Personal Injury Lawyer in Forreston, IL

Burger Law defends the rights of those who get hurt because of negligent and reckless actions. When you or someone you love has been injured in an accident or incident caused by another person’s actions, Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers in Forreston, IL demand the recovery you are owed and fight for you every step of the way. Reach out to Burger Law now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online.

To calculate the value of your personal injury claim in Forreston, or anywhere in Illinois, check out our free personal injury calculator.

Those who hurt 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 back for our clients against whoever is standing in the way of justice. We handle a litany of cases, including making claims against large trucking companies, holding negligent doctors, product manufacturers, dog owners responsible, suing the government, to securing justice and financial security for Forreston residents after a a family member passed too soon. If you would like to discuss the merits of your case further, the damages you may be able to recover or anything else about the personal injury claims process, call our personal injury lawyers in Forreston, IL now at (779) 800-HURT.

Why Burger Law Is The Forreston, 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 is not afraid of 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 their reputation among their clients and other attorneys:

Award-Winning Forreston, IL Personal Injury Lawyers

The many awards and honors Burger Law has received from other law firms 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 honor 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. Less than 4 percent of all practicing attorneys are certified by an American Bar Association accredited certification board.

Personal Injury Lawyer Forreston, IL – Cases We Have Won

Our Forreston, IL personal injury lawyers fight for the full rights and recoveries of our clients. We fight all who harm our clients, and we fight for a full recovery every time. Our firm is devoted to giving our clients the highest standard of legal representation, and we have tremendous pride in our hard-fought victories. Read about 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
• 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 receive is going to be based entirely upon 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 see our full list of client testimonials here.

What Is a Personal Injury Claim in Forreston, IL?

A personal injury claim is your right under Illinois law to get financial compensation for the injuries another person is responsible for, and to hold the rule breakers accountable. The compensation you receive is intended to make one whole. The idea is to put you in the same position you were in before another person injured you.

Sometimes, no outcome in your claim can fully “put back” all the things you lost in an injury. While you can be reimbursed for medical expenses, lost wages and other financial losses, other damages are harder to quantify. If a family member died, you are permanently disabled, are disfigured or will have to receive medical treatment for the rest of your life, no legal process can change that. What empathetic and experienced personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law are able to do is ensure your injuries are recognized, and to provide you with relief from the financial losses resulting from your accident.

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

That depends on the specifics of your case, but most of the time, yes, you will need a personal injury lawyer to recover the full value of your claim in Forreston, IL. The important question is, can they add value to my claim? If your medical expenses are low, you have minimal lost wages and the insurance adjuster is being reasonable, you may not need an attorney. But, you should hire legal representation in Forreston, IL if the following is true about your claim:

• There is disagreement about who is to blame, or the insurance company says the injuries 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 exceed the at-fault policyholder’s policy limits

Our initial conversations and investigations are free, and we are always straightforward 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 do not pay until we win your case, and there is no reason for us to take on your claim if we do not think we can get you substantially more money.

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

While state statutes can be confusing, whether or not you can seek compensation generally depends on one essential question: did someone else’s negligence cause you injuries? From a legal standpoint, you have to prove the five elements of negligence:

1. Duty of care — You first need to show that the liable party had a responsibility to care for your safety. Sometimes, a duty of care is assumed, as Forreston, 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 special 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 someone neglect that duty? Did a driver crash into you you because they were drunk? Did a physician not take into account your medical history? Did a product manufacturer not properly test their products?
3. Cause-in-fact — You must demonstrate how the incident led to 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 needs to be held accountable. If you were rear ended, the liable party is usually the driver that hit you. But if the brakes were faulty, someone in the vehicle’s chain of distribution may be ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Lastly, you need to demonstrate that you sustained some form of financial loss as a direct result of your injuries. In most cases damages are medical expenses and wages you could not earn while you were not able to work. If you keep solid records of your medical expenses, this last part will be fairly easy to prove with the help of an attorney. Once we establish financial losses, we can also pursue a financial recovery for less tangible losses.

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 Forreston, IL before. Get in touch with a personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT.

Types of Cases Our Forreston, IL Personal Injury Lawyers Handle

Practicing injury law in Forreston, IL requires that your lawyers and firm know how liability 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 who only knows how to deal with car insurance companies may not have the experience to take on other cases. At Burger Law, we know how to hold the liable party accountable whenever negligence results in an injury. Cases we specialize in in Forreston and throughout Illinois include:

Auto Accidents

The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that there are about 400,000 personal injury claims annually. About 52 percent of those result from auto accidents, such as:

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

Truck accidents can be especially catastrophic because trucks emit so much, 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, anyone behind the wheel 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.

In some cases, a vehicle manufacturer, construction company or local municipality may be at fault. As part of our services, your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will conduct a complete investigation into your claim to find out who and what exactly caused your injuries.

Premises Liability

Proprietors have a responsibility to ensure their premises does not carry any risks for people who are not trespassing. 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 called the Illinois Premises Liability Act, mandates that property owners 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 fix 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
• Poor lighting
• Black ice
• Wet concrete
• Debris such as litter, fallen leaves and branches, rocks, etc
• Uneven rugs
• Stray cords
• 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, ignored warning signs, such as 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 unsafe conditions; or
• The owner or manager knew about the hazard and neglected to repair it; or
• The owner or manager tried to repair the hazard 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 company in Forreston, 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. Do not believe them, and do not accept any settlement offer until you have spoken to a personal injury lawyer.

Medical Malpractice

Based on data from John Hopkins University, medical errors are responsible for over 250,000 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 refers to how a prudent physician, in the same area and with the same training as the one you are suing, would treat a specific condition.

According to 735 ILCS 5/2-622, any medical malpractice claim 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 claim is in the same practice area and geographic region as the health professional you are suing. A thoracic surgeon in Chicago is held to a different standard of care than a family doctor in Decorah, Iowa. Burger Law relies on a network of expert witnesses in Forreston and throughout Illinois who can corroborate your claim.

Common instances of medical malpractice in Forreston, IL include:

• Nursing home abuse
• Birth injuries
• Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnosis
• Forgetting to remove objects after surgery
• Hospital system errors
• Lack of consent
• Not ordering tests that a prudent doctor would
• Ignoring a patient’s complaints
• Not seeking a second opinion or recommending a different treatment plan when theirs is not working
• Prescribing the wrong medication or the wrong dosage

Dog Bites

Every day, almost 1,000 people require emergency medical treatment for dog bites, and every year dog bites lead to about 12,600 hospitalizations. According to a Chicago Tribune article, Illinois insurance companies pay out the second-most money for dog bites than any state in the country.

510 ILCS 5/, the Illinois Animal Control Act, states 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 liable as a matter of law and you do not have to prove negligence. This means that the owner owes you a recovery regardless of how they acted.

While some dog bites lead to only superficial wounds, others result in reconstructive surgeries or permanent disfigurement. Regardless of the severity of your injuries, trust in a Burger Law Forreston, IL personal injury lawyer to secure you the best possible financial recovery you are owed.

Product Liability

Like dog owners, the designers, manufacturers, distributors and vendors of a product are strictly liable for the damages stemming from a defective product. There are three types of product liability claims in Forreston, IL:

1. Design defect — This is a defect that occurs even if the product is manufactured correctly. 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 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 improperly attached electrical outlets.
3. Insufficient instructions — This refers to a product that did not carry sufficient warnings when it was 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 demonstrate that the product was “unreasonably dangerous” when used in a foreseeable manner, that it was the proximate cause of injuries and that the product had not been “substantially” changed from its state at the initial sale.

Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers will take on any case in which someone was injured through no fault of their own. One of the benefits of choosing a Burger Law Forreston, 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.

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

The journey to getting maximum compensation for your injuries starts the day you are injured. While some accidents and injuries settle fairly early, others go completely through to a jury trial. From beginning to end, the personal injury claims process consists of:

• Seeking Medical Care — Get medical treatment as soon as possible after an injury, and do not miss any appointments with your doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist. The insurance company will be harder to deal with if you wait, and not attending all your sessions will reduce both your economic and noneconomic damages. Our personal injury lawyers work with several trustworthy Forreston, IL doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who can ensure you get the full treatment you need.
• Discussing Your Case 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 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 your claim, determine every liable party and gather the evidence needed for the best possible financial recovery. You can help by keeping detailed records of your expenses related to your injuries, and how keeping a journal detailing how your injuries have affected your life.
• Settlement Demand and Negotiations — Once we have determined the full extent of your damages, we will send a settlement demand package to the liable party’s insurance company. In the package we will include full documentation of all of your damages, and demand a financial recovery for all the ways your injuries have affected you. Most of the time, they will respond with a lower offer, and there will be several back-and-forths until they offer full compensation.
• Filing a Lawsuit — If negotiations do not result in fair compensation, we will file a lawsuit in court, which begins the formal process of your claim going to trial. While the case is being litigated, we will continue negotiating in an effort to avoid a trial.
• Mediation — Mediation is often the last chance for a settlement before trial. In mediation, a neutral third party hears arguments from both sides and tries to break the stalemate.
• 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. In fact, we often finally get a fair settlement offer just before trial begins. However, if the insurance company still cannot see reason, we will fight for your compensation in front of a judge and jury. Trial consists of:
  • Jury selection
  • Opening statements
  • Testimony and cross-examination
  • Closing arguments
  • Jury instruction
  • Jury deliberation and verdict

Most people who speak with our Forreston, IL personal injury lawyers have never had to deal with seeking compensation for an injury before, and are unsure of what lies ahead. Burger Law will be by your side every step of the way, keep you up to date on the status of your claim and oversee all the legal aspects of your case so you can spend your energy on healing.

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

Typically, your compensation will fall into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages:

• Economic damages compensate you for the economic harm 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

Though rare, you may also be eligible for punitive damages if the liable party’s conduct was purposefully harmful or grossly negligent. 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 available to get you the best possible financial recovery.

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

In Illinois, the statute of limitations is shorter than most states at just two years, 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 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 four years after your 18th birthday.

While two years may seem like a long time, 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 Forreston, 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 Forreston, IL Now

Burger Law’s Forreston, 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, stand up to insurance companies on your behalf and do not let down until you get the maximum compensation you are owed. We only give our clients 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 Forreston, 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 Forreston, IL personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.