Westmont, IL

Car Accident Lawyer in Westmont, IL. If you were injured on the road because of somebody else’s careless driving in Westmont, IL, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer right away at (312) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We help our clients in Westmont and throughout Northern Illinois collect the best possible compensation for their damages. We do not charge any fees until we win your case.

In a perfect society, everyone would operate motor vehicles carefully without hurting anyone. In a slightly less perfect society, when people cause others injuries they would admit liability for their behavior and their insurance company would offer you maximum compensation without you having to argue with them. In the real world, liable drivers all too often do not want to be held accountable for harming you and their insurance companies will do anything possible to undervalue your financial recovery. That is where Burger Law steps up. Our car accident lawyer team supports the injured and vulnerable in Westmont and throughout Northern Illinois in insisting on full compensation for their injuries, and we do not let up until you get it. Your life can change instantaneously because of somebody else’s negligent actions, and Burger Law is here to ensure you get the justice and financial certainty you are owed for your motor vehicle wreck.

In more than 30 years of experience, our car accident lawyer team has gotten over $175 million in verdicts and settlements for our Illinois clients. If you were hurt because someone else was negligent, learn how much your claim may be worth by using our complimentary personal injury calculator.

How Common are Car Accidents in Westmont and Illinois?

According to reporting from Illinois Department of Transportation, in 2020 there were 246,752 motor vehicle wrecks in the state, resulting in 72,989 injuries and 1,195 fatalities. In 2021, close to half of deadly collisions occurred in metropolitan locales like Chicago and Cook County. Over a quarter of Chicago and Illinois wrecks entailed alcohol and over 33 percent of the drivers killed had drunk alcohol before the crash. Illinois is the 10th most hazardous state for winter driving, and the 10th most dangerous state overall.

While there is the uncommon wreck that may be inevitable, such as an animal jumping in front of your automobile, just about every Westmont, IL car crash is preventable. Human error is the main cause of motor vehicle collisions, as it causes 94 percent of crashes. When you have to pick up the pieces after you are injured owing to a driver’s inattention or careless behavior, you may undergo a variety of emotions, such as vulnerability, anxiety and doubt about how you will pay for all the medical expenses, particularly if you have to miss work. You do not have to go it by yourself. Every car accident lawyer at Burger Law has pledged their life to offering expert and empathetic support and legal counsel to injured residents of Westmont, IL. We will help preserve you and your family’s future by securing you the best possible financial recovery not just for your medical expenses, but for any mental or physical distress and inconvenience you experienced. Call us today at (312) 500-HURT to take the first step toward becoming whole again.

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

There are countless ways in which people can get injured on the road. The National Safety Council has pointed out 23 factors that typically cause motor vehicle accidents. Below are some of the most frequent causes that your Burger Law car accident lawyer sees in Westmont, IL:

Driving While Intoxicated

Drunk driving and drug-impaired driving are major causes of death and injury in motor vehicle crashes cases. About 28 people die every day because of drunk driving, or one person each 52 minutes. Drunk driving crashes are one of the only cases in personal injury lawsuits where you could also be able to get punitive damages. When we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, we do it so they see just how dangerous and impulsive their actions were.

Distracted Driving

Multitasking is a myth. While we may trust ourselves to multitask when driving, frequently to save time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration attributed 3,142 deaths to distracted driving in 2020. It is never worth those 90 extra seconds to finish combing your hair on the road.

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

Speeding

According to the 2020 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics, of the 246,752 auto collisions in Illinois, 32.9 percent entailed speeding, including 37.3 percent of accidents that led to injury and 44.9 percent of fatal accidents. Speeding is dangerous because it significantly lowers the reaction time of both the liable driver and others on the Westmont, IL roads, and it generates more force in collisions.

Drowsy Driving

While many people appreciate the hazards of distracted driving or driving while impaired, driving while sleep deprived has similar effects to driving while drunk. Losing just two hours of sleep is the equivalent of having three beers. Drivers should always 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 measures that drivers have to obey in poor weather, for example using turn signals far before making a turn in fog or increasing following distance when it is snowing. If someone else in Westmont, IL does not account for weather conditions and injures you, your Burger Law car accident lawyer will be able to bring a claim against them for negligent driving.

Defective Parts

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

No matter the cause of your damages, the Westmont, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law will find the explanation of your crash, determine who is liable, hold them responsible and get you maximum compensation for your injuries. We pride ourselves on offering expert and compassionate legal representation to Westmont, IL residents who have been harmed through no fault of their own, irrespective of of their financial standing. If a reckless driver hurt you, contact a Westmont, IL Burger Law car accident lawyer today at (312) 500-HURT.

Check out some of the following links to see the great results Burger Law’s Westmont, 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 | Westmont, IL Car Accident Lawyer

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

1. Duty of Care: Your car accident lawyer must demonstrate that the defendant had a duty to care for your safety. In car accident cases this is a given. The Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1) states that drivers are “to exercise due care.” So anybody who drives automatically owes you a duty of care.
2. Breach of Duty: Next, your car accident lawyer must prove that the defendant neglected that duty. In motor vehicle accidents, there can be obvious breaches such as driving while intoxicated or reckless driving, and there can be less obvious cases like not signaling properly. Your Westmont, IL car accident lawyer at Burger Law knows motor vehicle wreck cases and how to investigate crashes to show how another driver was negligent and hurt you.
3. Cause in Fact: Also called “causation,” you must prove that the driver’s violation of duty directly caused your injury. Sometimes insurance companies try to say 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 accident caused your injuries. For instance, we can show through presentations and medical professionals’ official statements that your whiplash injury was caused by being rear-ended.
4. Proximate Cause: This is what ultimately establishes negligence. Picture a scenario where someone does not stop at a red light and hits you in an intersection, causing you injuries. If the driver was drunk, they are plainly liable. If the other driver’s brakes were inherently dangerous and did not work correctly, then a manufacturer, mechanic or vendor could be at fault in a product liability claim.
5. Damages. The final thing to prove is that there was some sort of loss, which can include medical bills, mental distress or lost wages or lost earning capacity. One of the biggest benefits of hiring a car accident lawyer is that we know every kind of loss you deserve and know how to determine them. The defendant and their insurance company will strive to diminish your damages, but the Westmont, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law will demand that you receive maximum compensation.

Can I Still Receive a Financial Recovery in Illinois if I Was Partially Liable? | Westmont, IL Car Accident Lawyer

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

Meaning, if you are granted $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 share over 50 percent responsible for the wreck, you will not be able to recover any compensation in Westmont or anywhere Illinois.

Shifting responsibility onto you is a common tactic insurance companies employ to devalue claims or avoid paying them at all. The Westmont, IL car accident lawyer team of Burger Law pushes back against bullies like insurance companies who use devious gambits to eschew their responsibility to reimburse you what you rightfully deserve. If an insurance company in Westmont, IL is unfairly attempting to place fault for your wreck on you, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer now at (312) 500-HURT.

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

After an injury in a traffic crash, the state of Illinois’s statute of limitations lays out how long you have after the injuries occur to make your claim.

• Generally speaking, Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 5/13-202 states that you have two years after you sustain your injuries to file a personal injury claim.
• To make a wrongful death claim, Illinois Compiled Statute §740 ILCS 180/ states that you have two years from the date 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 accident to file a claim, pursuant to Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 13-205.
• Under Illinois Compiled Statute §735 ILCS 13-211, if the injury was sustained by a minor, they have up to two years after they turn 18 to make a claim. Likewise, if someone is disabled at the time of the accident, they have until two years following the date the “disability is removed.”

If you have been harmed in a motor vehicle wreck, the clock is already ticking for when you can make your claim. Do not delay, get in touch with a Burger Law car accident lawyer immediately at (312) 500-HURT to get justice and the best possible compensation for your damages. We begin working on your case at once and do not give up until we win your case.

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

Over 75 percent of people who die in motor vehicle wrecks are drivers. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has seen with their own eyes the destruction that a reckless driver can cause. While you cannot always control other people’s actions, there are various actions you can take to ensure your own safety in addition to the safety of others on the Westmont, IL roads.

• Always wear a seatbelt. In 2017, seatbelts saved approximately 14,955 lives. Over 83 percent of drivers and passengers who are completely thrown out of the vehicle perish, and the majority of the rest experienced severe, life-altering injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that wearing a seatbelt reduces the chances of death by almost half and moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
• Be familiar with the laws and best driving practices. The Illinois Secretary of State provides a Quick Guide to Safe Driving for anyone on the Westmont, IL roads. Basic suggestions like driving slower and increasing following distance in winter conditions not only do a lot to keep you and other drivers and passengers safe, but they also shield you from liability or being partially blamed for a wreck if you do find yourself in one.
• If you are a motorcyclist, wear a helmet. While Westmont, IL does not have laws obligating motorcycle drivers to use helmets, they are literal life-savers. In 2017, helmets saved 1,872 lives.
• Put down your cell phone. While you can always call someone back, you can never take back the consequences of a car crash. Pull over safely if you need to make an urgent call. If you use your phone for directions, put the volume on high 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 respectful to other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Be aware of the fact that you are in control of thousands of pounds of metal moving at high speeds. Safety should be the first thing on your mind. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, almost one-fourth of auto 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 A/C settings is probably OK, but you should mostly be driving with both hands.
• Call a taxi or ridesharing service if you have been drinking. Not only does alcohol considerably impede your ability to drive safely, but it also raises your confidence and makes you feel more powerful, so you may think driving while drunk will be fine. Your brain may deceive you into believing 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 cause you injury. When you get hurt because another driver broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to complete compensation for all of your damages. Every Westmont, 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

Call Burger Law Now

Car Accident Lawyer Westmont, IL

You should never have had to carry the financial, physical and emotional burden of another driver’s selfish choices and careless actions. Fortunately, the law offers an avenue for restitution, although you only have one chance to get it. Trust in a car accident lawyer in Westmont, IL who has achieved results and won the hard cases before. Burger Law persistently pursues lawsuits so insurance companies know we will take nothing but full and fair financial recovery. We intimidate insurance companies because they know we use our hard work, expertise, experience, grit and commitment to regularly secure the best possible results for our Westmont, 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 let up until you get the full financial recovery you deserve. Call a Burger Law car accident lawyer in Westmont, IL immediately at (312) 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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