Top Chicago Truck Accident Attorneys

Truck accident lawyers in Chicago handle crashes involving semis, dump trucks, and buses. Much of that work turns on evidence the trucking company controls, including driver logs, engine data, and maintenance files. An attorney can move to preserve those records, establish who was at fault, and build the medical picture. Recovery may cover treatment, lost income, and lasting harm. The attorneys below handle these claims on contingency across Cook County.

To compile this list, we review Chicago Truck Accident Lawyers based on public information, client feedback, and professional standing.

  • Bar standing and public disciplinary history review
  • Documented case results and courtroom trial experience
  • Peer recognition within the legal community
  • Client reviews, communication, and responsiveness
  • Consistency of public reviews across multiple platforms

Rankings are determined independently based on public information and editorial research.

Leading Chicago Semi-Truck Accident Lawyers for Catastrophic Injury Claims

Screenshot of the McCready Law Chicago Injury Attorneys Website

McCready Law is a personal injury practice serving Chicago truck accident victims since 1999. The firm has recovered over $650 million for clients and now runs 13 offices across seven Midwest states.

Its caseload covers semi-truck and bus collisions, motor vehicle crashes, premises liability, and workers' compensation. Attorneys also take medical malpractice and catastrophic injury claims.

Reported results include $5.25 million in a medical malpractice case and $3 million in a product liability suit against a car manufacturer. Consultations are free, and clients owe no fee unless the firm wins.

Screenshot of the McHargue & Jones, LLC Website
105 W Madison St Ste 1600, Chicago, IL 60602, USA

Work injuries and highway crashes overlap more often than people expect, and McHargue & Jones has built a Loop practice around both. The firm has represented injured Illinois workers for more than 25 years.

Partners James McHargue and Matthew Jones handle denied workers' comp claims, stopped benefit checks, and disputed independent medical exams. The team also takes Chicago truck accident cases, rideshare collisions, unsafe property claims, and dog bite injuries.

Settlements include $955,000 for a union worker who suffered a career-ending shoulder injury. Se habla espanol.

Screenshot of the Coplan + Crane Website
1111 Westgate St, Oak Park, IL 60301, USA

A $15 million verdict for the family of a woman killed in a trucking accident sits near the top of Coplan + Crane's results list. A separate fatal truck crash case brought an $11.5 million settlement.

The firm works from Oak Park, downtown Chicago, and Rockford, covering car crashes, medical negligence, birth injuries, and train and CTA claims.

Their truck accident lawyers dig into liability questions that reach well past the crash scene, including cargo loading and driver hours.

Screenshot of the Jacobson & Tchernev Website
5201 N Harlem Ave, Floor 2, Chicago, IL 60656, USA

Steven Jacobson and Ivo Tchernev run a two-partner injury practice on the Northwest Side. They take the tough cases other firms in the city pass on.

Trucking collisions, rideshare injuries, snow and ice falls, dram shop claims, and premises liability make up most of the docket. Both attorneys belong to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.

Cases run on a contingency fee basis, so clients pay nothing upfront.

Screenshot of the Hoey, Farina & McMahon, P.C. Website
444 W Lake St STE 1700, Chicago, IL 60606, USA

Few practices in the city know railroad injury law the way Hoey, Farina & McMahon does. A jury awarded $33 million to a railworker crushed by a train after the firm proved an unsafe workspace under FELA. A second FELA verdict reached $10 million.

Beyond railroad claims, the Lake Street office handles semi-truck collisions, construction accidents, workers' compensation, and fatal accident claims. Partners William McMahon and James Farina represent clients throughout the United States.

Screenshot of the Rundio Injury Law Website
1 S Dearborn St, Suite 1430, Chicago, IL 60603, USA

Rundio Injury Law has recovered more than $100 million for accident victims over the past 25 years. Matt Rundio built the Dearborn Street practice around going head-to-head with large insurance companies.

The firm handles big-rig wrecks, car and motorcycle crashes, bus and train claims, construction injuries, and nursing home neglect. Case evaluations are free.

Screenshot of the Law Office Of Stephen L. Hoffman LLC Website
3712 N Broadway, Suite 149, Chicago, IL 60613, USA

Attorney Stephen Hoffman has represented Chicagoland accident victims since 1990, working as a solo practitioner rather than through a large staff. He handles motor vehicle collisions, workplace injuries, premises claims, and defective product cases.

Hoffman is a Super Lawyers selectee and a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He takes injury and workers' comp claims on contingency.

Screenshot of the Berenz Law Network Professional Corporation Website

From a Dearborn Street office in the Loop, Berenz Law Network takes on insurers on behalf of injured Chicagoans. Philip Berenz has won multi-million dollar settlements in injury and fatal accident cases over the past decade.

Practice areas run to commercial truck collisions, pharmaceutical errors, dog bites, and catastrophic injuries such as brain trauma and burns. A second office in Northbrook serves North Shore clients by appointment.

Screenshot of the Kurasch & Klein, LTD Website
100 N La Salle St Ste 2005, Chicago, IL 60602, USA

A $7.5 million settlement for a badly injured infant anchors the record at Kurasch & Klein. The AV-rated attorneys handle tractor-trailer and bus collisions, construction injuries, and slip and fall claims across Cook County. Polish and Spanish are both spoken at the LaSalle Street office.

Screenshot of the Karchmar & Lambert, P.C. Website
211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1400, Chicago, IL 60606, USA

Karchmar & Lambert pairs injury work with civil rights litigation, including police misconduct claims. Results include $5 million for a woman who lost part of a leg in a bus crash.

The Wacker Drive team, with more than 50 years of combined experience, also takes semi-trailer cases and nursing home abuse claims.

Screenshot of the Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC Website
230 W Monroe St, Suite 1920, Chicago, IL 60606, USA

Representing injured people in the city since 1970, this Monroe Street firm has recovered over $400 million. Jonathan Fleisher and Charles Falkenberg handle commercial truck collisions, nursing home abuse, birth injuries, and dangerous product claims.

Screenshot of the Joel Gould Law Offices Website
5839 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60634, USA

Joel Gould has handled more than 1,000 cases and over 400 trials across 35 years of practice. His Belmont Avenue office splits work between accident claims, including tractor-trailer crashes, and criminal defense. Mowimy po polsku.

Screenshot of the Whiting Law Group, Ltd. Website

Whiting Law Group takes trucking cases and nothing else. Timothy Whiting founded the practice nearly 20 years ago and built a trial team around commercial crash litigation. Spanish-language service is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Illinois?

Two years, in most cases. Illinois sets a two-year deadline for injury lawsuits under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Wrongful death claims also run two years, measured from the date of death.

What if the truck belonged to the CTA, Pace, or the city?

You have far less time. Claims against local government bodies generally fall under a one-year deadline (745 ILCS 10/8-101). Some also require written notice within months of the crash. Get advice quickly if a public vehicle was involved.

Can I still recover money if I was partly at fault?

Yes, up to a point. Illinois follows modified comparative negligence under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. If your share of fault is more than 50%, recovery is barred. At 50% or less, your damages drop by your percentage of fault.

Why do trucking claims need faster action than car crashes?

Records disappear. Federal rules require carriers to keep driver duty logs and supporting documents for only six months. Engine control module data can be overwritten sooner than that. A lawyer can send a preservation letter within days.

Who can be held liable besides the truck driver?

Often several parties. The motor carrier, the company that loaded the cargo, a maintenance contractor, or a parts maker may share responsibility. For-hire carriers hauling general freight must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage, and many carry more.

What does a truck accident attorney charge?

Usually nothing upfront. These cases run on a contingent fee, so the lawyer is paid out of the recovery. Ask how case expenses are handled if the claim does not succeed.

Where would my case be filed?

Most often in Cook County. Injury suits go to the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Claims against out-of-state carriers sometimes land in federal court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Types of Truck Accident Cases in Chicago

Tractor-Trailer Collisions. Chicago sits at the center of the national freight network. Heavy rigs share the Dan Ryan, the Kennedy, and the Stevenson with commuter traffic. Speed differences and long stopping distances make these crashes severe.

Underride and Jackknife Crashes. A car can slide beneath a trailer in a rear or side impact. Jackknifing often follows hard braking on wet or icy pavement, which Chicago winters supply for months.

Delivery and Box Truck Injuries. Last-mile delivery vehicles work narrow residential streets and alleys across the North and South Sides. Blind spots and double parking put pedestrians and cyclists at risk.

Bus and Motorcoach Crashes. Transit buses, school buses, and charter coaches carry passengers who have no restraints. Claims against public carriers follow different deadlines than private ones.

Cargo and Loading Failures. Shifting freight can roll a trailer or spill into traffic. Liability may reach the shipper or the warehouse crew, not just the driver.

Hours-of-Service Violations. Fatigue remains one of the most common causes of serious truck crashes. Duty logs and electronic records often show whether a driver ran past federal limits.

Fatal Truck Crashes. Families can bring a wrongful death action for funeral costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship. A related survival claim may cover what the person suffered before death.

How to Choose a Truck Accident Lawyer in Chicago

Ask what they do in week one. Evidence preservation is the whole ballgame in trucking cases. The answer should involve a spoliation letter and a request for the electronic control module.

Check their federal regulation experience. Trucking claims turn on FMCSA rules covering driver hours, inspections, and carrier hiring. A lawyer who only handles car crashes may miss the strongest theory.

Look at trial readiness. Carriers and their insurers settle differently with firms that actually try cases in Cook County. Ask how many trucking cases the firm has taken to verdict.

Confirm they can fund the case. Reconstruction engineers, biomechanics experts, and life care planners cost real money upfront. Smaller firms sometimes co-counsel with larger ones for this reason.

Read the fee agreement. Contingent fee percentages and expense terms vary between firms. Ask specifically what happens to costs if the case is lost.

What Affects Truck Accident Settlement Values in Chicago

Illinois places no statutory cap on compensatory damages in these cases. Value tracks the severity of the injury, the medical treatment required, and lost earning capacity. Pain and suffering is a separate category and often the largest one.

Available insurance sets a practical ceiling. A single carrier policy may not cover a catastrophic injury, so lawyers look for a shipper, broker, or excess policy. Shared fault reduces any award under the state's comparative negligence rule. A lawyer can review the facts and give a realistic range.

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