Personal Injury Lawyer in Marion, IL

Burger Law defends the rights of people who are injured because someone else broke the rules. When you are seriously injured in an accident or incident caused by another person’s actions, Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers in Marion, 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.

To calculate how much your personal injury claim may be worth in Marion, or anywhere in Illinois, take a look at our free personal injury calculator.

The negligent parties that harmed you are financially and legally responsible for taking care of your injuries and paying you 100 percent of what you are owed, but they will not do it willingly. Burger Law’s personal injury lawyer team fights hard for the injured against anyone who is trying to keep them from the money they deserve. We handle a litany of cases, including suing large trucking companies, holding negligent healthcare professionals, product manufacturers, animal owners accountable, suing the government, to getting justice and financial security for Marion residents after the wrongful death of a loved one. If you would like to discuss the validity 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 Marion, IL now at (779) 800-HURT.

Why Choose Burger Law’s Marion, IL Personal Injury Lawyers For Your Claim

Choosing the right personal injury lawyer for you is crucial. You want someone who has won your type of case before and who is not afraid to take your case all the way to trial if they have to. In order to gauge the abilities of an injury law firm, you need to look at their previous successes, and what their clients and peers say about them:

Award-Winning Marion, IL Personal Injury Lawyers

The numerous awards and honors Burger Law has received from other lawyers include:

• Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a remarkable achievement awarded to less than 5 percent of all lawyers 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 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 lawyers are certified by an American Bar Association accredited certification board.

Personal Injury Lawyer Marion, IL – Recent Successes

Our Marion, IL personal injury lawyers fight for the full rights and recoveries of our clients. We take on all who have injured our clients, and we demand nothing but full compensation. Our attorneys are devoted to giving our clients the highest standard of legal advocacy, and we have tremendous pride in our hard-fought victories. Read about our recent successes 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 the financial recovery you receive is going to depend on the your specific accident. We calculate the full extent of your damages so that we get the maximum amount of compensation possible.

Burger Law Reviews

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

What Is a Personal Injury Claim in Marion, IL?

Under Illinois and U.S. law, you have a right to file a personal injury claim to get financial compensation for the wrong someone else caused, and to hold them accountable for breaking the rules. The compensation you receive is meant to make you whole. The goal is convert all the ways an injury affected you into a dollar amount.

Sometimes, no lawyer, settlement or verdict is can fully “put back” all the things you lost in an injury. While you can be reimbursed for the financial losses you sustained, other damages are less tangible. If you lost a loved one, you are permanently disabled, are disfigured or will have to receive medical care for the rest of your life, no amount of money can make that go away. What compassionate and experienced personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law can do is secure you fair compensation in order to provide a sense of justice and acknowledgment, and to give you relief from the financial losses resulting from your accident.

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

That depends on the specifics of your case, but most of the time, yes, you will need a personal injury lawyer to get the full compensation you are owed in Marion, IL. The important question is, can they increase my compensation? If your medical expenses are low, you have minimal lost wages and the other party’s fault is clearly established, you may not need an attorney. But, you should hire a lawyer in Marion, 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 significant and require ongoing care
• There are multiple parties at fault
• Your damages exceed the liable policyholder’s policy limits

Our initial conversations and investigations are 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 your final payout.

Do I Have a Personal Injury Case in Marion, IL?

While the legal literature concerning negligence and liability can be confusing, whether or not you can seek compensation depends on the answer to one specific question: did someone else’s negligence cause you injuries? From a legal standpoint, you need to prove the five elements of negligence:

1. Duty of care — You first need to show that the person you are making a claim against had an obligation to keep you safe. In some cases this is automatic, as Marion, IL driver owe everyone else on the roads a duty of care, or dog owners owe it to others to keep their dog from biting anyone. Other times, a unique relationship must be established, for instance the relationship between a doctor and patient or between a vendor and a buyer.
2. Breach of duty — Did someone fail in that responsibility? Did a driver hit you because they were distracted? Did a doctor misdiagnose a condition? Did a store owner fail to fix an obviously dangerous condition?
3. Cause-in-fact — You must prove how the incident resulted in your injuries. For instance, 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 hit by a vehicle, the liable party is usually the driver that hit you. But if the brakes were not safe, someone in the vehicle’s chain of distribution may be ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Finally, you must demonstrate that you sustained some form of financial loss as a direct result of your injuries. In most cases damages are medical bills and lost wages. If you hold onto your medical bills, 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 pain and suffering damages.

If you have any doubts about the validity of your claim, speak to a lawyer in Marion, IL who has won a similar claim before. You can speak to a personal injury lawyer today at (779) 800-HURT.

What Are Common Personal Injury Claims in Marion, IL?

Being a personal injury lawyer in Marion, 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 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 have the experience to take on other cases. At Burger Law, we know how to secure justice for the injured no matter the circumstances. We have won millions for our Marion, 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. The majority 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 trucks emit an incredible amount of force, 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 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 can file a claim.

In some cases, a vehicle manufacturer, construction company or governmental entity may have at least contributed to your injuries. Your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will carry out a comprehensive investigation into your accident to find every liable party and hold them accountable.

Premises Liability

Property owners and managers have a duty to take reasonable measures to make sure their premises does not carry any risks for people who are legally on it. If you are injured 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, states that property owners owe 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.” Basically, if something that is not obvious makes the property unsafe, the owner needs to either fix 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
• Poor lighting
• Black ice
• Wet concrete
• Debris such as litter, fallen leaves and branches, rocks, etc
• Uneven rugs
• Electrical 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 acting in a safe manner, you likely do not have a slip and fall claim. Successful premises liability claims depend on the following:

• The owner or manager created the hazardous conditions; or
• The owner or manager was aware of the danger and neglected to repair it; or
• The owner or manager tried to repair the danger 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 Marion, IL may try to convince you that they do not owe you anything 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 research from John Hopkins University, medical errors are responsible for more than a quarter of a million deaths a year. While not every error constitutes malpractice, when it does, you can make a medical malpractice claim.

Your medical malpractice cases is based on what is referred to as the standard of care. The standard refers to how a reasonable healthcare professional, in a specific field and specific location, would treat a specific condition.

Under 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 doctor who writes the affidavit is in the same practice area and geographic region as the health professional you are making a claim against. A neurologist in Chicago has a different standard of care than a general practitioner in Kadoka, South Dakota. Burger Law relies on a network of expert witnesses in Marion and throughout Illinois who can help verify that your medical malpractice suit is valid.

Common instances of medical malpractice in Marion, IL include:

• Nursing home abuse
• Birth injuries
• Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnosis
• Leaving objects in during surgery
• Hospital system errors
• Failure to secure consent
• Failing to order tests that a prudent doctor would
• Ignoring a patient’s complaints
• Not changing course when their treatment plan is not working
• Prescribing the wrong medication or the wrong dosage

Dog Bites

Each day, almost 1,000 people seek emergency medical treatment 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 the owner of a dog 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 liable as a matter of law and you do not have to prove negligence. 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 lead to only superficial wounds, others can lead to reconstructive surgeries or permanent disfigurement. Regardless of the severity of your injuries, trust in a Burger Law Marion, IL personal injury lawyer to ensure you get the best possible financial recovery you are owed.

Product Liability

Strict liability also applies to anyone involved in the chain of distribution of a defective product. There are generally three theories a personal injury lawyer will use to make a product liability claim in Marion, 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 a power tool whose safety guards do not offer sufficient protection.
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 packaging, or improperly attached electrical outlets.
3. Marketing defect — This refers to labeling 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 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 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 Marion, IL personal injury lawyer is that our team takes on all types of personal injury claims, and this actually gives our lawyers exceptional experience that they can use to benefit all their clients. 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 Marion, IL?

The journey to securing maximum compensation for your injuries starts the second you are injured. While some cases only take a few months, others go completely through to a jury trial. Generally, the personal injury claims process includes:

• Seeking Medical Care — Seek medical treatment as soon as possible after an injury, and follow your doctor’s treatment plans to a “T.” The insurance company will be harder to deal with if you wait, and not attending all your appointments will lower how much compensation you receive. Our personal injury lawyers know reliable Marion, IL doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who can ensure you recover physically as best as possible.
• 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 attorney will be straightforward with you about whether or not their services are needed.
• Investigation and Documentation — Once you have legal representation, your personal injury lawyer will carry out a complete investigation into the circumstances surrounding your injuries, ascertain who we need to hold accountable and obtain the evidence they need to get you maximum compensation. You should also keep 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 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, the insurance company will counter our offer with a lower number, and we keep negotiating until they agree to pay for 100 percent of your damages.
• 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. 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 objective third party will try to get each party to accept the merits of the other side’s arguments.
• Pre-Trial — If mediation still does not result in a fair settlement, the “discovery” phase begins. In this phase, we will speak to eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, acquire more evidence and both parties will share with the other what they plan to use as evidence in trial.
• Trial — Most personal injury claims are settled before trial. Indeed, many times we have gotten 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:
  • Voir dire
  • Opening statements
  • Testimony and cross-examination
  • Closing arguments
  • Jury instruction
  • Jury deliberation and verdict

Most people who speak with our Marion, 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 your advocate every step of the way, keep you up to date on the status of your claim and oversee all documentation, negotiation and litigation so you can spend your energy on your physical recovery.

What Types of Compensation Are Available in My Marion, IL Personal Injury Claim?

In general, there are two types of compensation available 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

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

What Is the Time Limit for Personal Injury Claims in Marion, 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 noteworthy exceptions:

1. If you were a minor at the time of injury, 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, your attorney will want as much time as possible to build your case. Do not wait to contact an attorney. Call a personal injury lawyer today at (779) 800-HURT.

Other types of claims we handle in Marion, IL include:

• Survival Action Lawyer in Illinois
• 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 Marion, IL Now

Burger Law’s Marion, 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 get the maximum 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 Marion, 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 Marion, IL personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.