Jocelyn Mackie is a former civil litigator with content published on Findlaw, LifeHacker, and Marketwatch. She became a legal content writer to demystify the law and support informed decision-making by consumers. Jocelyn graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, and enjoys dutifully serving her cats and horses.
Jocelyn Mackie, J.D.
Jocelyn Mackie is a former civil litigator with content published on Findlaw, LifeHacker, and Marketwatch. She became a legal content writer to demystify the law and support informed decision-making by consumers. Jocelyn graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, and enjoys dutifully serving her cats and horses.
Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida.
After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Court judge. He researched and wrote legal precedent in published opinions on behalf of the Court.
He has been an editor, columnist and journalist at the Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Oregonian, Golf Digest, FindLaw.com and other media outlets.
He lived in Colombia and Argentina teaching legal English to attorneys and law students. He is also a Spanish-language subject matter expert.
An avid waterman, he surfs and scuba dives frequently.
Reviewed
Adam Ramirez, J.D.
Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida.
After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Court judge. He researched and wrote legal precedent in published opinions on behalf of the Court.
He has been an editor, columnist and journalist at the Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Oregonian, Golf Digest, FindLaw.com and other media outlets.
He lived in Colombia and Argentina teaching legal English to attorneys and law students. He is also a Spanish-language subject matter expert.
An avid waterman, he surfs and scuba dives frequently.
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Chicago is the third-largest U.S. city with fascinating features like an underground pedestrian system and 26 miles of lakefront property. But, unfortunately, it has its fair share of car accidents too. The Chicago Department of Transportation warned of a 14 percent increase in speeding recently and more car crashes ending with injuries and fatalities.
No one wants to deal with a car accident, especially if they sustain injuries or lose a loved one. Fortunately, Chicago has many talented attorneys who can help you through this ordeal. Check out this list to find the best car accident attorney in Chicago.
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Best Chicago Car Accident Attorneys
Compare Our Top Chicago Car Accident Attorneys
Car Accident Laws in Illinois
Laws affect your car accident claim, including time limits for filing lawsuits and insurance limits. Here is a quick overview of these laws and how they affect you after a car accident.
Car Insurance Requirements in Illinois
Illinois requires all licensed drivers to carry liability insurance on their vehicles. The law includes all motorized vehicles, whether cars, motorcycles, mopeds or ATVs. It doesn’t require insurance for non-motorized trailers.
Liability insurance limits must be a minimum of:
- $25,000 for injury or death of one person
- $50,000 for injury or death of two or more people
- $20,000 for damage to another person’s property
All drivers must have proof of insurance when they travel and show it to law enforcement officers when requested. Most insurance companies send a card to make this easy for you. If you can’t show proof of insurance or drive uninsured, the state may suspend your ability to register your vehicle.
Driving uninsured results in a $500 fine for uninsured vehicles. The fine increases to $1,000 if a driver operates a vehicle with suspended registration for no insurance. A first-time offender must show proof of insurance and pay a $100 reinstatement fee to end a suspension. Subsequent violations result in higher suspension times and fines.
Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations is a deadline for filing a lawsuit with the court. According to 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes section 5/13-202, that deadline is two years from the accident date. So, if your accident occurred on September 1, 2022, you have until September 1, 2024, to file a lawsuit in Illinois.
However, the statute of limitations is not a deadline for filing a claim with an insurance company. Most insurance companies require you to file a claim within two to seven days of an accident. To be safe, file insurance claims as soon as possible.
Negligence in Illinois
Illinois adopted a modified comparative fault approach for negligence claims. If the plaintiff and defendant share fault for an accident, a plaintiff can’t recover damages if they were more than 50% negligent.
Any percentage of fault against the plaintiff reduces their damages award. So, if a jury awards $100,000 in damages but determines the plaintiff was 45% at fault, that award decreases by $45,000–leaving the plaintiff with $55,000.
How to Find a Chicago Car Accident Attorney
Finding the best attorney for your case may seem overwhelming, especially if you sustained a severe injury. But there are ways to manage it and find an attorney to help you. This list gives you a good start, but here is how to evaluate potential candidates.
Seek Experience
You want to hire a lawyer who handled cases like yours previously. For example, an accident between a car and a semi involves different laws and issues than an accident between two passenger vehicles. There are often federal regulations to consider and different insurance schemes. Attorneys who handle these cases routinely are more likely to negotiate and litigate yours effectively.
You also want your attorney to have trial experience. Most car accident claims settle, so the chance of your case going to court is low. But you still want your attorney to be prepared for that possibility.
Ask Around
If you know any family members, friends or coworkers who hired a car crash lawyer recently, ask them about their attorney. They may have a good recommendation, or at the very least, you’ll know who not to hire. Sometimes a personal referral is a good match because you likely share values with people close to you.
Clarify Fees
Car accident lawyers in Chicago usually handle these claims on contingency. That means their fees are a percentage of your recovery.
The percentage often depends on at what stage your case resolves. For example, an attorney who settles your case before arbitration or trial may collect 33.3% of those proceeds as their fee. This percentage increases as your case must proceed. Cases going to trial may charge 40% of your recovery.
Attorneys consider their fees when they make settlement demands and will give you a breakdown of fees and costs when they present offers to you. You can then make an informed decision on whether the settlement offer is adequate.
Follow Your Gut
A list, referral or online research can give you names, but they can’t assess whether that attorney matches you well. You need to get along with and trust your personal injury attorney. This individual will have access to your medical records and may learn uncomfortable things about you. So, if you don’t trust them, you won’t have a productive attorney-client relationship.
When you visit a law firm, you should feel like you’re in a welcoming and professional environment. You should feel heard and free to ask questions during your consultation. The attorney’s office or law firm also gives an impression. If you are uncomfortable with the environment or how the attorney and staff treat you, move on to another lawyer.
Methodology For Finding The Best Chicago Car Accident Lawyers
Forbes Advisor considered many factors to find the Best Car Accident Lawyers in Chicago in 2024. Our mathematical module considers and weighs the information collected to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area.
Within the model, we consider factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on:
- Legal experience
- Special licenses and certifications
- Ethics and bar disciplinary measures
- Legal thought leadership
- Education and employment background
- Scholarly lectures & writings
- Awards and honors
Forbes Advisor collects public data from various sources, including state bar associations, court records and other published sources on the internet. This information should not be considered comprehensive, however. It might not include additional relevant information on an attorney’s legal skills and experience.
Each lawyer listed here has their own merits. Remember that our list relates to these lawyers’ legal backgrounds but does not evaluate their personalities or knowledge of the law. One attorney may be more suitable than another for your specific legal situation.
One thing that can’t be quantified, though, is the rapport you establish with your attorney. Personality goes a long way when teaming up with an attorney, especially when facing a potentially difficult legal situation. These rankings should serve as a reference and potential starting point in your search for the right lawyer for you and your legal concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Do I need a Chicago car accident attorney?
Car accidents can become complicated, especially if you’re injured. Insurance companies are more likely to dispute or devalue claims when there are injuries. Also, it is difficult to handle legal matters if you are busy recovering, especially if you sustained a catastrophic injury. Hiring a Chicago car accident lawyer often helps insurance companies take your claim seriously and make the claims process more manageable.
What is the average car accident settlement in Illinois?
It depends on your injuries and the circumstances of your accident. A car accident involving minor injuries may range from $3,000 to $10,000. These claims often involve painful but resolvable injuries like sprains, strains, and bruises. Injuries arising from a major accident can lead to settlement amounts of up to $1 million or more.
How much can I expect to pay for attorney fees?
Personal injury attorneys work on contingency, meaning they take a percentage of your final settlement or verdict. Depending on your case’s resolution stage, an attorney may receive 33.3 to 40% of your settlement amount.
What Are the components of a car accident claim in Chicago?
Car accident claims, depending on their complexity, can involve numerous components. Here are some of the vital elements of a car accident claim in Chicago:
•Duty of Care. In a car accident claim, you must show that the responsible party owed you a duty of care.
•Breach of Duty. Proving that the at-fault party breached their duty of care is crucial to a car accident claim. Breach of duty can include speeding, distracted driving and other negligent driving behaviors.
•Causation. To have a claim, you must establish a direct link between the responsible party’s breach of duty and your injuries.
•Liability and Negligence. Determining liability and proving negligence are fundamental aspects of any car accident claim. Negligence is the failure to exercise reasonable care, resulting in harm to another individual.
•Damages. There is no claim without damages. You must demonstrate your actual damages from the accident, such as healthcare expenses, income loss and property damage.
•Comparative Negligence. Comparative negligence refers to the degree of fault of each party involved in a Chicago car accident. For example, if you are partially responsible for the collision, your compensation amount may be reduced proportionally to your degree of fault.
How much does an attorney charge for a car accident in Chicago?
Most car accident attorneys in Chicago work with a contingency, meaning they only get paid if they win your case. While fees can vary, a typical contingency fee may be around one-third of the final settlement amount. Some attorneys may charge more if your case goes to trial. Knowing your attorney’s fee structure upfront is vital to avoid any unexpected payments later on.
How do I file a crash report in Illinois?
If you are involved in an accident with injuries, fatalities or more than $1,500 in property damage in Illinois, you must file a crash report within 10 days. You can submit your report online at the Illinois State Police website or by contacting your local police department in Chicago.
To fill out the motorist crash report, you will require the following information:
•Location, time and date of the accident
•Names, dates of birth and contact details of all drivers involved
•Driver license information (state and number) of all drivers
•Vehicle registration information
•Proof of liability insurance
How much is my Chicago car accident claim worth?
The amount of compensation you may receive with a car accident claim can depend on your specific case and several factors, such as:
•The scope of your injuries
•The extent of your property damage
•Healthcare costs
•Lost income
•The impact the accident has on your life quality
•Whether your injuries are permanent
•Your pain and suffering due to the accident
•Your degree of fault for the crash
The insurance company will consider these factors and others when offering a car accident settlement. If you encounter difficulties obtaining an adequate settlement for your car accident claim, hire an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer who can fight for what you deserve.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit after a car accident in Chicago, Illinois?
If you suffered an injury and property damage in a car accident in Chicago, you only have limited time to file a lawsuit. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident or injury in Illinois. If you fail to file a lawsuit within this two-year window, you may be forever barred from recovering compensation for your injuries or damages.
