Personal Injury Lawyer in Des Plaines, IL
A serious injury in Des Plaines can leave you facing medical appointments, missed paychecks, and insurance calls before you know what your claim is worth. Whether you were hurt in a crash near O'Hare corridors, on Mannheim Road or Touhy Avenue, in a fall at a local business, or in another preventable accident in the northwest suburbs, early guidance can protect evidence and keep you from settling for less than the claim supports.
Stavros Law Offices is based nearby at 433 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090. We have represented injured people across Northern Illinois since 1978. Our team includes Vincent M. Stavros and T. Justin Stavros, both former Lake County Assistant State's Attorneys. If you were hurt in Des Plaines or the surrounding communities, call 847-520-4810 for a free case review. Consultas disponibles en ingles o espanol. Qualifying personal injury matters are typically handled on a contingency fee - no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.
This page is educational information about Illinois personal injury claims and how our firm approaches these cases. It is not legal advice for your specific situation and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Outcomes depend on liability, damages, available insurance, and the law - no lawyer can honestly guarantee a result.
Injury matters we handle for Des Plaines-area clients
From our Wheeling office we help people injured in a range of incidents, including:
- Car and truck accidents - including multi-vehicle crashes and uninsured/underinsured motorist issues
- Premises liability / slip-and-fall - unsafe property conditions that cause injury
- Construction and workplace-adjacent injuries (where third-party claims may apply; workers' compensation is a separate system)
- Nursing home neglect and elder abuse allegations
- Medical malpractice and other catastrophic injury matters (often requiring specialized investigation)
For the full practice overview, see our Illinois personal injury hub. Nearby injury city pages include Wheeling personal injury and Rolling Meadows personal injury. Auto-specific local pages include Wheeling car accident lawyer and Palatine car accident lawyer.
Contingency fee - what that means in plain English
Most personal injury clients do not pay hourly attorney fees up front. Under a typical contingency agreement, our fee is a percentage of the recovery if we obtain compensation for you. If there is no recovery, you generally do not owe that attorney fee. Costs and case expenses should be explained in the written fee agreement - ask us to walk through every line at the free consultation so there are no surprises.
Statute of limitations (general Illinois rules)
Many Illinois personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury date (see 735 ILCS 5/13-202 and related statutes). That sounds like a long time; it is not. Medical treatment, investigation, and negotiation can consume months. Some claims - especially those involving public entities or certain professional negligence theories - can have shorter notice or filing requirements.
Do not rely on a blog post to calendar your deadline. Call promptly so we can identify the correct limitations period for your facts.
What we typically do in the first 30 days
Every file is different, but early work often includes:
- Listening to your account of how the injury happened and who may be responsible
- Preserving evidence - photos, incident reports, vehicle data, surveillance requests, and witness information
- Gathering medical and wage documentation and helping you understand treatment continuity
- Identifying insurance - at-fault liability policies, your Med Pay, UM/UIM, and other coverage
- Protecting you from adjuster pressure - recorded statements, premature releases, and low early offers
- Explaining realistic next steps - investigation, demand, negotiation, and, when necessary, filing suit
We prepare claims as if they may need to be litigated. Settlement is pursued when the facts and law support a fair resolution - not when an insurer hopes you will give up.
Liability and damages under Illinois law (high level)
Illinois is a fault-based system for most injury claims. Comparative fault matters: under modified comparative negligence, you may still recover if you are less than 50% at fault, with any recovery reduced by your share of fault. Insurers often argue you share more blame than the evidence supports.
Damages can include economic losses (medical bills, lost income, out-of-pocket costs) and non-economic losses (pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life), when supported by the evidence. There is generally no statutory "average case value" - severity of injury, consistency of care, liability proof, and credibility drive valuation discussions.
Why Des Plaines clients choose a nearby northwest-suburb firm
Des Plaines is in Cook County, near Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Rosemont, and O'Hare-area corridors. Your injury location, responding agency, and eventual venue are not always the same. We handle matters across Lake, Cook, McHenry, Kane, Will, DuPage, DeKalb, Boone, and Kendall Counties.
You get attorneys - not a distant call center - and a firm that has practiced in Northern Illinois since 1978. Former prosecutors on our team understand how evidence is built and challenged; on the civil side, that informs liability investigation and trial prep.
If your Des Plaines matter also involves a criminal traffic allegation, see the criminal defense hub and Mount Prospect criminal defense. Injury claims and criminal defense are separate tracks; we will tell you which applies.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay anything to start a personal injury case?
Qualifying cases are typically handled on contingency. You generally do not pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation. Ask us to explain fees and costs in writing.
How long do I have to file?
Many claims have a two-year statute of limitations in Illinois, but exceptions and shorter deadlines exist. Contact us soon so we can calendar the correct date for your case.
What if I was partly at fault?
You may still have a claim if you are less than 50% at fault. Your recovery can be reduced by your percentage of fault. Get advice before accepting an insurer's fault narrative.
Should I talk to the other party's insurance company?
Be careful. You are often not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer. Call us before you discuss case facts or sign medical authorizations or releases.
Is this the same as a car accident page?
No. This page covers broader personal injury - including premises, truck, nursing home, and other injury matters - for Des Plaines-area clients. Auto-specific city pages (such as Wheeling and Palatine) focus on crash claims.
Do you offer consultations in Spanish?
Yes - English or Spanish. Call 847-520-4810.
Cities and communities we commonly serve near Des Plaines
From our Wheeling office we regularly speak with injured clients in and around Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Rosemont, Niles, Glenview, Prospect Heights, Arlington Heights, Wheeling, Elk Grove Village, and nearby communities.
Accident town and court venue are not always the same. If your paperwork lists a different municipality or county, call anyway - we can confirm coverage.
Talk with Stavros Law Offices
Hurt in Des Plaines? Get a clear case review before you accept a low offer or miss a deadline.
- Phone: 847-520-4810
- Office: 433 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090
- Free consultation / free case review Contingency fee for qualifying injury cases Consultas disponibles en ingles o espanol
- Contact: /contact-us
We have stood with Northern Illinois families in serious injury and trial matters since 1978. Call today - we will explain the next steps in plain English.