Personal Injury Lawyer in Hampshire, IL

Burger Law defends the rights of people who get hurt because someone else broke the rules. When you or a loved one have sustained serious injuries in an accident or incident caused by another person’s actions, Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers in Hampshire, 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 find out how much compensation you may be owed in Hampshire, or anywhere in Illinois, complete our complimentary personal injury calculator.

The negligent parties that injured 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 the injured against anyone who is trying to keep them from the recovery they deserve. That includes anything from suing large trucking companies, holding negligent healthcare professionals, product manufacturers, pet owners responsible, suing the government, to getting justice and financial security for a family after the wrongful death of a family member. If you would like to discuss the merits of your case further, what compensation you are owed or other questions regarding personal injury claims, call our personal injury lawyers in Hampshire, IL as soon as possible at (779) 800-HURT.

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

It can be hard to know how to choose the best personal injury lawyer for you. You want someone with a history of winning similar cases 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 their previous victories, and what their clients and peers say about them:

Acclaimed Hampshire, IL Personal Injury Lawyers

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

• Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a noteworthy achievement awarded to less than 5 percent of all lawyers in the U.S.
• 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 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. Fewer than 4 percent of all practicing attorneys are certified by an ABA accredited certification board.

Personal Injury Lawyer Hampshire, IL – Cases We Have Won

Our Hampshire, IL personal injury lawyers have a demonstrated history of getting great results. We take on all who have injured our clients, and we insist on nothing but maximum compensation. Our lawyers are devoted to giving our clients amazing legal advocacy, and we have great pride in our hard-fought successes. Read about our recent victories for our personal injury clients 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 worth mentioning that no two cases are the same, and what you may be eligible to recover is going to depend on the your specific injuries. We fight for you so that there is no money left on the table.

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 Hampshire, IL?

A personal injury claim is your right under Illinois law to get monetary reimbursement for the injuries done by another person’s negligence, and to achieve justice. The recovery you receive is meant to make you whole. The idea is convert all the ways an injury affected you into a dollar amount.

In some cases, no lawyer or financial award can fully return you to how things were before the injury. While we can get compensation for the financial losses you sustained, other damages are less tangible. 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 legal process can change that. What compassionate and experienced personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law are able to do is secure you fair compensation in order to provide a sense of justice and recognition, and to provide you with financial security as it relates to your injuries.

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

While some cases can be successfully navigated without a lawyer, most of the time you will need one to ensure no money is left on the table in Hampshire, IL. The question to ask when thinking about whether or not you need a lawyer 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 will need a lawyer in Hampshire, IL if the following is true about your claim:

• There is a dispute about who is at fault, or you are being blamed for your injuries
• The insurance company or liable party’s offer is well below what you are owed
• Your injuries are significant and require ongoing medical treatment
• There more than one party that is liable for your damages
• Your damages are more than an insurance company’s policy limits

We offer consultations for free, and we are always honest about how much value we can add your claim. Our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, 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 significantly increase the value of your claim.

Do I Have a Personal Injury Claim in Hampshire, IL?

While state statutes can be complex, whether or not you can seek compensation depends on the answer to one specific question: were you injured because someone else was negligent? From a legal standpoint, you must prove the five elements of negligence:

1. Duty of care — You first need to demonstrate that the liable party owed it to you to value your safety. In some cases this is automatic, as Hampshire, IL driver owe everyone else on the roads 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, such as 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 duty? Did a driver crash into you you while they were distracted? Did a doctor prescribe the wrong dosage? Did a dog owner let their dog roam unleashed?
3. Causation — You must demonstrate how the incident led to your injuries. For instance, you received road rash after being thrown off your bicycle, 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 broke the rules of the road. But if the tires were faulty, a manufacturer or mechanic may be the one who is ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Lastly, you must show that the incident resulted in economic harm. In most cases damages are medical expenses and lost wages. With access to your medical records, this last part will be fairly easy to prove with the help of an attorney. Once we establish financial losses, we can also seek a financial recovery 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 Hampshire, IL before. Get in touch with a personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT.

What Are Common Personal Injury Case in Hampshire, IL?

Being a personal injury lawyer in Hampshire, IL mandates that your lawyers and firm know how liability laws apply to a wide range of cases. Knowing the difference between a car accident case and a truck accident case seems simple, but there are many different laws and statutes concerning truck accidents that can be the deciding factor in whether or not the case is successful. A lawyer that only specializes in a certain type of injury claim may not have the experience to take on other cases. At Burger Law, we know how to hold the liable party accountable in any type of claim. Cases we specialize in in Hampshire and throughout Illinois include:

Auto Accidents

Research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicate that there are 300,000 to 500,000 personal injury claims annually. The majority of those result from auto accidents, for instance:

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

Truck accidents can cause serious injuries because of the amount of force they carry in an accident, and motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians are all at heightened risk of being severely injured as they do not have the same protection closed-vehicle occupants have. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, anyone behind the wheel must “exercise due care” to avoid colliding with anybody or anything else on the Illinois roads. If someone breaks the rules of the road and you end up hurt, you have an auto accident claim against them.

In some cases, a vehicle manufacturer, construction company or local municipality may be fully or partially to blame for your injuries. As part of our services, your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will conduct a complete investigation into your claim to find every liable party and hold them accountable.

Premises Liability

Proprietors have an obligation to take reasonable measures to make sure their premises is not hazardous 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 referred to as the Illinois Premises Liability Act, mandates that proprietors have a duty of care to people who legally enter their property that is “of reasonable care under the circumstances regarding the state of the premises or acts done or omitted on them.” Generally, if there is a dangerous condition that is not obvious, the owner needs to either repair the condition, post signage or rope it off. Some hazardous conditions 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
• Black ice
• Wet concrete
• Debris such as litter, fallen leaves and branches, rocks, etc
• Rugs that are not flat
• Stray cords
• In-ground sprinklers or hardscape features hidden in the grass
• Absence of safety rails

You do not automatically have a claim just because a property had a dangerous condition. If you were in a part of a property you were not allowed to be, ignored warning signs, for example a “wet floor sign,” or were running or not behaving in a safe manner, 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 was aware of the danger and failed to repair 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 Hampshire, IL may try to convince you that they are not liable for your slip and fall injuries because they had no idea about the condition or because the accident was your fault. 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 are responsible for over a quarter of a million deaths annually. While not all of those constitutes negligence, when it does, a healthcare professional needs to be held accountable for hurting you.

Proving a medical malpractice claim will come down to what is called the standard of care. The standard is how a prudent physician, in a specific field and specific location, would treat whatever ailment you saw them for.

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 essential that the physician who writes the affidavit is in the same practice area and geographic region as the health professional you are making a claim against. A thoracic surgeon in Chicago has a different standard of care than a general practitioner in Kadoka, South Dakota. Burger Law knows numerous expert witnesses in Hampshire and throughout Illinois who can help verify that your medical malpractice suit is valid.

Common examples of medical malpractice in Hampshire, IL include:

• Nursing home negligence
• Birth injuries
• Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnosis
• Forgetting to remove objects after surgery
• Hospital system errors
• Lack of consent
• Failing to order tests that a prudent doctor would
• Blowing off a patient’s complaints
• Not changing course when their treatment plan is not working
• Prescription errors

Dog Bites

Each day, nearly 1,000 people require emergency care 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, stipulates that a dog owner is strictly liable for your damages if it bit you, as long as 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 even if they did not necessarily do anything wrong.

While some dog bites are minor, others can lead to expensive surgeries or lifelong disfigurement. In any case, you likely need an experienced and skilled Hampshire, IL personal injury lawyer to secure you the maximum compensation you are owed.

Product Liability

Strict liability also applies to anyone involved in the chain of distribution of a defective product. There are three types of product liability claims in Hampshire, 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 a power tool whose guard rails do not offer sufficient protection.
2. Manufacturing defect — This type of defect usually occurs to only one or several individual products, instead of every product with the same design. Examples include rat droppings getting caught in a soda can, or improperly attached electrical outlets.
3. Insufficient instructions — 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 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 due to another’s negligence. One of the great parts of choosing a Burger Law Hampshire, 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 Hampshire, IL?

The path to securing maximum compensation for your injuries starts the day you are injured. While some cases only take a few months, others can take several years before a jury finally renders a decision. From beginning to end, the personal injury claims process consists of:

• Getting Medical Treatment — Get medical treatment immediately after an injury, and keep attending all treatments that your physician recommends. Waiting too long could bring complications to your claim, and not getting the full treatment will lower your final payout. Our personal injury lawyers have a network of experienced Hampshire, IL health professionals who can help you in your recovery.
• Speaking With an Attorney — Even if you do not know if you need an attorney, 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 carry out a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding your injuries, ascertain who we need to hold accountable and gather the evidence they need to get you maximum compensation. 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 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 is acceptable. Most of the time, the insurance company will counter our offer with a lower number, 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 — Mediation is often the last option for a settlement before trial. In mediation, a neutral 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 this phase, we will speak to eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, gather 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, many times we have gotten the settlement we were seeking just before trial begins. However, if the insurance company still cannot see reason, we will defend your rights in front of a judge and jury. 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 Hampshire, 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 your advocate every step of the way, keep you up to date on the status of your claim and handle all the legal aspects of your case so you can focus on your physical recovery.

What Compensation Can I Recover In My Hampshire, IL Personal Injury Claim?

Typically, there are two types of compensation available 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 capacity 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 the less tangible aspects of your injuries, such as:
  • Pain and suffering
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Loss of ability to enjoy life
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Inconvenience
  • Physical impairment
  • Loss of consortium

Though rare, we may also be able to pursue punitive damages if the negligent 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 We can to get you the best possible financial recovery.

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

In Illinois, the statute of limitations is shorter than most states at just two years, 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 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 a minor at the time. Then you would have until four years after your 18th birthday.

While two years may not cause immediate concern, your attorney will want as much time as possible to build your case. Do not delay in speaking to an attorney. Call a personal injury lawyer today at (779) 800-HURT.

Other types of claims we handle in Hampshire, 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 Hampshire, IL Now

Burger Law’s Hampshire, 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 let down until you are awarded the full compensation you are owed. We offer 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 Hampshire, 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 Hampshire, IL personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.