PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS WHEN YOU A LOVED ONE ARE INJURED
Car Accident Attorneys in Vernon Hills, IL
Car accident attorneys in Vernon Hills, IL. Injuries from car accidents create immediate economic, mental and physical burdens. You need a fierce Vernon Hills, IL car accident lawyer to fight for you to secure you the fair financial recovery you owed. Call Burger Law‘s car accident attorneys now at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a no-risk, no-obligation consultation.
If you were injured in a car accident in Vernon Hills or anywhere in Illinois see how much your claim may be worth by submitting 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 might be unsure how to get the right medical care, how to file a claim and how to secure the sense of justice you deserve. Call the police, then get medical attention. Then call Burger Law.
When you have been injured in a car accident, you should be focused on recovering from your injuries and getting your life back on track. Your compensation should be guaranteed and taken care of, but unfortunately, this is not always the case. If the person who injured you refuses to do right by you, you need a competent and aggressive attorney to fight by your side. The Vernon Hills, IL car accident lawyers of Burger Law take car accident claims extremely seriously and are dedicated to getting you the money you rightfully deserve.
You deserve to have an outstanding team fight for your recovery during your car accident claim. Speak 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.
Vernon Hills, IL Car Accident Attorneys That Win
In any kind of tort case, the outcome matters. You want to know that you are giving your case to the best possible lawyer, and that they will not back down until you get the maximum compensation you are owed. Any personal injury lawyer can say they will fight for you, but not all of them can prove it. Below are several of our recent victories:
What To Do After a Car Accident in Vernon Hills, IL
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 wreck, and in the ensuing weeks:
Get to the side of the road if you can — The golden rule is, if you and your car can both move, pull over to the side of the road. If not, do not move. Exerting yourself physically can make some injuries worse. Assess whether anyone else in the vehicle is injured. Render aid if you can.
Call 911 for emergency medical assistance, or a non-emergency line for police — If someone needs EMTs and/or an ambulance, call 911 immediately. Either way, call a non-emergency line and request for police to come so they can make a report. Police know how to ascertain fault in a crash and their report is a crucial piece of evidence. 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 — 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 try to get them to admit what happened. You do not need to feel like you are starting an argument, you are just asking for information.
DO NOT admit liability — In conversations with police, the other driver and an insurance company, you can offer a brief description of how things occurred from your perspective. But never admit fault. There may be details you are not immediately aware of, and admitting fault will make it very hard to get a recovery.
Gather whatever evidence you can — Take pictures of all the vehicles involved and the surrounding area, including any tire marks or property damage to nearby structures. If any bystanders saw the crash, get their contact information so they can corroborate your version of events when you make a claim.
Seek out medical care — If you were not treated at the scene or taken to an emergency room by ambulance, go to an emergency room immediately after an accident or later that day, or make an appointment with your doctor in the day or days after the accident. Medical care is not only necessary to ensure you recover physically, but you need documentation in order to make an injury claim.
Consult with Vernon Hills, IL car accident attorneys — If you were injured in an auto accident, it is more likely than not that a lawyer is the only way to be fully compensated for your injuries. Have a list of questions ready to ask them, such as how they accept payment, if they have won your type of case before, how much they think your claim is worth 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 means surgery, physical therapy or spinal adjustments with a chiropractor. This is important not only so you can reach maximum medical improvement, but will lead to a greater recovery as your pain and suffering damages will be higher. You read about how pain and suffering is calculated on our blog.
Burger Law has helped hundreds of injured parties in Vernon Hills and throughout Illinois navigate the confusing aftermath of a car accident claim. Speak to our car accident attorneys now at (312) 500-HURT if you have any doubts about what the next steps are after an accident.
What Kind of Issues Come Up In Vernon Hills, IL Car Accident Claims?
In a perfect society, you would not have to fight to get the compensation you are owed. But far too often there are difficulties that come up and the other side refuses to fulfill their obligation to compensate you. A few of the problems our car accident attorneys see the most in Vernon Hills, 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 you may be left wondering where to turn. Our car accident attorneys have filed hundreds of uninsured motorist claims for our clients against their own insurance companies . 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 other party is uninsured — 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 against your own insurance. We can also look for other insurance policies that may cover your accident.
The other driver denies doing anything wrong — Unfortunately, it is not surprising that some negligent people refuse to take responsibility for their actions. If the other driver will not admit fault, we will conduct a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding your accident and take sworn depositions to demonstrate how the other driver caused your injuries.
The insurance company is trying to lowball you —Insurance adjusters utilize a lot of tricks to minimize claims, and you will need an attorney to stand up to them. If they still will not be fair after they receive our settlement demand letter, we will immediately file a lawsuit, proceed to discovery 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 give in to our demands; they know they will lose if we go to court. We have gotten a lot of great settlements on the eve of trial.
Our car accident attorneys know that you want to be compensated quickly. However, if you have a more complicated case and the negligent driver and their insurance company do not want to see reason, we we will defend your rights at trial. We do not stop fighting for our Vernon Hills, IL clients until they are compensated. There is not type of car accident claim we have not seen before.
Car Accident Attorneys in Vernon Hills, 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, read through to have a better understanding of how what to expect. You can also check out our FAQs and legal glossary to better understand the claims process.
Causes and Types of Car Accidents in Vernon Hills, IL
No two car accidents are exactly alike, but they generally happen for similar reasons. Those include:
Backup Accidents — Based on research from the National Safety Council, a quarter of collisions can be blamed on poor backing procedures, and those accidents cause more than 500 deaths and 15,000 injuries every year, many of them to pedestrians.If another vehicle backed into you or your car, the insurance adjuster will probably dismiss your claim, as most rear to front accidents are the fault of the second driver. Skilled car accident attorneys will be able to prove how the other driver caused the accident.
Carpool and Rideshare Accidents — In general, accidents involving drivers from companies like Uber or Lyft are not substantially different from most auto accidents. However, Uber and Lyft companies have more insurance coverage, when making a claim you will have to battle against a large insurance company 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 loved one taken away too soon. While it is impossible to bring back your loved one, a wrongful death claim can bring a feeling of recognition, 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 cars are going fast, and the driver and front passenger are susceptible to debris and going through the windshield. They make up just two percent of all traffic accidents, but are responsible for one out of 10 driving fatalities. In addition to fatalities, they can cause devastating injuries.
Intersection Accidents — According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations’s report on intersection-related crashes, 40 percent of all motor vehicle accidents happen at intersections. Intersection accidents are often caused by drivers not paying attention and drunk driving and unsafe U-turns.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents — Multi-vehicle accidents are often “chain reaction” accidents where more than one driver is negligent. Because of that, each driver’s insurance will try to pin liability on the others. Burger Law’s Vernon Hills, IL car accident attorneys will ensure that every liable party is held accountable.
Road Construction Accidents — Construction companies have a responsibility to make sure their construction sites are safe for drivers, including having proper warnings 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.
Speeding Accidents — Statewide in 2020, speeding contributed to over three out of 10 of all crashes, 44.9 percent of fatal crashes and 37.3 percent of personal injury crashes. Speeding causes accidents because it increases the the probability that a driver will lose control of their vehicle and reduces their reaction time.
Burger Law’s Vernon Hills, 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 Vernon Hills, IL Car Accident Claims?
Financial recoveries in car accident claims generally compensate you for two types of damages: economic damages, such as medical expenses and money you lost from time spent off work recovering, and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and emotional stress An important aspect of any car accident attorney’s job is properly calculating the full extent of someone’s damages. We will make sure the other side understands just how much their negligence has affected you, and demand they compensate you for all of it.
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, medications and/or tests
Assistive devices such as wheelchairs
Medical costs you might incur in the future, such as additional surgeries, replacement wheelchairs, 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
If you are likely to have 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 put a monetary value on the less tangible ways your life has been affected. Most often, that is done by multiplying your economic damages by a factor between 1.5 and five.
For example, say you have $30,000 in economic damages, and your injuries caused you extreme discomfort for several 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 long-lasting injuries.
What Factors Go Into How Much My Claim Is Worth?
The more your injuries affect your life both financially and personally, the more your financial recovery will be. Things that increase or decrease your compensation include:
The extent 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 disability
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 through a variety of tricks and dishonest tactics. We will not let them get away with that. In our more than 30 years of experience fighting back against insurance adjusters, and to date have secured over $200 million in compensation.
What Is the Statute Of Limitations For Car Accident Claims in Vernon Hills, IL?
Each state has its own statute of limitations for injury claims. Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, Illinois’ is shorter than most other states at just two years. There are three important exceptions:
If you are making a wrongful death claim for the loss of a loved one, you have two years from when your family member passed – not the date of the accident.
If you or your loved one was a minor when the accident occurred, you have two years from the date of 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 than accident but before the statute of limitations elapsed, that time is not counted against you. In Illinois, “legal disability” means:
Someone who, either by mental or physical disability, 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 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 (312) 500-HURT to go over the specifics of your case.
Other claims we get great results for in Vernon Hills, IL include:
Speak to Our Vernon Hills, IL Car Accident Attorneys Today
Burger Law’s car accident attorneys are dedicated to getting each of our Vernon Hills, IL clients the best possible results in their claims. You did not want to be injured, and you should not have to pay simply because someone else broke the rules. 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 immediately at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a no-risk, no-obligation consultation.
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!
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…