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Cook County Personal Injury Lawyer

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If you were hurt in a crash, a fall or by medical care in Cook County, Illinois, you generally have two years to file an injury lawsuit (735 ILCS 5/13-202), and shorter deadlines can apply to claims against public bodies. Cook County injury lawsuits are filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, which has a Law Division at the Daley Center in Chicago and five suburban district courthouses. Stavros Law Offices serves Cook County clients from our Wheeling office. Call (847) 520-4810 for a free consultation.

General information, not legal advice. Last reviewed: October 2026.

Where Injury Lawsuits Are Filed in Cook County

Injury lawsuits arising in Cook County are filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The court divides the county into six municipal districts. The First District covers the City of Chicago. The Second through Sixth Districts cover the suburbs, with courthouses in Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview and Markham.

The court's Law Division hears civil suits for money damages above $30,000 in Chicago and above $100,000 in the suburban districts. Its listed case types include motor vehicle injury, medical malpractice, premises liability, product liability, construction injuries and other personal injury and wrongful death claims. The Law Division is at the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602. According to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, civil cases for damages up to $100,000 are heard in the suburban district where they occurred. The five suburban courthouses are:

  • Second District: Skokie Courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Rd., Skokie
  • Third District: Rolling Meadows Courthouse, 2121 Euclid Ave., Rolling Meadows
  • Fourth District: Maywood Courthouse, 1500 Maybrook Dr., Maywood
  • Fifth District: Bridgeview Courthouse, 10220 S. 76th Ave., Bridgeview
  • Sixth District: Markham Courthouse, 16501 S. Kedzie Pkwy., Markham

Illinois venue law (735 ILCS 5/2-101) generally allows a lawsuit in the county where a properly joined defendant lives or where part of the events happened, so a Cook County crash, fall or hospital stay often leads to a Cook County filing. Which courthouse hears a case depends on the amount claimed, the type of claim and the court's own assignment rules. We confirm that with the court before filing.

Cook County Crash Data From IDOT

The Illinois Department of Transportation's 2024 Illinois Crash Facts & Statistics (published January 1, 2026) lists 164,559 motor vehicle crashes in Cook County in 2024, including 333 fatal crashes. Statewide, IDOT counted 303,913 crashes, so Cook County accounted for more than half of them. IDOT's trend report ranks Cook and DuPage Counties first and second in total crashes.

IDOT defines a crash as an occurrence on a public roadway involving a moving motor vehicle that causes death, injury or property damage above $1,500 (or $500 if any driver is uninsured). These are counts of crashes, not people, and they say nothing about the outcome of any one claim. They do show that crashes are common here, which is one reason to document your own crash carefully.

Types of Injury Cases We Handle

Cook County residents and visitors are hurt in many ways. We review these kinds of claims:

Filing Deadlines for Cook County Injury Claims

Most Illinois personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years after the injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Reporting a claim to an insurer does not generally stop that clock; only filing in court does. Our guide to the Illinois personal injury statute of limitations explains the exceptions in detail.

  • Local government defendants: a civil action against a local public entity or its employees generally must be commenced within one year (745 ILCS 10/8-101). If a city, village, township, park district or school district may be involved, call right away.
  • Wrongful death: generally two years from the date of death, brought by the personal representative (740 ILCS 180/2).
  • Medical malpractice: generally two years from when the injury was or should have been discovered, and no more than four years from the act or omission (735 ILCS 5/13-212).

A Cook County crash can involve a city, village, township or other local public body, for example through a road defect or a public vehicle. Tell us early if any government body may be involved so the shorter deadline is not missed.

Fault and Insurance in Cook County Claims

Illinois follows a modified comparative fault rule. If a jury finds you more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover; if you are not more than 50% at fault, your damages are reduced by your share (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). Insurers often point to your own conduct to reduce a claim, so photos, the police report and medical records matter from the start.

Illinois minimum liability limits are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, and $20,000 for property damage. Those limits can fall short after a serious injury, so we review every possible source of recovery, including your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Cook County Communities We Serve

Our office is in Wheeling, and we have local pages for several northwest Cook County communities:

We do not have an office in Chicago or any other location outside Wheeling. Clients across Cook County are served from the Wheeling office at 433 N. Milwaukee Ave. If a crash also led to a traffic or DUI charge, see our Cook County DUI page.

Free Guides for Injured People

Whatever county you were hurt in, these pages explain the first steps in plain language: the Car Accident Resource Center, the car accident checklist, dealing with insurance after a crash and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. For medical bills and fault, see who pays medical bills after a car accident and comparative fault in Illinois.

Other Counties We Serve

Crashes do not always happen where you live. If your injury happened in another county, these pages cover the local courts:

Cook County Personal Injury FAQ

How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Cook County?

Generally two years from the date of injury under Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Claims against local government bodies can carry a one-year deadline, and wrongful death and malpractice claims follow their own rules. Confirm your deadline as soon as possible.

Where is a Cook County injury lawsuit filed?

In the Circuit Court of Cook County. The Law Division at the Daley Center in Chicago hears civil suits seeking more than $30,000 in Chicago and more than $100,000 in the suburbs, and suburban district courthouses in Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview and Markham hear other civil cases from their areas. We confirm the right courthouse for your case.

Will I have to go to the Daley Center?

Not necessarily. It depends on where the injury happened, the amount claimed and how the court assigns the case. Some cases are heard at a suburban district courthouse, and many steps in a case happen outside the courtroom.

What if I was partly at fault for the crash?

You can still recover if you are not more than 50% at fault, though your damages are reduced by your percentage. If you are more than 50% at fault, Illinois law bars recovery (735 ILCS 5/2-1116).

What if the other driver has no insurance?

Your own policy may include uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. We review your policy and every other possible source of recovery. See our uninsured and underinsured motorist guide for how this coverage works.

Do you have an office in Chicago?

No. Our office is at 433 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090, and we serve Cook County clients from there. Call (847) 520-4810 to schedule a free consultation.

Talk to Our Team

Stavros Law Offices is one team handling criminal defense and DUI, personal injury and civil litigation. We serve Cook County clients from our Wheeling office. Call (847) 520-4810 or request a free consultation online. Our bilingual staff can assist. Se habla español.

Stavros Law Offices
433 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 520-4810
Monday–Friday 9–5; closed Saturday
Free consultation. Serving clients in Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane and DuPage Counties.

General information, not legal advice; no attorney-client relationship until engaged; past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Laws, deadlines and court procedures change and every case is different. Last reviewed: October 2026.

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Primarily practicing in the following counties: ​Lake, Cook, McHenry, Kane, Will, DuPage, ​DeKalb, Boone and Kendall Counties

Office Location

433 N. Milwaukee Ave
Wheeling, IL 60090
847-520-4810
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed