Personal Injury Lawyer in Altona, IL

Burger Law defends the rights of those who are injured because someone else broke the rules. If you or a family member are seriously injured in an accident or incident caused by another person’s actions, Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers in Altona, IL demand the recovery you are owed and fight for you every step of the way. Call Burger Law today at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online.

If you want to know how much compensation you may be owed in Altona, or anywhere in Illinois, complete our free personal injury calculator.

Those who injured 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 whoever is standing in the way of justice. That includes anything from suing large trucking companies, holding negligent healthcare professionals, product manufacturers, store owners responsible, taking the fight to City Hall, to getting justice and financial security for a family after the wrongful death of a loved one. If you have questions about your case, what compensation you are owed or other questions regarding personal injury claims, call our personal injury lawyers in Altona, IL as soon as possible at (779) 800-HURT.

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

It can be difficult to know how to choose the right personal injury lawyer for you. 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 take into account the cases they have won, and their reputation among their clients and peers:

Award-Winning Altona, IL Personal Injury Lawyers

The many awards and recognition Burger Law has received from other lawyers include:

• Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a significant achievement awarded to less than 5 percent of all attorneys nationwide
• 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 lawyers 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 Altona, IL – Recent Successes

Our Altona, IL personal injury lawyers fight for the full rights and recoveries of our clients. We fight all who have injured our clients, and we insist on nothing but full compensation. Our attorneys are dedicated to offering our clients the highest standard of legal representation, and we take great pride in our hard-fought victories. Check out some of our case results 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
• Medical Malpractice Case Settles for Over $1 Million
• $900,000 Medical Malpractice Settlement
• $765,000 Settlement After Fatal Collision
• $600,000 Tractor-Trailer Crash
• $600,000 Settlement – Widow in ATV Accident Settles with Property Owner
• Class Action $600,000 Settlement Against the State of Illinois
• $495,000 Uninsured Motorcycle Verdict
• $400,000 Settlement in Employment Discrimination Case
• $350,000 Settlement in Ladder Case

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 Client Testimonials

In addition to the videos below, you can watch more client testimonials here.

Definition of a Personal Injury Claim in Altona, IL

Under Illinois and U.S. law, you have a right to file a personal injury claim to get monetary reimbursement for the wrong done by another person’s negligence, and to achieve justice. The purpose of insurance settlements and civil litigation is to make one whole. The idea is to put you in the same position you were in before another person injured you.

Sometimes, no attorney, settlement or verdict is can truly “put back” all the things you lost in an injury. While we can get compensation for the financial losses you sustained, other damages cannot truly be expressed through dollar signs. If you lost a loved one, you lost a limb, are disfigured or will have to live the rest of your life in chronic pain, no one can truly make that go away. What compassionate and experienced personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law can do is ensure your injuries are recognized, and to give you financial security as it relates to your accident.

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

That depends on the specifics of your case, but most of the time, yes, you will need a personal injury lawyer to ensure no money is left on the table in Altona, IL. The important question is, can they add value to my claim? If your medical expenses are low, you did not miss much time off work and the insurance adjuster is being reasonable, you may not need an attorney. But, you will need legal representation in Altona, IL if the following is true about your claim:

• There is a dispute over liability, or the insurance company says the accident are your fault
• The insurance company is denying they have to cover certain damages
• Your injuries are serious and require ongoing care
• There more than one party that is liable for your damages
• Your damages are more than the at-fault policyholder’s policy limits

We offer consultations for free, and we will always be honest with you about how much value we can add your claim. Our personal injury lawyers take on cases based on a contingency-fee, meaning you do not pay until we win your case, and we have no reason to take on your claim if we do not think we can get you substantially more money.

How Do I Know if I Have a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Altona, IL?

While the legal literature concerning negligence and liability can be complex, whether or not you have a claim generally depends on one specific question: were you injured because someone else was negligent? If so, legally speaking you need to prove the five elements of negligence:

1. Duty of care — You first need to demonstrate that the person you are making a claim against had a responsibility to care for your safety. Sometimes, a duty of care is assumed, as Altona, IL driver owe drivers, passengers and pedestrians a duty of care, or dog owners owe it to others not to let their dog injure anyone. Other times, a special relationship must have been agreed to, for instance a doctor-patient relationship or a vendor-buyer relationship.
2. Breach of duty — Did the liable party fail in that duty? Did a driver hit you because they were texting and driving? Did a physician prescribe the wrong dosage? Did a store owner fail to fix an obviously dangerous condition?
3. Causation — You must prove how the accident resulted in your injuries. For instance, you sustained a whiplash injury after being rear ended, or had bad side effects from a prescription drug.
4. Proximate cause — This determines who ultimately is to blame. If you were rear ended, it is usually because another driver was not driving properly. But if the tires were not safe, a manufacturer or mechanic may be the one who is ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Finally, you need to show that the incident caused economic harm. In most cases damages are medical expenses and wages you could not earn while you were not able to work. With access to your medical records, an attorney will be able to establish your financial losses with an insurance company. Once we establish financial losses, we can also pursue compensation for pain and suffering damages.

The only way to know for certain if you have an injury claim is to consult with an attorney who has handled your type of claim in Altona, IL before. Get in touch with a personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT.

What Are Common Personal Injury Claims in Altona, IL?

Being a personal injury lawyer in Altona, IL requires that your lawyers and firm 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 regulations and statutes concerning truck accidents 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 secure justice for the injured whenever negligence results in an injury. We have won millions for our Altona, IL clients in the following types of cases:

Auto Accidents

Research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicate that there are about 400,000 personal injury claims in any given year. About 52 percent of those result from auto accidents, for instance:

• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents

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 increased 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, all motorist must “exercise due care” to keep everyone else on the road safe. If a driver is negligent, 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. As part of our services, your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will perform an exhaustive investigation into your accident to find every liable party and hold them accountable.

Premises Liability

Property owners and managers have an obligation to take reasonable measures to make sure their property does not carry any risks for people who are not trespassing. If you are injured in a slip and fall because a property was unreasonably dangerous, you deserve compensation. 740 ILCS 130/, also known as the Illinois Premises Liability Act, stipulates that proprietors owe a duty of care to entrants that is “of reasonable care under the circumstances regarding the state of the premises or acts done or omitted on them.” Essentially, if there is a dangerous condition that is not obvious, the owner has a responsibility to either repair the hazard, post signage or rope it off. Examples of hazardous conditions are:

• Spills
• A recently mopped floor
• Broken concrete on a walkway
• Broken stairs
• Broken decks and balconies
• Potholes
• Sudden changes in surface level
• Ledges
• Poor lighting
• Icy or snow-covered concrete
• Wet concrete
• Debris such as litter, fallen leaves and branches, rocks, etc
• Rugs that are not flat
• Electrical cords
• In-ground sprinklers or hardscape features hidden in the grass
• Broken safety rails

You do not automatically have a claim just because a property had a dangerous condition. If you were trespassing, ignored warning signs, such as a “wet floor sign,” or were running or acting dangerously, it might be hard to get compensation. Successful premises liability claims depend on the following:

• The owner or manager created the hazardous conditions; or
• The owner or manager knew about the condition and neglected to fix it; or
• The owner or manager tried to fix 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 property owner or insurance adjuster in Altona, 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 the accident was your fault. Do not believe them, and always speak with a personal injury lawyer before accepting any settlement.

Medical Malpractice

Based on data from John Hopkins University, medical errors cause over a quarter of a million deaths a year. While not all of those amount to negligence, when it does, you can make a medical malpractice claim.

Proving a medical malpractice claim is based on what is known as the standard of care. The standard is how a prudent physician, in the same area and with the same training as the one you are making a claim against, would treat a specific condition.

Under 735 ILCS 5/2-622, any medical malpractice suit 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 doctor you are suing, 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 vital that the health professional corroborating your allegations is in the same practice area and geographic region as the health professional you are making a claim against. An anesthesiologist in Chicago is held to a different standard of care than a general practitioner in Kadoka, South Dakota. Burger Law has a network of expert witnesses in Altona and throughout Illinois who can help verify that your medical malpractice suit is valid.

Common examples of medical malpractice in Altona, IL include:

• Nursing home negligence
• Birth injuries
• Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnosis
• Leaving objects in after surgery
• Hospital system errors
• Lack of consent
• Not ordering tests that a prudent doctor would
• Ignoring a patient’s complaints
• Not sending you to a specialist or recommending a different treatment plan when theirs is not working
• Prescription errors

Dog Bites

Each day, almost 1,000 people seek emergency care for dog bites, and annually about 12,600 people are hospitalized. 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, stipulates that a dog owner is strictly liable for your damages if it bit you, assuming 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 regardless of how they acted.

While some dog bites are minor, others can lead to expensive surgeries or lifelong disfigurement. Regardless of the seriousness of your injuries, trust in a Burger Law Altona, IL personal injury lawyer to ensure you get the full compensation you are owed.

Product Liability

Like dog owners, anyone in the chain of distribution of a product is strictly liable for the harm a defective product causes. There are three categories of product liability claims in Altona, IL:

1. Design defect — This is a defect that was present when the product was initially designed. This could include an SUV that is prone to rollover accidents, or a power tool whose guard rails do not prevent injuries.
2. Manufacturing defect — This type of defect usually occurs to only one or 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 a product that did not carry sufficient warnings when it was put to foreseeable use. For example, a medication that does not include certain side-effects in the labeling.

In order to make a product liability claim, you must show that the product carried inherent risks when used in a foreseeable manner, that it was the proximate cause of injuries and that you had not substantially modified the product.

Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers will take on any case in which someone was injured due to another’s negligence. One of the great parts of choosing a Burger Law Altona, IL personal injury lawyer is that we are not limited to any one type of claim, and this actually gives our lawyers exceptional experience that they can use towards their clients’ advantage. 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 Altona, IL?

The path to getting maximum compensation for your injuries can be long and complex. While some cases only take a few months, others can take several years before a jury finally renders a verdict. From beginning to end, the path to getting compensation consists of:

• Seeking Medical Care — Get medical attention immediately after an injury, and do not miss any appointments with your doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist. If you delay, it could bring complications to your claim, and not getting the full treatment will lower your final payout. Our personal injury lawyers know reliable Altona, IL doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who can help you in your recovery.
• Speaking With an Attorney — Even if you are not sure you are going to need to hire a lawyer, you need to know what your options are as soon as possible. A good attorney will be honest with you about the value of your claim and how they can help.
• Investigation and Documentation — Once you have legal representation, your personal injury lawyer will conduct an exhaustive investigation into the circumstances surrounding your injuries, determine every liable party and gather the evidence they need to get you the best possible financial recovery. You can help by keeping a record of every dollar you have spent because of 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 the liable party’s insurance company. In the package we will include how we calculated your damages, and insist that nothing but the full amount will be agreed to. Usually, they will respond with a lower offer, and there will be several back-and-forths 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 — Mediation is often the last option for an agreement before trial. In mediation, a neutral third party listens to arguments from both sides and tries to get everyone to reach an agreement.
• Pre-Trial — If mediation still does not result in a fair settlement, the “discovery” phase begins. In discovery, we take depositions of eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, obtain more evidence and share with and request documentation with the other side.
• Trial — Only six percent of personal injury claims go to trial. Indeed, many times we have gotten the settlement we were seeking in the weeks immediately before trial. However, if the insurance company refuses to do the right thing, we will defend your rights in court. Trial consists of:
  • Voir dire
  • Opening statements
  • Testimony and cross-examination
  • Closing arguments
  • Jury instruction
  • Jury deliberation and verdict

Most people who speak with our Altona, IL personal injury lawyers have never been through the personal injury claims process before, and do not know what to expect. Burger Law will be by your side every step of the way, keep you up to date on the status of your claim and manage all the legal aspects of your case so you can spend your energy on your physical recovery.

How Much Is My Personal Injury Claim in Altona, IL Worth?

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

• Economic damages compensate you for the economic harm resulting from your injuries, for instance:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential 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 put a dollar figure on, such as:
  • Pain and suffering
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Loss of ability to enjoy life
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Inconvenience
  • Physical impairment
  • Loss of consortium

Sometimes, you may also be eligible for punitive damages if the negligent harmed you on purpose or they were 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 get you the best possible financial recovery.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in Altona, IL?

In Illinois, the statute of limitations is relatively short at two years for most personal injury claims, under 735 ILCS 5/. That means the clock starts ticking when your accident occurs, and expires after two years. However, there are three notable exceptions:

1. If you were a minor when the injury occurred, you have two years to file a claim after your 18th 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 your 22nd birthday.

While two years may not cause immediate concern, thoroughly investigating an injury and developing a legal strategy takes time. Do not delay in speaking to an attorney. Call a personal injury lawyer today at (779) 800-HURT.

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

• 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 Altona, IL Now

Burger Law’s Altona, IL personal injury lawyers fiercely believe in zealous representation. That means we start working for your recovery the moment you hire us, pursue every legal option we have, stand up to insurance companies on your behalf and do not give up until you are awarded the full compensation you are owed. We offer the highest standard of legal advocacy; all of our advice will be sincere and in your best interest, but we always leave the ultimate decisions on your claim to you and your Altona, 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 Altona, IL personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.