Is It Worth It to Hire Car Accident Attorney in Woodford County, IL?
There are countless factors involved in car accidents that make each case different. For many, a car accident is a jarring event that causes no small amount of residual stress. Any time 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. To get the full compensation for your damages, 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 for your in the following situations:
- You sustained serious injuries in a car accident
- 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 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 hit by a commercial vehicle
Resources to Help With Your Woodford County, IL Car Accident Claim
At Burger Law, we believe that our role as your personal injury law firm extends beyond presenting your case and communicating with the insurance company; we believe it is also important 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 written 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
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Why Choose Burger Law For Your Woodford County, 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 reputed and experienced law firm that has been defending the rights of the injured for over three decades. Below are some of the reasons why you should choose Burger Law for your case.
Award-Winning Attorneys Know How to Win
It can be hard to know how to choose the best personal injury lawyer for you. 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 look at their previous victories, and their reputation among their clients and peers. The many awards, honors and accolades Burger Law has received from our peers include:
- Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a noteworthy achievement awarded to less than 5 percent of all attorneys in the country
- 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 ABA accredited certification board.
Compassionate and Knowledgeable 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 more than 30 years of experience, our attorneys have the knowledge and expertise to handle even the most complex legal cases. We are devoted to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, and we work tirelessly 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 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 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 moral expectations for ourselves and the insurance adjusters we stand up to. We leave no stone unturned when we investigate cases and search for insurance coverage.
Our Ratings and Results
A car accident attorney can say just about anything, but proving they are qualified is another matter entirely. We are one of 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 results.
Discuss your case for free with an car accident attorney in Woodford County, IL immediately at (314) 500-HURT, or read on below to find out more about pursuing compensation in a car accident and what Burger Law can do for you.
How Do You Determine Fault in Car Accident in Woodford County, IL?
Assigning liability in a car crash 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 an obligation 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 failed in their obligation. Did they text while driving or drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- Cause in fact — That the crash 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 mechanic was negligent and the other driver has faulty brakes.
- Damages — That you sustained losses because of the injuries. Do you have medical expenses, lost wages and emotional distress you can make a claim for?
Liability is determined by a police officer, insurance adjuster, attorney, mediator or jury. Sometimes, the other driver will admit fault, but too often reckless drivers 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 adjusters are trained to do this, their primary goal is to pay out as little money as possible. That means they may say they do not have to compensate you, even if that is demonstrably 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 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 compile a settlement demand package to the insurance company.
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 they will not be fair in negotiations, 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 blame for your accident, 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.
Meaning, if you share more of the blame than the other party, you cannot make a recovery in Woodford County, IL.
Serious Injuries in Woodford County, IL Car Accidents
Devastating injuries in car accidents have devastating consequences for your daily life and future, leading to long-term physical, emotional 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 damage to the brain. Symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache or loss of balance, to significant, 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 movement or feeling in the arms, legs or other parts of the body. In the worst case scenario, they can cause 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 damage 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 change your life in an instant. But, with the help of Burger Law, you can be made whole again. Call us today for a free consultation at (314) 500-HURT.