When you've been struck by a vehicle on a Chicago street, the injuries are rarely minor. Pedestrians are 12 times more likely to be injured than vehicle occupants, and in 2024, over 2,900 pedestrians were injured in Chicago traffic accidents. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, shattered bones - these are the cases that demand more than a standard personal injury lawyer. They demand a legal team that understands medicine as deeply as it understands the law.
At Cirignani, Heller & Harman (CHH Law), our medically-trained attorneys have spent over 40 years handling the most complex injury cases in Chicago and bring that specialized expertise is available to pedestrian accident victims facing catastrophic injuries and the long road to recovery.
Our physician-attorneys identify missed diagnoses, secondary complications, and gaps in treatment documentation that other firms overlook. Having a lawyer who understands medicine can be valuable when medical bills are substantial or fault is disputed.
that require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care planning. Severe injuries often require accurate assessment of future medical needs and lost earning capacity - and our clinical training means we quantify those needs with precision.
Delivery trucks, CTA buses, rideshare vehicles, and construction fleets bring multiple parties involved, higher insurance policies, and stricter federal safety regulations. We know how to pursue compensation from every liable party.
Attorneys who are prepared to litigate may achieve better outcomes with insurance companies. Most pedestrian accident cases settle before going to trial, but insurance companies know which firms will take a case to verdict - and adjust their offers accordingly.
Many pedestrian accidents result in life-altering conditions: traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, multiple fractures, amputations, internal organ damage, and permanent disfigurement. These cases require quality legal representation that accounts for every dimension of loss - immediate medical expenses, future surgeries, rehabilitation, assistive devices, home modifications, and lost earning capacity over a lifetime.
Our legal team works directly with orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, rehabilitation specialists, and psychiatrists to build a complete picture of your injuries and future care needs. Compensation varies based on injury severity and treatment duration, and our clinical expertise ensures no element of your damages goes unvalued.
Chicago's arterial roads - Pulaski Road, Ashland Avenue, Western Avenue, Cicero Avenue - see disproportionate numbers of severe truck-involved pedestrian crashes. When a pedestrian is struck by a commercial motor vehicle, the case often involves multiple defendants: the driver, the fleet operator, the vehicle owner, and their insurance company.
We investigate driver records, vehicle maintenance logs, compliance with FMCSA regulations, and training documentation. Commercial vehicle cases typically carry higher policy limits and stricter safety standards - factors involved that can significantly increase the compensation available to injured pedestrians.
Sometimes the harm doesn't stop at the accident scene. When medical treatment after a pedestrian accident is negligent - a missed spinal fracture, delayed brain surgery, improper rehabilitation - injury victims suffer compounding damage. Illinois law requires expert physician affidavits before filing medical malpractice claims, and our physician-attorneys are uniquely positioned to identify and pursue these dual-liability cases.
This means we can seek compensation for both the original pedestrian accident injuries and the additional harm caused by medical negligence, delivering comprehensive accountability for every party responsible.
Your case begins with a free consultation where our physician-attorneys personally review your medical records and injuries. We evaluate your pedestrian accident claim with clinical precision - identifying the full scope of your injuries, assessing whether your current medical treatment is adequate, and determining the strength of your case. Seek medical attention immediately after a pedestrian accident; gaps in treatment can undermine even the strongest claim.
Gathering evidence is essential for establishing liability in pedestrian accident cases. We conduct a thorough investigation of the accident scene - examining crosswalk markings, traffic signals, lighting conditions, and signage. We secure traffic cameras footage, dashcam video, police report records, and witness statements before critical evidence disappears.
Our medical analysis goes further than most firms: we review your injuries through a clinical lens, projecting future care needs, identifying secondary complications, and documenting everything the insurance company will try to minimize. Document the accident scene with photos and witness information as soon as possible - and let our team preserve evidence that strengthens your position.
Negotiation is a crucial part of the lawyer's role in securing fair settlements from insurers. Insurance companies often make lowball settlement offers, and their tactics are designed to close claims quickly and cheaply. A lawyer can negotiate better settlements than victims alone, and our medical credibility gives us leverage that few firms can match.
We present your case backed by clinical documentation, expert testimony, and a willingness to go to trial. Consult a lawyer before accepting any insurance settlement offer - once you accept, your right to additional compensation is gone. If the insurance company refuses to offer full and fair compensation, we are fully prepared to take your Chicago pedestrian accident case before a jury.
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Bill Cirignani is a true professional. He blended compassion with clinical expertise, and we always felt we were in good hands. Which we were – the case settled in our favor. Thank you Bill!
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I can't say enough about how pleased my sister and I are with our experience with Dan. Very compassionate, hard-working, and the settlement exceeded our expectations.
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Dan dug deep in our files, fought tooth and nail, and found the necessary nuances by which we were able to attain our justice.
Chicago pedestrian accidents happen across the city - from crowded Loop intersections to residential streets on the South and West Sides. Research shows that pedestrian crash rates are significantly higher in underserved communities, with rates nearly three times higher in environmental justice areas compared to other neighborhoods. We serve injured pedestrians throughout Chicago and Cook County:
Downtown Chicago and the Loop - high foot traffic, busy intersections, commercial vehicle congestion
North Side - Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Rogers Park, Uptown, Edgewater
South Side - Hyde Park, Bronzeville, Chinatown, Bridgeport, Back of the Yards
West Side - West Loop, Ukrainian Village, Garfield Park, Austin, Humboldt Park
All Cook County suburbs and surrounding collar county areas
In 2024, there were 38 pedestrian fatalities on Chicago surface streets alone. If you or a family member has been struck anywhere in the Chicago area, our pedestrian accident attorneys are ready to help.
CHH Law has a separate department that has focused on medical malpractice only for over 40 years, handling the most difficult cases in Chicago. We bring that same expertise to our personal injury cases. Our legal team includes two licensed physicians and a certified respiratory therapist who are also attorneys. This means we don't just review your medical records - we read them the way a clinician would, catching missed injuries, identifying complications, and accurately projecting future medical needs. For serious pedestrian accident injuries, this medical expertise directly translates into stronger cases and higher valuations. Hiring a lawyer with this level of clinical understanding increases the likelihood of fair compensation.
Lawyers typically work on a contingency fee basis - meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Your free consultation costs nothing, and there are no upfront expenses. We advance the costs of investigation, medical experts, and litigation. You only pay if we win your case.
Under Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/13-202), you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Illinois law allows two years to file a pedestrian accident claim, but there are exceptions: if the injured person was a minor, the clock doesn't start until their 18th birthday. If a government entity is involved - such as a CTA bus, a city vehicle, or the Chicago Park District - shorter deadlines and special procedural requirements may apply. Acting quickly is essential to preserve evidence, secure witness statements, and protect your right to pursue compensation.
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence standard under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. You can still recover compensation as long as you are less than 50% at fault. Your damages will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility. In Chicago, pedestrians generally have the right-of-way in crosswalks, and drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks under Illinois law. Even when insurance company tactics try to blame the pedestrian - claiming jaywalking or failure to obey traffic laws - we work to establish driver negligence through signal timing, visibility analysis, and scene reconstruction to minimize your fault and maximize your recovery.
Victims can recover economic damages for medical expenses and lost wages, including future medical bills, rehabilitation, assistive devices, and lost income. Non-economic damages include pain, suffering, and emotional distress, as well as loss of enjoyment of life and disfigurement. In wrongful death cases, surviving family members can pursue wrongful death damages for loss of companionship and financial support. Punitive damages may be awarded for egregious driver behavior, such as extreme recklessness or intoxication.
Distracted driving is a leading cause of pedestrian accidents. Speeding increases the risk of pedestrian accidents significantly, especially on high-traffic arterials. Drivers failing to yield caused many pedestrian injuries in Chicago, and bad weather conditions contribute to pedestrian accidents in Chicago - particularly during winter months when visibility is reduced and roads are slippery. Negligent drivers who disregard traffic signals and fail to stop for people crossing streets at marked or unmarked crosswalks remain the most common factor in serious pedestrian crashes.
