PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS WHEN YOU A LOVED ONE ARE INJURED
Car Accident Attorneys in Oswego, IL
Car accident attorneys in Oswego, IL. Injuries from car accidents create unexpected economic, emotional and physical hardships. You need a tenacious Oswego, IL car accident lawyer to fight for you to to truly recover from every way that your injuries have affected you. Call Burger Law‘s car accident attorneys immediately at (312) 500-HURT or fill out our online contact form for a free case evaluation.
If you were injured in a car accident in Oswego, IL see what compensation you may be eligible for by filling out our free personal injury calculator.
You have been injured in a car accident and now you are wondering what to do. If you are not sure, you are not alone. You may not be certain what the best treatment options are for you, how to file a claim and if there is anything else you can do to make sure that you get justice for your injuries. Call the police, then get medical attention. Then call Burger Law.
The last thing on your mind after an injury should be worrying about how to battle an insurance company or understanding the personal injury claims process. Our law firm has a proven track record of defending our client’s recovery and holding negligent drivers and insurance companies accountable.
You deserve to have an exceptional team fight for your rights during your car accident claim. Reach out to an attorney at (312) 500-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. Do not settle for less than you are owed.
Oswego, IL Car Accident Attorneys That Get Results
With any type of tort claim, results matter. You want to have full confidence in your lawyer’s abilities, and that they will not back down until you get the full compensation you deserve. A personal injury lawyer saying they are the best is one thing; a lawyer with client testimonials and results that can prove it is another. Below are several of our recent victories:
Car Accidents are traumatic events. It is imperative to take the right steps after an accident, however, it can be hard to make the right choices when you are still in shock from the accident. Below what you need to do both right after a car wreckto make sure you recover both physically and financially:
Get to safety if you can — If you can move and your car is working, drive to a place where other vehicles will not hit you. If your car is not working, activate its emergency lights and wait to exit your vehicle until there is no oncoming traffic. If you are seriously injured and cannot move, wait for emergency personnel to arrive, as trying to move can make your injury 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 EMTs and/or an ambulance, always call 911. Either way, call for police so they can interview you and the other driver and make their report. Police are trained to ascertain liability in an accident and a police 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 if your accident is an emergency.
Talk to the other driver — Once you can do so safely, communicate with the other driver. Take a picture of their license and insurance information. If the other driver says it was their fault, ask a few more questions to try to get them to admit what happened. You do not have to be confrontational, you are just trying to find out what happened.
DO NOT admit fault — When talking to the other driver or the police, you can provide them with a short, clear description of how things occurred as you saw them. But never admit fault. There may be contributing factors you are not immediately aware of, and admitting fault will make it very hard to get a compensation.
Obtain whatever evidence you can — Take pictures of all the vehicles involved and the road, including any skid marks or property damage to nearby structures. If there are eyewitnesses, get their name and phone number so they can corroborate your version of events when you make a claim.
Seek out medical treatment — If you were not treated at the scene or taken to an emergency room by ambulance, get to urgent care quickly, or make an appointment with your general practitioner in the day or days after the accident. Medical care is not only necessary so you can heal, but you need documentation in order to make an injury claim.
Speak to Oswego, 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 be fully compensated for your injuries. Write down a list of questions beforehand, for example how they take their attorneys’ fees, if they they have experience with similar types of accident, what they think the value of your injuries is and if they are willing to go to trial if they have to.
Go to every medical appointment you have — Get the full medical treatment you need to recover, whether that means surgery, physical rehabilitation or spinal adjustments with a chiropractor. You need to do this not only so you can achieve maximum medical improvement, but will lead to a greater recovery as your pain and suffering damages will be higher. You discover how pain and suffering is calculated on our blog.
Burger Law has helped hundreds of injured parties in Oswego and throughout Illinois navigate the confusing aftermath of a car accident claim. Speak to our car accident attorneys today at (312) 500-HURT if you have any concerns about how to proceed with your claim.
What Kind of Hurdles Are There In Oswego, IL Car Accident Claims?
In a perfect society, the negligent driver’s insurance company would have enough coverage and the willingness to fairly compensate you for your injuries. But far too often complications come up and the insurance adjuster does not want to be fair. Some of the problems our car accident attorneys see most frequently in Oswego, IL are:
The negligent driver has no insurance —Illinois has minimum insurance requirements for all drivers. But some people are irresponsible and do not pay for it, and that can cause doubt about how to proceed. Our car accident attorneys now how to file uninsured motorist claims in the event that a negligent driver does not have insurance . However, your own insurance company may be just as unfair to you as someone else’s – an attorney is usually still required to secure a full recovery.
The other party does not have enough insurance — Each insurance policy has policy limits, which determine the maximum amount of coverage available after an accident. If your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits, we can pursue a underinsured motorist claim on your own policy. Sometimes, we can discover umbrella policies that your accident falls under.
The other party will not admit doing anything wrong — There are some reckless people out there who do not want to admit when they did something wrong. If the other driver is trying to pin your injuries on you or somebody else, we will conduct a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding your accident and take depositions of all parties – under oath – to demonstrate how the other driver caused your injuries.
The insurance company is offering something far below a fair settlement —Insurance adjusters utilize numerous different tricks to minimize claims, and you will need an attorney to fight back against them. If they continue to lowball you after they receive our settlement demand letter, we will immediately file a lawsuit, litigate the case and prepare for trial. Often, once they know our car accident attorneys are on the case, it is only a matter of time before they accept our demands; they know they will lose if they make us go in front of a judge and jury. Many high settlements are offered right before a trial is set to begin.
Our car accident attorneys always try to settle a case as soon as possible. However, if you have a more complicated case and the other side does not want to see reason, we we will fight for your rights at trial. We fight for our Oswego, IL clients until there is nothing left to fight. We know how to apply the law to injury claims and get our clients the recoveries they truly deserve.
Car Accident Attorneys in Oswego, IL — Resources for The Injured
Our founder and principle has literally written the book on mistakes people make in auto accident claims, which you can download below, reference to understand your case better. You can also check out our FAQs and legal glossary to better understand the claims process.
Most Common Types of Car Accidents in Oswego, IL
No two car accidents are exactly alike, but they generally happen for similar reasons. Common examples are:
Backup Accidents — According to the National Safety Council, one out of four crashes are due to poor backing procedures, and those collisions are responsible for over 500 fatalities and 15,000 injuries every year, many of them to children in parking lots.If someone else backed into your vehicle, the insurance company will probably fight back against your claim, as the trailing driver is almost always at fault in rear to front accidents. Knowledgeable car accident attorneys will be able to demonstrate the front driver’s negligence.
Carpool and Rideshare Accidents — In general, accidents involving drivers from companies like Uber or Lyft are not substantially different from most auto accidents. However, while policy limits tend to be higher, when making a claim you will be going up against a large corporation instead of a single adjuster. A car accident lawyer can help level the playing field.
Fatal Car Crashes — Nothing is worse than having a family member taken away too soon. While it is impossible to bring back your loved one, a wrongful death claim can deliver a feeling of justice, and cover the finances related to their funeral and the loss of a provider.
Head-on Collisions — Head-on collisions are particularly dangerous because both vehicles are going fast, and the driver and front passenger are exposed to flying glass and debris. They make up just two percent of all traffic accidents, but are responsible for 10 percent of all driving fatalities. Beyond fatalities, they can cause devastating injuries.
Intersection Accidents — According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations’s report on intersection-related crashes, one out of five motor vehicle accidents occur at intersections. Intersection accidents are often caused by drivers not paying attention and drunk driving and illegal U-turns.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents — Sometimes there are “chain reaction” accidents where more than one driver is responsible. Because of that, each driver’s insurance will try to pin liability on the others. Burger Law’s Oswego, IL car accident attorneys will prove how each negligent driver contributed to your injuries.
Road Construction Accidents — Construction companies are obligated to make sure their construction zones are safe for drivers, including having adequate warning zones and that cones are placed to keep drivers out of dangerous areas. In addition to another driver, we can make a claim against a construction company if they were negligent and their negligence injured you.
Burger Law’s Oswego, IL car accident attorneys have seen claims involving any conditions and circumstances imaginable — and won them. We know how to gather the facts to substantiate your claim and prove how the other party is responsible for your injuries.
How Much Compensation Will I Receive For My Oswego, IL Car Accident Injuries?
Financial recoveries in car accident claims typically compensate you for two things: economic damages, including medical expenses and money you lost from time spent off work recovering, and non-economic damages, also known as pain and suffering An experienced car accident attorney like those at Burger Law know how to calculate the full extent of someone’s damages. We will demand justice in your case.
To determine the full extent of your damages, we will first add together the entirety of your economic damages. This includes:
Money lost from time spent off work recovering and lost earning potential
Any medical appointments, surgeries, proscriptions and/or testing
Assistive devices such as crutches
Future medical expenses, such as additional procedures, replacement assistive devices, or eventual replacement of artificial joints
Out-of-pocket expenses like a nanny if your injuries prevented you from caring for your children for a time
In the event of future economic damages, we work 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. Most often, 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 two weeks, your car accident attorney might decide your economic damages should be multiplied by three. Therefore:
$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 reserved for catastrophic or permanent injuries.
What Kind of Things Affect How Much My Claim Is Worth?
The more your injuries affect your life both financially and personally, the more your claim is worth. 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
The amount of time spent off work
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 bear partial responsibility for your accident
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 sick leave available or by blaming your injuries on you. 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 recovered over $200 million for our clients.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Oswego, IL?
Each state sets its own rules for how long to have a claim. Under 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 when your loved one passed – not not from, when the crash occurred.
If you or your loved one was a minor when the accident occurred, you have two years from their 18th 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 within the two-year time limit, 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 is not as long as it sounds. Do not hesitate 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 (312) 500-HURT to discuss the specifics of your case.
Speak to Our Oswego, IL Car Accident Attorneys Today
Burger Law’s car accident attorneys are dedicated to getting each of our Oswego, IL clients the best possible results in their claims. You did not ask to be put in this situation, and you should not have to pay for another person’s mistakes. We will stand by your side throughout the duration of your claim. To start on your true road to recovery, call Burger Law‘s car accident attorneys now at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review.
This law firm is absolutely amazing. They took on my case, when nobody else would! They fought hard for me when it seemed there was no hope. They kept me informed and always asked for my input before making decisions on my case. Gary puts himself into every case unlike most law firm owners. Gary and his team really care about every one of their clients, and fights hard to get you a fair settlement. They actually won my case out of court, and then reduced my fees to make sure I could get my car fixed and be able to get back to some normality. I would recommend Burger Law over and above any other firm! If you go somewhere else you aren’t getting the best!
Shaunda S.
7 months ago
I am very happy with the staff at Burger Law. I mostly worked with Michael Sheldon, and he did an amazing job. I trusted him completely with my case, and he did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this team if your ever in need of good attorneys.
Emelia M.
3 months ago
Burger Law Firm is fantastic. Laura and Genevieve were so amazing and helpful throughout the entire process. They helped me with my personal injury case every step of the way and succeeded at getting me the results I desired.
Helen L.
a year ago
We had a great experience with Burger Law for representing us after a serious car accident. Truly impressed by how professional and supportive the entire team is. And, many thanks to Genavieve and Laura – you are amazing!
Judy M.
a year ago
They did an amazing job on my case! Communication with them was great!!! Kept me informed and in the loop with everything that was going on!!! Will definitely be the 1st ones I’ll call if ever I’m in another accident!!! Thank you very much!!!
Chelsea C.
5 months ago
Let me tell you something about Burger Law.. they are so attentive and kind. Jennifer is my savior!! I love the whole team!!! They are truly a miracle team!! I appreciate their business and would recommend it to others.
David D.
2 months ago
Absolutely the best law firm in the St. Louis area. No matter the size of your case you are treated as if you are the only client on the roster. Will explain anything thoroughly and they work around your availability. Very impressed and appreciative of the service.
Lisa B.
11 months ago
Gary and Casey took great care of me for 2.5 years as my lawsuit was finally settled. I feel he helped me achieve justice for me and my 4 children after their father died from medical malpractice and neglect. Thanks to Gary, my kids now have a great start to their college and adult lives. Thank you Gary and Casey, for fighting for us so hard at our most trying and difficult time in our lives thus far. Love and God bless from my family to yours!
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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