL?
Determining liability in a car accident is the first step toward getting compensation. Liability comes down to proving the five elements of negligence:
- Duty of care — That the other driver had a responsibility to keep you from unreasonable harm. Under Illinois Law, all drivers need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with pedestrians, bicyclist and other vehicles.
- 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 accident directly led to your injury. For example, you were t-boned and broke your arm.
- Proximate cause — That their failure caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was tailgating, 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 can be determined through a number of factors. Sometimes, the negligent driver will admit that they are to blame, but too often negligent drivers 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 review the police report and other evidence to assign liability. While adjusters are trained to do this, their real job is to save their insurance company money. That means they may say they do not have to compensate you, even if that is patently 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 be fair.
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 file a lawsuit in civil court, 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 percentage of the accident that is not your fault.
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. 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.
That means that if you are over half to blame for the accident, you will not be able to recover any compensation in Loves Park, IL.
Catastrophic Injuries in Loves Park, IL Car Accidents
Catastrophic injuries in car accidents have a significant impact on your daily life and future, leading to long-term physical, mental and economic 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 loss of balance, to severe, such as loss of consciousness or permanent 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 the worst case scenario, they can lead permanent paralysis.
- Broken bones — Broken bones 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 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 to discuss your case at (314) 500-HURT.