Chicago Car Accident Lawyer
With hundreds of thousands of drivers on the busy roads of Chicago and Cook County every day, car accidents are inevitable. Being injured in a car crash can rob you of your ability to live a normal life and burden you with medical bills, lost income, and other impacts.
- Why Choose an Experienced Chicago Car Accident Lawyer from Levin & Perconti?
- Types of Car Accidents in Chicago
- Common Types of Injuries in Chicago Car Accidents
- How Can a Chicago Car Accident Attorney at Levin & Perconti Help Me?
- Your Options if the Other Driver is Uninsured
- How is Fault Determined in a Chicago Auto Accident?
- Can I Still Collect Compensation if I Was Partly at Fault?
- Chicago Car Accident Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact Our Chicago Car Wreck Lawyers for a Free Case Evaluation
If you’ve been injured in a car crash caused by someone else’s negligence, the skilled Chicago car accident lawyers with Levin & Perconti can help you understand your legal options, determine your next steps, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Why Choose an Experienced Chicago Car Accident Lawyer from Levin & Perconti?
Our personal injury law firm has over 400 combined years of experience in personal injury law. Over more than 30 years in operation, we’ve developed a nationwide network of experts and significant financial resources, allowing us to spare no expense in successfully building and winning cases. We’re not afraid to go to trial to win our clients fair compensation.
Past Accident Case Settlements - Our Track Record of Success
Since 1992, we’ve recovered more than $2 billion for our clients. We consistently rank in the top 10 firms in Illinois for total verdicts and settlements each year. Some of our notable car accident case results include the following:
- $10 million settlement for a 5-year-old boy who was run over by a City of Chicago Fire Department truck while playing in an open fire hydrant on the Fourth of July, resulting in the loss of his leg and half of his pelvis.
- $6.5 million settlement for the family of a 32-year-old woman who was killed when the family’s pick-up truck was rear-ended by a semi-truck. The woman’s husband and their son also suffered significant personal injuries in the collision.
- $3.8 million settlement on behalf of a 61-year-old man who was struck by a vehicle while cycling in Lake County.
- $2.07 million verdict for a 23-year-old woman who suffered multiple leg fractures in an automobile collision.
- $1.25 million settlement for a 50-year-old woman who was struck by a bus while walking in a crosswalk.
- $900K settlement for a mentally disabled pedestrian who was struck by a gas company vehicle and suffered severe leg fractures.
Notable Accomplishments and Awards
Our attorneys have been nationally recognized for their expertise and are frequently asked to appear on local news broadcasts and publications. Our accolades include being named a Tier 1 Law Firm by U.S. News, ranked among Chicago Lawyer Magazine’s Illinois Top 100 Attorneys, and recognized as Illinois Super Lawyers.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Chicago?
Thankfully, it costs nothing to hire a Chicago car accident lawyer. Our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case. We charge no upfront costs. Our fee is a pre-agreed percentage of your award following a successful resolution.
Types of Car Accidents in Chicago
Drivers are human and aren’t always on their best driving behavior, and this negligence can frequently lead to collisions. Drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving, and weather conditions are all common causes of car accidents in Chicago.
Another issue drivers often face when driving in the city is that the yellow lights only last about three seconds, and many Chicago and Cook County intersections have red-light cameras.
Driver negligence and hazardous conditions can lead to several different types of car accidents on Chicago roads, including the following:
Common Types of Injuries in Chicago Car Accidents
Auto crashes result in a wide variety of injuries, both minor and severe. Common injuries suffered in Chicago car accidents include the following:
- Brain injuries: The sudden impact from a car crash can cause a severe hit to the head, even if airbags function perfectly. A traumatic brain injury can be mild or result in lifelong disability.
- Burn injuries: If your vehicle catches fire after a crash, you may experience burns from the flames or hot materials. Burn injuries can be life-threatening if severe enough.
- Back and spine injuries: The spinal cord is critical to everyday function and movement. If you suffer a back injury in a car crash, it could permanently harm your ability to perform certain jobs or tasks.
- Amputations: In severe crashes, your vehicle may pin, sever, or otherwise destroy a limb, necessitating amputation. Losing a limb will create lifelong difficulties with movement and ability and require perpetual medical treatment.
- Broken bones: Forceful impacts can shatter bones, requiring extensive recovery. While many bone breaks will fully heal, some may create long-term medical issues.
- Wrongful death: Some car crashes can cause fatal injuries. If your loved one died in a car accident, your family can pursue a wrongful death claim against those responsible.
How Can a Chicago Car Accident Attorney at Levin & Perconti Help Me?
Pursuing a Chicago car accident claim can be stressful for an injury victim with no legal experience. A successful claim requires thoroughly investigating the accident, gathering a variety of evidence, negotiating with potentially hostile insurance companies, and navigating the complexities of personal injury law.
Our Chicago car accident lawyers can handle every step of the process for you, allowing you to focus on recovering from your injuries and spending time with your family.
As a Chicago-based firm, we know the challenges Illinois residents face when pursuing car accident injury claims. We’ve been fighting and winning for clients like you for over three decades, helping us understand how to obtain as much compensation as possible, while keeping you as stress-free as possible.
“A personal injury lawyer can help you by holding the wrongdoers accountable and by getting you full and fair compensation…You need a personal injury lawyer to examine your case to determine if there is a viable case.” – Margaret Battersby-Black
Your Options if the Other Driver is Uninsured
Illinois law requires drivers to maintain a minimum amount of auto insurance coverage. However, a 2023 study found that 16.3 percent of Illinois drivers were uninsured. All car insurance policies in the state must include uninsured motorist coverage to pay for injuries caused by those who don’t follow the state’s insurance laws. Your uninsured coverage is required to at least match the limits of your policy’s bodily injury liability coverage.
If you get into a car accident in Chicago with an uninsured or underinsured motorist, your legal options will depend on the specific circumstances. If the driver is at fault and does not have the insurance to cover your injuries, you can pursue a claim under your uninsured motorist coverage.
If you are involved in a hit and run accident, you can also pursue compensation through your uninsured motorist coverage. However, if the driver is eventually caught and identified, you may be able to file a claim against them and recover compensation from their insurer. Our Chicago car accident lawyers can help you understand your legal options.
How is Fault Determined in a Chicago Auto Accident?
Determining who bears responsibility for an accident is the first step toward recovering damages. The law assigns blame on a 0-100 percent scale, and the actual percentage placed on the drivers involved in the accident depends on the evidence collected afterward. Evidence helps your lawyer determine the amount of fault assigned to the negligent driver and ensure proper compensation.
Multiple sources can provide accident evidence, including the police report. A police officer called to the accident scene will look over the scene and write an accident report based on their observations. They may also take pictures of the scene to support their report and issue a citation to the offending driver if warranted. These photos of the accident scene can also help show the cause of the accident.
Medical bills are another type of evidence that helps determine fault. It’s important to keep copies of all medical bills related to the accident. That includes bills related to ongoing care, even if you’ve initially healed from your injuries.
Can I Still Collect Compensation if I Was Partly at Fault?
Yes, it is still possible to collect compensation if you were partly at fault. Illinois uses a modified comparative negligence standard to recover damages after an accident, which affects how much compensation you can seek.
Comparative negligence assigns a percentage of blame to each driver in a car accident. For example, one driver speeds through a red light and gets hit by another car proceeding normally through their green light. Depending on the circumstances, the driver who ignored the red light may bear 100% of the blame, with the other driver receiving no blame at all.
Police are allowed to use their discretion and judgment to issue a ticket as they see fit when responding to auto accidents.
In any case, you should contact a personal injury lawyer in Chicago to evaluate the accident and help determine if you have a case.
Chicago Car Accident Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is My Chicago Car Accident Claim Worth?
All car accidents create a unique set of circumstances that make it difficult to determine how much your accident is worth. The value of a Chicago car accident claim is based on the damages resulting from the accident and your injuries, which are typically categorized as either economic or non-economic.
Economic damages cover financial losses you experienced after the accident, including lost wages, property damage, and medical costs.
Non-economic damages do not have a specific monetary value but compensate for the impacts on your life and well-being, such as emotional distress or pain and suffering. Together, economic and non-economic damages represent the mounting personal and financial losses you’re burdened with because of those at fault for the accident.
Illinois law allows a plaintiff to seek punitive damages in rare cases with clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted intentionally or with a “reckless and outrageous indifference to a highly unreasonable risk of harm and with a conscious indifference to the rights and safety of others.”
Our Chicago car accident lawyers can help determine the value of your claim and whether you are eligible for punitive damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Accident in Illinois?
You have up to two years from the car accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois. You have up to five years to file suit for property damage. There are a few exceptions to this rule, so it’s important to contact a car accident lawyer near you as soon as possible after a car accident to avoid missing the deadline and your chance to receive compensation for your damages.
Can I Handle My Own Car Accident Claim with Insurance?
No law prevents you from representing yourself in a car accident claim. However, working with an experienced Chicago car accident attorney can help you avoid lowball offers and protect you from the shady tactics of insurance companies. Our lawyers have a proven track record of securing significant compensation and can fight to ensure you receive a fair settlement.
Should I Go to the Doctor After a Car Accident Even if I Don’t Feel Injured?
You should seek immediate medical attention after a car accident. Even if you feel fine, injuries can sometimes take days or weeks to surface. Going to the doctor can help you create a record of evidence and strengthen your claims if you develop an injury.
Should I Talk To My Insurance Company After An Accident?
Contact Our Chicago Car Wreck Lawyers for a Free Case Evaluation
If you or a loved one were injured in a crash, our compassionate Chicago car accident attorneys can help you secure the compensation you deserve. We’ll help you determine if you have a case risk-free, and you won’t pay us anything unless we win.
Contact us online or call (312) 332-2872 today to schedule a free case evaluation.
Testimonials
Legally Reviewed by
John J. Perconti
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Notable Results
SETTLEMENT
for a 5-year-old boy run over by a fire truck as he played on a fire hydrant, resulting in the loss of his leg and half of his pelvis
SETTLEMENT
for the family of a 32-year-old woman who was killed when their pick-up truck was rear-ended by a semi-truck
VERDICT
for a 23-year-old woman who suffered multiple leg fractures in an automobile collision
Our Office
325 N LaSalle Dr Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60654
312-332-2872
