Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Vermilion County, 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. The fact remains that 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. However, to receive the compensation you are rightfully owed, you will often require the help of 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 important that you have a car accident attorney to fight on your behalf if the following applies to your case:
- You sustained serious injuries in a car accident
- 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 need help with the insurance and legal process
- The other driver or their insurance company is saying you are at fault
- You are dealing with complex legal issues, such as being in a multi-car accident, hit and run accident or were hit by a government vehicle
Resources for Your Vermilion County, IL Car Accident Claim
At Burger Law, we believe that our role as your personal injury law firm extends beyond arguing your case and communicating with the insurance company; we have also taken it upon ourselves to offer 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 all types of personal injury cases including car accidents, created a Youtube channel and we are always willing to answer questions.
Other Resources
View More FAQs
Why Choose Burger Law For Your Vermilion County, IL Car Accident Claim
When you are injured by someone else's negligence, it is imperative to pick the best 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 30 years. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your claim.
Recognized Leaders in Car Accident Claims
It can be hard to know how to choose the best personal injury lawyer for you. You want someone with a history of winning similar cases and who you know will not back down from a fight. 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 other attorneys include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a remarkable achievement awarded to less 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 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.
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. After having fought for over three decades, our attorneys are willing to take on the tough cases other law firms are not. We are dedicated to helping our clients recovery both physically and financially, and we work faithfully to ensure that their rights are protected. You need to focus on healing; trust in us to 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 take a personalized approach to each case. Our attorneys explain the legal process to you and always keep you up-to-date on how your case is going.
Dedication to Excellence
At Burger Law, we are devoted to excellence in everything we do. 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 Reviews and Victories
A car accident attorney can say just about anything, but having a demonstrated track record of success is another matter entirely. We are one of the most- and best-reviewed law firms, with a 4.9 rating from almost 500 reviews. You can also check out our client testimonials and case victories.
Get a free consultation with an car accident attorney in Vermilion County, IL immediately at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to discover more about car accident claims and how Burger Law can help.
How Do You Determine Liability in Car Accident in Vermilion County, IL?
Determining liability 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 a responsibility to keep you from unreasonable harm. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, all motorists need to "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with others on the road.
- Breach of duty — That they neglected their obligation. Did they drive with excessive speed 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 their negligence caused the crash. Were you rear ended because a driver was speeding, or because a manufacturer was negligent and the other driver has faulty brakes.
- Damages — That you sustained losses because of your injuries. Do you have medical expenses, 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. Sometimes, the negligent driver will admit fault, but too often irresponsible drivers try to avoid being held accountable for their actions. After an accident, police officers will write a report explaining what they believe happened. Then, insurance adjusters will analyze the police report and other evidence to determine liability. While adjusters are trained to do this, 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 patently untrue.
When that happens, you need to hire a car accident attorney to ensure that you are treated fairly. The attorney will gather more evidence, 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 change their position.
If the insurance company remains firm, your claim might require a mediation, where a neutral third party 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 your damages total $100,000 but you share 30 percent of the fault for your accident, you will receive $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 cannot make a recovery in Vermilion County, IL.
Serious Injuries in Vermilion County, IL Car Accidents
Serious 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 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 severe, such as loss of consciousness or lifelong disability.
- 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 severe cases, they can lead 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 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 change your life in an instant. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can be made whole again. Call us now for a free consultation at (314) 500-HURT.