Scott D. DeSalvo is a personal injury lawyer in Aurora, Illinois, serving accident victims throughout Kane County, DuPage County, and Northern Illinois. With nearly 30 years of trial experience, 30+ jury trials, and 3,000+ clients, Scott focuses on helping people recover full compensation for auto accidents, premises liability, medical malpractice, and wrongful death claims. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
If you were hurt because someone else was careless, you deserve a lawyer who actually tries cases — not one who settles cheap to avoid the courtroom. Call 312-500-4500 for a free consultation right now.
Aurora sits at the intersection of I-88, Route 59, Route 30, and Farnsworth Avenue — some of the busiest and most dangerous corridors in Kane and DuPage Counties. I handle cases arising from accidents throughout this area, including:
Auto Accidents. Car crashes, truck accidents, motorcycle collisions, rideshare accidents, and hit-and-run cases on I-88, Route 59, Route 30, Farnsworth Avenue, and throughout the Aurora area. Illinois is a fault state, meaning the driver who caused the crash is responsible for your damages.
Premises Liability. Slip-and-fall injuries, trip hazards, inadequate security, and dangerous property conditions at Aurora businesses, restaurants, shopping centers, and apartment complexes. Property owners have a legal duty to keep their premises safe for visitors.
Medical Malpractice. Surgical errors, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, birth injuries, and emergency room mistakes at Rush Copley Medical Center, Advocate Aurora, and other area hospitals and medical facilities. Illinois requires a certificate of merit from a qualified expert before a malpractice suit can be filed.
Wrongful Death. When a family loses someone because of another person's negligence — whether in a car crash, a workplace accident, or a medical error — Illinois law allows the surviving family to pursue compensation for their loss.
Workers' Compensation. Workplace injuries at Aurora manufacturing plants, warehouses, construction sites, and commercial facilities. You are entitled to benefits regardless of who caused the injury.
Dog Bites. Illinois follows a strict liability rule for dog bite cases, meaning the owner is liable whether or not the dog has bitten anyone before.
If your injury happened in Aurora or anywhere in Kane or DuPage County, call 312-500-4500. I will tell you whether you have a case — for free.
Most personal injury firms in the Aurora area are settlement mills. They sign up hundreds of cases, negotiate the lowest offer the insurance company will pay, and move on. I do the opposite.
I prepare every case as if it is going to trial. That is not a slogan — it is the reason insurance adjusters offer my clients more money. They know I have tried over 30 cases to jury verdict and handled more than 100 arbitrations. They know I am not bluffing when I reject a lowball offer.
Scott holds an Illinois State Bar license (IARDC 6244452). He graduated from the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyer's College — the nation's premier trial advocacy program — and completed advanced training at the Keenan Trial Institute. His approach combines intensive jury trial preparation with aggressive settlement negotiation, meaning he maximizes value whether your case settles or goes to trial.
When you call my office, you talk to me. Not an intake coordinator. Not a paralegal screening calls. Me. I stay personally involved in every case from the first phone call to the final resolution. My office serves both English and Spanish-speaking clients.
Nearly 30 years. 3,000+ clients. 30+ jury trials. Call 312-500-4500.
Illinois gives you two years from the injury date to file most personal injury lawsuits. Workers compensation claims allow three years, but you must notify your employer within 45 days of the accident.
Blow these deadlines and your case dies. The court dismisses it. You recover nothing. No second chances.
Don't wait until year two to contact an Aurora Personal Injury Attorney. Evidence disappears over time. Witnesses' memories fade. Physical conditions change. The earlier you get a lawyer involved, the stronger your case becomes.
Illinois law allows you to recover multiple types of damages:
Insurance companies won't volunteer information about these damage categories. They'll offer enough to cover medical bills and a few weeks of lost wages, then act like they're being generous.
An Aurora Personal Injury Attorney ensures you pursue every category of damages you're entitled to under Illinois law.
Illinois follows "modified comparative negligence" rules.
You can still win compensation even if you share some fault for the accident—provided you're less than 50% responsible. Your award simply gets reduced by your fault percentage.
Example: You're 20% at fault. Damages total $200,000. You recover $160,000.
Insurance companies deliberately inflate your fault percentage to reduce payouts. "You were distracted." "You were speeding." "You should have seen the hazard." They blame victims to save money.
As your Aurora Personal Injury Attorney, I aggressively fight fault allocation to ensure it's fair and accurate—not exaggerated to benefit the insurance company.
Call me anytime at (312) 500-4500—day or night, weekends, holidays.
We'll discuss what happened to you. I'll ask detailed questions to understand your situation completely. Then I'll give you my honest opinion about your case—whether it's strong, questionable, or not viable.
No sales pitch. No pressure. No cost.
If I'm not the right Aurora Personal Injury Attorney for your specific case, I'll tell you that and recommend someone better suited. I'd rather send you to the right lawyer than take money for a case I can't handle effectively.
If you retain me, I move immediately.
Police reports get ordered. Witnesses get contacted while events are fresh in their minds. Accident scenes get photographed before conditions change. Surveillance footage gets preserved through legal demands. Physical evidence gets secured.
In workplace injury cases, I file claims promptly to protect your rights and benefits. I refer you to independent medical providers—not company doctors who minimize injuries to save their employers money.
In trucking cases, I serve spoliation letters immediately demanding preservation of electronic logs, maintenance records, dispatch communications, and black box data.
Speed is critical because evidence vanishes quickly. When you work with an Aurora Personal Injury Attorney who acts decisively, you preserve crucial evidence that often determines case outcomes.
Your health and recovery come first, always.
I'll help connect you with appropriate medical providers if needed. If you carry health insurance, use it. If you lack coverage, I can connect you with doctors who provide treatment on a lien—getting paid later from your settlement.
I ensure every aspect of your treatment gets thoroughly documented. Medical records. Diagnostic imaging. Treatment notes. Prescriptions. Therapy reports. Bills. Everything.
Why such detail? Because insurance companies scrutinize everything looking for reasons to deny or reduce claims. Treatment gaps? They'll claim you weren't really hurt. Didn't follow doctor's orders? They'll argue you caused your own problems. Incomplete records? They'll question injury severity.
An experienced Aurora Personal Injury Attorney knows exactly how to build medical documentation that withstands insurance company attacks.
Once you complete treatment or reach maximum medical improvement, I calculate your case's full value.
I'm talking comprehensive damages—past and future medical costs, all lost income and earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent disability, loss of normal life, everything.
Then I create an extensive demand package for the insurance company.
This isn't some two-page letter saying "pay us." It's a complete presentation including medical records, expert opinions, accident reconstruction analysis, economic calculations, witness statements, photographs, video evidence—every piece of proof that establishes liability and damages.
I've negotiated thousands of settlements in my career. I know case values. I know adjuster psychology. I know insurance company tactics. And I refuse to accept inadequate offers.
Roughly 90% of my cases settle during negotiations. Not because I'm soft—because I build such compelling cases that insurance companies recognize they'll lose more at trial.
Sometimes insurance companies refuse to negotiate fairly. They deny obvious liability. They drastically undervalue damages. They play delay games hoping you'll give up.
Fine. We file suit and take them to court.
I don't fear litigation. I've tried over 30 jury cases to verdict. I've handled more than 100 arbitrations. I've conducted hundreds of depositions. A judge once commended my trial presentation as among the finest he'd witnessed.
When you hire an Aurora Personal Injury Attorney with substantial trial experience, insurance companies know you're serious about fighting. They can't intimidate you. They can't wait you out. They must negotiate honestly or face a jury.
Whether through settlement or trial verdict, my goal never changes: maximum compensation for you.
When money comes in, I deduct my fee (which comes from the recovery), subtract any case costs I advanced, and the remainder goes to you.
If we lose—which rarely happens—you owe me nothing. Not one penny. I absorb all costs I advanced. That's how contingency works when you retain an Aurora Personal Injury Attorney on your side.
Let me be absolutely clear about money.
You pay nothing upfront. Zero. I advance every case expense—filing fees, expert costs, investigation expenses, medical record fees, deposition costs, everything.
I only get paid when you get paid.
Workers compensation fees are 20% (set by Illinois statute). Personal injury cases are 33⅓% for pre-suit settlements, or 40% if we must litigate. These are standard Illinois rates.
If we lose, you owe me nothing. I take the financial risk. That's the contingency arrangement every Aurora Personal Injury Attorney should offer.
Accidents and injuries don't respect business hours.
You might be in an emergency room at 3 a.m. with critical questions. An insurance adjuster might contact you Saturday morning seeking a recorded statement. You might panic Sunday night about your case.
Call me anytime. I'm genuinely available 24/7/365. You'll reach me or my team—not voicemail, not an answering service. Real assistance when you need it most.
That's what working with a committed Aurora Personal Injury Attorney should provide.
I've invested over $100,000 in trial advocacy training that 99.9% of lawyers never pursue.
Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyer's College graduate. The Edge program completion. Constant continuing education with the nation's top trial attorneys.
Why this investment? Because you deserve the finest representation available when facing insurance companies with unlimited resources and legal teams.
When you need an Aurora Personal Injury Attorney with elite skills and advanced training, that education directly impacts your case results.
I don't operate a high-volume personal injury mill treating clients like file numbers.
When you retain me, you work directly with me. I return your calls personally. I update you regularly on case progress. I explain legal concepts in plain English, not confusing jargon. I treat you like a person experiencing a crisis, not like a source of fee revenue.
Why? Because I've witnessed poor legal representation destroy people. My own father got exploited by his injury attorney after a workplace accident. I vowed never to treat anyone that way.
Every client deserves respect, transparency, and maximum effort. That's what you receive working with me as your Aurora Personal Injury Attorney.
Find Out What YOUR Case Might Be Worth...for free.
See a doctor immediately following any accident. Same day ideally. Next day at latest.
Why urgency matters: Insurance companies weaponize treatment delays against you. "If they were genuinely injured, they'd have sought emergency care immediately." "They waited four days—obviously not seriously hurt."
Don't provide them ammunition. Even if you feel okay initially, get examined. Some injuries like concussions, internal bleeding, or soft tissue damage don't show immediate symptoms.
Every Aurora Personal Injury Attorney will tell you that prompt medical attention is critical for both your health and your case.
When an insurance adjuster calls sounding friendly and requesting a recorded statement—decline politely.
These are trained professionals. They ask questions specifically designed to elicit responses that damage your claim. They'll get you to minimize injuries, accept partial blame, or make contradictory statements.
Simply decline and say you're consulting an attorney. Then call me immediately.
As your Aurora Personal Injury Attorney, I'll manage all insurance communications so they can't manipulate or entrap you.
Insurance companies monitor your entire social media presence—Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, everything.
That smiling photo at a family event? They'll claim you're not in pain. That gym check-in? They'll argue your injuries aren't serious. That vacation picture? They'll insist you're not disabled.
Best practice: complete social media silence until your case concludes. If you absolutely can't do that, post nothing about your accident, injuries, activities, mood, or health.
This is universal advice from every Aurora Personal Injury Attorney—social media posts destroy cases routinely.
The insurance company's first offer is always inadequate. Always.
They're betting you're desperate for money. They're hoping you don't understand your case's value. They want quick settlement before you consult a lawyer.
Don't accept it.
Before accepting any offer, call me. Free consultation. I'll assess whether the offer is reasonable or whether they're exploiting you.
An Aurora Personal Injury Attorney typically recovers several times more than initial lowball offers.
I represent injured people throughout Aurora and neighboring communities including:
If your injuries prevent you from visiting my office, I'll come to you. Home visits. Coffee shop meetings. Hospital consultations. Whatever works for your situation.
The goal is making this process as manageable as possible while you're dealing with injuries and recovery. A dedicated Aurora Personal Injury Attorney should be accessible and flexible.
If you've suffered an injury in Aurora or anywhere in Kane County, call me now: (312) 500-4500
Here's what happens next:
Remember these guarantees:
Don't let insurance companies exploit you during your vulnerable time. Get an experienced Aurora Personal Injury Attorney fighting for you who knows how to win.
Your battle is my battle.
Call now: (312) 500-4500
Two years from the date of the injury in most cases. If you were injured in a car accident, slip and fall, or any other incident caused by someone else's negligence, the Illinois statute of limitations gives you two years to file suit. Miss that deadline and your case is gone — no exceptions. For claims against a city or county government, you may have as little as one year to file notice. Call 312-500-4500 as soon as possible so we can protect your deadline.
It depends on your medical bills, lost wages, how the injury affects your daily life, and whether your recovery is complete or ongoing. Illinois allows you to recover all past and future medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of normal life. Case values vary widely based on the specifics of your injury and recovery. The only way to know what yours is worth is to have an experienced attorney review the specifics. I do that for free.
You are not legally required to hire one, but the insurance company has lawyers, adjusters, and an entire system designed to minimize what they pay you. Going up against that alone almost always results in a lower recovery. I have been doing this for almost 30 years, and I know exactly what insurance companies respond to. There is no fee unless we win, so there is no financial risk to hiring me.
Do not accept it without having a lawyer review it first. Early settlement offers are almost always lowball numbers designed to close your case before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Once you accept, you cannot go back for more — even if your condition worsens. I will review the offer for free and tell you whether it is fair or whether we can get significantly more.
Yes. My office is in Oak Brook, just minutes from Aurora. I represent clients throughout Aurora, Kane County, DuPage County, and Northern Illinois. I handle cases involving accidents on I-88, Route 59, Route 30, Farnsworth Avenue, and throughout the Fox River corridor. If you were treated at Rush Copley Medical Center or any other local facility, I can obtain those records as part of your case evaluation.
Nothing. I work on a contingency fee, which means I only get paid if we recover money for you. No retainer, no hourly rate, no cost of any kind out of your pocket. I advance all case expenses — medical record retrieval, expert witness fees, filing costs — and if we do not win, you owe me nothing.
Trial experience. Most personal injury firms in this area are settlement mills - they negotiate the first offer the insurance company makes and move on. I prepare every case as if it is going to trial. With almost 30 years of trial practice and thousands of clients represented, insurance adjusters know I am not bluffing when I reject a lowball offer. I graduated from the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyer's College and the Keenan Trial Institute - the top trial advocacy programs in the country.
What should I do right after an accident in Aurora?
Get medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine — some injuries do not show symptoms for hours or days. Call the police and make sure an accident report is filed. Take photos of the scene, your injuries, and any vehicle damage. Get contact information from witnesses. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company. Then call me at 312-500-4500. The sooner I get involved, the better I can preserve evidence and protect your case.
Scott DeSalvo founded DeSalvo Law to help injured people throughout Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Licensed to practice law in Illinois since 1998, IARDC #6244452, Scott has represented over 3,000 clients in personal injury, workers compensation, and accident cases.
No Fee Unless You Win | Free Consultation | 24/7 Availability Call or Text: (312) 500-4500
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Main Office:
1000 Jorie Blvd Ste 204
Oak Brook, IL 60523
New Cases: 312-500-4500
Office: 312-895-0545
Fax: 866-629-1817
service@desalvolaw.com
Chicago and Other Suburban Offices
By Appointment Only
