Why Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Toulon, IL?
There are countless factors involved in car accidents that make each case different. For many, a car accident is a jarring event that introduces sudden pressure. Regardless of the specifics, when you are injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you are entitled to financial compensation from the person who caused you harm and their insurance company. However, to receive the compensation you are rightfully owed, 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 fairly compensating you
- 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 disputes liability or fault in the accident
- There are other complications to your case, such as being in a multi-car accident, hit and run accident or were injured by a commercial vehicle
Resources for Your Toulon, 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 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. 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.
Other Resources
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your Toulon, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured in a car accident, it is crucial to pick the best law firm to represent you. Burger Law is a reputed and experienced law firm that has been protecting the rights of 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 Toulon, IL legal community and knows how to get results. In order to gauge the abilities of an injury law firm, you need to look at their previous victories, and their reputation among their clients and peers. The numerous 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 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 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 the terrible financial, physical and emotional hardships an injury can create. That is why our attorneys are compassionate and dedicated to helping our clients be made whole again. After having fought for more than 30 years, our attorneys are willing to take on the tough cases other law firms are not. We are dedicated to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, and we work relentlessly to ensure they do. You need to focus on healing; let us stand up to 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 always keep you up-to-date on 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 standards for the way we handle cases and the way we treat our clients. We pursue every possible avenue to get you the compensation you deserve.
Our Reviews and Results
Any car accident attorney can say they know how to handle your case, 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 look at our client testimonials and case victories.
Discuss your case for free with an car accident attorney in Toulon, IL immediately at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to find out more about pursuing compensation in a car accident and how Burger Law can help.
How Do You Determine Liability in Car Accident in Toulon, IL?
Assigning fault in a car crash 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 from unreasonable harm. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, all motorists 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 reckless or drive drunk?
- Cause in fact — That the accident 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 following you too close, 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 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 analyze the police report and other evidence to assign blame. While this is part of an adjuster's job, their primary goal is to pay out as little money as possible. 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 acquire more evidence, take depositions of both drivers and eyewitnesses, and hire crash experts to determine how the accident likely occurred. Then they will compile a settlement demand letter to the insurance adjuster.
If the insurance company remains firm, your claim might require a mediation, where an unbiased attorney or judge tries to help both parties find common ground. 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 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 blame for your injury, you will receive $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 Toulon, IL.
Devastating Injuries in Toulon, IL Car Accidents
Devastating injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for your daily life and future, causing long-term physical, mental 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 fatigue, to significant, such as loss of consciousness or lifelong cognitive impairment.
- 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 severe cases, they can lead paraplegia or quadriplegia.
- Fractures — Fractures can often heal well, but cause months or years of pain and discomfort.
- Internal injuries — These can include damage 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 turn your life upside down. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can be made whole again. Call us today to discuss your case at (314) 500-HURT.