Personal Injury Lawyer in Chicago, Illinois

After getting medical attention, one of the first things you need to do after being injured in an accident is to talk to a personal injury lawyer to figure out your path to recovery. Speak to an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer today at (314) 500-HURT or online.

The St. Louis personal injury lawyers of Burger Law are lawyers you can count on, people you can trust. We fight for you as if you were family. We have spent our lives demanding justice and holding bullies accountable. Learn more about your St. Louis personal injury attorneys or speak to one now at (314) 500-HURT or online.

Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers in Chicago get maximum compensation for our clients. We have dedicated our lives to standing up to bullies and protecting the vulnerable. When you have been wronged and injured by another person’s actions, you need a skilled personal injury lawyer in Chicago to fight for your rights and ensure that you are fully compensated for your losses. To date, our Chicago personal injury attorneys have secured more than $170 million in verdicts and settlements for our deserving clients.

See some of our recent case results for yourself or hear what our previous clients have to say about working with Burger Law’s Chicago law firm. When you are ready to be made whole and make the insurance company pay for the damages you have suffered, call (314) 500-HURT to talk to a Chicago personal injury lawyer for free.

Personal Injury Resources

Chicago Personal Injury Resources

Facing a personal injury case in Chicago, you are likely full of questions. Hiring a personal injury lawyer can lift a tremendous weight from your shoulders. It is still important and helpful to do your homework before and after you have hired an attorney so you can understand your situation and know what to expect.

The Chicago lawyers of Burger Law have produced and compiled a number of valuable resources for those who have been damaged in personal injury cases. View them below.

• How to Choose a Law Firm
• Illinois legal resources
• Blog
• FAQs
• Free books
• Podcast
• Videos

Winning Chicago Attorneys

Common Causes of Injury in Chicago and the US

Falls, poisoning and motor vehicle accidents consistently make up three of the top leading causes of preventable injuries and preventable injury deaths in the United States. These three types of injuries rank in the top ten causes of nonfatal emergency room visits in the United States for every age group, with falls coming in as the number one cause of non-fatal ER visits in every age group — from infants under the age of one to adults over the age of 65. Other common causes of preventable injuries and deaths include drowning, bites, being struck by something and assault. While not every single injury or visit to the emergency room qualifies for an Illinois personal injury claim, these preventable injury causes do reflect some of the most common types of personal injury claims made in Illinois and throughout the United States.

What Types of Cases Do Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Take?

Personal injury cases arise from preventable injuries, which adds a layer of indignation or frustration for many. You would not be in this situation today had it not been for another person’s carelessness or willfully harmful behavior. To get the closure and compensation you deserve, you need a competent and reputable personal injury lawyer in Chicago to represent your interests. As Chicago personal injury lawyers, we are here to lend our knowledge and talents toward getting you a great recovery and making you whole after being injured by someone else.

In our nearly thirty years as a leading personal injury law firm in Chicago, Burger Law has seen and heard legitimate personal injury claims of all kinds. Through our tenacity and expertise, the Chicago personal injury lawyers of Burger Law have successfully represented families and individuals in Chicago and throughout Illinois in personal injury claims and lawsuits caused by all manners of preventable accidents including auto accidents, construction accidents, dog bites, medical errors, defective products and more. Some of the most common types of personal injury cases we have taken in Chicago include:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents – traffic accidents involving one more more motorized vehiclesThis category of personal injury cases includes many different types of accidents and can involve cars, trucks, busses, motorcycles, pedestrians, bicycles and other modes of transportation.
• Construction Accidents – construction site accidents to workers or civiliansConstruction accidents are often dangerous incidents that can affect both workers and civilians near construction sites. Some of the most common types of injuries and fatalities on construction sites are falls, falling objects, being crushed or stuck between two objects and equipment failures.
• Falls – slip and fall and other fall-related injuries due to dangerous property conditionsSlip and fall and other falling accidents can happen in any setting. When you are hurt because the owner or person in charge of a property failed to fix or provide warning of a dangerous condition and that hazard injures you, you have a premises liability personal injury claim in Illinois.
• Dog bites – when a pet or stray animal attacks by bitingDogs can bite when they feel scared, threatened or in pain. Dog bites can cause all kinds of injuries, and come with a high risk of complication due to infection. If you were bitten by a dog that you did not provoke, you may have a Chicago dog bite injury case.
• Medical errors – when a doctor, nurse or surgeon makes a mistake that costs you your well-beingWhen you receive medical care from a professional, they must adhere to a certain standard of care. When your doctor, nurse, surgeon or other medical provider makes a mistake or careless error that causes you further injury or illness that could have been prevented, your Chicago personal injury is considered a case of medical malpractice.
• Defective products – manufacturer goods that are dangerous to consumersThe Consumer Product Safety Commission is the U.S. agency responsible for regulating manufacturers of consumer products and recalling them when they are found to be unsafe. If you were injured because a product malfunctioned, you can make a recovery for your personal injury in a Chicago product liability case.

Burger Law’s Chicago personal injury lawyers have 70 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of Chicago citizens and demanding compensation when they have been harmed. Your Burger Law personal injury lawyer in Chicago is committed to holding the negligent accountable and getting you maximum compensation for your damages. Whether it is a drunk driver traveling in the wrong lane or an aggressive dog that was let off of its leash, our Chicago injury lawyers will make it right and help you move beyond this accident and live the life you want.

How Much is My Chicago, Illinois Personal Injury Case Worth?

There is a reason you probably cannot get a straight answer to your question “how much is my Chicago personal injury claim worth?” It is difficult to put an objective number on such subjective experiences like pain and suffering — the stress, pain and other obstacles your injury has injected into your life. Also, your settlement amount depends on a long list of factors. How much you can get in your Chicago personal injury settlement depends on:

• the extent and severity of your injuriesThough there is no real way to equate your suffering and injuries to a dollar amount, there are common practices used in Illinois personal injury cases to calculate a fair value for your claim. In Chicago and Illinois personal injury suits and settlements, we often use a multiplier method or per diem method. These are two commonly used formulas to value your non-economic damages by either multiplying your medical expenses by a certain number depending on how serious your injuries are or assigning a dollar amount per day and multiplying that by the number of days it takes you to recover physically. Learn more about how we calculate pain and suffering in Chicago personal injury cases.
• whether you carry any fault for the accidentEach state has its own policies regarding negligence and fault in personal injury cases. Illinois has a modified comparative negligence policy. Comparative negligence refers to the fact that the insurance company of the at-fault party is responsible for the victim’s damages rather than the injured person’s own insurance policy. In many cases, though, it is not as clear cut as saying that Person A is 100% at fault and Person B is 0% at fault. In Chicago personal injury claims due to Illinois’ modified comparative negligence rule, you can recover compensation from the at-fault party even if you share some — up to 50 percent — fault in the accident. Anyone with more than 50% of the blame for an accident will not be allowed to recover compensation from other parties, but someone with 20% of the fault, for example, would receive compensation for 80% of their damages (subtracting the degree to which they were at fault).
• your past and future medical needsA large part of your personal injury settlement is decided by your expenses like your medical bills and other necessary treatment costs. Rely on your Chicago personal injury lawyer to help you understand and convey not only the medical bills you have already acrued, but your need for future and ongoing medical care or treatment. Your lawyer will bring in medical experts to prove, to the Illinois standard of reasonable certainty that you will need additional medical care. You may need medication, surgery, physical therapy, a brace or something else in order to help you get back to your life as completely as is medically possible.
• the defendant’s insurance policyEach state has its own laws regarding the minimum amount of insurance coverage a person must carry. For example, in Illinois auto insurance, a driver must carry insurance that pays at least $25,000 per person injured and $50,000 total per accident. Insurance policies have maximum amounts they will pay, known as policy limits. Your Illinois insurance policy cannot be capped at an amount less than $25,000 per person injured in an accident or a total of $50,000 for people injured in an accident. Sometimes the policy limit will not cover the extent of your personal injury damages. Learn more about how policy limits affect your case and the ins and outs of liens work under Illinois law.

Above all else, the settlement you get depends on the ability of your Chicago personal injury lawyer. You need a personal injury lawyer in Chicago who has the resources and experience to properly value your claim based on accepted practices and the skill and tenacity to demand full payment from the defendant’s insurance company. Burger Law’s team of Chicago personal injury lawyers get our clients the full available compensation. Consult an experienced attorney about your Chicago injury claim today at (314) 500-HURT or fill out the form now.

If you want a better idea of what your case might be worth before you speak to a lawyer in Chicago, check out our Chicago personal injury calculator.

What is the Personal Injury Claim Process in Chicago, Illinois?

A personal injury case can go through different stages depending on the situation and how much resistance or integrity the defendant and their insurance company show during the process. Some may settle quickly outside of court, while others may be resolved through a mediation and still others may have to go all the way to trial to get you the compensation you deserve.

Most people going through a personal injury case in Chicago do not know much about the process because they have not had to know how it works. One of our responsibilities as your Chicago personal injury attorney is to guide you through every step of the process, advise you on what to expect and counsel you on how to navigate this time in your life. Your Burger Law personal injury attorney in Chicago is with you every step of the way and will always keep you informed and prepared. Still, it can be helpful for you as a plaintiff to understand the typical personal injury claim process. Knowing what to expect can ease your anxiety and help you make the most of your claim with a dedicated personal injury attorney leading the way.

Your Chicago personal injury attorney will guide you through the following steps, depending on how reasonable the insurance company chooses to be.

1. Consultation and Evaluation: Before you even decide to hire us, you will get to speak with a personal injury attorney in Chicago for free. We offer a complimentary consultation to help you make the best decision for yourself in hiring a lawyer. Burger Law’s Chicago personal injury attorneys answer all of your questions for free and use this time to understand your situation and what we will need to do to build an undeniable case.
2. Investigation: After you hire Burger Law, your dedicated Chicago personal injury attorney jumps into action and gets to work on your case. We may visit the hospital or go to the scene of the accident to collect evidence and obtain all relevant evidence and documentation such as medical files and police reports. We will also collect and organize any evidence you can provide, such as photos of the scene and your injuries. During this stage, your Chicago attorney will exercise their expertise to determine who is liable for your Illinois personal injury damages and what compensation you should receive.
3. Demand: Once we have determined the value of your claim, your Chicago personal injury attorney with Burger Law will make a demand of the defendant’s insurance company. We typically communicate your demands by writing a formal demand letter. This letter, in which your personal injury attorney defines why the defendant is liable, how extensive your damages are, what injuries and other losses you have sustained and what settlement amount you are demanding. There are several potential responses the insurance company may give to your demand letter. They may make an offer, ask or evidence or deny or ignore the demand.
4. Lawsuit: If the insurance company denies the demand or fails to respond at all, your Chicago personal injury attorney will take your case to the next step by filing a lawsuit and beginning the process in Illinois civil court. The complaint will include a prayer for relief, which is where your Chicago personal injury lawyer will make the demand for your recovery. This typically includes financial compensation for special or economic damages as well as general or non-economic damages. The defendant in your Chicago personal injury complaint has thirty days to respond to your complaint.
5. Discovery: This is the pre-trial process during which both parties have the chance to view the other side’s evidence. The discovery stage is a lengthy, involved process. It is your personal injury attorney’s opportunity to build an intricate, infallible case against the defense. You may be deposed and your Chicago injury lawyer may collect depositions from other witnesses or experts.
6. Negotiation: Once both sides have had the opportunity to review what the opposing party is working with, your Chicago lawyer will put their persuasive talents to use by negotiating a settlement amount that would be agreeable to you and covers the full value of your damages. The defendant could choose to accept the settlement demand all the way up to the day before the date of the scheduled trial.
7. Mediation: In some cases, the two sides may elect or be required by a judge to participate in a mediation. This is a meeting facilitated by a neutral party — the mediator — for the purpose of helping the two sides come to a compromise that both parties voluntarily agree to.
8. Trial: If efforts to settle the case are not fruitful, your Chicago personal injury claim will be set for trial, where both parties will argue their case in front of a judge and jury of their peers. The majority of personal injury claims in Illinois are successfully settled before reaching trial, but in some cases where the insurance company refuses to compensate you fairly, trial becomes the necessary last stop in the legal journey. Burger Law’s Chicago personal injury attorneys are highly talented and practiced trial lawyers and we are constantly honing our litigation skills. Though we are almost always able to reach a great settlement before reaching trial, our Chicago law firm is prepared to do what it takes to make you whole and will take the fight to trial if necessary.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim?

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Chicago, Illinois?

Personal injury claims are civil actions governed by state law. If you were injured in Chicago, your chance at a monetary recovery depends on your ability to comply with Illinois state laws on personal injury claims. This includes the statute of limitations. Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/13-202, there is a two year statute of limitations in Illinois. That means that, for your Chicago personal injury case, you have two years from the date of the incident to file an Illinois personal injury claim.

There are, as always, some exceptions to this two-year time limit. Be cautioned, however, that two years is really not that much time. Life can get away from you, especially when you are suddenly busy dealing with schedule changes due to your need to receive medical treatment and possibly miss work.

Do not put off your recovery. Take immediate action by hiring a Chicago personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Speak to a seasoned Illinois personal injury lawyer in Chicago about your case now, free of charge, at (314) 500-HURT.

Making you whole again

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Chicago

Being in an accident can throw your life into a whirlwind. Suddenly you are in pain, having trouble doing daily tasks and unable to perform your job duties. What is more, you have thousands of dollars in medical bills that continue to pile up. And none of this would be happening if it was not for someone else being negligent.

Burger Law’s Chicago injury lawyers stand up against bullies like conniving insurance companies. They will try to trick you or get you to accept an incredibly low settlement offer. For a chance at getting a full recovery, hire a Chicago personal injury lawyer from Burger Law. You pay nothing until we win.

With more than 70 years of combined litigation experience and more than 25 years as a firm, the attorneys of Burger Law have a history of obtaining great outcomes in our Chicago clients’ personal injury claims. To date, we have helped our clients recover more than $170 million in verdicts and settlements for their injuries and other losses. Learn about some of the cases we have won or call us now at (314) 500-HURT. We demand justice for the injured and stand up to bullies.

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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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