Car Accident Lawyer in Elgin, IL

Car Accident Lawyer in Elgin, IL

Car Accident Lawyer in Elgin, IL. If you were injured on the road because of somebody else’s careless actions in Elgin, IL, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation. We help our clients in Elgin and throughout Missouri get full financial recoveries for their damages. We do not charge any fees until we win your case.

In a perfect society, everyone would drive in a safe manner and no one would become hurt. In a slightly less ideal world, when people cause others injuries they would admit blame for their behavior and their insurance company would give you maximum compensation without you having to argue with them. In the real world, at-fault drivers all too often do not want to be held accountable for injuring you and their insurance companies will do anything possible to minimize your claim. That is where Burger Law steps in. Our car accident lawyer team assists the injured and vulnerable in Elgin and throughout Missouri in insisting on maximum compensation for their damages, and we do not let up until you get it. Your life can be turned upside down on the blink of an eye because of someone else’s irresponsible behavior, and Burger Law will fight by your side to make sure you get the justice and economic security you deserve for your damages.

In more than 30 years of practicing law, our car accident lawyer team has won more than $175 million in verdicts and settlements for our Illinois clients. If you were injured because another driver was reckless, see how much your case may be worth by filling out our free personal injury calculator.

How Common are Car Accidents in Elgin and Illinois?

According to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, in 2020 there were 246,752 auto collisions in the state, resulting in 72,989 injuries and 1,195 fatalities. In 2021, nearly half of fatal crashes occurred in metropolitan locales such as Chicago and Cook County. Over a fourth of Chicago and Illinois wrecks entailed alcohol and over 33 percent of the motorists who perished had drunk alcohol before the wreck. Illinois is the 10th most hazardous state for winter driving, and the 10th most hazardous state altogether.

While there is the rare wreck that may be inevitable, such as an animal leaping out in front of your vehicle, just about every Elgin, IL traffic crash is preventable. Human error is the main cause of car accidents, as it contributes to 94 percent of collisions. When you have to pick up the pieces after you are harmed due to a driver’s inattention or careless behavior, you may undergo a variety of emotions, which could include vulnerability, fear and uncertainty about how you will pay for all the medical bills, especially if you have lost wages. You do not have to go it by yourself. Every car accident lawyer at Burger Law has committed their life to offering expert and empathetic support and legal counsel to injured individuals and families in Elgin, IL. We will help shield you and your family’s future by securing you a full financial recovery not just for your medical bills, but for any mental or physical anguish and inconvenience you experienced. Call us now at (314) 500-HURT to take the first step toward becoming whole again.

Common Causes of Car Accidents | Elgin, IL Car Accident Lawyer

There are countless ways that people can become injured on the road. The National Safety Council has determine 23 factors that typically contribute to motor vehicle collisions. Below are some of the most common causes that your Burger Law car accident lawyer sees in Elgin, IL:

Driving While Intoxicated

Drunk driving and drug-impaired driving are major causes of fatalities and injury in auto wrecks cases. About 28 people perish every day because of driving while intoxicated, or one person every 52 minutes. Drunk driving collisions are one of the few cases in personal injury suits where you could also be able to be awarded punitive damages. When we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, we do it so they know precisely how dangerous and irresponsible their actions were.

Distracted Driving

The idea that we can multitask is a myth. While we may think we can multitask behind the wheel, often as a time saving mechanism, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ascribed 3,142 fatalities to distracted driving in 2020. It is never worth those two extra minutes to finish shaving in the car.

Texting and driving can slow a driver’s reaction time worse than when they are impaired by alcohol.

Speeding

According to the 2020 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics, of the 246,752 motor vehicle accidents in Illinois, 32.9 percent involved speeding, including 37.3 percent of crashes that resulted in injury and 44.9 percent of fatal crashes. Speeding is hazardous because it considerably lowers the reaction time of both the at-fault driver and others on the Elgin, IL roads, and it effects more force in collisions.

Drowsy Driving

While many people are aware of the risks of distracted driving or driving while impaired, driving with little rest has similar effects to driving while impaired. Missing out on just two hours of sleep is the the same as drinking three beers. Drivers always need to pull over to the side of the road and rest if they are feeling drowsy.

Poor Weather

You cannot sue the weather, but the Illinois Rules of the Road sets clear safety measures that drivers must obey in poor weather, such as using turn signals far before making a turn in fog or increasing following distance when it is snowing. If someone else in Elgin, IL does not drive properly for weather conditions and injures you, your Burger Law car accident lawyer will be able to hold them responsible for negligent driving.

Defective Parts

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that defective parts were the leading factor in about 2 percent of auto collisions. Manufacturers must safely design vehicles, test them and issue recalls whenever a defective components is reported. If your injuries were caused by faulty brakes or an airbag that did not deploy, your Burger Law car accident lawyer will help you make a claim against a manufacturer.

Irrespective of the cause of your damages, the Elgin, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law will discover the reason your crash happened, determine who is liable, hold them responsible and secure you maximum compensation for your damages. We pride ourselves on offering accomplished and understanding legal advocacy to Elgin, IL residents who have been hurt through no fault of their own, regardless of of their economic standing. If a thoughtless driver injured you, contact a Elgin, IL Burger Law car accident lawyer today at (314) 500-HURT.

Have a look at some of the links below to see the great results Burger Law’s Elgin, IL car accident lawyer team has delivered for our clients:

• $2 million Multi-Vehicle Collision Settlement
• $765,000 Wrongful Death Car Accident Settlement Against Fire Department
• $327,000 Settlement for Rear-End Collision
• $250,000 Settlement for Crash After A Driver Ran a Red Light
• $205,000 Settlement After Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign
• $125,000 Settlement After Rear-End Collision at a Stop Light
• $100,000 Settlement for Distracted Driving
• $100,000 Settlement for Head-On Collision
• $90,000 Settlement for an Injured Passenger

Winning Your Car Crash Case | Elgin, IL Car Accident Lawyer

In order to prove your case, your car accident lawyer will have to demonstrate the five elements of negligence found in tort law:

1. Duty of Care: Your car accident lawyer must show that the defendant had a responsibility to prioritize your safety. In traffic wreck cases this is automatic. The Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1) stipulates that motorists are “to exercise due care.” So anybody who gets behind the wheel automatically owes you a duty of care.
2. Breach of Duty: Then, your car accident lawyer must show that the defendant neglected that duty. In motor vehicle accidents, there can be obvious breaches such as drunk driving or reckless driving, and there can be less clear cases like driving too fast for weather conditions. Your Elgin, IL car accident lawyer at Burger Law knows the law and how to investigate wrecks to demonstrate how another person was negligent and injured you.
3. Cause in Fact: Also called “causation,” you need to show that the driver’s violation of duty directly caused your injury. Often insurance companies try to tell you that you already had your injuries, or that they are because of weakening with old age. Your car accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to prove exactly how the wreck caused your injuries. For example, we can show through presentations and medical professionals’ depositions that your whiplash injury was caused by being rear-ended.
4. Proximate Cause: This is what finally determines negligence. Picture a scenario where somebody does not stop at a red light and crashes into you in an intersection, causing you injuries. If the driver was distracted, they are clearly to blame. If the other driver’s brakes were inherently dangerous and failed to function properly, then a manufacturer, mechanic or vendor could be to blame in a product liability lawsuit.
5. Damages. The last facet to prove is that there was some kind of loss, for example medical bills, mental agony or lost wages or lost earning capacity. One of the biggest advantages to hiring a car accident lawyer is that we know every kind of loss you deserve and know how to compute them. The defendant and their insurance company will strive to devalue your damages, but the Elgin, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law will insist that you are awarded the best possible compensation.

Can I Still Recover Compensation in Illinois if I Was Partially at Fault? | Elgin, IL Car Accident Lawyer

If you were partly at fault for your car accident in Elgin, IL, your car accident lawyer will still be able to get you a financial recovery, although the sum will be less. Illinois is a modified contributory fault state, which means that your recovery will be lowered by the portion of fault you share in your wreck.

Meaning, if you are granted $100,000 for damages sustained in a rear-end collision, but a jury finds that you are responsible for 30 percent of the blame because you stopped suddenly, you will receive $70,000 in total. 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.

That means that if you share more than half liable for the wreck, you will not be able to recover any compensation in Elgin or anywhere Illinois.

Transferring fault onto you is a familiar trick insurance companies use to diminish claims or circumvent paying them at all. The Elgin, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law fights back against bullies like insurance companies who implement unethical gambits to eschew their obligation to reimburse you what you rightfully deserve. If an insurance company in Elgin, IL is unjustly attempting to place fault for your crash on you, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer now at (314) 500-HURT.

How Much Time Do I Have to Bring an Injury Claim in Illinois? | Elgin, IL Car Accident Lawyer

After an injury in a traffic crash, the state of Illinois’s statute of limitations dictates how long you can wait after the injuries occur to bring your claim.

• In most cases, Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 5/13-202 dictates that you have two years after the injuries occur to bring a personal injury claim.
• To make a wrongful death claim, Illinois Compiled Statute §740 ILCS 180/ dictates that you have two years from the day of your family member’s death – not the crash.
• If your claim is only for property damage, you have five years from the date of your wreck to make a claim, according to Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 13-205.
• Under Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 13-211, if if a minor was hurt, they have up to two years after the date of their 18th birthday to make a claim. Likewise, if someone is under a disability at the time of the accident, they have until two years after the “disability is removed.”

If you have been hurt in a motor vehicle accident, the clock is already winding down for when you can bring your claim. Do not delay, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer immediately at (314) 500-HURT to get justice and the best possible financial recovery for your damages. We begin working on your case straight away and do not rest until we win your case.

How to Avoid Auto Accidents | Elgin, IL Car Accident Lawyer

More than 75 percent of people who die in car accidents are drivers. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has seen firsthand the destruction that a thoughtless driver can cause. While you cannot always control how other people drive, there are several steps you can take to ensure your own safety in addition to the safety of others on the Elgin, IL roads.

• Always wear a seatbelt. In 2017, seatbelts saved approximately 14,955 people from death. Over 83 percent of drivers and passengers who are entirely thrown out of the vehicle die, and most of the rest experienced severe, life-altering injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that wearing a seatbelt decreases the chances of death by almost half and moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
• Know the laws and best driving practices. The Illinois Secretary of State has published a Quick Guide to Safe Driving for Elgin, IL drivers. Basic suggestions like driving slower and increasing following distance in poor weather not only do a lot to keep you and everyone else on the road safe, but they also protect you from fault or being partially blamed for an accident if you do find yourself in one.
• If you are a motorcyclist, wear a helmet. While Elgin, IL does not have laws forcing motorcycle drivers to use helmets, they are literal life-savers. In 2017, helmets saved 1,872 lives.
• Put away your cell phone. While you can always call someone back, you can never take back the effects of an auto accident. Pull over safely if you need need your phone for an emergency. If you use your phone for directions, turn the volume up and turn the music off so you can clearly hear the directions and do not have to look down at your phone.
• Have the right attitude. The road is for everyone, and we all should be polite to other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Understand that you are controlling thousands of pounds of metal moving at high speeds. Safety needs to be your prime concern. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, almost 25 percent of motor vehicle deaths are people under the age of 25. Maturity is probably a contributing factor.
• Keep both hands on the wheel. Only driving with one hand can substantially diminish your control of the car. Quickly changing the radio is likely OK, but both hands should be on the wheel the majority of the time.
• Call a taxi or ridesharing service if you have been drinking. Not only does alcohol significantly diminish your ability to drive safely, but it also raises your confidence and makes you feel more powerful, so you might think driving while drunk will be fine. Your brain might trick you into believing you can drive home safely, but it is never true.

You can take every precaution imaginable when driving, but unfortunately the careless behavior of irresponsible drivers can still harm you. When you get hurt because someone else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of your damages. Every Elgin, IL car accident lawyer at Burger Law takes on and wins the tough cases, and knows how to achieve great results.

Learn more about our various practice areas by clicking the links below:

• Survival Action Lawyer in Illinois
• Truck Crash Lawyers in Illinois
• Wrongful Death Lawyers in Illinois
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Illinois
• Car Accident Attorney in Illinois

Car Accident Lawyer Elgin, IL

You should never have had to carry the economic, physical and emotional burden of another driver’s selfish decisions and reckless actions. Fortunately, the law provides an avenue for restitution, although you only have one opportunity to get it. Trust in a car accident lawyer in Elgin, IL who has gotten results and won complex cases before. Burger Law aggressively pursues litigation so insurance companies know we will accept nothing but full and fair financial recovery. We intimidate insurance companies because they know we use our hard work, knowledge, experience, determination and commitment to regularly secure the best possible results for our Elgin, IL clients and see them made whole again. When you hire a Burger Law car accident lawyer, we get started on your case at once and do not stop until you get the full financial recovery you deserve. Call a Burger Law car accident lawyer in Elgin, IL today at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary consultation.

Client Reviews

What our clients are saying about us

Juanita Matthews

Year of 2023

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!

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