Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in North Utica, IL?
Everyone who has been injured in a car accident has a unique experience. For many, a car accident is a jarring event that causes no small amount of residual stress. 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 will often 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, there are certain factors that call for legal representation. It is important that you have a car accident attorney on your side in the following situations:
- Your injuries are severe
- The insurance company's offer does not come close to covering your damages
- The other driver does not have insurance or enough insurance to cover your damages
- You need help with the insurance and legal process
- 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 North Utica, IL Car Accident Claim
Our philosophy at Burger Law is that, as your personal injury law firm, our responsibility is more than simply arguing your case and negotiating 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 make the most of their injury claims. Our team has published books on car accident and personal injury cases, created a Youtube channel and we are always willing to answer questions.
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your North Utica, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are facing a legal issue, it is essential to choose the best law firm to fight for you. Burger Law is a reputed 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 claim.
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 North Utica, 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 numerous awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from the North Utica, IL legal community include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a remarkable achievement awarded to less 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 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 lawyers are certified by an ABA 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 we have a client-centered approach. With over three decades of experience, 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 faithfully to ensure they do. You need to focus on healing; allow us to fight the insurance company.
Personalized Approach
At Burger Law, we know that every client and every case is unique. That is why we personalize our legal strategies to meet the specific needs of each client. 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 committed to excellence in everything we do. We have high ethical standards for the way we pursue compensation 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 having a demonstrated track record of success is another matter entirely. We are among the most- and best-reviewed law firms, with a 4.9 rating from over 480 reviews. You can also look at our client testimonials and case victories.
Discuss your case for free with an car accident attorney in North Utica, IL today at (314) 500-HURT, or keep reading to discover more about pursuing compensation in a car accident and how Burger Law can help.
How is Fault Determined in Car Accident in North Utica, 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 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, 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 run a red light 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 their negligence caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was following you too close, or because a manufacturer was negligent and their brakes were not working.
- Damages — That you sustained harm because of the injuries. Do you have medical expenses, lost wages and emotional anguish you can make a claim for?
Liability is determined by a police officer, insurance adjuster, attorney, mediator or jury. Sometimes, the negligent driver will admit fault, but too often reckless 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 review the police report and other evidence to determine fault. While adjusters are trained to do this, their primary goal is to save their insurance company money. That means they may say they do not owe you a recovery, even if that is demonstrably 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 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 compile a settlement demand letter to the insurance company.
If the insurance company remains firm, your attorney may seek mediation, where a neutral third party helps analyze the evidence and determine fault. If they will not be fair in negotiations, 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 will be compensated 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 injury, 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 share more of the blame than the other party, you cannot make a recovery in North Utica, IL.
Catastrophic Injuries in North Utica, IL Car Accidents
Devastating injuries in car accidents have a significant impact on your life, causing long-term physical, mental and economic consequences. Some common examples of serious injuries in car accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — This can occur when the the brain twists inside of the skull, causing bleeding and disrupting the brain's function. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or loss of balance, 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 the worst case scenario, they can lead paraplegia or quadriplegia.
- 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 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 upend your life. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can find justice, recognition and a financial recovery. Call us immediately to discuss your case at (314) 500-HURT.