PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS WHEN YOU A LOVED ONE ARE INJURED
Car Accident Attorneys in Marion, IL
Car accident attorneys in Marion, IL. Injuries from car accidents create immediate economic, emotional and physical burdens. You need a knowledgeable Marion, IL car accident lawyer to fight for you to secure you the maximum financial recovery you owed. Speak to Burger Law‘s car accident attorneys now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a no-risk, no-obligation case evaluation.
If you were injured in a car accident in Marion, IL see how much your claim may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator.
It is hard to know how to proceed after somebody crashes into you. You may not be certain what the best treatment options are for you, what the process for filing a claim is and how to secure the sense of justice you deserve. First, get the immediate medical attention you require. Then call Burger Law.
When a negligent driver injures you, you should be focused on healing and getting your life back on track. You should not have to argue over your financial recovery after a car accident. If the person who injured you has no intention of doing the right thing, you need someone who knows the laws to fight by your side. The Marion, IL car accident lawyers of Burger Law take car accident claims extremely seriously and are committed to getting you the money you are owed.
We know it seems like no one will treat you fairly. Reach out to an attorney at (779) 800-HURT or complete our online form now. Our auto accident law firm, does not charge you until you have your settlement check or verdict in hand, and we never accept anything but full compensation. Never agree to a settlement offer that is not what you truly deserve.
Marion, IL Car Accident Attorneys That Win
With any kind of tort case, results matter. You want to have full confidence in your lawyer’s abilities, and that they are going to fight hard to make sure you get the full compensation you deserve. Any car accident lawyer can say they will fight for you, but not all of them can prove it. Below are several of our car accident results:
Car Accidents are traumatic events. Knowing what to do when one happens can absolutely make the difference in your case, however, it can be hard to make the right choices when you are still in shock from the accident. Below are the steps you should take both right after a crash to ensure both a successful physical recovery and the success of your claim:
Get to the side of the road if possible — The rule of thumb is, if you and your car can both move, pull over to the side of the road. If not, stay where you are. Moving can make some injuries worse. Look to see if anyone else involved in the crash is injured. Render aid if you are able and know how to.
Call 911 for emergency medical assistance, or a non-emergency line for police — If someone needs emergency medical care, always call 911. If not, call for police so they can interview you and the other driver and make their report. Police have the training and experience to assign liability in an accident and their report is invaluable when making a claim. If you are not sure whether you should call 911 or a non-emergency line, always call 911 and let the operator decide how to proceed.
Exchange information with other driver — After it is safe to do so, exit your vehicle and get the other driver’s information. Take a picture of their license and insurance information. If the other driver says it was their fault, ask a few more questions to see if they will offer up how they were negligent. You do not have to be confrontational, you are just asking for information.
DO NOT admit fault — In conversations with police, the other driver and an insurance company, you can provide them with a short, clear description of events from your point of view. But never say it was your fault. There may be contributing factors you do not know yet, and admitting fault will make it very hard to seek a recovery.
Gather whatever evidence you can — Take pictures of all the vehicles involved and the road, including any tire marks or property damage to nearby structures. If any bystanders saw the crash, get their contact information so they can back up your story down the road.
Get medical care — If you did not need an ambulance, go to an emergency room immediately after an accident or later that day, or see your general practitioner in the day or days after the accident. Medical treatment is not only necessary so you can heal, but you will need proof of an injury and your treatment to get compensation for your injuries.
Call Marion, IL car accident attorneys — If you were injured because someone else broke the rules of the road, chances are you will need to an attorney to fight for you to get the full recovery you are owed. Have a list of questions ready to ask them, for example how they accept payment, if they have won your type of case before, what they think the value of your claim is and if they are willing to go to trial if they have to.
Continue medical treatment — Get the full medical treatment you need to recover, whether that includes surgery, physical rehabilitation or chiropractic appointments. You need to do this not only so you can reach maximum medical improvement, but can get the full extent of your damages once pain and suffering is taken into account. You discover how pain and suffering is calculated on our blog.
Most people in Marion, IL have never had to deal with a personal injury claim before, and we help guide them through the entire process. Speak to our car accident attorneys today at (779) 800-HURT if you have any concerns about what the next steps are after an accident.
What Kind of Hurdles Are There In Marion, IL Car Accident Claims?
Ideally, the negligent driver’s insurance company would have enough coverage and the willingness to fairly compensate you for your injuries. But, unfortunately, it is not uncommon to see that complications come up and the other side does not want to do the right thing. Several of the problems our car accident attorneys see the most in Marion, IL are:
The other party has no insurance —Illinois has minimum insurance requirements for all drivers. But some people are irresponsible and do not pay for it, and you may be left wondering where to turn. Our car accident attorneys now how to file uninsured motorist claims in the event that a negligent driver does not have insurance . However, filing a claim is not made easier because it is the insurance company you have been paying into – an attorney is usually still required to stand up to the insurance company and get you what you deserve.
The insurance policy does not cover your full damages — Depending on the policyholder’s policy limits, they may not have enough to fully compensate you. If are owed more money than what’s on the at-fault driver’s coverage, we can make a underinsured motorist claim against your own insurance. Sometimes, we can uncover umbrella policies that your accident falls under.
The other driver denies fault — There are some reckless people out there who refuse to admit when they broke the rules. If the other driver is trying to blame you for the accident, we will conduct a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding your accident and take sworn depositions so the question of their liability is no longer in doubt.
The insurance company is trying to lowball you —Insurance adjusters use numerous different deceitful tactics to devalue claims, and you will need an attorney to stand up to them. If they continue to lowball you after they receive our settlement demand package, we will immediately file a lawsuit, litigate the case and prepare to present your case to a jury. Often, simply the presence of tough and experienced trial car accident attorneys like those at Burger Law is only a matter of time before they give in to our demands; they know they have no chance if we go to court. Many high settlements are offered right before a trial is set to begin.
Our car accident attorneys always try to get fair compensation quickly. However, if there are issues at play and the other side does not want to pay you fairly, we are prepared to take them all the way through trial. We do not stop fighting for our Marion, IL clients until they are compensated. We know how to use the law to get our clients the recoveries they need to move forward.
Car Accident Attorneys in Marion, IL — Resources to Help With Your Car Accident Claim
Our team has literally written the book on mistakes people make in auto accident claims, which you can download below, reference to have a better understanding of how to proceed. You can also look through our FAQs and legal glossary for more information.
Causes and Types of Car Accidents in Marion, IL
No two car accidents are exactly alike, but they generally happen under similar circumstances. Those include:
Backup Accidents — According to the National Safety Council, a quarter of accidents occur because of poor backing procedures, and those crashes are responsible for more than 500 deaths and 15,000 injuries each year, many of them to children in parking lots.If another vehicle backed into your vehicle, the insurance company will likely fight back against your claim, as the trailing driver is almost always liable in rear to front accidents. Skilled car accident attorneys can find the evidence needed to demonstrate how the other driver caused your injuries.
Carpool and Rideshare Accidents — Uber or Lyft accidents themselves are not too different from any other car crash. However, Uber and Lyft companies have more insurance coverage, when making a claim you will be going up against a large corporation instead of just an adjuster. A car accident lawyer will stand up for you and defend your rights.
Fatal Car Crashes — There is nothing as tragic as having a family member taken away by a reckless driver. While it is impossible to bring back your loved one, a wrongful death claim can help provide a feeling of recognition, and ease the financial burden their loss placed on you.
Head-on Collisions — Head-on collisions are especially dangerous because both cars are usually moving at full speed, and the driver and front passenger are susceptible to debris and being flown from the car. They account for just two percent of all auto accidents, but account for one out of 10 traffic-related deaths. In addition to fatalities, they can cause catastrophic injuries.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents — Multi-vehicle accidents are often “chain reaction” accidents where more than one driver is liable. Everyone’s insurance company will try to blame someone else. Burger Law’s Marion, IL car accident attorneys will ensure that every liable party is held accountable.
Road Construction Accidents — Construction companies are obligated to ensure their construction zones are safe for drivers, meaning there are adequate warnings and that cones are placed to keep drivers out of dangerous areas. In addition to another driver, we can sue a construction company if they were negligent and their negligence injured you.
Burger Law’s Marion, IL car accident attorneys have seen claims involving any conditions and circumstances imaginable — and gotten great results for our clients while working on them. We know how to investigate accident cases and prove how the other party is responsible for your injuries.
How Is Compensation Calculated in Marion, IL Car Accident Claims?
Your compensation is intended to reimburse you for two things: economic damages, including medical expenses and money you lost from time spent off work recovering, and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and emotional anguish An important aspect of any car accident attorney’s job is properly calculating the full extent of someone’s damages. We will demand justice in your case.
To calculate your damages, we will first add together all of your economic damages. This includes:
Lost wages and lost earning potential
Any medical appointments, surgeries, proscriptions and/or testing
Assistive devices such as crutches
Medical costs you might have in the future, such as additional surgeries, replacement assistive devices, or eventual replacement of artificial joints
In the event of future economic damages, we consult with economic experts to value how much those will cost in the future, and include estimated inflation in our settlement demand letter.
After we have calculated economic damages, we will calculate how much you should be compensated for for your non-economic damages. Usually, that is done by multiplying your economic damages by a number between 1.5 and five.
For example, say you have $30,000 in economic damages, and your injuries caused you have limited independence for several weeks, your car accident attorney might demand a multiplier of three. So:
$30,000 X 3 = $90,000
Your total damages would then be $120,000.
Most claims use a multiplier of three, and multipliers of four and five are usually only for more serious injuries that greatly affect someone’s physical comfort, state of mind and their independence.
What Factors Go Into How Much My Claim Is Worth?
The more your injuries affect your life financially, emotionally and physically, the more your financial recovery will be. Factors that help determine what your claim is worth include:
The type and severity of your injuries
How much medical treatment you needed, and if you will need more treatment in the future
If your injuries resulted in scarring or mental or physical impairment
Your wage loss damages
If you can no longer earn a living as you used to and have lost earning capacity damages
If your injuries affected your quality of life and independence
If you contributed to the accident in any way
Often, insurance adjusters try to devalue claims by saying they only have to six weeks of treatment, you waited too long to get treatment, they do not need to pay wage loss damages if you had paid-time off or by saying your injuries were your fault. We will not let them get away with that. In our more than 30 years of experience fighting back against people who do not want to do the right thing, and to date have secured over $200 million in compensation.
What Is the Statute Of Limitations For Car Accident Claims in Marion, IL?
Each state has its own statute of limitations for injury claims. Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, Illinois’ is shorter than most other states at just two years. There are three notable exceptions:
For wrongful death claims you have two years from the date of that loved one’s death – not not from, when the crash occurred.
If you or your loved one was a minor when the accident occurred, you have until their 20th birthday.
If you or your loved one was under a “legal disability” at the time of the accident, you have two years from the date the disability was removed. If you came under a legal disability after you were injured but before the statute of limitations ran out, that time is not counted against you. In Illinois, “legal disability” means:
Someone who, either by mental or physical impairment, is not able to manage their person or estate
A person with a mental illness or developmental disability that keeps them from managing their person or estate
Someone who, because of “gambling, idleness, debauchery or excessive use of alcohol or drugs,” cannot manage their estate to the extent that it causes them or their family to “want or suffer”
Two years may sound like a long time, but the clock starts ticking the second your accident happens. Do not wait to call a car accident attorney right away after your accident. If you are wondering if any of the exceptions apply to you, speak to an attorney at Burger Law today at (779) 800-HURT to go over the specifics of your case.
Speak to Our Marion, IL Car Accident Attorneys Today
Burger Law’s car accident attorneys are dedicated to getting justice for our Marion, IL clients. You did not want to be injured, and you should not have to pay simply because someone else was negligent. We will fight back against bullies like resistant insurance companies. To start on your true road to recovery, speak to Burger Law‘s car accident attorneys today at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a no-risk, no-obligation case evaluation.
Genevieve and Laura have assisted me in my personal injury claim and have made the process so much less stressful. They are extremely knowledgeable, professional, and attentive. Laura is always on top of everything and very sweet. I had no idea how to navigate this process and they have made me feel at ease and like they truly cared about the outcome.
Cara Barton
It has been a long 4 years, but it is finally over! Burger law did a great job handling my case. Grant Doty answered all my questions, promptly returned my phone calls, frequently kept me updated and insured me that he was fighting for me. Jennifer Zini also did a wonderful job, great customer service. It was pleasure getting to know the Burger Law team!
S. Alred
After a driver unexpectedly pulled out right in front of my motorcycle & I suffered injuries, the at-fault driver’s insurance company offered me a $10,000 settlement. I hired Burger Law & they won a $109,000 settlement. I was very happy with the outcome. They were easy to work with & fully explained each step of the process & kept me informed along the way.
At Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer, we are a team of personal injury attorneys who have earned many distinctions and peer-reviewed awards for our civil litigation and trial work in Missouri and Illinois. A few of the honors we have earned include the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Top 100 Trial Lawyer Award, a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating, Super Lawyers selection as one of the top attorneys in the field of personal injury and board certifications in Civil Litigation.
Personal injury lawyers who demand justice in Southern Illinois. The role of a personal injury lawyer in Southern Illinois should be more than just getting you a great settlement…
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Gary Burger who has more than 30 years of legal experience as a practicing personal injury trial attorney. Gary’s robust legal knowledge is recognized by his peers as demonstrated by his industry awards and frequent Continuing Legal Education (CLE) lectures.
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