Personal Injury Lawyer in Plainfield, IL

Burger Law defends the rights of people who get hurt because someone else broke the rules. When you or someone you love have sustained serious injuries in an accident or incident caused by another person’s actions, Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers in Plainfield, 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 fill out our online form.

To find out the value of your personal injury claim in Plainfield, or anywhere in Illinois, complete our complimentary personal injury calculator.

Those who injured you are financially and legally responsible for taking care of your injuries and paying you all of what you are owed, but they will not do it willingly. Burger Law’s personal injury lawyer team fights hard for our clients against anyone who is trying to keep them from the recovery they are owed. That includes anything from suing drunk drivers, holding negligent healthcare professionals, product manufacturers, animal owners responsible, taking the fight to the government, to getting justice and financial security for a family after the wrongful death of a family member. If you want to know if you have a claim, what compensation you are owed or anything else about the personal injury claims process, call our personal injury lawyers in Plainfield, IL today at (779) 800-HURT.

Why Burger Law Is The Plainfield, 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 take into account the cases they have won, and their reputation among their clients and other attorneys:

Award-Winning Plainfield, IL Personal Injury Lawyers

The many awards and honors 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 attorneys 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 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 lawyers are certified by an American Bar Association accredited certification board.

Personal Injury Lawyer Plainfield, IL – Cases We Have Won

Our Plainfield, IL personal injury lawyers have a demonstrated history of getting great results. We take on all who have hurt our clients, and we fight for a full recovery every time. Our attorneys are dedicated to giving our clients the highest standard of legal representation, and we have great pride in our well-deserved victories. Read about our case results in personal injury claims below:

• $5 Million Settlement – Father Killed By Reckless Truck Driver
• $3 Million Judgment – Son Murdered by Pam Hupp
• $2.5 Million Settlement for Father’s Fatal Car Accident
• From $0 to $2 Million Car Accident Settlement
• $2 Million Settlement – Injured Woman Settles Highway Crash Lawsuit
• $1.435 Million Settlement For Deck Collapse That Injured Couple
• $1 Million Settlement to Family of Man with Sepsis Infection
• Medical Malpractice Case Settles for Over $1 Million
• $900,000 Medical Malpractice Settlement
• $765,000 Settlement After Fatal Collision
• $600,000 Tractor-Trailer Crash
• $600,000 Settlement – Widow in ATV Accident Settles with Property Owner
• Class Action $600,000 Settlement Against the State of Illinois
• $495,000 Uninsured Motorcycle Verdict
• $400,000 Settlement in Employment Discrimination Case
• $350,000 Settlement in Ladder Case

It is worth pointing out that every case is unique, and what you may be eligible to recover is going to depend on the circumstances of your claim. We calculate the full extent of your damages so that we get the maximum amount of compensation possible.

Burger Law Client Success Stories

Beyond the videos below, you can see our full list of client testimonials here.

Definition of a Personal Injury Claim in Plainfield, IL

Under Illinois and U.S. law, you have a right to file a personal injury claim to get monetary reimbursement for the damage done by another person’s negligence, and to hold the rule breakers accountable. The aim of insurance settlements and civil litigation is to make you whole. The idea is to put you in the same position you were in before sustained the damages caused by another’s negligence.

In some cases, no attorney, settlement or verdict is can truly return you to how things were before the injury. While you can be reimbursed for medical bills, lost wages and other financial losses, other damages cannot truly be expressed through dollar signs. If a family member died, you lost a limb, are permanently scarred 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 skilled personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law are able to do is ensure your injuries are recognized, and to give you financial security as it relates to your accident.

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

While some cases can be successfully navigated without a lawyer, most of the time you will need one to recover the full value of your claim in Plainfield, IL. The important question is, will I get more money with them? If your medical expenses are low, you have minimal lost wages and the insurance company is being mostly fair, you may not need an attorney. But, you will need legal representation in Plainfield, IL if the following is true about your claim:

• There is disagreement over who is at fault, or the insurance company says the accident are your fault
• The initial settlement offer is substantially below what you are owed
• Your injuries are significant and require extensive medical treatment
• There more than one party at fault
• Your damages exceed the liable policyholder’s policy limits

We offer consultations for free, and we are always straightforward about how much value we can add your claim. 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 your final payout.

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

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

1. Duty of care — You first need to demonstrate that the person you are making a claim against had a responsibility to care for your safety. In some cases this is automatic, as motorists all owe everyone on the Plainfield, IL 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 be established, for instance a doctor-patient relationship or a vendor-buyer relationship.
2. Breach of duty — Did the other party fail in that duty? Did a driver crash into you you because they were running a red light? Did a doctor not take into account your medical history? Did a trucking company force their employee to drive longer than regulations allow?
3. Cause-in-fact — You must demonstrate how the accident led to your injuries. For example, 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 at fault. If you were injured in an auto accident, the liable party is usually the driver that hit you. But if the brakes were faulty, a manufacturer or mechanic may be the one who is ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Lastly, you need to demonstrate that the incident resulted in economic harm. In most cases damages are medical bills 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 seek a financial recovery for the other ways your injuries have affected you.

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

What Are Common Personal Injury Lawsuits in Plainfield, IL?

Being a personal injury lawyer in Plainfield, IL mandates that your lawyers and firm know how negligence 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 regulations and statutes that can arise in a truck accident case that play a large role in whether or not the case is successful. A lawyer who only knows how to deal with car insurance companies may not have the experience to take on other cases. At Burger Law, we know how to secure justice for the injured in any type of claim. We have won millions for our Plainfield, IL clients in the following types of cases:

Auto Accidents

Statistics from the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicate that there are about 400,000 personal injury claims annually. About 52 percent of those are auto accident claims, 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 due to their relatively limited protection. 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 a driver is negligent and you end up hurt, you can file a claim.

Sometimes, a vehicle manufacturer, construction company or governmental entity may have at least contributed to your injuries. As part of our services, your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will carry out a full investigation into your claim to find out who and what exactly caused your injuries.

Premises Liability

Property owners and managers have a responsibility to ensure their property is not hazardous for invitees and licensees. If you are injured in a slip and fall because a property was unreasonably dangerous, you may have a premises liability claim. 740 ILCS 130/, also referred to as the Illinois Premises Liability Act, stipulates that property owners have a duty of care to people who lawfully 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 fix the hazard, post signage or rope it off. Examples of hazardous conditions are:

• Spills
• A recently mopped floor
• Broken concrete on a walkway
• Broken stairs
• Broken decks and balconies
• Potholes
• Sudden changes in surface level
• Ledges
• Poor lighting
• Icy or snow-covered concrete
• Wet concrete
• Debris such as litter, fallen leaves and branches, rocks, etc
• Uneven rugs
• Electrical cords
• In-ground sprinklers or hardscape features hidden in the grass
• Broken safety rails

You do not automatically have a claim just because a property had a dangerous condition. If you were trespassing, did not pay attention to warning signs, for example a “wet floor sign,” or were running or acting dangerously, it might be hard to get compensation. The following must be true in order to make a claim:

• The owner or manager created the hazardous conditions; or
• The owner or manager was aware of the condition and neglected to repair it; or
• The owner or manager tried to repair 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 store or insurance company in Plainfield, IL may tell you 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 research from John Hopkins University, medical errors cause more than a quarter of a million deaths each year. While not every error amount to negligence, when it does, a doctor needs to pay for breaking your trust.

Proving a medical malpractice claim is based on what is known as the standard of care. The standard refers to how a prudent doctor, in a specific field and specific location, would treat whatever ailment you saw them for.

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 imperative that the doctor who writes the affidavit has the same training and practices in the same area as the health professional you are suing. An anesthesiologist in Chicago is held to a different standard of care than a general practitioner in Kadoka, South Dakota. Burger Law relies on a network of expert witnesses in Plainfield and in other parts of Illinois who can corroborate your claim.

Common instances of medical malpractice in Plainfield, IL include:

• Nursing home abuse
• 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
• Ignoring a patient’s complaints
• Not sending you to a specialist or recommending a different treatment plan when theirs is not working
• Prescribing the wrong medication or the wrong dosage

Dog Bites

Each day, almost 1,000 people require emergency care for dog bites, and annually 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, mandates that a dog owner is strictly liable for your damages if it bit you, assuming you did not provoke it and were not trespassing. “Strict liability” means that the owner is automatically liable, whether they were negligent or not. This means that the owner owes you a recovery regardless of how they acted.

While some dog bites lead to only superficial wounds, others can lead to expensive surgeries or lifelong disfigurement. Regardless of the severity of your injuries, you likely need an experienced and skilled Plainfield, IL personal injury lawyer to secure you the maximum compensation you are owed.

Product Liability

Like dog owners, the designers, manufacturers, distributors and vendors of a product are strictly liable for the harm stemming from a defective product. There are three categories of product liability claims in Plainfield, 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 prevent injuries.
2. Manufacturing defect — This type of defect usually occurs to only one or several individual products, instead of an entire line of products. Examples include a bug getting caught in packaging, or improperly attached electrical outlets.
3. Failure to warn — This refers to a product that did not carry sufficient warnings when it was put to foreseeable use. For example, a medication that does not include certain side-effects in the labeling.

In order to 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 caused your injuries and that you had not substantially modified 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 Plainfield, IL personal injury lawyer is that our team takes on all types of personal injury claims, 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.

How Does the Personal Injury Claims Process Work in Plainfield, IL?

The path to securing maximum compensation for your injuries can be long and complex. While some cases only take a few months, others can take several years before a jury finally renders a verdict. In total, the path to getting compensation includes:

• Seeking Medical Treatment — Get medical care as soon as possible after an injury, and follow your doctor’s treatment plans to a “T.” If you delay, it could bring complications to your claim, and not attending all your sessions will reduce both your economic and noneconomic damages. Our personal injury lawyers work with several trustworthy Plainfield, IL doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who can ensure you get the full treatment you need.
• Consulting With an Attorney — Even if you do not know if you need an attorney, it is best to know what your options are as soon as possible. A good attorney will be honest with you about whether or not their services are needed.
• Investigation and Documentation — Once you have retained a lawyer’s services, your personal injury lawyer will perform an exhaustive investigation into your claim, determine who we need to hold accountable and obtain the evidence needed for full compensation. You can help by keeping a record of every dollar you have spent because of 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 those who are liable for compensating you. In the package we will include how we calculated your damages, and demand a financial recovery for all the ways your injuries have affected you. Usually, 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 the insurance company will not be fair in negotiations, we will file a lawsuit in court, which begins the formal process of your claim going to trial. During this time, we will continue negotiating in an effort to avoid a trial.
• Mediation — Mediation is often the last chance for an agreement before trial. In mediation, an unbiased third party will try to get each party to accept the merits of the other side’s arguments.
• Pre-Trial — If mediation fails, the “discovery” phase begins. In discovery, we take depositions of eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, gather 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. 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, the case will go in court. Trial consists of:
  • Jury selection
  • Opening statements
  • Testimony and cross-examination
  • Closing arguments
  • Jury instruction
  • Jury deliberation and verdict

Most of our Plainfield, 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 your advocate 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 your physical recovery.

What Types of Compensation Are Available in My Plainfield, 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 resulting from your injuries, for instance:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential if your injuries do not allow you to earn a living as you used to
  • Medical costs, past and future
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages compensate you for losses that are harder to put a dollar figure on, including:
  • Pain and suffering
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Loss of ability to enjoy life
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Inconvenience
  • Physical impairment
  • Loss of consortium

Sometimes, you may also be eligible for punitive damages if the negligent harmed you intentionally or they were incredibly reckless. Examples can include a drunk driver, or a doctor who performs surgery after drinking. While punitive damages are rarely awarded, 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 Plainfield, 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 important exceptions:

1. If you were under 18 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 under 18. 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 wait to contact an attorney. Call a personal injury lawyer today at (779) 800-HURT.

Other cases we take on in Plainfield, 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 Plainfield, IL Now

Burger Law’s Plainfield, IL personal injury lawyers fiercely believe in 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 are awarded the full recovery you deserve. We only give our clients 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 Plainfield, 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 Plainfield, IL personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.