Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Manlius, IL?
Each car accident is different. For many, a car accident is a jarring event that causes no small amount of residual stress. The fact remains that any time you are hurt in a car accident caused by someone else, you are entitled to financial 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.
While some minor car accidents can be resolved successfully without the use of an auto accident attorney, some factors require legal help. It is crucial 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 does not have insurance or enough insurance to cover your damages
- You are unsure of the legal procedures and rights following a car accident
- The other driver or their insurance company is saying you are at fault
- 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 Manlius, IL Car Accident Claim
Our philosophy at Burger Law is that, as your personal injury law firm, our responsibility extends beyond presenting your case and communicating with the insurance company; we have also taken it upon ourselves 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 all types of personal injury cases including car accidents, is active on our Youtube channel and is always available to answer questions.
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your Manlius, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured in a car accident, it is essential to choose 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 three decades. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your legal needs.
Recognized Leaders in Car Accident Claims
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 Manlius, 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 look at 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 attorneys in the U.S.
- 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 lawyers are certified by an American Bar Association 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 strive to build personal relationships with our clients. With over 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 relentlessly to ensure that their rights are protected. You need to focus on healing; trust in us to fight the insurance company.
Personalized 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.
Dedication to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are devoted to providing the highest standard of legal advocacy. 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
A car accident attorney can say just about anything, but proving they are qualified is another matter entirely. We are one of the highest-reviewed law firms, with a 4.9 rating from almost 500 reviews. You can also check out our client testimonials and case victories.
Discuss your case for free with an car accident attorney in Manlius, IL now at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to learn more about pursuing compensation in a car accident and how Burger Law can help.
How Do You Determine Liability in Car Accident in Manlius, IL?
Determining fault in a car accident 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 an obligation to keep you safe. Under Illinois Law, all drivers need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with others on the road.
- Breach of duty — That they failed in their obligation. Did they text while driving or drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- 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 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?
Fault can be determined through a number of factors. In some cases, the other driver will admit fault, but too often negligent actors try to avoid being held accountable 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 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 patently false.
In those cases, 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 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 a neutral third party helps analyze the evidence and determine fault. If that fails, your car accident attorney can take your claim to trial and take your claim in front of a judge and jury.
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 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 Manlius, IL.
Catastrophic Injuries in Manlius, IL Car Accidents
Serious injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for 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 bleeding and disrupting the brain's function. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or temporarily blurry vision, to grave, 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 mobility or sensation in the arms, legs or other parts of the body. In the worst case scenario, they can cause permanent paralysis.
- Fractures — 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 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 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 be made whole again. Call us immediately for a free consultation at (314) 500-HURT.