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(314) 500-HURTFatal Car Accident Waukegan, IL. When your life is touched by the nightmare of a fatal car accident that killed your loved one, hire experienced and compassionate fatal car accident wrongful death lawyers in Waukegan, IL that you trust as soon as possible to take care of everything on your family’s behalf. Reach Burger Law now at (312) 500-HURT or fill out this form for a complimentary consultation with a skilled Waukegan, IL lawyer.
Though there is no dollar amount that could even hope to equate to the value of a human life, receiving a financial recovery 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 after the accident. Burger Law’s wrongful death lawyers in Waukegan, IL together have over 70 years of combined experience fighting for families who have sustained loss as a result of Waukegan, IL fatal car accidents and have a history of helping our Waukegan, IL area clients receive maximum compensation for their claims. Our talent for negotiating and trying difficult cases have allowed us to help our clients recovery over $170 million in verdicts and settlements for their losses. With more than $170 million in verdicts and settlements returned to our deserving clients through our expert litigation and trial skills, we will get you and your family complete reparations in your fatal car accident wrongful death claim in Waukegan, IL or anywhere in Missouri. Call (312) 500-HURT to speak to a skilled wrongful death lawyer in Waukegan, IL now.
Burger Law is a leading Waukegan, IL personal injury law firm staffed by a team of talented and passionate Waukegan, IL personal injury and wrongful death lawyers. Our mission is to defend the vulnerable, including Waukegan, IL families who have lost a loved one to a fatal car accident. The outcome of your wrongful death case, the recovery you collect and your peace of mind and security for your future all depend upon the abilities of your fatal car accident lawyer. You must find a car accident lawyer in the Waukegan, IL area who have the technical talents, wealth of resources and track record to win your case, but also is someone you feel comfortable with. Burger Law’s fatal car accident legal team in Waukegan, IL understands that what you are going through is unspeakably painful. We handle your case with compassion and revere the solemn responsibility of providing you with the same level of legal advocacy and litigation that we would for our own families.
If your loved one’s life was cut short by a reckless or negligent driver in a fatal car accident near Waukegan, IL, you may have the legal option to make an Illinois wrongful death claim. Illinois law on wrongful death gives those 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 hurting your family.
Illinois Compiled Statutes 740 ILCS 180/ lays out the legal requisites for making a wrongful death claim in the state of Illinois. The statute describes who is allowed to file a claim, what damages they may recover, the time limit for filing a claim and other rules and details for filing a wrongful death claim in the state of Illinois.
If someone close to you was killed in a fatal car accident in Waukegan, IL, one of the first of many questions is who is eligible to make a claim and recover damages. If they are alive and able, the first choice for the plaintiff are the decedent’s surviving spouse and next of kin. If there are no able, living spouses, parents, children or other descendants, the court will name someone as personal representative — typically someone close to the family. Our practiced Waukegan, IL attorneys have a deep command of Illinois law and will put our skills to use to ensure that you are compensated for the loss of your loved one and that the person responsible is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
If you decide to pursue a wrongful death claim, it is critical that you hire a powerful wrongful death lawyer in Waukegan, IL with experience winning cases for people whose loved ones have been killed when somebody behaves poorly, such as in a fatal car accident in Waukegan, IL. Our firm has a team of determined wrongful death lawyers in Waukegan, IL who specialize in cases like car accidents. Our Waukegan, IL attorneys take on and win tough fatal car accidents and other wrongful death claims in Waukegan, IL, helping our clients get the full compensation they need and deserve.
Burger Law is a leading Waukegan, IL personal injury and wrongful death law firm serving those who have been harmed by others in Waukegan, IL and across Illinois and other states. In the nearly 30 years we have served are legal representatives in the Waukegan, 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 Waukegan, IL, and our clients’ case results reflect that tenacity. You can hear some of our clients’ stories directly by checking out our testimonials or you can read about some of our recent successes below.
Though it is plain that no amount of money could replace the loss of a loved one after a fatal car accident in Waukegan, 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 sustained.
You have only one chance to receive a financial recovery after a fatal car accident in Waukegan, IL and it is critical that you make the most of it by working with a skilled and successful wrongful death lawyer in the Waukegan, IL area. Burger Law’s relentless wrongful death attorneys will demand the maximum possible recovery and will not stop until they pay.
Our Waukegan, IL attorneys have 70 years of combined experience recovering complete compensation for our clients through our tactful and unwavering demands. As one of the top Waukegan, IL wrongful death law firm, our team of attorneys knows the law well, including the various types of damages for which you can be compensated. Our work is not over until you bring home the full compensation you deserve.
Illinois state law may make you eligible to file a wrongful death suit if your family member was killed in a fatal car accident in Waukegan, IL or anywhere in Illinois. To win your case and get the full recovery you and your family truly deserve, you need an experienced Waukegan, IL fatal car accident lawyer fighting for you. Burger Law has a team of unstoppable Waukegan, IL attorneys ready to demand your full recovery and fight ceaselessly until you win your Waukegan, IL wrongful death claim.
Illinois, contrary to some other states, does not place a limit or maximum on the value of damages that a claimant can recover in a wrongful death case. While no amount of money could ever replace your loved one or their presence in your life, making a recovery in a wrongful death claim after your family member is killed in a fatal car accident in Waukegan, IL can accomplish the following things.
You only have one opportunity to pursue and collect maximum compensation in your Illinois wrongful death case, and limited time to make your claim. Make the most of this chance to collect compensation that can support you and your family in the long term and help you lay your loved one to rest beautifully. Burger Law’s Waukegan, IL wrongful death lawyers will fight fiercely for you and demand the recovery you deserve. Contact us today to review your case with a qualified lawyer for free.
Any kind of Waukegan, IL motor vehicle crash can be fatal, especially when one or more of the vehicles involved are traveling at high speeds leading up to the crash. If you or a loved one are seriously injured or killed in a car accident in Waukegan, IL or elsewhere in Illinois, reach out to a Waukegan, IL fatal car accident lawyer right away.
Burger Law’s driven and compassionate lawyers offer the best in legal representation from negotiations to trial. We are committed to protecting the vulnerable and making the negligent pay for the harm they have caused. When a car accident in Waukegan, Illinois becomes fatal, Burger Law’s Waukegan, IL fatal car accident lawyers demand justice and the complete recovery for you. Discuss your case for free with an experienced car accident wrongful death lawyer in Waukegan, IL at (312) 500-HURT.
While the industry has made immense strides forward in safety through both innovative automotive technology and road engineering since the days of the Model T, automobiles still have the potential to be deadly and destructive when a driver operates recklessly or with negligence. As motorists, it is our duty to conduct ourselves safely and responsibly to avoid compromising other people’s safety. One mistake could mean a tragic, permanent loss.
Car accidents from all types of causes can become fatal, especially when high speeds and excessive force are involved. After any fatal car accident in Waukegan, IL, call (312) 500-HURT right away. Below, our Waukegan, IL fatal car accident lawyers identify a few of the most common causes of fatal car accidents in Waukegan, IL and throughout the US.
Distracted driving is a major threat to public safety, causing car accidents that result in serious injuries and even death. The CDC identifies three main types of distractions: visual, manual and cognitive. Humans naturally overestimate our ability to multitask. Doing anything that takes your eyes, hands or mind away from the task of driving — eating, brushing your hair, texting, talking on the phone, smoking, looking at something else, reaching for something in the car or even just daydreaming — can be a dangerous distraction. Distracted driving 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 less than three seconds before 80% of car crashes, which tells us that distracted driving is a major cause of car wrecks. Distracted driving is also tied to its fair share 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 increase the risk of injuries and fatalities in any car crash. About one-third of car accident fatalities in the United States are related to speeding, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), equating nearly 10,000 deaths. In Illinois, the proportion is 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 speeding at a higher rate in 65 mile per hour zones than in previous years, increasing the risk of both collision and fatality. While the police and other government agencies have campaigned continuously to discourage speeding and hold accountable drivers when they speed, it is impossible to catch everyone. If you lost a loved one in a speeding accident in Waukegan or anywhere in Illinois, speak to Burger Law’s fatal car accident lawyers immediately.
It is no secret that drunk driving is risky and that driving under the influence is never a good idea. Yet, it still endangers and upheaves the lives of thousands of people in Waukegan, 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 when the NHTSA began collecting data on alcohol-impaired driving.
Despite the efforts of many organizations and legislators’ to highlight the dangers of drunk driving and deter drivers from getting behind the wheel, drunk driving is still a common cause of fatal car accidents in Illinois and the country. 28 people every day, or one person every 52 minutes, is killed in a drunk driving accident in the United States. Compared to the national rate which comes out to 28% of all car crash fatalities, drunk driving is responsible for 30% of car crash fatalities in the state of Illinois.
Though it is legal to drive as long as your blood alcohol content is less than .08, a driver’s abilities can be compromised with any amount of alcohol in their system. In fact, in 2019 1,775 people were killed in fatal car accidents where the at-fault driver had a BAC of between .01-.07, meaning they were under the legal limit.
Regardless of whether or not they broke the law by driving with a BAC over the legal limit, if someone decided to get behind the wheel after drinking and caused the fatal car accident that killed your loved one, something must be done to hold them responsible. Speak to Burger Law’s Waukegan, IL wrongful death lawyers immediately at (312) 500-HURT to help you hold the negligent driver accountable for their reckless, dangerous actions and secure the financial recovery you and your family need and deserve.
Driving drowsy is a dangerous habit that has not received the amount of attention or alarm it deserves. Data collected from the past decade showsd around 800 drowsiness-related fatal car accident deaths in the US every year, meaning that drowsiness would account for around 2.5% of car accident fatalities annually. However, studies support the belief that this rate does not accurately reflect the reality, and that there are likely over 6,000 deaths due to drowsy drivers every year. This is supported based on may other key data points, such as 41% of drivers who admit that they have fallen asleep while driving at least once, and 27% of drivers who have reported driving while struggling to keep their eyes open within the past month.
Scientific 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 of being awake is functionally equivalent to operating with a blood alcohol content of .08, the legal limit, and the numbers quickly go up from there. Driving even slightly tired, such as after sleeping for only five or six hours the night before, is still a major safety threat.
Technological advances like smart driving technologies in newer, smarter cars as well as reform and educational campaigns led by nonprofit organizations and activist groups have made an impact on the threat of drowsy driving and other forms of impaired driving on the Waukegan, IL area community and the country as a whole. You have a unique ability to take action and prrevent others from losing someone they love in a drowsy driving fatal car accident in Waukegan, IL by holding the drowsy driver who killed your family member accountable and filing a wrongful death suit. Burger Law’s Waukegan, IL wrongful death attorneys will secure the best possible recovery in your fatal car accident claim. Learn more at (312) 500-HURT.
Reckless driving, careless driving, aggressive driving — whatever you refer to it as, it is a problem. 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 true rate at which aggressive driving occurs. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety published a study that found that 87% of drivers admitted to risky behavior while driving at least once in the last thirty days.
What qualifies as aggressive driving? Reckless, aggressive driving is illustrated in all sorts of appalling behaviors. Some 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, ignoring right-of-way rules, and disregarding traffic signals. The act of running red lights alone killed 846 people in 2019 in the United States.
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 put everyone around them in grave danger. If an aggressive driver caused the fatal car accident in Waukegan, IL that killed your loved one, Burger Law’s wrongful death lawyers in Waukegan, IL demand justice. When such a senseless, avoidable tragedy takes a human life, we make aggressive drivers pay for the damage they have done. Call (312) 500-HURT now to discuss your fatal car accident case in Waukegan, IL and get your family a full recovery.
In addition, we have extensive experience winning the following cases for our Waukegan, IL clients:
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There is no right or wrong way to mourn or an expiration date for grieving a loved one. However you process the loss of a loved one after a fatal Waukegan, IL car accident, make sure you call (312) 500-HURT to speak to the Waukegan, IL wrongful death lawyer who will fight for your family. Once you have 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. Take the time you need to grieve and process while our Waukeganfatal car accident legal team works hard to help you win your Waukegan, IL wrongful death case.
We recognize that a fatal car accident in the family is a profoundly painful, personal experience and you should take your time to make the right decision when hiring a lawyer lightly. You deserve nothing less than the most thoughtful, skilled, and relentless legal representation in your Waukegan, IL fatal car accident case. To help you in your case, our Waukegan, IL legal team has worked hard to provide quality resources to assist those who have been harmed by others in Waukegan, IL and throughout Missouri. Before you make a decision, 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 seasoned wrongful death lawyers in Waukegan, IL will always answer your questions for free. If you need guidance about what to do, if you have a wrongful death case, if you need a lawyer or would like to speak to a lawyer about your case, contact our skilled and compassionate lawyers today. If someone you love was killed in a fatal car accident in Waukegan, Missouri, take the first step toward justice and closure by calling Burger Law now at (312) 500-HURT.
Client Reviews
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!!!
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.
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.
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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Genevieve and Laura have assisted me in my personal injury claim and have made the process so much less stressful. They are extremely knowledgeable, professional, and attentive. Laura is always on top of everything and very sweet. I had no idea how to navigate this process and they have made me feel at ease and like they truly cared about the outcome.
It has been a long 4 years, but it is finally over! Burger law did a great job handling my case. Grant Doty answered all my questions, promptly returned my phone calls, frequently kept me updated and insured me that he was fighting for me. Jennifer Zini also did a wonderful job, great customer service. It was pleasure getting to know the Burger Law team!
After a driver unexpectedly pulled out right in front of my motorcycle & I suffered injuries, the at-fault driver’s insurance company offered me a $10,000 settlement. I hired Burger Law & they won a $109,000 settlement. I was very happy with the outcome. They were easy to work with & fully explained each step of the process & kept me informed along the way.
At Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer, we are a team of personal injury attorneys who have earned many distinctions and peer-reviewed awards for our civil litigation and trial work in Missouri and Illinois. A few of the honors we have earned include the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Top 100 Trial Lawyer Award, a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating, Super Lawyers selection as one of the top attorneys in the field of personal injury and board certifications in Civil Litigation.
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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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