Car Accident Lawyer McHenry, IL

Car Accident Lawyer in McHenry, IL. If you were injured on the road due to another person’s negligence in McHenry, IL, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer immediately at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review. We help our clients in McHenry and anywhere in Northern Illinois receive great compensation for their injuries. We do not charge any fees until we win your case.

In a perfect world, everyone would drive carefully without injuring anyone. In a moderately less ideal society, when people cause others injuries they would take responsibility for their actions and their insurance company would offer you equitable compensation without you having to fight for it. In the real world, liable drivers frequently do not want to be held accountable for injuring you and their insurance companies will do anything they can to minimize your claim. That is where Burger Law steps up. Our car accident lawyer team empowers the injured and vulnerable in McHenry and throughout Northern Illinois to demand full and fair compensation for their injuries, and we do not rest until you collect it. Your life can change in a nanosecond because of another person’s negligence, and Burger Law will fight by your side to ensure you get the justice and economic certainty you deserve for your injuries.

In over three decades of defending the rights of the vulnerable, our car accident lawyer team has secured more than $175 million in verdicts and settlements for our Illinois clients. If you were harmed because somebody else broke the rules of the road, see how much your injuries may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator.

How Common are Car Accidents in McHenry and Illinois?

According to reporting from Illinois Department of Transportation, in 2020 there were 246,752 motor vehicle accidents in the state, which caused 72,989 injuries and 1,195 fatalities. In 2021, almost half of fatal accidents happened in metropolitan areas such as Chicago and Cook County. Over one-fourth of Chicago and Illinois collisions involved alcohol and over 33 percent of the motorists who died had drunk alcohol before the accident. Illinois is the 10th most hazardous state for winter driving, and the 10th most dangerous state overall.

While there is the infrequent crash that may be unavoidable, such as an animal jumping in front of your car, almost every McHenry, IL motor vehicle wreck is preventable. Human error is the principal cause of motor vehicle wrecks, as it causes 94 percent of wrecks. When you have to pick up the pieces after you are injured owing to a driver’s negligence or reckless actions, you may feel a variety of emotions, such as vulnerability, fear and worry about how you will get out from under the rising pile of the medical expenses, particularly if you have lost wages. You do not have to go through this process alone. Every car accident lawyer at Burger Law has committed their career to offering qualified and empathetic advocacy and legal representation to injured individuals and families in McHenry, IL. We will help protect you and your family’s future by winning you a full financial recovery not just for your medical expenses, but for any emotional or physical distress and inconvenience you experienced. Call us immediately at (312) 500-HURT to take the first step toward becoming whole again.

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

There are countless ways in which people can get hurt on the road. The National Safety Council has picked out 23 factors that commonly contribute to car crashes. The following are some of the most frequent causes that your Burger Law car accident lawyer sees in McHenry, IL:

Driving While Intoxicated

Drunk driving and drug-impaired driving are main causes of death and injury in car collisions cases. About 28 people perish every day because of driving while intoxicated, or one person each 52 minutes. Drunk driving collisions are one of the few cases in personal injury claims where you may also be able to get punitive damages. When we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, we do it so they know precisely how dangerous and impulsive their actions were.

Distracted Driving

Multitasking is a lie. While we may think we can multitask behind the wheel, frequently to save time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ascribed 3,142 deaths to distracted driving in 2020. It is never worth those 90 extra seconds to finish eating breakfast on the road.

Texting and driving can reduce a driver’s reaction time more than when they are intoxicated.

Speeding

According to data from the 2020 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics, of the 246,752 motor vehicle accidents in Illinois, a third involved speeding, including 37.3 percent of wrecks that led to injury and nearly half of deadly accidents. Speeding is hazardous because it considerably lessens the reaction time of both the at-fault driver and others on the McHenry, IL roads, and it causes more force in wrecks.

Drowsy Driving

While many people appreciate the hazards of distracted driving or drunk driving, driving while drowsy has comparable effects to driving while drunk. Losing just two hours of sleep is the equal to drinking three beers. Drivers always need to pull over to the side of the road and rest if they are feeling fatigued.

Inclement Weather

You cannot sue the weather, but the Illinois Rules of the Road puts in place clear safety procedures that drivers must observe in poor conditions, for example using turn signals much before turning in fog or expanding following distance when it is snowing. If somebody else in McHenry, IL does not account for weather conditions and harms you, your Burger Law car accident lawyer will be able to hold them accountable for negligent driving.

Defective Parts

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that faulty parts were the critical cause in more or less 2 percent of auto crashes. Manufacturers must safely design vehicles, test them and issue recalls whenever a defective components is learned of. If your injuries were due to defective brakes or an airbag that did not deploy, your Burger Law car accident lawyer will help you bring a claim against a manufacturer.

Whatever the cause of your damages, the McHenry, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law will find the explanation of your crash, ascertain who is at fault, hold them responsible and deliver you the best possible compensation for your injuries. We pride ourselves on offering qualified and empathetic legal advocacy to McHenry, IL individuals and families who have been hurt through no fault of their own, irrespective of of their economic standing. If a careless driver hurt you, get in touch with a McHenry, IL Burger Law car accident lawyer today at (312) 500-HURT.

Take a look at some of the following links to see the great results Burger Law’s McHenry, IL car accident lawyer team has won 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 | McHenry, IL Car Accident Lawyer

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

1. Duty of Care: Your car accident lawyer must show that the other person had an obligation to care for your safety. In car crash cases this is automatic. The Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1) specifies that drivers are “to exercise due care.” So anybody who drives inherently owes you a duty of care.
2. Breach of Duty: Next, your car accident lawyer must prove that the defendant violated that duty. In auto crashes, there can be obvious cases like driving while intoxicated or reckless driving, and there can be less obvious cases such as texting and driving. Your McHenry, IL car accident lawyer at Burger Law knows all the rules of the road and how to investigate crashes to demonstrate how another person was negligent and caused you injuries.
3. Cause in Fact: Also referred to “causation,” you must demonstrate that the driver’s breach of duty directly caused your damages. Sometimes insurance companies try to argue that you already had your injuries, or that they are owing to decline with old age. Your car accident lawyer at Burger Law knows how to demonstrate exactly how the collision caused your injuries. For example, we can show through presentations and medical expert depositions that your whiplash injury was caused by being rear-ended.
4. Proximate Cause: This is what ultimately decides liability. Imagine a scenario where somebody does not stop at a stop light and runs into you in an intersection, causing you injuries. If the driver was distracted, they are obviously at fault. If the other driver’s brakes were inherently dangerous and did not work adequately, then a manufacturer, mechanic or vendor could be to blame in a product liability suit.
5. Damages. The final thing to show is that there was some kind of loss, which can include medical costs, emotional anguish or time away from work because of your injury. One of the best benefits of hiring a car accident lawyer is that we know every sort of damage you are owed and know how to asses them. The defendant and their insurance company will endeavor to minimize your damages, but the McHenry, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law will insist that you recover full compensation.

Can I Still Receive Compensation in Illinois if I Was Partially Liable? | McHenry, IL Car Accident Lawyer

If you were partially liable for your car collision in McHenry, IL, your car accident lawyer will still be able to get you a financial recovery, however the amount will be less. Illinois is a modified contributory fault state, which means that your compensation will be lowered by the portion of fault you share in your crash.

Meaning, if you are awarded $100,000 for injuries sustained in a rear-end collision, but a jury finds that you share 30 percent of the blame because you stopped abruptly, 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 are over 50 percent at fault for the crash, you will not be able to collect any financial recovery in McHenry or anywhere Illinois.

Shifting fault onto you is a common tactic insurance adjusters use to diminish claims or avoid paying them altogether. The McHenry, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law pushes back against bullies like insurance companies who implement devious ploys to eschew their duty to reimburse you what you are rightfully owed. If an insurance company in McHenry, IL is unjustly attempting to place fault for your crash on you, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer now at (312) 500-HURT.

How Long Do I Have to Make an Injury Claim in Illinois? | McHenry, IL Car Accident Lawyer

Following an injury in a motor vehicle crash, the state of Illinois’s statute of limitations dictates how long you have after you sustain your injuries to file your claim.

• Generally speaking, Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 5/13-202 stipulates that you have two years after you sustain your injuries to file a personal injury claim.
• To file a wrongful death claim, Illinois Compiled Statute §740 ILCS 180/ stipulates that you have two years from the day of your family member’s death – not the wreck.
• If your claim is only related to property damage, you have five years from the date of your wreck to make a claim, under Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 13-205.
• Pursuant to Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 13-211, if the injury was incurred by a minor, they have up to two years after the date of their 18th birthday to file a claim. Likewise, if someone is disabled at the time you sustained your injuries, they have until two years following the date the “disability is removed.”

If you have been harmed in an auto accident, the clock is already winding down for when you can file your claim. Do not delay, reach out to a Burger Law car accident lawyer now at (312) 500-HURT to get justice and the maximum financial recovery for your injuries. We begin working on your case straight away and do not give up until we win your case.

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

More than three quarters of people killed in motor vehicle wrecks are drivers. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has seen with their own eyes the wreckage that a reckless driver can cause. While you cannot always control other people’s actions, there are numerous measures you can take to ensure your own safety in addition to the safety of others on the McHenry, IL streets.

• Always use a seatbelt. In 2017, seatbelts saved an estimated 14,955 lives. More than 83 percent of drivers and passengers who are entirely thrown out of the vehicle die, and most of the rest experienced significant, life-altering injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that wearing a seatbelt lessens the chances of death by 45 percent and moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
• Be aware of the laws and best driving practices. The Illinois Secretary of State has published a Quick Guide to Safe Driving for anyone on the McHenry, IL roads. Basic tips like driving at lower speeds and increasing following distance in poor weather not only do a lot to keep you and other drivers and passengers 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 McHenry, IL does not have laws obligating motorcycle drivers to use helmets, they are literal life-savers. In 2017, helmets saved 1,872 lives.
• Do not use your cell phone. While you can always text somebody later, you can never take back the effects of a motor vehicle accident. Pull over to the side of the road if you need need your phone for an emergency. If you use your phone for directions, turn the volume up and do not listen to music or podcasts so you can clearly hear the directions and do not have to look down at your phone.
• Have the right attitude. No one owns the road, and we all need to be polite to other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Recognize that you are controlling several tons of metal moving at high speeds. Safety needs to be your prime concern. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, almost one-fourth of traffic deaths are people under the age of 25. A less cautious attitude is likely a contributing factor.
• Drive with both hands on the wheel. Only driving with one hand can considerably lessen your control of the vehicle. Quickly changing the A/C settings 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 considerably impair your ability to operate a motor vehicle safely, but it also raises your confidence and makes you feel more powerful, so you could think driving while drunk will be fine. Your brain may trick you into thinking you can drive home safely, but it is never true.

You can take every possible precaution when driving, but regrettably the careless actions of irresponsible drivers can still hurt you. When you get hurt because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of your damages. Every McHenry, IL car accident lawyer at Burger Law takes on and wins the tough cases, and knows how to attain great results.

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

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

You should never have had to carry the financial, physical and emotional burden of another person’s selfish decisions and careless actions. Fortunately, the law provides an avenue for restitution, however you only have one chance to achieve it. Trust in a car accident lawyer in McHenry, IL who has attained results and won complex cases before. Burger Law persistently pursues lawsuits so insurance companies know we will take nothing less than the best possible financial recovery. We intimidate insurance companies because they know we use our hard work, expertise, experience, grit and dedication to always secure the best possible results for our McHenry, IL clients and see them made whole again. When you hire a Burger Law car accident lawyer, we get to work on your case right away and do not stop until you get the full financial recovery you are owed. Call a Burger Law car accident lawyer in McHenry, IL now at (312) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.

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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