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(314) 500-HURTWhen your worst nightmare comes to life and your loved one is killed in a fatal car accident, hire skilled and dedicated fatal car accident wrongful death lawyers in Salem, IL right away to represent your family and fight for your legal recovery. Reach Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT or fill out this form for a free consultation with an experienced Salem, IL lawyer.
Though there is no dollar amount that could even hope to equate to the value of a human life, receiving payment for your damages after someone else’s negligent behavior kills your loved one can come as a form of support for you and your family in the weeks, months and years following the accident. Burger Law’s Salem, IL wrongful death lawyers together have more than 70 years of experience representing families who have been hurt as a result of Salem, IL fatal car accidents and have a history of winning our Salem, IL clients the most possible compensation in their cases. Our talent for negotiating and trying difficult cases have allowed us to help our clients collect more than $170 million in verdicts and settlements for their damages. We are the Salem, IL law firm positioned to help you and your family get maximum compensation in your fatal car accident wrongful death claim in Salem, IL or anywhere in Missouri. Speak to a wrongful death lawyer in Salem, IL now at (314) 500-HURT.
Burger Law is a reputable Salem, IL personal injury law firm made up of some of the most talented and passionate personal injury and wrongful death lawyers in Salem, IL. We live to protect the vulnerable, including survivors in Salem, IL who have had loved ones taken from them in fatal car accidents. Finding the right lawyer for a fatal car accident case can decide the outcome of your claim, your financial recovery and your mental peace and well-being during and after your case. You must find a car accident lawyer near Salem, IL who have the litigation capabilities, wealth of resources and winning history to win your case, but also is someone you feel comfortable with. Burger Law’s fatal car accident legal team in Salem, IL understands the pain and gravity of what you are experiencing. We approach your case with that in mind, offering you sensitive, compassionate support while providing you with the same level of powerful legal representation that we would for our own families.
If your loved one’s life was cut short by an irresponsible or negligent driver in a fatal car accident near Salem, IL, you may have the right to file an Illinois wrongful death claim. Illinois law on wrongful death allows people, such as you, whose family member was killed due to another person’s negligence, in a fatal car accident or other type of accident, to be compensated for their losses and to make the negligent person pay for the harm they have caused.
Illinois Compiled Statutes 740 ILCS 180/ defines the legal requisites for a wrongful death claim in Illinois court. The statute describes who may file a claim, what damages they may recover, how long they have to file a claim and other details related to filing an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit.
If someone close to you was killed in a fatal car accident in Salem, IL, one of the first of many questions is whether you are legally allowed to make a wrongful death claim. If they are alive and able, the first choice for the plaintiff are the decedent’s surviving spouse and next of kin. When the decedent has no surviving spouse or next of kin, the court will appoint a personal representative — generally someone close to the family. Our seasoned Salem, IL lawyers have a deep understanding of Illinois law and will put our skills to use to demand and secure full compensation for your loss and make sure that the negligent person is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
If you decide to pursue a wrongful death claim, you will most certainly need a powerful wrongful death lawyer in Salem, IL who has experience fighting on behalf of people whose loved ones have been killed due to the negligence or poor decisions of another person, such as in a fatal car accident in Salem, IL. Our firm has a team of dedicated wrongful death lawyers in Salem, IL with special backgrounds in car accident cases. Our Salem, IL attorneys have experience winning difficult fatal car accidents and other wrongful death claims in Salem, IL, helping our clients get the full compensation they need and deserve.
Our Salem, IL law firm fights against bullies and stands up for those who have been harmed by others, like in personal injury and wrongful death cases in Salem, IL and across Illinois and other states. In the nearly 30 years we have served are legal representatives in the Salem, IL area, we have helped our clients recover more than $170 million in verdicts and settlements.
We mercilessly demand justice for victims in fatal car accidents in Salem, IL, and the results our clients have received reflect that veracity. Hear from our clients themselves by viewing our testimonial videos or learn more about a few of the cases we have recently settled below.
Though it is plain that no amount of money could make up for your loved one’s death after a fatal car accident in Salem, IL, you have a chance to receive a financial recovery to compensate you for your losses. By filing a wrongful death claim against the negligent parties, you have an opportunity to hold responsible the person or people who ended your loved one’s death in a fatal car accident and to receive a financial recovery for the losses you have experienced.
You have only a single chance to collect a full recovery after a fatal car accident in Salem, IL and you must act now by hiring a competent and experienced wrongful death lawyer in the Salem, IL area. Burger Law’s team of winning wrongful death attorneys will fight until you receive a full financial recovery.
Our Salem, IL attorneys have extensive experience negotiating complete compensation for our clients through our tactful and unwavering demands. As a leading Salem, IL wrongful death law firm, our team of attorneys knows the law well, including the various types of damages for which you might be eligible for compensation. We will not rest until you bring home the a complete financial recovery.
Under Illinois law, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim if your family member was killed in a fatal car accident in Salem, IL or anywhere in Illinois. In order to get the full recovery you and your family truly deserve, you need a talented Salem, IL fatal car accident attorney fighting for you. Burger Law has a team of unstoppable Salem, IL attorneys ready to demand justice for you through full compensation by winning your Salem, IL wrongful death claim.
Illinois, contrary to some other states, imposes no cap or limit on the value of damages that can be rewarded to the claimants in a wrongful death case. While no amount of money could ever replace your loved one or their unique role in your life, making a recovery in a wrongful death claim after your family member is killed in a fatal car accident in Salem, IL can accomplish the following things.
You only have one chance to pursue and be awarded maximum compensation in your Illinois wrongful death case, and only so much time to make a claim. Do not waste your chance to collect compensation that can help you and your family make ends meet and allow you to honor your loved one’s memory the way you want to. Burger Law’s Salem, IL wrongful death legal team will be a fierce advocate for you and demand the recovery you and your family deserve. Contact us today to speak to a lawyer about your case for free.
Any kind of Salem, IL motor vehicle crash has the potential to be fatal. There is any even higher risk of death when high speeds are involved at the time of the crash. If you or a loved one are seriously injured or killed in a car accident in Salem, IL or elsewhere in Illinois, reach out to a Salem, IL fatal car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Burger Law’s passionate lawyers offer the best in legal representation from negotiations to trial. We are dedicated to standing up for the vulnerable and making people pay for inflicting harm. When a car accident in Salem, Illinois becomes fatal, Burger Law’s Salem, IL fatal car accident lawyers demand justice and the maximum recovery for you. Discuss your case for free with an experienced car accident wrongful death lawyer in Salem, IL at (314) 500-HURT.
Though laws and advancements in safety technology and road design have improved immensely since the days of the Model T, vehicles still have the potential to be deadly and destructive when a driver operates recklessly or with negligence. As motorists, we owe everyone around us a duty of care to operate safely and responsibly to avoid the risk of harming others. One lapse in judgment could mean a life is cut tragically short.
Car accidents of all kinds of causes can become fatal, especially in cases of high speeds or excessive force. After any fatal car accident in Salem, IL, call (314) 500-HURT right away. Our Salem, IL fatal car accident lawyers review a few of the most common causes of fatal car accidents in Salem, IL and throughout the US.
Distracted driving is a public safety crisis, causing car accidents that result in severe injuries and even death. The CDC breaks distractions into three categories: visual, manual and cognitive. Humans naturally overestimate how well we can multitask. Doing anything that takes your eyes, hands or mind away from the task of driving — eating, applying makeup, texting, talking on the phone, smoking, looking at something else, reaching for something in the car or even just daydreaming — can distract a driver. Driving distracted impairs driving ability by reducing important skills such as visibility, reaction time, attention and decision making.
A National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration study identified that driver inattention took place within the three seconds before 80% of car crashes, which tells us that distracted driving is a major contributor to car crashes. Distracted driving is also tied to a significant number of fatal car accidents, causing over 3,000 deaths in the United States every year, including 3,142 deaths due to fatal car accidents caused by distracted driving incidents in 2020.
Speed limits exist for a reason. High speeds make any car accident more dangerous and likely to cause fatalities. Speeding is a factor in about one-third of all car accident fatalities in the United States every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This adds up to nearly 10,000 deaths. The numbers in Illinois are even higher. The annual Illinois Car Crash Facts and Statistics manual show that 39.2% of fatal car accidents in Illinois involved speeding.
Illinois State Police have identified that, in recent months, drivers are more frequently speeding in 65 mile per hour zones than in previous years, making collisions and fatalities more likely. While the police and other government agencies have continued to work to discourage speeding and punish drivers who do speed, it is impossible to catch everyone. If you lost a loved one in a speeding accident in Salem or anywhere in Illinois, speak to Burger Law’s fatal car accident lawyers immediately.
It is no secret that drunk driving is deadly and that it is never the right decision to operate a vehicle while under the influence. It still presents a prevalent public safety threat affecting thousands of people in Salem, Illinois and the United States every year, though fortunately, fatal car accidents caused by drunk drivers has decreased nationwide by 45% over the last forty years, since 1982 which is when the NHTSA began collecting data on alcohol-impaired driving.
Despite the efforts of many organizations and legislators’ to educate about the dangers of drunk driving and deter people from driving drunk, drunk driving is still a common cause of fatal car accidents in Illinois and throughout the country. 28 people every day, or one person every 52 minutes, dies in a drunk driving accident in the United States. Compared to the national rate which comes out to 28% of all car accident fatalities, drunk driving is responsible for 30% of car crash deaths in the state of Illinois.
Though you can legally drive a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of less than .08, even a small amount of alcohol in the system can negatively affect a person’s driving capacity. In fact, in 2019 1,775 people were killed in fatal car accidents where the driver responsible for the accident had a legally acceptable BAC of between .01-.07.
Regardless of whether or not they broke the law by driving with a BAC over the legal limit, if someone chose to operate a vehicle after drinking and killed your loved one in a fatal car accident, they need to be held accountable. Speak to Burger Law’s Salem, IL wrongful death lawyers as soon as you can at (314) 500-HURT so we can hold the negligent driver accountable for their reckless, dangerous behavior and secure the financial recovery you and your family need and deserve.
Drowsy driving is a dangerous habit that has not received the amount of attention or alarm it deserves. Historical data from the past ten years showsd around 800 drowsiness-related fatal car accident deaths in the United States every year, meaning that drowsiness would account for approximately 2.5% of all car accident deaths annually. Researchers collectively support the belief that the data does not tell the whole story, and that the real figure is likely over 6,000 drowsy driving deaths every year. Other key statistics support this line of thought, such as 41% of drivers who admit that they have dozed off while operating a vehicle at least once in their lives, and 27% of drivers having driven while struggling to keep their eyes open within the past 30 days.
Studies have likened the effects of fatigue or lack of sleep to being inebriated — causing slowed reaction times, decreased alertness and poor decision-making abilities. Driving after 20 consecutive hours without sleep is functionally equivalent to driving with a .08 blood alcohol content, and the numbers quickly go up from there. Even driving slightly sleepy, such as after sleeping for only five or six hours the prvious night, is also undeniably dangerous.
The development of technologies like obstacle detecting technologies in newer, smarter cars and community interventions and education led by nonprofit organizations and activist groups have worked toward reducing the impact of driving fatigued or otherwise impaired on the Salem, IL area community and the country as a whole. You have a unique ability to take action and prrevent others from suffering death or the loss of a loved one in a drowsy driving fatal car accident in Salem, IL by bringing a wrongful death claim against the drowsy driver who killed your loved one. Burger Law’s Salem, IL wrongful death attorneys will help you win maximum compensation in your fatal car accident claim. Learn more at (314) 500-HURT.
Reckless driving, careless driving, aggressive driving — whatever you decide to call it, it is a big deal. NTSHA data points to aggressive driving in 56% of fatal car crashes. This number comes despite the fact that it is almost impossible to quantify and measure the full extent of aggressive driving occurrences. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported that 87% of drivers admitted to commiting risk driving behavior at least once in the past month.
What exactly is aggressive driving? Reckless, aggressive behavior in driving manifests in all sorts of shocking behaviors. A few examples of acts of reckless driving include racing other vehicles, passing in areas where passing is not permitted or safe, swerving, weaving in and out of traffic, failure to yield the right of way, and disregarding traffic signals. The act of running red lights alone killed 846 people in 2019 in the US.
When a driver gets a bad case of road rage, is running late, wants to evade the police, or is under the delusion that they are invincible and can do anything they want without being hurt, and chooses to drive aggressively, they endanger the lives of everyone around them. If an aggressive driver caused the fatal car accident in Salem, IL that killed your loved one, Burger Law’s wrongful death lawyers in Salem, IL demand justice. When such a senseless, avoidable tragedy takes a human life, aggressive drivers must pay for the harm they cause. Call (314) 500-HURT now to discuss your fatal car accident case in Salem, IL and get your family a full recovery.
In addition, we have extensive experience winning the following cases for our Salem, IL clients:
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When it comes to mourning a loved one, there is no one right way to behave or a time limit on grieving. However you process the loss of a family member after a fatal Salem, IL car accident, make sure you call (314) 500-HURT to speak to the Salem, IL wrongful death lawyer who will fight for your family. After hiring a dedicated, determined and diligent wrongful death lawyer from Burger Law on your fatal car accident case, you do not have to worry about anything else. Grieve at your own pace while our Salemfatal car accident legal team gets to work on winning your Salem, IL wrongful death case.
We know that when it comes to something as sensitive, personal and profound as the wrongful death of a loved one in a tragic fatal car accident, it is important that you take your time to choose the right wrongful death lawyer to represent you. You deserve thoughtful, skilled, and tenacious legal representation in your Salem, IL fatal car accident case. To help you in your case, our Salem, IL legal team has worked hard to provide a wealth of resources to help anyone harmed by others in Salem, IL and throughout Missouri. Before making the decision to hire a lawyer, learn more about how to choose the right law firm, answers to common questions about wrongful death claims and other information and guidance about your legal options through our free books and podcasts.
Our winning wrongful death lawyers in Salem, IL are always available to answer your questions for free. If you are unsure about what to do, whether you have a wrongful death case, if you need a lawyer or would like to discuss anything else regarding your case, contact our knowledgeable and compassionate lawyers today. If someone you love was killed in a fatal car accident in Salem, Missouri, take the first step toward justice and closure by calling Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Gary Burger who has more than 30 years of legal experience as a practicing personal injury trial attorney. Gary’s robust legal knowledge is recognized by his peers as demonstrated by his industry awards and frequent Continuing Legal Education (CLE) lectures.
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