Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer near you in Cook County, we understand the overwhelming consequences of serious injuries. In addition to enduring pain, suffering, and emotional trauma, you may face financial burdens that hinder your recovery. We’re here to help you navigate these challenges.

For those who have experienced serious injuries in an accident caused by another party in the Chicago area, our experienced personal injury attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. are conveniently located to serve you and are here to help you file your claim and fight for the full and fair compensation you deserve. Whether it’s an auto accident or another type of injury, our lawyers are dedicated to your case right here in Chicago.

Are You Eligible to File a Personal Injury Claim in Chicago?

To determine if you have a valid personal injury claim in Illinois, according to relevant law, consider these key factors:

  • Injury: Did you sustain serious physical or emotional harm as a result of the accident in Chicago or Cook County?
  • Negligence: Was your injury caused by the negligence, recklessness, or intentional actions of another party, such as in an auto accident, within Chicago and Cook County?
  • Statute of Limitations: In Illinois, personal injury claims generally must be filed within two years of the date of the accident.

If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, reach out to our local Chicago-based lawyers today for a free consultation. We’ll review your claim and explain your legal options in Cook County.

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Chicago Personal Injury FAQs Our Attorneys Answer

Yes, you can still recover your lost wages, even if you didn’t miss out on any money because you used sick or vacation time. Those sick and vacation days were earned by you, and you still deserve compensation. It is irrelevant and inadmissible under the collateral source rule in Illinois to admit into evidence the fact that you used sick, personal or vacation days when you were off work due to an injury.

You have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against anyone who hurt you intentionally or because of negligence. However, you only have a limited period of time in which to pursue a claim.

Illinois law requires most injury claims to be filed within two years from the time the incident occurred.  You must also prove the required elements of an injury case, including that the defendant was unreasonably careless, broke safety rules or otherwise behaved wrongfully.

If you prove your case, you have the right to be compensated for economic and non-economic damages resulting from your injury.

See our page on How Much is My Case Worth? to learn more about the compensation you can expect in an injury case.

Filing a personal injury claim means filing a lawsuit, or complaint, that is aimed at securing full and fair compensation for your losses caused by another’s misconduct.

Treating certain injuries such as brain damage or a spinal cord injury can cost millions of dollars. Your quality of your life can also change in many ways. Filing a personal injury lawsuit ensures that the party (or parties) responsible for your injury compensate you fully for all of your costs and losses.

You must comply with all requirements set forth in the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure to file a personal injury claim. For instance, you must file the lawsuit in a court where you or the defendant live or where the injury happened.

After a lawsuit is filed, your case may enter into settlement negotiations with the defendant and/or the defendant’s insurance company, or it may go to trial before a jury.

Proving negligence essentially involves establishing how a person’s careless conduct caused you to suffer injuries. Different standards will apply in different situations.

Typically, the behavior of a defendant is compared with what an average hypothetical reasonable person would have done in the same situation. For example: Would a reasonable person send a text message while driving a car?

In specific types of personal injury claims, such as medical malpractice cases, there is a different standard used to judge negligence. The doctor’s behavior is compared not just to that of a hypothetical reasonable person but to that of a reasonable physician with a similar background.

If an action or omission is clearly unreasonable and careless, it is not necessary to specifically prove negligence. The negligence is self-evident.

You must file a claim with the appropriate court and state legal grounds for a lawsuit to make a claim after an injury. You have a limited period of time in which to take legal action and must comply with all court rules.

Under Illinois law, most claims for personal injury must be filed within two years of the time when the injury occurs. When filing a claim, you must provide information on the actions of the defendant and explain why you believe the defendant is liable. Your position must be supported with court rules, laws and information about the accident.

After your claim is filed, the defendant who has been charged with causing your injuries will be served with a notice of the pending lawsuit and given a chance to provide an answer to the court. If the defendant does not answer, a default judgment can be entered in your favor, which means you win your case automatically.

If the defendant answers, the case will proceed through the exchange of evidence (discovery) and through pre-trial motions (requests to the court to make certain rulings on issues in the case). The trial will then begin, and you must prove that the defendant caused your injuries in order for your legal action to be successful.

To protect your legal rights, you must document all injuries and losses. You must also gather evidence to prove that the defendant’s actions caused your harm.

Calling the police right after an accident and taking pictures at the scene are good steps to take to provide invaluable information on the cause of your injury. Detailed medical records and information on missed work are also important evidence.

Finally, hiring an attorney is one of the most important things to do to protect your rights.  For instance, at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., we provide free initial consultations. You can schedule one by simply calling us or contacting us online.

We use these consultations to learn more about the facts of your case and to help you understand your legal options. If we take on your case, we can then provide legal assistance that includes:

  • Making sure your claim is filed on time.
  • Protecting your rights when dealing with insurance companies.
  • Fighting to seek the compensation you deserve.

With our legal skill, experience and resources, we believe we can play a major role in helping you and your family to recover from an accident and move on with your lives.

Most injury cases begin with settlement negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company. If no settlement is reached, the case goes to trial. At each stage, it helps to have someone with experience on your side.

At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., we have years of experience with presenting injury claims to insurance companies and arguing cases before juries. We know what makes a case a strong one and how to build on those strengths.

Anyone who owed you a legal duty and fell short of fulfilling that obligation can be held responsible for your resulting injuries.

For example:

  • A driver can be held responsible for causing an accident because he or she was drunk or distracted while driving
  • A manufacturer can be held responsible for producing a dangerous product
  • A doctor is liable if the physician made a mistake no reasonable professional would have made, or medical malpractice.

If you are harmed by an individual who is working at the time, that person’s employer may also be held responsible for causing your injuries. Employers often have more money to compensate you for injuries, so if an employer can be held responsible for an injury, it is advisable to pursue this type of claim.

In many cases, it is still possible to obtain compensation even if your own actions contributed to causing your accident. Do not give up on your case without seeking legal assistance.

Illinois follows a “modified comparative fault” rule. This means you may file a personal injury claim and obtain compensation as long as the defendant was 51 percent or more responsible for your injuries. Your compensation is reduced based on the percentage of fault attributed to you. For example:

  • If you were 55 percent responsible for your accident, you may not recover compensation
  • If you were 40 percent responsible and your accident caused $10,000 in damages, your compensation would be reduced by $4,000 (40 percent), while the defendant would pay the remaining $6,000
  • If the defendant was 90 percent responsible for your injuries, and $10,000 in damages occurred, the defendant would pay $9,000 (90 percent).

Many personal injury cases settle out of court. However, you should settle only if you are offered reasonable compensation for your injuries.

If you can demonstrate the other party was negligent, careless or irresponsible in a way that led to your injuries, the insurance company representing the responsible person/entity is likely to pursue settlement negotiations.

Insurers and defendants may prefer to settle if they believe you will win in court, and they wish to avoid the uncertainty of a jury trial.

The stronger your case, and the more evidence you have, the more likely it is you will be offered a reasonable settlement that provides coverage for the damages you suffered. An experienced attorney who represents clients in personal injury cases in Chicago can help to negotiate a settlement and can advise you on whether to accept a settlement offer. You can also get more information by visiting our page, What is a Settlement?

In a personal injury case, you are entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. These damages may include:

  • Past and future medical treatment costs arising from the injury
  • Lost income/wages
  • Pain and suffering compensation
  • Emotional distress damages.

If you file a personal injury claim, expect to become involved in settlement negotiations even as your case moves forward in court.

After your claim has been filed:

  • The defendant will be notified (served)
  • Pre-trial motions (requests to the court) will be filed
  • Discovery will occur
  • Witnesses will be interviewed and information exchanged to build a case
  • You and the defendant will present evidence in trial (you have the burden of proving the defendant did something wrong or was careless in a way that caused your injuries)
  • The jury will reach a verdict
  • The jury will award appropriate compensation if the defendant was found responsible
  • Your case may be appealed, or the defendant may pay the damages.

Negotiations for a settlement can continue until a verdict is announced in your case.

A personal injury attorney can help you to comply with all court rules, preserve your case and maximize your compensation.

An attorney provides important advocacy from the beginning of the case to the end. Your lawyer will help to gather evidence, subpoena witnesses, negotiate a settlement or prove your case to a jury.

Pursuing a personal injury claim brings with it many legal challenges. You need to:

  • Understand the evidence required for your specific claim and what you will need to prove in order to recover compensation.
  • Know who to take legal against in the form of a lawsuit and when, where and how to file the lawsuit.
  • Negotiate smartly and strategically with the insurance company or convince a jury of how badly you were harmed and your need for compensation.
  • Comply with all court rules and complete all paperwork correctly.

At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., our attorneys have been trained on how to handle personal injury cases and understand the ins-and-outs of the legal system. Through the years, we have been able to secure more than 350 verdicts or settlements of $1 million or more for our clients.

Contact us today to schedule a free review of your case.

injured person with leg in cast

Verdicts and Settlements Our Local Personal Injury Lawyers Have Obtained

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. has obtained more than $2.5 billion on behalf of its clients. Our record includes more than 350 multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements, including:

Drunk Driving Accident. Personal injury attorneys can help$33.2 million drunk driving accident verdict for a man who was paralyzed when the driver of his car – alleged to be intoxicated at the time – crashed into a utility box.

$10.8 million pedestrian accident settlement on behalf of a man who suffered severe spine damage after being hit by a car while walking across the street.

Defective Product Injury Icon$9 million defective product settlement in a case in which laboratory workers died due to alleged carbon monoxide poisoning that was caused by a defectively designed and manufactured air handling system.

Car bicycle collision$6 million bicycle accident settlement on behalf of a woman who suffered a brain injury when she struck a warning sign placed and maintained by a utility service provider.

truck hitting a car$3.75 million truck accident settlement for the family of man killed in a crash with a tractor-trailer in Champaign County.

bike hitting a pedestrian$2.065 million bicycle accident verdict on behalf of a 19-year-old Lake County woman who was seriously injured when she was hit by a pizza delivery driver while riding her bicycle.

Please note that our firm’s past results do not guarantee that a similar outcome will be reached in your case. It will be important to carefully review the unique facts and legal issues that are involved in your situation.

If you believe that you have suffered harm due to the fault of another in Chicago or elsewhere in the state of Illinois, contact us today by phone or through our online form. We will provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation with an attorney from our firm.

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Attorney Heidi L. Wickstrom

How Can Our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Help You?

If our personal injury law firm takes on your injury case, we will handle all aspects, including:

  • Conducting a thorough investigation of your case to determine how your injury occurred and who should be held legally accountable for the harm you have suffered.
  • Consulting with highly qualified experts from a variety of fields, including accident reconstruction experts and medical professionals. For instance, our law firm’s staff features a legal nurse consultant.
  • Analyzing your medical records and other data to fully calculate your losses and the amount that should be sought in your case.
  • Carefully reviewing all relevant insurance policies in your case and dealing with the insurance companies on your behalf.
  • Timely filing all documents, including claims with insurance companies and documents in the court where your case will be litigated.
  • Negotiating with insurance companies for a fair and timely settlement of your claim and structuring a settlement so that it will provide financial security for you and your family well into the future.
  • If necessary, skillfully litigating your case in a state or federal court within Illinois and handling all post-trial legal matters that may arise.
  • Resolving all liens that may be attached to your recovery, including health care or workers’ compensation liens.

Our personal injury lawyers in Chicago can allow you to concentrate on your recovery and your family while we pursue just compensation for your losses.

What Can You Recover in a Chicago Personal Injury Claim?

You can count on our law firm to aggressively pursue a maximum financial recovery for you. The damages that we can seek on your behalf may include:

Medical expenses

All reasonable and necessary medical care, treatment and services you have received and will need to receive in the future to address the harm caused by another.

Lost income

A recovery of all lost past and future earnings and profits, taking into account any fringe benefits, bonuses, commissions and other income you would have received if you had not been injured.

Pain and suffering

Compensation for the pain and discomfort that you have experienced and are likely to face in the future due to a permanent disability.

Loss of a normal life

A recovery that focuses on the impact that a disability will have on your ability to participate in normal daily activities.

Emotional distress

Damages that help you to address the depression, anxiety and other mental health issues related to your injuries.

Punitive damages

Damages that are aimed at punishing and deterring especially egregious misconduct.

A separate but related claim may also seek compensation for loss of consortium. These damages typically are sought by a spouse who has lost the intimacy, companionship and services of a loved one due to the wrongful conduct of another.

Please see our section on wrongful death to learn more about the specific types of damages that may be sought in those cases.

What Should You Know About Illinois Legal System and Personal Injury Lawsuits?

Generally speaking, in order to recover compensation in a Chicago personal injury claim through either a settlement or verdict, you must establish that another party was at fault. In other words, you must prove that a party acted or failed to act as an ordinary, reasonable person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances. This is called negligence.

A negligence claim in Illinois generally requires establishing:

  • The other party owed a duty of care to you;
  • The party breached that duty of care;
  • The party caused you to suffer reasonably foreseeable harm due to that breach; and
  • In fact, you suffered actual damages.

Your own negligence may be a factor. Under Illinois law, you could be barred from recovering anything if the other party shows that you were more than 50 percent at fault for your injury.

Otherwise, your damages would be reduced by an amount that reflects the percentage of fault assigned to you. For example, if you are found to be 25 percent at fault, your damages award would be reduced by 25 percent.

Additionally, you should be aware that your personally injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years from the date of your injury. Certain rules may apply to your case that reduce or lengthen the amount of time in which you have to file a claim.

In order to ensure your claim is timely field, it will be important to consult with a personal injury attorney as early as possible after you have suffered an injury due to the wrongful conduct of another.

Contact a Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Near You

Our law office is conveniently located at 161 N. Clark St., only blocks away from Chicago City Hall and just south of the river.

Contact a personal injury lawyer at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. if you believe that you or a loved one has been harmed by the wrongful conduct of another. You can call us or simply submit our online form. You will speak with an experienced, professional and compassionate personal injury attorney who will listen to you, review your case and help you to understand your legal rights and options as you move forward.

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Portrait of Patrick A. Salvi II, a smiling and approachable attorney in a suit and tie. His warm expression conveys trust and empathy. As a skilled Chicago Birth Injury Attorney, Patrick A. Salvi II offers compassionate and knowledgeable legal guidance to families navigating the complexities of birth injury cases.

What Type of Personal Injury Cases Do Our Lawyers Handle in your Chicago Com ?

Because our personal injury law firm concentrates on representing injured victims and their families in Chicago and across Illinois, we have developed experience in a broad range of cases, including:

We aggressively negotiate with insurance companies and use a skilled approach to representing our clients in the courtroom after suffering an injury in a car accident. Our consultations are always free, and they carry no obligations.

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We know how truck accidents are different than other types of crashes, and we know what it takes to seek the maximum recovery for our clients. For more than three decades, our legal team has protected accident victims and their families in Chicago and throughout Illinois.

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For more than 40 years, our law firm has focused on helping birth injury victims and their families in Chicago and throughout Illinois. We know how to effectively investigate and litigate these highly complex cases.

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If you have suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one in an animal attack that occurred in the Chicago area or anywhere else in Illinois, the personal injury attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. want to help you.

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The experienced brain injury lawyers of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. can review your rights and options with you in a free consultation. Our firm serves throughout Chicago and Illinois. Simply call or contact us online today to get started in your case.

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Whether you work at a construction site or in an office, an on-the-job injury can seriously affect your ability to earn a living and provide for your family. Although you may be entitled to workers’ compensation, these benefits are limited in what they cover ─ medical expenses and only a portion of lost income.

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We provide compassionate and professional service and pursue compensation that will help our clients to move past the challenges they are facing. We can provide an immediate, free and confidential consultation for your medical malpractice case and start work on your claim today.

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Based on statistics and our own experience with clients, it is safe to say that car drivers commonly cause crashes with motorcycles. The motorcycle accident attorneys of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. have extensive experience with helping riders and their families with legal claims in Chicago and across Illinois.

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If you suspect that an elderly family member of yours has been injured or suffered a wrongful death or elder abuse in a long term care facility, an Illinois nursing home attorney at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. can help you.

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The attorneys of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. are experienced in the legal responsibilities and liabilities of businesses or organizations that fail to provide these safe environments.

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Nothing is more traumatic than losing a loved one due to the wrongful conduct of another. Unfortunately, these avoidable tragedies occur often in Chicago, Illinois and across the country.

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