Personal Injury Lawyer in Bridgeport, IL

Burger Law fights on behalf of those who get hurt because someone else did no respect their safety. If you have sustained serious injuries in an accident or incident caused by another person’s actions, Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers in Bridgeport, IL demand the recovery you are owed and fight for you every step of the way. Reach out to Burger Law today at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online.

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

Those who harmed you have an obligation to compensate you for all of your damages, but they will not do it willingly. Burger Law’s personal injury lawyer team fights back for our clients against whoever is standing in the way of justice. That includes anything from suing large trucking companies, holding negligent healthcare professionals, product manufacturers, restaurant owners accountable, suing the government, to getting justice and financial security for a family after the wrongful death of a loved one. If you have questions about your case, the damages you may be able to recover or other questions regarding personal injury claims, call our personal injury lawyers in Bridgeport, IL immediately at (779) 800-HURT.

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

Choosing the right personal injury lawyer for your case is of utmost importance. You want someone with a history of winning similar cases and who you know will not back down from a fight. In order to have a good understanding of the abilities of a law firm, you need to look at their previous victories, and what their clients and other lawyers say about them:

Acclaimed Bridgeport, IL Personal Injury Lawyers

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

• Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a notable achievement awarded to less than 5 percent of all lawyers in the United States
• 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 honor that is comprised 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. Less than 4 percent of all practicing attorneys are certified by an American Bar Association accredited certification board.

Personal Injury Lawyer Bridgeport, IL – Cases We Have Won

Our Bridgeport, IL personal injury lawyers have a demonstrated history of getting great results. We fight all who have hurt our clients, and we fight for a full recovery every time. Our firm is dedicated to providing our clients amazing legal representation, and we have great pride in our well-deserved successes. Read about our recent successes 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 no two cases are the same, and the financial recovery you are owed is going to depend on the circumstances of your claim. We calculate the full extent of your damages so that you are given what you deserve.

Burger Law Client Testimonials

Beyond the videos below, you can check out more client testimonials here.

What Is a Personal Injury Claim in Bridgeport, IL?

Under Illinois and U.S. law, you have a right to file a personal injury claim to get a financial recovery for the harm another person caused, and to achieve justice. The compensation you receive is intended to make you whole. The goal is convert all the ways an injury affected you into a dollar amount.

In some cases, no attorney, settlement or verdict is can fully “put back” all the things you lost in an injury. While we can get compensation for the financial losses you sustained, other damages are harder to quantify. If a family member died, you are permanently disabled, are disfigured or will have to live the rest of your life in chronic pain, no amount of money can change that. What compassionate and experienced personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law can do is ensure your injuries are recognized, and to give you relief from the financial losses resulting from your accident.

Is it Worth Hiring Personal Injury Lawyer in Bridgeport, IL?

While some cases can be successfully navigated without a lawyer, most of the time you will need one to get the full compensation you deserve in Bridgeport, IL. The important question is, can they increase my compensation? If your medical expenses are low, you did not miss much time off work and the insurance adjuster is being reasonable, a lawyer might not be necessary. But, you should hire an attorney in Bridgeport, IL if the following is true about your claim:

• There is disagreement 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 medical treatment
• There are multiple parties at fault
• Your damages are more than the at-fault policyholder’s policy limits

We offer consultations for free, and we are always honest about whether or not it is in your best interest to hire our services. Our personal injury lawyers take on cases based on a contingency-fee, meaning you only pay after you have received the full compensation you deserve, and we have no reason to take on your claim if we do not think we can significantly increase the value of your claim.

What Do You Need to Prove to Win a Personal Injury Claim in Bridgeport, IL?

While civil law can be confusing, whether or not you have a claim generally depends on one particular 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 show that the liable party had an obligation to keep you safe. Sometimes, a duty of care is assumed, as Bridgeport, IL driver owe drivers, passengers and pedestrians a duty of care, or dog owners owe it to others to keep their dog from biting anyone. In other cases, a particular relationship must have been agreed to, for instance the relationship between a doctor and patient or between a vendor and a buyer.
2. Breach of duty — Did the other party fail in that obligation? Did a driver hit you while they were running a red light? Did a doctor not take into account your medical history? Did a store owner not salt the ice in front of their property sufficiently?
3. Cause-in-fact — You must show how the breach of duty resulted in 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 rear ended, the liable party is usually the driver that hit you. But if the tires were defective, a manufacturer or mechanic may be the one who is ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Lastly, you need to demonstrate that the injuries led to economic harm. In most cases damages are medical expenses and lost wages. 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 Bridgeport, IL before. You can speak to a personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT.

Types of Claims Our Bridgeport, IL Personal Injury Lawyers Handle

Practicing injury law in Bridgeport, IL mandates that you know how negligence laws apply to a wide range of cases. Knowing the difference between the laws and defendants applicable to different types of claims is paramount. A lawyer that only specializes in a certain type of injury claim may not be the best choice to get you full compensation in a different claim. At Burger Law, we know how to get great results whenever negligence results in an injury. We have won millions for our Bridgeport, 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 every year. Just over half of those result from auto accidents, including:

• 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 due to their relatively limited protection. 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 and you end up hurt, you can file a claim.

Sometimes, a vehicle manufacturer, construction company or governmental entity may be at fault. Your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will carry out a full investigation into your accident to find every liable party and hold them accountable.

Premises Liability

Proprietors have an obligation to ensure their premises is safe for invitees and licensees. If you sustain damages in a slip and fall because a property was unreasonably dangerous, you can make a premises liability claim. 740 ILCS 130/, also referred to as the Illinois Premises Liability Act, mandates that proprietors have 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 something that is not obvious makes the property dangerous, the owner needs 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
• Icy or snow-covered concrete
• Wet concrete
• Debris such as litter, fallen leaves and branches, rocks, etc
• Rugs that are not flat
• Wiring
• In-ground sprinklers or hardscape features hidden in the grass
• Absence of safety rails

Not all injuries on a property result in a premises liability claim. If you were trespassing, did not pay attention to warning signs, for example a “wet floor sign,” or were running or acting dangerously, 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 was aware of the hazard and failed to fix it; or
• The owner or manager tried to fix the risk and repaired 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 company in Bridgeport, IL may try to convince you that they do not owe you anything because they had no idea about the condition or because you are to blame. That is not true, and always speak with a personal injury lawyer before accepting any settlement.

Medical Malpractice

According to a 2016 study from John Hopkins University, medical errors cause over 250,000 deaths annually. While not every error constitutes negligence, when it does, a physician needs to pay for breaking your trust.

Proving a medical malpractice claim will come down to what is called the standard of care. The standard refers to how a reasonable physician, in a specific field and specific location, would treat a specific condition.

Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-622, any medical malpractice claim must be accompanied by 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 essential that the health professional 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 family doctor in Camden, Maine. Burger Law knows numerous expert witnesses in Bridgeport and throughout Illinois who can corroborate your claim.

Common examples of medical malpractice in Bridgeport, IL include:

• Nursing home negligence
• Birth injuries
• Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnosis
• Forgetting to remove objects after surgery
• Hospital communication errors
• Failure to secure consent
• Not ordering tests that a prudent doctor would
• Blowing off a patient’s complaints
• Not seeking a second opinion or recommending a different treatment plan when theirs is not working
• Prescription errors

Dog Bites

Every day, almost 1,000 people require emergency medical treatment for dog bites, and annually about 12,600 people are hospitalized. According to a Chicago Tribune article, Illinois is the second-highest dog bite state 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, the owner cannot get out of paying you by saying they did not know the dog was aggressive, or that it was not their fault the animal got free.

While some dog bites only lead to minor injuries, others result in expensive surgeries or lifelong disfigurement. In any case, you likely need an experienced and skilled Bridgeport, IL personal injury lawyer to secure you the best possible financial recovery you deserve.

Product Liability

Strict liability also applies to anyone involved in the chain of distribution of a defective product. There are typically three theories a personal injury lawyer will use to make a product liability claim in Bridgeport, IL:

1. Design defect — This is a defect that occurs even if the product is manufactured correctly. This could include tables or furniture that naturally tip over, 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 a soda can, 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 was the proximate cause of injuries and that you had not substantially 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 great parts of choosing a Burger Law Bridgeport, 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.

What Is the Personal Injury Claims Process in Bridgeport, IL?

The path to getting a financial settlement or verdict for your injuries can be long and complex. While some accidents and injuries settle fairly early, others go completely through to a jury trial. Generally, the path to getting compensation consists of:

• Seeking Medical Care — Seek medical attention immediately after an injury, and do not miss any appointments with your doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist. Waiting too long could bring complications to your claim, and not attending all your sessions will reduce both your economic and noneconomic damages. Our personal injury lawyers know experienced Bridgeport, IL doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who can ensure you recover physically as best as possible.
• Discussing Your Case With an Attorney — Even if you are not sure you are going to need to hire a lawyer, it is best to know what your options are as soon as possible. A good lawyer will be straightforward 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 perform an exhaustive investigation into the circumstances surrounding your injuries, determine every liable party and gather the evidence required for the best possible financial recovery. You should also keep detailed records of your expenses related to your injuries, and how they affect your day-to-day life.
• Settlement Demand and Negotiations — Once we have determined the full extent of your damages, 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 insist that nothing but the full amount will be agreed to. Most of the time, 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 negotiations do not result in fair compensation, we will proceed to litigating the case and setting up a trial. During this time, both parties continue negotiating.
• 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 unbiased third party listens to arguments from both sides and tries to break the stalemate.
• Pre-Trial — If mediation still does not result in a fair settlement, we will go into the pre-trial “discovery” phase. In discovery, we take depositions of eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, obtain more evidence and both parties will share with the other what they plan to use as evidence in trial.
• Trial — It is rare that a personal injury claim makes it all the way to trial. In fact, we often finally get a fair settlement offer in the weeks immediately before trial. However, if the insurance company refuses to do the right thing, we will fight for your compensation in court. Trial consists of:
  • Voir dire
  • Opening statements
  • Testimony and cross-examination
  • Closing arguments
  • Jury instruction
  • Jury deliberation and verdict

Most of our Bridgeport, IL clients have never had to deal with seeking compensation for an injury before, and do not know what to expect. Burger Law will be by your side from our initial consultation to full compensation, 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 healing.

What Compensation Can I Get In My Bridgeport, IL Personal Injury Claim?

In general, 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 your financial losses related to your injuries, including:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential if your injuries result in permanent disability
  • Medical expenses, past and future
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages compensate you for the less tangible aspects of your injuries, including:
  • 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 at-fault 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.

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

In Illinois, the statute of limitations is relatively short at two years for most personal injury claims, under 735 ILCS 5/. That means you must file a claim within two years of when the injury occurred. However, there are three notable exceptions:

1. If you were under 18 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 should have discovered the injury. No medical malpractice claim can be made more than four years after the injury occurred, unless you were under 18. Then you would have until four years after your 18th birthday.

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

Other cases we handle in Bridgeport, 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 Bridgeport, IL Now

Burger Law’s Bridgeport, IL personal injury lawyers hold ourselves to the standard of zealous representation. That means we get started on your case immediately, pursue every legal option we have, fight back against insurance companies on your behalf and do not let down until you get the full compensation you deserve. We only give our clients the highest standard of legal representation; 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 Bridgeport, 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 Bridgeport, IL personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.