Personal Injury Lawyer in River North, IL

Burger Law fights on behalf of those who are injured due to the negligence of another. 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 River North, IL demand the recovery you are owed and fight for you every step of the way. Call Burger Law today at (779) 800-HURT or fill out our online form.

To calculate the value of your personal injury claim in River North, or anywhere in Illinois, take a look at our free personal injury calculator.

Those who hurt you are responsible for compensating you for all of your damages, but that does not mean they will 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 compensation they are owed. We handle a litany of cases, including suing drunk drivers, holding negligent physicians, product manufacturers, store owners responsible, taking the fight to City Hall, to getting justice and financial security for a family after the wrongful death of a family member. If you have questions about your case, the damages you may be able to recover or other questions regarding personal injury claims, speak to one of our personal injury lawyers in River North, IL as soon as possible at (779) 800-HURT.

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

Choosing the right personal injury lawyer for your claim is of utmost importance. You want someone with a history of winning similar cases 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 take into account their previous victories, and their reputation among their clients and other attorneys:

Award-Winning River North, IL Personal Injury Lawyers

The numerous awards and accolades Burger Law has received from other lawyers 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 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 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. Fewer than 4 percent of all practicing lawyers are certified by an ABA accredited certification board.

Personal Injury Lawyer River North, IL – Recent Successes

Our River North, 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 attorneys are committed to providing our clients the highest standard of legal representation, and we take great pride in our well-deserved victories. Read about our recent successes in personal injury claims below:

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

It is important to remember that every injury comes with its own set of circumstances, 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 there is no money left on the table.

Burger Law Client Success Stories

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

What Is a Personal Injury Claim in River North, IL?

Under Illinois and U.S. law, you have a right to file a personal injury claim to get monetary reimbursement for the injuries done by another person’s negligence, and to hold wrongdoers accountable. The recovery you receive is meant 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 outcome in your claim can truly “put back” all the things you lost in an injury. While you can be reimbursed for medical bills, lost wages and other financial losses, 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 one can truly change that. What empathetic and experienced personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law can do is ensure your injuries are recognized, and to provide you with financial security as it relates to your injuries.

Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in River North, 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 River North, IL. The important question is, can they increase my compensation? 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 River North, IL under the following circumstances:

• There is a dispute over liability, or the insurance company says the injuries are your fault
• The insurance company or liable party’s offer is well below what you are owed
• Your injuries are significant and require ongoing care
• There are multiple parties that is liable for your damages
• Your damages are more than an insurance company’s policy limits

Our initial conversations and investigations are free, and we are always direct about whether or not it is in your best interest to hire our services. 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 Case in River North, IL?

While state statutes can be hard to navigate, whether or not you can seek compensation depends on the answer to one essential question: were you injured because someone else was negligent? If so, legally speaking you need 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 owed it to you to value your safety. In some cases this is automatic, as motorists all owe everyone on the River North, IL roads a duty of care, or store owners need their properties to be reasonable safe for anyone who legally enters. Other times, a particular relationship must be established, for example the relationship between a doctor and patient or between a vendor and a buyer.
2. Breach of duty — Did the liable party fail in that responsibility? Did a driver crash into you you while they were looking at their phone? Did a doctor fail to diagnose a condition? Did a dog owner let their dog roam unleashed?
3. Causation — You must show how the incident caused your injuries. For example, you received road rash after being thrown off your motorcycle, or had bad side effects from a prescription drug.
4. Proximate cause — This determines who ultimately is at fault. If you were rear ended, it is usually because another driver broke the rules of the road. But if the tires were defective, someone in the vehicle’s chain of distribution may be ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Finally, you need to demonstrate that you sustained some form of financial loss as a direct result of your injuries. In personal injury cases, this is usually medical bills 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 compensation 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 River North, IL before. Get in touch with a personal injury lawyer today at (779) 800-HURT.

What Are Common Personal Injury Lawsuits in River North, IL?

Practicing injury law in River North, IL mandates that you have a vast knowledge of the different types of cases that people deal with. Knowing the difference between how the law applies to auto accidents, medical malpractice and slip and falls is essential. A lawyer that only specializes in a certain type of injury claim may not be the best choice to get you full compensation in a different claim. At Burger Law, we know how to secure justice for the injured in any type of claim. Cases we specialize in in River North and throughout Illinois include:

Auto Accidents

The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that there are about 400,000 personal injury claims annually. The majority of those are auto accident claims, including:

• 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, all motorist must “exercise due care” to keep everyone else on the road safe. If a driver is negligent and you end up hurt, you can file a claim.

Sometimes, a vehicle manufacturer, construction company or local municipality may be at fault. Your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will carry out a comprehensive 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 property is safe 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, stipulates 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 something that is not obvious makes the property dangerous, the owner has a responsibility to either fix the hazard 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
• Overly steep inclines
• 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

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, did not pay attention to warning signs, for example a “wet floor sign,” or were running or not behaving in a safe manner, it might be hard to get compensation. The following must be true in order to make a claim:

• The owner or manager created the dangerous conditions; or
• The owner or manager was aware of the danger and failed to repair it; or
• The owner or manager tried to fix 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 River North, 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 you are to blame. Do not believe them, 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 more than a quarter of a million deaths annually. While not every error amount to malpractice, when it does, you can make a medical malpractice claim.

Your medical malpractice cases is based on what is known as the standard of care. The standard is how a prudent doctor, in the same area and with the same training as the one you are making a claim against, would treat whatever ailment you saw them for.

Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-622, any medical malpractice suit must be accompanied by an affidavit from a health professional who:

• is knowledgeable in the relevant issues of the claim
• practices or teaches the same field as the doctor you are suing, or has practiced or taught in that field within the last six years
• is qualified to review the facts of your case, and determines your claim is “reasonable and meritorious”

It is essential that the health professional corroborating your claim is in the same practice area and geographic region as the health professional you are suing. An anesthesiologist in Chicago is held to a different standard of care than a pediatrician in Decorah, Iowa. Burger Law has a network of expert witnesses in River North and throughout Illinois who can corroborate your claim.

Common examples of medical malpractice in River North, IL include:

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

Dog Bites

Each day, nearly 1,000 people seek emergency medical treatment for dog bites, and every year 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, 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, 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 result in reconstructive surgeries or permanent disfigurement. In any case, you likely need an experienced and skilled River North, IL personal injury lawyer to secure you the maximum 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 three categories of product liability claims in River North, IL:

1. Design defect — This is a defect that occurs even if the product is manufactured correctly. This could include an SUV that is susceptible 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 instructions that does not mention certain risks when the product is put to foreseeable use. For example, a medication that does not include certain side-effects in the labeling.

In order to make a product liability claim, you must demonstrate that the product carried inherent risks when used in a foreseeable manner, that it caused your injuries and that the product had not been “substantially” changed from its state at the initial sale.

Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers know how to get great results whenever a rule breaker injured someone else. One of the benefits of choosing a Burger Law River North, 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 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.

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

The path to securing a financial settlement or verdict for your injuries begins the second you are injured. While some cases only take a few months, others go completely through to a jury trial. From beginning to end, the path to getting compensation includes:

• Getting Medical Treatment — Seek medical treatment immediately 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 lower your final payout. Our personal injury lawyers work with several trustworthy River North, IL doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who can help you in your recovery.
• Consulting With an Attorney — Even if you are not sure you are going to need legal representation, you need to know what your options are as soon as possible. A good lawyer will tell you bluntly what your legal recourses are.
• Investigation and Documentation — Once you have legal representation, your personal injury lawyer will carry out a full investigation into your claim, ascertain who we need to hold accountable and acquire the evidence they need to get you full compensation. 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 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 we keep negotiating until they agree to pay for all of your damages.
• Filing a Lawsuit — If negotiations do not lead anywhere, we will proceed to litigating the case and setting up a trial. During this time, we will continue negotiating in an effort to avoid a trial.
• Mediation — Mediation is often the last option for a settlement before trial. In mediation, a neutral 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 this phase, we take depositions of eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, acquire more evidence and both parties will share with the other what they plan to bring up at trial.
• Trial — Only six percent of personal injury claims go to trial. Indeed, many times we have gotten the settlement we were seeking in the weeks immediately before trial. However, if the insurance company refuses to do the right thing, we will defend your rights in court. 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 River North, 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, be there to answer all of your questions and manage all the legal aspects of your case so you can spend your energy on healing.

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

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

• Economic damages compensate you for your financial losses resulting from your injuries, including:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential if your injuries do not allow you to earn a living as you used to
  • Medical bills, past and future
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages compensate you for losses that are harder to put a dollar figure on, such as:
  • 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 at-fault 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 are rarely awarded, your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will pursue every legal avenue We can to maximize your compensation.

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

1. If you were under 18 when the injury occurred, 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 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 types of claims we take on in River North, 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 River North, IL Now

Burger Law’s River North, 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 offer the highest level 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 River North, 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 River North, IL personal injury lawyer now at (779) 800-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.