Our Practice Areas
- Aviation Accident
- Bicycle Accidents
- Burn Injuries
- Bus Accidents
- Car Accidents
- Catastrophic Injuries
- Construction Accidents
- Dangerous & Defective Products
- Drowning Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Fire and Explosion Accident
- Medical Malpractice
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Nursing Home Negliegence
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Personal Injury
- Pharmaceutical Errors
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability
- Railroad Injuries (FELA)
- Slip & Fall Accidents
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Trucking Accidents
- Wrongful Death
Personal Injury Attorney in Chicago
Trial-Ready Representation for Injured Victims Across Chicagoland
When an accident is caused by someone else’s negligence, the responsible party should be held accountable. Injuries ranging from fractures to brain damage to amputation can devastate a victim’s livelihood, threatening their income, their independence, and their future. Illinois law gives injured victims the right to seek compensation for those losses, but the window to act is limited, and the other side starts building its defense the moment a claim is filed.
Our Chicago personal injury attorneys provide aggressive, partner-led representation for every client we serve. We understand the short- and long-term impact of serious injuries, and we won’t settle for less than what you deserve. Through strategic negotiation and fierce litigation, we’ve recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for injured clients across the Chicagoland area.
What sets Cogan & Power apart is where our attorneys have stood before. Our team has served as Trial Counsel for the City of Chicago, giving us direct knowledge of how defendants and insurers evaluate injury claims and decide what cases may be worth. That perspective shapes every strategy we build. When insurance companies know your attorneys have been on the other side of the courtroom, settlement negotiations can start from a different place.
Clients work directly with our partners throughout their case, not junior associates. Our attorneys bring nearly 200 years of combined legal experience to every case, and we approach every matter as trial attorneys first. Recognized by Illinois Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, we have the credentials and the courtroom record to back it up.
Get honest, uncompromising representation today. Schedule your free consultation online or call us at (312) 477-2500.
Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Chicago
Our attorneys are dedicated to protecting your legal rights and fighting for your best interests, no matter how complex your situation. We bring the resources of a large firm while keeping partner-level attention on every case.
Case Types We Handle
We represent victims of a broad range of accidents and wrongful conduct, including:
Common Injury Types
The injuries our clients sustain run the full spectrum of severity, and many carry lasting consequences. The most common include:
- Chronic pain injuries
- Head and brain injuries
- Orthopedic injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Burns
- Internal injuries
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Amputation
How Case Complexity Shapes Our Approach
Catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain damage, spinal cord damage, and paralysis require a fundamentally different approach than a standard accident claim. Future care projections, vocational rehabilitation, and lifetime damages calculations demand both deep medical knowledge and experienced litigation strategy. Our attorneys bring both. We have the technical and medical fluency to handle complex medical malpractice and birth injury claims, and our collaborative team structure means multiple attorneys’ judgment goes into every major case decision.
No two cases are built the same way. A construction accident may involve OSHA violations and several potentially liable parties, while a trucking accident turns on federal hours-of-service regulations and black box data. We investigate each case on its own terms, identifying every avenue of recovery and building the factual record that can position your case as strongly as possible.
If someone else’s negligence caused your injuries, you deserve attorneys who will fight for compensation under the law. Contact us today to get started.
Understanding Personal Injury Law in Illinois
Illinois personal injury law allows individuals to seek compensation when they’re harmed by another party’s negligence or intentional conduct. To establish negligence, a plaintiff must prove that the defendant owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and that the breach directly caused the injuries and resulting damages. Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, most injured victims have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. Missing that deadline can bar recovery entirely, which is why prompt legal action matters.
Key Rules That Affect Your Claim
Illinois follows a modified comparative fault rule: if you bear 51% or more of the fault for an accident, you can’t recover. If your fault falls below that threshold, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. Claims against a city, county, or other government entity may carry a shorter filing deadline under the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, making early legal involvement even more critical in those situations. Our familiarity with Cook County courts and procedures allows us to navigate local proceedings efficiently and anticipate how judges and juries in this jurisdiction may approach injury cases.
Evidence doesn’t wait. Surveillance footage gets overwritten, electronic data disappears, and witness recollections fade. The sooner we can begin preserving the record in your case, the stronger the foundation we can build.
How We Approach Your Case
When you retain Cogan & Power, you work directly with one of our partners from day one, not an associate. That direct access matters most in high-stakes cases where strategy decisions require the judgment of attorneys who have actually tried cases to verdict.
Our attorneys are former prosecutors who have served as Trial Counsel for the City of Chicago. That background is more than a credential. It means we’ve seen injury claims evaluated from the defense side, and we know how insurers and opposing counsel identify weaknesses and calculate case value. We use that knowledge to anticipate and close gaps before they can be exploited.
A trial-ready posture can change how the other side negotiates. Firms that settle reflexively signal that a case can be bought cheaply. We don’t operate that way. Our team brings multiple attorneys’ judgment to each case, we communicate with clients in plain language at every stage, and if you can’t travel to our office, we’ll come to you.
Schedule a consultation online or call us at (312) 477-2500.
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"I can not speak highly enough"
I can not speak highly enough for the experience I have received from Cogan & Power Attorneys at Law. I was introduced to John Power through a mural friend. I was impressed from the very first phone call with John Power to us meeting through the pandemic. His professionalism and his medical knowledge is unbelievable… I have to say from that day moving forward John Power, Sara Davis and Kim Stefanek all put me at ease. My cases lasted just about 3 years and I was notified every step of the way on what was going forward and keeping me in the loop. John and Sara made sure that I was ready and comfortable for my Deposition, they made sure every stone was unturned! Kim Stefanek is one of their paralegals and she is awesome. I can go and I highly recommend Cogan & Power for your legal issues. John Power & Sara Davis are amazing attorneys and exceptional, caring, compassionate people!!
- Beatrice H. -
The outcome was stupendous and they did a great job.- Marcie E.
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They exceeded my expectations helping me with my restitution.- Diane O.
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They had good attention to detail and had the ability to negotiate to the highest settlement in my case.- Amit T.
Free Consultation with a Chicago Personal Injury Attorney
If you’ve been injured because of someone else’s negligence, contact Cogan & Power at (312) 477-2500 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. If you can’t come to our downtown Chicago office, we’ll come to you. We also offer Spanish-language representation for clients who prefer to communicate in Spanish. All personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
During your consultation, we listen to your story in a confidential, pressure-free setting, evaluate the details of your situation, and outline potential paths forward. There’s no obligation and no cost to speak with us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury in Chicago
What Should I Do Immediately After an Accident?
Ensure your safety first, then contact emergency services if anyone is injured. Gather information at the scene: witness names and contact details, photographs, and the other party’s information. Report the incident to police and seek medical attention promptly, even if injuries aren’t immediately apparent. Avoid making statements about fault before speaking with an attorney, as early admissions can affect your claim.
How Does the Chicago Legal Process Affect My Personal Injury Case?
Cook County has its own procedural norms that experienced local attorneys understand well. From how cases are assigned to how local judges approach damages arguments, familiarity with the Chicago legal environment directly shapes litigation strategy. Having an injury attorney who regularly appears in Cook County courts can make a meaningful difference in how your case moves forward.
What Types of Compensation Can I Pursue in a Personal Injury Case?
You can pursue economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and future care costs, as well as non-economic damages including pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving gross negligence, punitive damages may also be available. The right combination depends on your specific injuries and circumstances, which is why a thorough case evaluation matters before any demand is made.
Can I Handle My Personal Injury Case Without an Attorney?
Technically, yes, but insurance companies have experienced claims adjusters and defense lawyers working to minimize what they pay you from the moment a claim is filed. Personal injury law involves evidentiary rules, damages calculations, and negotiation dynamics that are difficult to navigate while recovering from an injury. Legal representation can make a significant difference, depending on the facts of the case.
How Is Liability Determined in Personal Injury Cases?
Liability is established by showing that the defendant owed a duty of care, breached it, and that the breach caused your injuries. Evidence such as witness statements, medical records, accident reconstruction, and expert testimony all contribute to that showing. Because Illinois’ modified comparative fault rule means the defense will often argue you share some of the blame, building a thorough factual record early is critical.
What Makes a Catastrophic Injury Case Different from Other Personal Injury Claims?
Catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, paralysis, and severe burns involve far more complex damages than a typical accident claim. Lifetime care projections, vocational rehabilitation costs, lost earning capacity, and long-term pain and suffering all factor into the valuation. These cases require attorneys with deep medical knowledge and the litigation experience to challenge how insurers and defense experts calculate future damages.
Ready to talk? Call (312) 477-2500 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation with a Chicago personal injury attorney.
What Sets Us Apart From The Rest?
Cogan & Power is here to help you get the results you need with a team you can trust.
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Collaborative Approach to Legal Representation
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Invested in Your Overall Well-Being
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If You Can't Come to Us, We Will Come To You
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You'll Communicate Directly With Our Partners
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Record-Setting Achievements Recovering Millions for Our Clients
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Nearly 200 Years of Combined Experience