Chicago Personal Injury Attorney

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A serious accident changes things fast. One day you’re going about your routine, and the next you’re dealing with medical appointments, missed work, and an insurance adjuster asking you to describe what happened before you’ve even had time to process it. It’s a lot to handle on top of recovering.

A Chicago personal injury attorney can help you sort through what comes next. Since 1984, Robert J. Rooth has represented injured people throughout Chicago, working directly with clients rather than handing cases off to associates. If you or someone you love was hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you don’t have to figure out the next step alone. Call our team today to schedule a free consultation.

Chicago Personal Injury Claims Get Complicated Fast

Chicago’s size and density create unique challenges after an accident. Between heavy traffic on the expressways, CTA buses and trains, rideshare vehicles, and a constant flow of pedestrians and cyclists, the city sees a wide range of accident scenarios that don’t come up as often in smaller communities. More vehicles and more parties on the road also mean more potential insurance companies involved in a single claim, each with its own adjuster working to minimize what they pay out.

Claims involving a government entity, like the CTA or the City of Chicago, add another layer of complexity, since these cases often come with shorter notice deadlines and different procedural rules than a typical claim against a private driver or property owner.

Illinois law also allows insurance companies to argue that you share some responsibility for what happened, even when the other party was clearly at fault. A Chicago personal injury attorney who understands how local insurers approach these cases can push back against unfair blame and make sure the full picture, not just the version favorable to the insurance company, gets considered.

What It Means to Have Someone in Your Corner

Insurance companies handle claims every day. They know how to evaluate injuries, negotiate down settlements, and use the time right after an accident to their advantage, before you’ve had a chance to see a doctor, gather your thoughts, or understand what your case is actually worth. A Chicago personal injury attorney changes that dynamic, and Robert J. Rooth has spent more than four decades doing exactly that for injured people across the city.

Here’s what that support actually looks like:

• Investigating the accident to determine what happened and who’s responsible, rather than relying solely on the initial police report
• Handling communication with insurance adjusters, so you’re not pressured into giving a recorded statement. Adjusters often ask questions designed to get you to downplay an injury or accept partial blame early on, before you’ve even seen a doctor or fully understood what happened
• Explaining your options in plain language, without legal jargon that leaves you more confused than when you started
• Accurately valuing your claim, accounting for medical costs, lost income, and other losses, not just what the insurance company initially offers
• Drawing on familiarity with Cook County courts, including how local judges and court procedures shape the way a case gets prepared, negotiated, and, if necessary, tried
• Providing direct access to Robert J. Rooth, not a rotating cast of case managers or paralegals

This is also personal for Robert. He built his practice on the idea that clients deserve a lawyer who shows up, answers the phone, and treats their case like it matters, not one more file on a stack.

If an insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, that’s not the end of the road. Robert’s trial experience means he’s prepared to take a case before a judge or jury when negotiation alone won’t get a client what they’re owed, and he keeps clients informed at every step.

The Range of Cases We Handle in Chicago

Personal injury covers more ground than most people realize, and a Chicago personal injury attorney should be equipped to handle more than just car accidents. Robert J. Rooth has built his practice on versatility, developed through decades of trial experience and mentorship under one of the nation’s top trial lawyers, while maintaining a particular depth in nursing home abuse and neglect cases.

Our team represents clients throughout Chicago in cases involving:

• Car, truck, pedestrian, and bicycle accidents, including collisions involving rideshare vehicles and commercial trucks
• Nursing home abuse and neglect, including bedsores, falls, medication errors, and physical abuse
• Slip and fall and other premises liability claims
• Wrongful death, when negligence takes the life of a loved one
• Other injuries caused by negligence, even when a case doesn’t fit neatly into a single category

No matter the type of case, the approach is the same: investigate thoroughly, understand what the injury has actually cost you, and hold the responsible party accountable. If you’re not sure whether your situation qualifies as a personal injury claim, that’s a good first question to bring to a free consultation rather than something to figure out on your own.

What a Chicago Personal Injury Claim Can Recover

A claim’s value depends on the specifics of what happened, but most personal injury cases in Chicago can pursue compensation across a few key categories.

The Financial Toll: Medical Bills and Lost Income

Medical expenses are usually the starting point for any claim, and that includes more than just the bills already in hand. Future treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing care are all part of the picture when an injury has lasting effects. Lost income covers time missed from work during recovery, while reduced earning capacity accounts for situations where an injury permanently limits someone’s ability to work the same job or hours as before.

The Toll That Doesn’t Show Up on a Bill

Not every loss comes with a receipt. Pain and suffering addresses the physical and emotional impact of the injury itself, something insurance companies routinely try to minimize since it’s harder to quantify than a medical bill or a paycheck. A Chicago personal injury attorney’s job includes making sure this side of the claim gets taken as seriously as the financial side.

When Negligence Causes a Death

When negligence causes someone’s death rather than just an injury, certain surviving family members can bring a wrongful death claim. These cases can include compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship, in addition to any medical expenses incurred before death.

The deceased person’s estate representative typically files wrongful death claims on behalf of the surviving spouse and next of kin, and they follow their own timeline separate from a standard injury claim.

Because so much depends on the specifics of the injury and how the insurance company responds, it helps to review your situation with someone who knows what to look for. What looks like a straightforward number on paper often leaves out losses that aren’t immediately obvious, and that gap is usually where people end up settling for less than their case is worth.

When Fault Is Shared: Illinois’ Rule on Comparative Negligence

Insurance companies rarely accept full responsibility without a fight. One of their most common tactics is arguing that you contributed to the accident in some way, since shifting even a small percentage of blame onto you can reduce what they have to pay. In Illinois, that argument matters more than you might expect, because how much fault gets assigned to you can directly affect how much of the compensation you’re actually able to recover.

Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. In practice, that means you can still recover damages as long as you’re found to be 50% or less at fault for what happened, but your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you’re found to be 51% or more at fault, you’re barred from recovering anything at all.

This is exactly why insurance adjusters often start asking pointed questions about your actions before the accident, sometimes within days of the crash. Our Chicago personal injury attorney can push back against inflated or unfair fault claims, ensuring that our team puts the full picture in front of the insurance company or, if necessary, a jury.

You Don’t Have to Face This Alone

Recovering from an injury is hard enough without also trying to figure out insurance forms, medical bills, and legal deadlines on your own. You shouldn’t have to carry all of that by yourself, especially while you’re still healing.

Robert J. Rooth has spent more than four decades sitting across the desk from people going through exactly what you’re facing now, and he knows that every case starts with a conversation, not a contract. You’ll get honest answers about your situation and a clear sense of what to expect, with no pressure to move forward before you’re ready.

If you or someone you love was hurt because of someone else’s negligence, reach out today. Call The Rooth Law Firm to schedule a free consultation. You’re hurt. I’m here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Under Illinois law, you must file most personal injury lawsuits within two years of the injury, but exceptions apply. Claims against a government entity, such as the Chicago Transit Authority or the City of Chicago, often carry a much shorter notice requirement, sometimes as little as one year. Wrongful death claims run from the date of death rather than the date of injury, and claims involving a minor may follow different rules.

Because these exceptions can significantly shorten or extend your timeline, it’s worth talking to a Chicago personal injury attorney as soon as possible so you don’t miss anything.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?

Our team handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no upfront costs or attorney fees to get started, and there’s no bill unless your case results in a settlement or verdict.  Attorney fees come out of the amount recovered, so if there’s no recovery, you don’t owe a fee.

This arrangement exists so that injured people can get experienced representation without worrying about how to pay for it out of pocket while also dealing with medical bills and lost income. During your free consultation, we’ll walk you through exactly how fees work in your case before you decide whether to move forward.

What Should I Do Immediately After an Accident in Chicago?

Your health comes first. Get medical attention right away, even if your injuries seem minor at the time, since some injuries don’t show symptoms until hours or days later. Medical records created close to the time of the accident also help connect your injuries to what happened.

Beyond that, a few steps can protect your case:

• Report the accident to the appropriate authority (police, property owner, or employer, depending on the situation)
• Take photos of the scene, your injuries, and anything that contributed to the accident
• Get contact information from any witnesses
• Avoid giving a recorded statement to an insurance company before speaking with an attorney
• Keep records of medical treatment, missed work, and other expenses connected to the accident

Insurance companies often begin reviewing claims within days of an accident, so it helps to have someone looking out for your interests early on.

How Long Does a Personal Injury Case Take to Resolve?

There’s no single timeline that fits every case. Some claims settle within a few months, particularly when liability is clear and injuries have fully healed. Others take a year or more, especially when injuries are severe, still being treated, or when the insurance company disputes fault or the value of the claim.

Rather than settling quickly, our team takes the time needed to understand the full extent of an injury before resolving a claim, since settling too early can mean accepting less than a case is worth. If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we’re prepared to pursue the case in court, which typically extends the timeline but may be necessary to get full compensation.