Chicago Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers

What Sets Walner Law Apart?

Since 1961, we’ve represented injured people across Chicago and recovered more than a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Case Results That Reflect Trial Readiness

Our results include:

• A $67 million verdict tied to a reckless vehicular pursuit
• A $21 million recovery for a client left with a permanent spinal cord injury after a highway crash

Those numbers reflect trial preparation, not quick settlements; insurance companies negotiate differently with a firm known for taking cases in front of a jury.

Local Courtroom Experience

We’ve filed and tried cases in the Cook County Circuit Court at the Daley Center for decades, and that history shapes how we approach negotiations from the very first phone call.

When opposing counsel and adjusters recognize a firm’s name from prior verdicts, the conversation about what your claim is worth starts from a different place than it would for a firm they’ve never gone up against in court.

Recognition From Legal Peer Groups

Our attorneys hold Super Lawyers recognition, a place among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Expertise.com has also ranked our team among the best car accident lawyers in Chicago.

What Our Clients Say

When choosing an attorney, credentials matter, but what past clients say matters more:

• “I have nothing but good things to say about our attorney, Kristin Kladis, of Walner Law. We were informed each step along the way and are happy with the outcome of our case.” – J.G.
• “Thanks to the whole team, that won my case from automobile accident on August 2023, I’m very grateful for the help. Yes, they do fight and WIN” – K.L.

If you’re weighing your options after a distracted driving crash in Chicago, call Walner Law at 312-410-8496 for a free case evaluation and find out what a firm with this kind of track record can do for your claim.

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What Should You Do in the Hours After a Crash?

Get checked out right away, even if you feel fine, since that single step protects both your health and your claim.

Get Medical Care First

Adrenaline hides pain, and injuries like whiplash, concussions, or internal bleeding can take a day or more to show symptoms. A doctor’s exam creates a medical record tying your injuries to the crash, which matters later when an insurance company questions how serious they really were.

Chicago hospitals such as Northwestern Memorial, Rush University Medical Center, and the University of Chicago Medical Center see these injuries often and know how to document them properly.

Protect the Evidence

What you gather in the first few hours can shape your case. Try to:

• Photograph the scene, your vehicle, and any visible injuries before anything gets moved.
• Get contact information from witnesses, especially anyone who saw the other driver looking at a phone.
• Request a copy of the police report once it’s filed.
• Write down your memory of the crash while it’s fresh, including anything suggesting the other driver wasn’t watching the road.

Watch What You Say

Avoid giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company before speaking with a skilled attorney. A comment made days later, like saying you feel okay, can get used against you.

Stick to the facts with police and doctors, and save the rest for someone representing your interests.

Frequently Asked Questions About Distracted Driving Claims in Chicago

Do I have a claim if the other driver fled the scene?

Yes, a hit-and-run crash typically falls under your uninsured motorist coverage once police confirm the other driver can’t be identified or located. Illinois insurers usually require a police report and prompt notice to your own carrier before they’ll evaluate this type of claim. Reporting the crash right away protects your ability to recover.

If a witness caught even a partial license plate or dashcam footage from a nearby car turns up later, that detail can sometimes lead to identifying the driver and pursuing them directly instead of relying solely on your own coverage.

Will my case go to trial or settle?

Most personal injury claims settle before trial, but a settlement offer only reflects fair value when the insurance company believes you’re prepared to go to court. We build every case as if it may end up in front of a Cook County jury, gathering the same evidence and outside opinions we’d need at trial from day one.

This approach tends to produce stronger settlement offers along the way rather than a rushed number meant to close the file quickly.

What if I was partly at fault for the crash?

Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule, meaning you can still recover damages as long as you’re found less than 51 percent at fault, though your award gets reduced by your percentage of blame.

Insurance companies frequently try to shift extra fault onto injured drivers to lower their payout, pointing to things like your speed or lane position even when the other driver’s phone use started the chain of events.

Having someone review the police report, witness statements, and any available camera footage on your behalf protects you from absorbing blame that isn’t yours.

Does hiring Walner Law cost anything upfront?

No, we handle distracted driving accident cases on contingency, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you.

What if the distracted driver was working when the crash happened?

If the at-fault driver was on the clock, such as a delivery driver or rideshare operator checking an app for a pickup, their employer’s insurance policy may share liability for your damages.

These claims often involve larger coverage limits, but they also involve corporate legal teams and multiple insurance adjusters working together to limit the payout, so early investigation into who employed the driver and what policy applied matters more than in a typical two-driver crash.

Contact Walner Law for a Free Case Evaluation

You don’t have to sort through insurance forms, medical bills, and phone records on your own while you’re also trying to recover from an injury or grieve a loss.

Call Walner Law at 312-410-8496 for a free case evaluation. Let a Chicago distracted driving accident lawyer walk you through exactly what your claim is worth and what happens next.

We answer calls quickly, review the facts of your crash the same day when we can, and tell you honestly whether we think you have a strong case, because the driver who caused your crash should answer for it, not you.

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