Car Accident Lawyer
Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C.
Within the broader personal injury practice of Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., car accident representation is one of the firm's central areas of focus. Working from offices at 8501 W Higgins Rd, Suite 720, on Chicago's Northwest Side, the firm — also known to many as Choose Charlie — helps drivers and passengers who have been hurt in collisions understand their rights and pursue compensation from negligent parties and the insurance companies that stand behind them. This page profiles that specific facet of the firm's work and how it fits into the practice as a whole.
How Car Accident Cases Fit Into the Work of Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C.
As a personal injury attorney practice, the firm handles a range of accident and injury matters — including truck accidents, elevator accidents, workers' compensation, wrongful death, construction injuries, dog bites, slip-and-fall accidents, and boating accidents. Car accident claims sit at the heart of that mix because motor vehicle collisions are among the most common ways people in Cook County are seriously injured. The Therman Law team applies the same core approach across these areas: investigating what happened, documenting losses, and negotiating with insurers on behalf of the injured person rather than the other way around.
The firm notes that its attorneys — including Charles N. Therman, Kelli L. Mule, George D. Gountanis, and Anthony Garcia — have handled car accident matters ranging from rear-end collisions and drunk-driving crashes to multi-vehicle pileups and fatal wrecks. According to the firm, it has served Chicago families since 2002 and has recovered more than $100 million for accident victims across the area, working on a contingency-fee basis so clients pay nothing unless the case is won.
What This Work Involves in Plain Language
After a serious crash, an injured driver or passenger often faces medical bills, vehicle damage, lost wages, and pressure from insurance adjusters — all at once. A car accident attorney steps into that situation to handle the legal and insurance side so the client can focus on recovery. That means gathering evidence such as police reports, witness statements, and vehicle data, coordinating with medical professionals and expert witnesses like accident reconstruction specialists, and calculating the full scope of a person's losses, from out-of-pocket medical costs to pain and suffering.
| Aspect of the Work | What It Involves | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance handling | Negotiating with auto insurers and adjusters | Guarding against lowball offers and misleading claims |
| Illinois traffic law | Applying comparative negligence and liability rules | Understanding the state's fault-based system |
| Evidence and investigation | Police reports, reconstruction, witness accounts | Establishing fault against negligent parties |
| Documenting losses | Medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering | Economic and non-economic damages |
| Timing | Filing before the statute of limitations expires | Prompt communication and coordination |
What a Client Can Expect
The firm describes a process built around responsiveness and thorough preparation. In broad terms, working with the team on a car accident matter tends to follow a sequence like this:
- An initial free case consultation to review the crash and the injuries involved.
- Investigation of the collision, including police reports, accident reconstruction, and vehicle data such as license plate information.
- Coordination with medical professionals and expert witnesses to document the full extent of injuries.
- Calculation of losses, from medical costs and lost wages to pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment.
- Negotiation with insurance companies to counter lowball offers and pursue a fair settlement.
- Pursuit of a lawsuit when a fair resolution cannot be reached through negotiation.
Serving Chicago's Northwest Side and Surrounding Cook County Communities
The office sits along West Higgins Road near Cumberland Avenue, close to the Norwood Park and Edison Park neighborhoods and within easy reach of the Kennedy Expressway (I-90) and O'Hare International Airport. That location makes the practice accessible to drivers and commuters throughout the north and northwest metro area — a stretch of Cook County crossed daily by heavy traffic near landmarks such as Rivers Casino Des Plaines, the Fashion Outlets of Chicago, Harlem Irving Plaza, the Parkway Bank Park Entertainment District, and Golf Mill Shopping Center.
The firm serves a wide set of communities, including O'Hare, Park Ridge, Rosemont, Des Plaines, Niles, Jefferson Park, Edgebrook, Dunning, Schiller Park, Franklin Park, River Grove, Morton Grove, Skokie, Portage Park, Elmwood Park, Glenview, Lincolnwood, Elmhurst, Mount Prospect, and Elk Grove Village, among others. Collisions along the corridors linking these towns — near sites like Schiller Woods, LaBagh Woods, the Leaning Tower of Niles, and Riis Park — fall squarely within the territory the practice covers.
What Distinguishes the Firm's Approach
According to Choose Charlie, the practice combines roughly 75 years of combined attorney experience with a client-focused style, treating each injured person as more than a case number and returning calls promptly throughout the process. Its familiarity with Chicago and Illinois traffic laws, its investigative work, and its contingency-fee structure are the elements the firm points to as central to its car accident work. Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can be reached at +1 773-886-1601, and offers free consultations to those injured in Chicago-area crashes.
Getting here
From Fashion Outlets of Chicago
From Fashion Outlets of Chicago, the trip runs roughly 2.5 miles and takes about 8 minutes. Depart heading southeast onto Fashion Outlets Way, then connect through Des Plaines River Rd and N River Rd to arrive at the office.
Common questions
What is the typical settlement for a car accident in Illinois?
There is no fixed figure. Illinois car accident settlements vary widely based on injury severity, medical costs, lost wages, property damage, and how liability is apportioned under the state's comparative negligence rules. Minor fender-benders may resolve for a few thousand dollars, while serious injuries reach far higher. A personal injury practice like Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. on West Higgins Road in Chicago's 60631 area evaluates each case individually rather than by average.
Who are some good accident lawyers in IL 60631?
The 60631 ZIP code on Chicago's Northwest Side is home to Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., a personal injury and accident firm at 8501 W Higgins Road, Suite 720, near Cumberland Avenue. The practice handles car, truck, workers' compensation, wrongful death, dog bite, slip-and-fall, and boating accident matters, serving Chicago, Park Ridge, Rosemont, Des Plaines, and communities throughout Cook County.
Is it worth suing for a hit-and-run in IL 60631?
It often can be, even when the fleeing driver isn't identified. In Illinois, uninsured motorist coverage on your own policy may compensate hit-and-run injuries, and police investigations sometimes locate the responsible party. Weighing your options usually benefits from legal guidance. A firm like Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., serving the 60631 area and greater Cook County, focuses on injury and accident claims of this kind.
Is IL a no-fault state for car accidents?
No. Illinois is an at-fault (or "tort") state, meaning the driver responsible for a crash is liable for the resulting damages. Injured parties can pursue the at-fault driver's insurance or file a claim. Illinois also applies modified comparative negligence. Personal injury practices such as Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. in Chicago's 60631 area work within this fault-based framework when representing accident clients across Cook County.
How much of a $25,000 settlement will I get in IL 60631?
Your net depends on deductions from the gross settlement, typically attorney fees, medical liens, and unpaid bills, which vary by case and agreement. What remains after those is what reaches you. Because arrangements differ, discussing the specifics directly matters. Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., a personal injury firm at 8501 W Higgins Road in the 60631 area, handles injury claims throughout Chicago and Cook County.
How long do most accident settlements take in IL 60631?
Timelines vary considerably. Straightforward claims may resolve in a few months, while cases involving serious injuries, disputed liability, or litigation can take a year or more. Reaching maximum medical improvement before settling also affects the pace. A personal injury practice like Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., serving the 60631 area and communities from Rosemont to Skokie across Cook County, addresses each case on its own facts.