Personal Injury Lawyer in Collinsville, IL

Burger Law defends the rights of people who are injured because someone else broke the rules. When you are seriously injured in an accident or incident caused by another person’s actions, Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers in Collinsville, IL demand the recovery you are owed and fight for you every step of the way. Call Burger Law today at (618) 500-HURT or contact us online.

To find out how much your personal injury claim may be worth in Collinsville, or anywhere in Illinois, use our free personal injury calculator.

The negligent parties that harmed you are responsible for compensating you for all of your damages, but they will not do it willingly. Burger Law’s personal injury lawyer team fights hard for the injured against anyone who is trying to keep them from the compensation they are owed. We handle a variety of cases, including making claims against drunk drivers, holding negligent physicians, product manufacturers, store owners accountable, suing the government, to securing justice and financial security for Collinsville residents after the wrongful death of a loved one. If you want to understand if you have a claim, what compensation you are owed or other questions regarding personal injury claims, call our personal injury lawyers in Collinsville, IL now at (618) 500-HURT.

Why Burger Law Is The Collinsville, IL Personal Injury Law Firm For You

Choosing the right personal injury lawyer for your case is crucial. You want someone who has won your type of case before and who you know will not back down from a fight. In order to gauge the abilities of an injury law firm, you need to look at the cases they have won, and what their clients and other lawyers say about them:

Premier Collinsville, IL Personal Injury Lawyers

The many awards and honors Burger Law has received from other attorneys include:

• Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a notable achievement awarded to not more than 5 percent of all attorneys in the country
• Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Honor — Members of the Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an honor only given to 1 percent of attorneys in the United States.
• Top 100 Trial Lawyers Honor — Selected to the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only award that is made up of the most qualified attorneys in each state.
• Board Certified By the National Board of Trial Advocacy — Board certified in Civil Trial Advocacy and Civil Pretrial Practice Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Fewer than 4 percent of all practicing attorneys are certified by an American Bar Association accredited certification board.

Personal Injury Lawyer Collinsville, IL – Cases We Have Won

Our Collinsville, IL personal injury lawyers fight for the full rights and recoveries of our clients. We take on all who harm our clients, and we fight for a full recovery every time. Our attorneys are committed to giving our clients the highest standard of legal advocacy, and we take great pride in our hard-fought successes. Check out some of our recent victories in personal injury claims below:

• $5 Million Settlement – Father Killed By Reckless Truck Driver
• $3 Million Judgment – Son Murdered by Pam Hupp
• $2.5 Million Settlement for Father’s Fatal Car Accident
• From $0 to $2 Million Car Accident Settlement
• $2 Million Settlement – Injured Woman Settles Highway Crash Lawsuit
• $1.435 Million Settlement For Deck Collapse That Injured Couple
• $1 Million Settlement to Family of Man with Sepsis Infection

It is important to remember that every injury comes with its own set of circumstances, and what you may be eligible to recover is going to depend on the circumstances of your claim. We calculate the full extent of your damages so that we get the maximum amount of compensation possible.

Burger Law Reviews

In addition to the videos below, you can see our full list of client testimonials here.

What Is a Personal Injury Claim in Collinsville, IL?

Under Illinois and U.S. law, you have a right to file a personal injury claim to get a financial recovery for the damage done by another person’s negligence, and to achieve justice. The aim of personal injury claims is to make you whole. The goal is convert all the ways an injury affected you into a dollar amount.

In some cases, no outcome in your claim can truly return you to how things were before the injury. While we can get compensation for the financial losses you sustained, other damages cannot truly be expressed through dollar signs. If a family member died, you are permanently disabled, are permanently scarred or will have to receive medical care for the rest of your life, no legal process can make that go away. What empathetic and skilled personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law can do is secure you fair compensation in order to provide a sense of justice and recognition, and to give you relief from the financial losses resulting from your accident.

Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Collinsville, IL?

That depends on the specifics of your case, but most of the time, yes, you will need a personal injury lawyer to get the full compensation you are owed in Collinsville, IL. The thing to ask yourself is, can they add value to my claim? If your medical expenses are low, you have minimal lost wages and the insurance company is being mostly fair, a lawyer might not be necessary. But, you will need an attorney in Collinsville, IL under the following circumstances:

• There is a dispute about liability, or you are being blamed for your injuries
• The initial settlement offer is well below what you are owed
• Your injuries are significant and require ongoing care
• There are multiple parties that is liable for your injuries
• Your damages are more than the at-fault policyholder’s policy limits

Our initial conversations and investigations are free, and we are always honest about whether or not it is worth it for you to hire our services. Our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you only pay after you have received the full compensation you are owed, and there is no reason for us to take on your claim if we do not think we can significantly increase the value of your claim.

How Do I Know if I Have a Personal Injury Claim in Collinsville, IL?

While legal doctrine can be complex, whether or not you can seek compensation generally depends on one specific question: did someone else’s negligence cause you injuries? If so, legally speaking you have to prove the five elements of negligence:

1. Duty of care — You first need to demonstrate that the liable party owed it to you to value your safety. In some cases this is automatic, as Collinsville, IL driver owe everyone else on the roads a duty of care, or store owners need their properties to be reasonable safe for anyone who legally enters. Other times, a particular relationship must have been agreed to, such as a doctor-patient relationship or a vendor-buyer relationship.
2. Breach of duty — Did the liable party fail in that responsibility? Did a driver hit you because they were drunk? Did a doctor not take into account your medical history? Did a trucking company force their employee to drive longer than regulations allow?
3. Causation — You must prove how the incident caused your injuries. For example, you broke your arm when your car was t-boned, or had bad side effects from a prescription drug.
4. Proximate cause — This determines liability. If you were injured in an auto accident, it is usually because another driver was not driving properly. But if the tires were faulty, a manufacturer or mechanic may be the one who is ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Finally, you must show that the accident led to economic harm. In most cases damages are medical bills and lost wages. With access to your medical records, this last part will be fairly easy to prove with the help of an attorney. After proving economic damages, we can seek a financial recovery for less tangible losses.

The only way to know for certain if you have an injury claim is to speak to an attorney who has handled your type of claim in Collinsville, IL before. You can speak to a personal injury lawyer now at (618) 500-HURT.

Types of Cases Our Collinsville, IL Personal Injury Lawyers Win

Being a personal injury lawyer in Collinsville, IL requires that you have a vast knowledge of the different types of cases that people deal with. Knowing the difference between a car accident case and a truck accident case seems simple, but there are many different laws and statutes that can arise in a truck accident case that play a large role in whether or not the case is successful. A lawyer who only knows how to deal with car insurance companies may not be the best choice to get you full compensation in a different claim. At Burger Law, we know how to hold the liable party accountable no matter the circumstances. Cases we specialize in in Collinsville and throughout Illinois include:

Auto Accidents

Research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicate that there are about 400,000 personal injury claims annually. The majority of those result from auto accidents, such as:

• 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

Truck accidents can be especially catastrophic because of the amount of force they carry in an accident, and motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians are all at heightened risk of catastrophic injury or death as they do not have the same protection closed-vehicle occupants have. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, anyone behind the wheel must “exercise due care” to keep everyone else on the road safe. If someone breaks the rules of the road, causes an accident and injures you, you can file a claim.

Sometimes, a vehicle manufacturer, construction company or governmental entity may be fully or partially to blame for your injuries. Your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will perform a complete investigation into your claim to find every liable party and hold them accountable.

Premises Liability

Proprietors have a duty to ensure their premises is safe for people who are legally on it. If you sustain damages in a slip and fall because a property was unsafe, you may have a premises liability claim. 740 ILCS 130/, also referred to as the Illinois Premises Liability Act, stipulates that property owners have a duty of care to people who lawfully enter their property that is “of reasonable care under the circumstances regarding the state of the premises or acts done or omitted on them.” Basically, if there is a dangerous condition that is not obvious, the owner has a responsibility to either repair the condition or warn against it. Examples of a dangerous condition on a property include:

• Spills
• A recently mopped floor
• Broken concrete on a walkway
• Broken stairs
• Broken decks and balconies
• Potholes
• Sudden changes in surface level
• Ledges
• Poorly lit stairs and walking paths
• Black ice
• Wet concrete
• Debris such as litter, fallen leaves and branches, rocks, etc
• Rugs that are not flat
• Stray cords
• In-ground sprinklers or hardscape features hidden in the grass
• Absence of safety rails

You do not automatically have a claim just because a property had a dangerous condition. If you were trespassing, ignored warning signs, for example a “wet floor sign,” or were running or not behaving in a safe manner, you likely do not have a slip and fall claim. The following must be true in order to make a claim:

• The owner or manager created the dangerous conditions; or
• The owner or manager knew about the condition and failed to fix it; or
• The owner or manager tried to repair the condition and fixed it negligently; or
• The owner or manager should have known about the condition, either because it happens often, had been there for an extended length of time or due to other complaints

A store or insurance company in Collinsville, IL may try to convince you that they are not liable for your slip and fall injuries because they should not have been reasonable expected to repair or warn against the accident or because you are to blame. That is not true, and do not accept any settlement offer until you have spoken to a personal injury lawyer.

Medical Malpractice

According to a 2016 study from John Hopkins University, medical errors are responsible for over 250,000 deaths a year. While not all of those constitutes malpractice, when it does, a doctor needs to pay for hurting you.

Your medical malpractice cases will come down to what is known as the standard of care. The standard refers to how a prudent physician, in the same area and with the same training as the one you are making a claim against, would treat whatever ailment you saw them for.

According to 735 ILCS 5/2-622, any medical malpractice lawsuit needs to be filed along with an affidavit from a health professional who:

• is knowledgeable in the relevant issues of the claim
• practices or teaches the same field as the negligent doctor, or has practiced or taught in that field within the last six years
• is qualified to review the facts of your case, and determines your claim is “reasonable and meritorious”

It is imperative that the physician who writes the affidavit is in the same practice area and geographic region as the health professional you are suing. A neurologist in Chicago has a different standard of care than a general practitioner in Decorah, Iowa. Burger Law relies on numerous expert witnesses in Collinsville and all over Illinois who can corroborate your claim.

Common instances of medical malpractice in Collinsville, IL include:

• Nursing home negligence
• Birth injuries
• Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnosis
• Forgetting to remove objects after surgery
• Hospital system errors
• Failure to secure consent
• Failing to order tests that a prudent doctor would
• Ignoring a patient’s complaints
• Not changing course when their treatment plan is not working
• Prescription errors

Dog Bites

Each day, almost 1,000 people require emergency care for dog bites, and every year dog bites lead to about 12,480 hospitalizations. According to a Chicago Tribune article, Illinois has the second-highest rate of dog bites in the country.

510 ILCS 5/, the Illinois Animal Control Act, mandates that a dog owner is strictly liable for your damages if it bit you, as long as you did not provoke it and were not trespassing. “Strict liability” means that the owner is automatically liable, whether they were negligent or not. This means that the owner owes you a recovery even if they did not necessarily do anything wrong.

While some dog bites only lead to minor injuries, others can lead to expensive surgeries or lifelong scarring. Regardless of the severity of your injuries, trust in a Burger Law Collinsville, IL personal injury lawyer to secure you the best possible compensation you deserve.

Product Liability

Strict liability also applies to anyone involved in the chain of distribution of a defective product. There are three types of product liability claims in Collinsville, IL:

1. Design defect — This is a defect that was present when the product was initially conceptualized. This could include an SUV that is prone to rollover accidents, or an electrical appliance that melts when turned on high.
2. Manufacturing defect — This type of defect affects several individual products instead of an entire line of products. Examples include a bug getting caught in packaging, or a seatbelt with a loose screw that comes undone during impact.
3. Marketing defect — This refers to instructions that does not mention certain risks when the product is put to foreseeable use. For example, an electric shaver not mentioning that shock can occur if used in the shower.

In order to recover compensation, you must show that the product carried inherent risks when it was used in a way a manufacturer could reasonably expect, that it caused your injuries and that you had not significantly altered the product.

Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers know how to get great results whenever someone was injured due to another’s negligence. One of the benefits of choosing a Burger Law Collinsville, IL personal injury lawyer is that we are not limited to any one type of claim, and have won your type of claim before. We understand that case types often overlap, and having experience with each type of claim gives our team the perfect understanding of how to fight for our clients’ rights and recoveries.

How Does the Personal Injury Claims Process Work in Collinsville, IL?

The path to getting a financial settlement or verdict for your injuries begins the second you are injured. While some accidents and injuries settle fairly early, others can take several years before a jury finally renders a decision. In total, the personal injury claims process includes:

• Getting Medical Treatment — Seek medical treatment immediately after an injury, and follow your doctor’s treatment plans to a “T.” The insurance company will be harder to deal with if you wait, and not getting the full treatment will lower how much compensation you receive. Our personal injury lawyers know reliable Collinsville, IL doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who can help you in your recovery.
• Consulting With an Attorney — Even if you do not know if you need an attorney, you need to know what your options are as soon as possible. A good lawyer will be honest with you about the value of your claim and how they can help.
• Investigation and Documentation — Once you have retained a lawyer’s services, your personal injury lawyer will conduct a comprehensive investigation into your claim, determine every liable party and gather the evidence needed for maximum compensation. You can help by keeping detailed records of your expenses related to your injuries, and how they affect your day-to-day life.
• Settlement Demand and Negotiations — Once we know how much your claim is worth, we will send a settlement demand package to those who are liable for compensating you. In the package we will include how we calculated your damages, and demand a financial recovery for all the ways your injuries have affected you. Usually, they will respond with a lower offer, and we keep negotiating until they decide to be truly fair.
• Filing a Lawsuit — If the insurance company will not be fair in negotiations, we will proceed to litigating the case and setting up a trial. During this time, we will continue negotiating in an effort to avoid a trial.
• Mediation — If a settlement agreement still has not been reached, your personal injury lawyer and the liable party will likely pursue mediation. In mediation, an objective third party listens to arguments from both sides and tries to get everyone to reach an agreement.
• Pre-Trial — If mediation fails, we will go into the pre-trial “discovery” phase. In discovery, we will speak to eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, acquire more evidence and both parties will share with the other what they plan to bring up at trial.
• Trial — Most personal injury claims are settled before trial. Indeed, many times we have gotten the settlement we were seeking in the weeks immediately before trial. However, if the insurance company still cannot see reason, the case will go in court. Trial consists of:
  • Jury selection
  • Opening statements
  • Testimony and cross-examination
  • Closing arguments
  • Jury instruction
  • Jury deliberation and verdict

Most of our Collinsville, IL clients have never had to deal with seeking compensation for an injury before, and are unsure of what lies ahead. Burger Law will be your advocate every step of the way, be there to answer all of your questions and manage all documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can spend your energy on your physical recovery.

What Types of Compensation Are Available in My Collinsville, IL Personal Injury Claim?

Typically, there are two types of damages you can be compensated for in a personal injury claim: economic damages and non-economic damages:

• Economic damages compensate you for your financial losses related to your injuries, for instance:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity if your injuries do not allow you to earn a living as you used to
  • Medical expenses, past and future
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages compensate you for losses that are harder to quantify, such as:
  • Pain and suffering
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Loss of ability to enjoy life
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Inconvenience
  • Physical impairment
  • Loss of consortium

In some cases, we may also be able to pursue punitive damages if the negligent party’s conduct was purposefully harmful or incredibly reckless. Examples can include a drunk driver, or a doctor who performs surgery after drinking. While punitive damages do not apply to most personal injury claims, your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will pursue every legal avenue We can to maximize your compensation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Collinsville, IL?

In Illinois, the statute of limitations is shorter than most states at just two years, under 735 ILCS 5/. That means the clock starts ticking when your accident occurs, and expires after two years. However, there are three important exceptions:

1. If you were a minor at the time of injury, you have until your 20th birthday.
2. If you were under a “legal disability” when the injury occurred, you have two years from the date the disability was “removed.”
3. In medical malpractice cases, you have two years from the date you discovered the injury or could reasonably have been expected to discover the injury. No medical malpractice claim can be made more than four years after the injury occurred, unless you were a minor at the time. Then you would have until four years after your 18th birthday.

While two years may not cause immediate concern, your attorney will want as much time as possible to build your case. Do not hesitate to contact an attorney. Call a personal injury lawyer today at (618) 500-HURT.

Other cases we get great results in in Collinsville, IL include:

• 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

Speak to Personal Injury Lawyer in Collinsville, IL Now

Burger Law’s Collinsville, IL personal injury lawyers hold ourselves to the standard of zealous representation. That means we start working for your recovery the moment you hire us, investigate your case thoroughly, fight back against insurance companies on your behalf and do not give up until you get the full recovery you deserve. We offer the highest standard of legal representation; all of our advice will be based on the facts of the case and our experience, but we always leave the ultimate decisions on your claim to you and your Collinsville, IL family. You do not have to pay for someone else’s careless actions. To start on your road to true recovery, call a Burger Law Collinsville, IL personal injury lawyer now at (618) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.