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Mass Shooting Lawyer

At Levin & Perconti, we are committed to fighting for victims of the tragic Highland Park parade shooting as well as victims of other mass shootings. If you were impacted, please get in touch with us today to schedule your free consultation with an experienced and compassionate mass shooting lawyer. Please don’t wait until it’s too late. It’s vital to act quickly to ensure that your claim is filed before the applicable statute of limitations expires. We are here to help you in this challenging time and will work tirelessly to bring you the justice and compensation you deserve.

How Our Law Firm Can Deliver Justice for Mass Shooting Victims

The lawyers at Levin & Perconti understand that no amount of money can erase the pain of a traumatic event or bring back your lost loved ones. However, we also know that civil lawsuits are essential to hold mass shooters and gun manufacturers accountable for the wrongful deaths they cause.

We work to obtain proper compensation for our clients so that they have the financial resources they need for medical treatment and other costs associated with their injuries. Mass shooting victims and their families struggle to make ends meet when they have to take time away from work to recover or care for their loved ones. Damages in these cases typically include lost wages among other economic and non-economic damages.

When you hire Levin & Perconti, our legal team will:

  • Conduct a thorough investigation of the shooting to identify all potential defendants. These may include the weapon manufacturer, the shooter’s employer, the owner of the premises where the attack occurred, and any police officers, school districts, or law enforcement agencies that failed to prevent the tragedy. 
  • Gather evidence to support your claim, including witness statements, security camera footage, police reports, and medical records.
  • Consult with leading experts in ballistics, psychology, and firearms safety to build a strong case against the defendants.
  • Negotiate aggressively with insurance companies representing defendants to ensure you receive maximum compensation for your losses.
  • Take your case to trial if necessary.

Establishing Liability in Mass Shootings

Of course, the shooter who pulls the trigger is ultimately responsible for a shooting. But in many cases, other parties share responsibility for the tragedy. For example, retailers, event organizers, venue owners, and government agencies may share the blame if they fail to take reasonable security precautions to prevent mass shootings.

Lawsuits Against Firearm Manufacturers

In recent years, many survivors and families of those injured or killed in mass shootings have taken legal action against the assault weapons industry. One challenge is a federal statute called the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) shields gunmakers from most civil liability.  

 Fortunately, the act does not protect manufacturers who knowingly violate state or federal law in the marketing, sale, or distribution of guns used in mass shootings. And these exemptions enable victims of gun violence and their families to hold the manufacturers accountable in civil court.

Sandy Hook Families Settle With Remington Gunmaker for $73 Million

Families of nine students executed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting reached a $73 million settlement with gunmaker Remington Arms. The lawsuit alleged that the company’s marketing of the Bushmaster XM-15, an AR-15 style semi-automatic weapon used by the shooter, was negligent and violated state consumer protection laws.  

Remington’s advertisements for the item included slogans such as “Consider your man card reissued” and “Forces of Opposition, Bow Down. You are single-handedly outnumbered.” The settlement is the largest ever paid by a firearms manufacturer in a mass shooting case.

Robb Elementary Parents Seek $100 Million From Daniel Defense

Attorneys representing the parents of one of the 19 children and two teachers slain in the Robb Elementary School massacre have taken the first steps toward launching a lawsuit against Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the AR-15-style weapon used in the shooting. The company is known for its “boundary-pushing style of weapons marketing,” geared toward young, military-aged males.

Las Vegas Shooting Victims & MGM Resorts Reach $800 Million Settlement

In October 2017, a gunman holed up in the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival. The incident is the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, killing 60 people and wounding hundreds more. 

 Two years later, the survivors and families of those lost reached an $800 million settlement with MGM Resorts, the owner of the Mandalay Bay. The plaintiffs filed suits against MGM for negligent security—including failing to properly monitor the gunman, who spent days stockpiling weapons in his hotel room, and for delaying calls for help once the firing began. The settlement is the highest sum ever paid to mass shooting plaintiffs in the U.S.

Buffalo White Supremacist Used Modified Bushmaster Rifle

On May 14, 2022, ten people were killed, and three others were wounded in a racially motivated mass shooting. The 18-year-old gunman used an AR-15 style semi-automatic weapon, modified with a high-capacity magazine, to fire 30 shots within the first 20 seconds of the attack.  

The weapon used, a Bushmaster XM-15, was the same model used by the perpetrator in the Sandy Hook massacre. As such, attorneys representing the victims and families of those killed in Buffalo will likely pursue a legal strategy similar to the one the Sandy Hook families used, which led to a $73 million settlement.

Highland Park Shooting

As longtime Chicago personal injury lawyers, seeing the scourge of gun violence so close to home is heartbreaking. We are closely tracking the ongoing investigation into this tragedy and stand ready to help the victims and their families in any way we can. 

 We will hold responsible all parties that may be accountable. They may include the suspect’s parents, who allegedly sponsored the purchase of their son’s gun license despite previous threats that “he was going to kill everyone” in his family. Other responsible parties will certainly include Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson, the makers of the M&P15 semi-automatic weapon used to murder seven of our neighbors and injure 48 others. 

 If you or someone you know has been impacted by mass shootings, Levin & Perconti is here to help. Our experienced mass shooting lawyers will fight to get you the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Willowbrook Juneteenth Celebration Tragedy

On June 17, 2023, a horrific shooting incident occurred during an illegally organized Juneteenth celebration in Willowbrook, Illinois, which resulted in one fatality and left 22 others wounded. The tragedy unfolded just after midnight on Sunday at a large gathering in a strip mall parking lot.

If you or a loved one were among those impacted by the Willowbrook Juneteenth mass shooting, please do not hesitate to contact our office. Our firm represents victims of catastrophic tragedies in Chicago and across Illinois and stands ready to offer our legal support and guidance to victims and their families during this distressing time.

FAQs About Mass Shooting Claims

Although there is no consensus definition, mass shootings generally involve four or more people being shot and killed by a gunman in a single incident.

The statute of limitations, or the time limit in which a lawsuit must be filed, varies from state to state. For example, in Illinois, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the incident. However, exceptions may extend the deadline in certain circumstances, such as if the victim filing is a minor.

In most cases, the surviving family members of those killed in mass shootings can file wrongful death lawsuits. Injured survivors are also eligible to file personal injury claims. 

The types of damages that survivors and family members may recover will depend on the facts and circumstances of each case. Some of the most common types of damages recovered in deadly shooting lawsuits include:  

  • Funeral and burial expenses 
  • Medical bills 
  • Loss of future earnings 
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress 

 In some cases, punitive damages may also be available when a defendant’s gross negligence or deliberate recklessness contributes to a mass shooting. 

Yes. In December 2021, the Broward County, Florida school district agreed to pay $26 million to families of students killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Later, in March 2022, the families reached a separate $127.5 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. In that lawsuit, the families alleged that the FBI failed to investigate a tip that the gunman was planning a mass shooting. 

The process of filing a lawsuit will vary depending on the facts and circumstances of each case. However, typical lawsuits may involve:  

  • Filing a complaint with the court and serving defendants with the complaint 
  • Engaging in pre-trial discovery, including depositions and document production 
  • Filing motions with the court 
  • Engaging in settlement negotiations 
  • Preparing for and going to trial before a judge or jury 

No. Most of these cases are resolved through settlements before they ever go to trial. But every case is different, and some mass shooting cases may eventually go to trial if necessary. 

At Levin & Perconti, our law firm represents mass shooting victims and their families on a contingency fee basis. That means we only collect a fee if we recover compensation for our clients. There are no upfront costs or hourly rates charged for our services.

We also offer free consultations so that you can learn more about your legal options without any obligation. You can contact us 24/7 by calling 1-877-374-1417 or filling out our online form.

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