Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, the general personal injury statute of limitations in Illinois is two years from the date of the injury. However, under the Illinois Tort Immunity Act (745 ILCS 10/8-101), if your injury involves a public entity such as the City of Chicago, CTA, Metra, or Cook County, the statute of limitations is shortened to just one year.

Yes, as long as your fault does not exceed 50%. Under Illinois' modified comparative negligence system (735 ILCS 5/2-1116), your compensation is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if you are awarded $100,000 but were found 20% at fault, you receive $80,000. If your fault is 51% or higher, you cannot recover damages.

Significant personal injury claims seeking damages over $50,000 in Cook County are filed and tried in the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, located at the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602. Cases involving federal questions or diversity jurisdiction are heard at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse at 219 S Dearborn St.

Chicago personal injury lawyers represent clients on a contingency fee agreement. Clients pay no upfront retainers or hourly rates. The legal fee is typically 33.3% of the gross recovery for settlements reached before trial and may adjust to 40% if formal jury litigation or appellate proceedings are necessary. If no recovery is achieved, the client pays zero attorney fees.

Seek urgent medical treatment at an accredited trauma center such as Northwestern Memorial, Stroger Hospital, or UChicago Medicine. Ensure an official Chicago Police Department (CPD) collision or incident report is generated. Preserve all evidence, including photos of the scene, names of witnesses, and defective equipment. Consult an attorney before speaking with third-party insurance representatives.

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If you are involved in a collision with an uninsured or hit-and-run driver in Illinois, you can pursue an Uninsured Motorist (UM) claim through your own auto insurance policy. Illinois law (215 ILCS 5/143a) mandates that all liability policies issued in the state include UM coverage matching state minimum bodily injury liability limits.