Severe injury transforms life instantly—you're suddenly unable to earn income while expenses multiply exponentially, medical providers demand payments you cannot make, insurance representatives contact you offering settlements deliberately structured to appear adequate until you comprehend they wouldn't even address six months of actual damages, and paralyzing uncertainty about legal options prevents you from taking decisive action precisely when aggressive advocacy matters most.
I'm Scott DeSalvo, a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney who's invested twenty-seven years compelling insurance companies throughout Illinois' northern counties to provide full, just compensation instead of the reduced settlements they'd overwhelmingly prefer distributing.
Whether your injury occurred on Route 41 near Waukegan's industrial corridor, at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, or anywhere else throughout Lake County, choosing the right Lake County Personal Injury Attorney fundamentally determines whether you receive adequate compensation or merely accept whatever insufficient payment insurers calculate you'll take.
My dedication to injury victims emerges from childhood experiences that permanently shaped my worldview.
I was nine when my father—a devoted Teamster truck driver—sustained catastrophic workplace injuries permanently damaging his back, neck, and spine. The physical trauma terminated his career and fundamentally altered our family's circumstances.
But the physical injuries, as devastating as they proved, didn't annihilate our family the way his own attorneys ultimately did.
My father hired lawyers who initially projected competence and professionalism. Instead, they demonstrated incompetence, dishonesty, and ultimately betrayed him spectacularly. They refused meaningful communication. They fundamentally mishandled his case. They permitted it to drag through seventeen years of meaningless legal limbo.
Then—in an act of staggering treachery—his own attorneys sued him for additional fees after delivering abysmal results.
Our family descended from working-class stability to poverty virtually overnight. My mother exhausted herself working just maintaining basic necessities. My father endured not merely chronic physical pain but profound psychological devastation from being abandoned by attorneys he'd trusted completely.
I witnessed this destruction unfold throughout my childhood. Even as a young boy, I recognized something was fundamentally, terribly wrong—attorneys exploiting the vulnerable people they'd promised to protect.
I became an attorney to ensure no family ever experiences what mine suffered. Every injured client who contacts me represents my father. Every person facing impossible circumstances deserves better than what my family received.
That's why I became a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney—to provide injured people the honest, aggressive representation my father never received.
Lake County occupies Illinois' northeastern corner bordering Wisconsin. This creates unique injury scenarios generic attorneys frequently mishandle.
Here's what makes Lake County cases distinctive:
When you hire a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney with genuine local expertise, you're hiring someone who understands these specific risks. I know which intersections repeatedly generate serious collisions. I know property owners' negligence histories. I know Lake County courthouse procedures thoroughly.
Chicago lawyers who occasionally handle Lake County cases lack this institutional knowledge. A Lake County Personal Injury Attorney rooted in northern Illinois understands local juries, knows courthouse operations, and navigates complex cases efficiently.
Lake County operates its own independent courthouse system separate from Cook County.
Lake County courthouse in Waukegan has unique local rules, specific scheduling protocols, and individual judge preferences significantly affecting case outcomes. Unlike Cook County's multiple divisions, Lake County's centralized system operates differently.
Attorneys unfamiliar with Lake County courthouse procedures struggle fundamentally. They miss critical deadlines. They fumble through unfamiliar protocols. They don't understand how specific judges approach settlement conferences or handle evidentiary disputes.
I've practiced extensively in Waukegan courthouse for decades. I know courthouse operations intimately. I know judges and their individual approaches. That familiarity directly improves outcomes because I'm not learning on your case—I already know how everything works.
As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I handle all injury categories:
Lake County's highway system creates catastrophic accident risks.
I-94 (Tri-State Tollway) carries high-speed traffic through Lake County's western edge. Route 41 serves as a major north-south corridor from Wisconsin through Waukegan, North Chicago, Lake Forest, and Highland Park. Route 137 and Route 120 bring heavy east-west traffic.
Interstate accidents often involve multiple vehicles, severe injuries, and complex liability analysis. High speeds mean devastating impacts. Multiple lanes create merging dangers. Commercial trucks traveling between Wisconsin and Chicago create additional hazards.
You need a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney who excels at highway accident reconstruction, understands interstate commerce regulations, and can establish fault conclusively in multi-vehicle collisions.
Six Flags Great America in Gurnee attracts millions of visitors annually. Theme parks create unique premises liability scenarios.
Six Flags injuries include:
Six Flags maintains sophisticated legal departments and aggressive insurance carriers. They document everything meticulously and fight claims hard.
Winning requires understanding Illinois Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety Act, theme park operation standards, and complex corporate liability structures. A knowledgeable Lake County Personal Injury Attorney knows how to prove Six Flags negligence despite aggressive defenses.
Lake County's Lake Michigan shoreline means significant recreational boating activity. Watercraft accidents create unique legal issues.
Boating accidents include:
Watercraft cases involve federal maritime law, Coast Guard regulations, and Illinois boating statutes. Determining liability requires understanding navigation rules, operator licensing requirements, and vessel safety standards.
An experienced Lake County Personal Injury Attorney understands maritime liability law and can navigate complex watercraft accident claims.
Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago creates unique injury scenarios involving military personnel and civilian interactions.
These cases might involve:
Cases involving military personnel or government vehicles require understanding Federal Tort Claims Act, sovereign immunity exceptions, and specific procedural requirements.
A Lake County Personal Injury Attorney familiar with federal claims knows how to navigate complex jurisdictional issues and pursue all available recovery avenues.
Lake County's affluent North Shore communities—Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Highland Park—create high-value premises liability scenarios.
Affluent community cases include:
Wealthy homeowners typically carry substantial liability insurance, making these cases financially viable. However, insurers defend aggressively using sophisticated legal arguments.
A Lake County Personal Injury Attorney who thoroughly understands Illinois premises liability law and can overcome insurance company defenses will maximize your recovery.
Lake County hosts numerous corporate headquarters and office campuses. Corporate workplace injuries create workers' compensation claims and potential third-party liability.
Corporate workplace injuries include:
Workers' compensation provides benefits but often doesn't fully compensate serious injuries. Third-party claims against property owners, contractors, or equipment manufacturers can provide additional recovery.
A knowledgeable Lake County Personal Injury Attorney investigates every angle to maximize total recovery through workers' comp plus third-party claims. My workers' comp fee is 20 percent by state statute.
The Metra UP-North Line serves Lake County communities from Kenosha to Chicago. Commuter rail creates unique accident scenarios.
Metra accidents include:
Railroad accidents involve complex federal regulations and multi-party liability analysis. Determining whether Metra, Union Pacific, contractors, or municipalities bear responsibility requires sophisticated legal knowledge.
An experienced Lake County Personal Injury Attorney understands railroad liability law, knows federal safety regulations, and can navigate complicated claims processes against transportation entities.
Pace provides suburban bus service throughout Lake County. Public transportation accidents create governmental immunity issues.
Pace bus accidents include:
Claims against Pace require strict compliance with notice requirements and shortened statutes of limitations. Missing these deadlines destroys claims permanently.
A knowledgeable Lake County Personal Injury Attorney understands governmental immunity limitations, knows notice requirements, and properly navigates claims against public transit authorities.
Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville serves Lake County residents. When healthcare providers deliver substandard care causing preventable harm, victims deserve accountability.
Hospital malpractice includes:
Medical malpractice cases are extraordinarily complex, requiring extensive expert testimony and substantial investment. Most attorneys avoid these cases entirely.
I accept medical malpractice cases when negligence is clear and harm is substantial. My fee is 33⅓ percent, Illinois standard. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I'll hold negligent providers accountable.
Lake County has numerous nursing homes and assisted living facilities. When facilities fail to provide adequate care, residents suffer preventable injuries.
Elder care negligence includes:
Facilities deny wrongdoing, blame residents' conditions, and conceal systematic failures.
I know how to obtain complete records, interview staff confidentially, consult geriatric experts, and prove facility negligence. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I pursue justice for vulnerable seniors.
Losing a loved one to negligence is devastating beyond words. Illinois wrongful death law provides certain family members pathways to justice and compensation.
Wrongful death claims arise from:
I approach wrongful death cases with profound seriousness and compassion. These cases address not just economic losses but immeasurable loss of companionship, guidance, and love.
If you've lost a family member to negligence in Lake County, please contact me. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I'll pursue justice with the dedication these tragic cases demand.
Some injuries permanently transform every aspect of life.
Catastrophic injury cases include:
These cases demand more than calculating current medical bills. You need life care planners projecting lifetime medical needs. Vocational experts assessing lost earning capacity. Economists calculating present value of future losses.
Insurance companies attempt minimizing even catastrophic cases. I work with nationally recognized experts documenting your losses' full scope. My trial training at Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College specifically prepared me for high-stakes cases demanding maximum compensation.
You won't pay anything upfront. Nothing for consultation. Nothing for case expenses. Absolutely zero out of pocket.
I work on pure contingency—I only get paid when you get paid first. I advance every case expense: filing fees, medical records, expert witnesses, depositions, everything.
My fees are straightforward: 20% for workers' compensation (state statutory rate), 33⅓% for personal injury cases, or 40% if litigation becomes necessary. Medical malpractice is 33⅓%. These represent standard Illinois rates.
If we lose your case, you owe me nothing. I absorb advanced costs. That's my promise, honored for 27 years as a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney.
Injuries don't respect business hours. You might be in an emergency room at midnight with urgent questions. Insurance adjusters might ambush you with weekend calls.
Call me any time—literally 24/7/365. You reach me or my team directly. No automated systems. No answering services promising callbacks that never materialize.
That accessibility is rare among attorneys but essential for injury victims. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I'm committed to availability whenever you need assistance.
Some firms operate like assembly lines. The attorney you initially meet never touches your case again. You get shuffled to paralegals who don't know your circumstances.
That's not my practice. When you hire me, you work with me personally. I return your calls. I meet with you. I negotiate with insurers. If we try your case, I'm standing beside you in court.
You're not a file number—you're a person who's been hurt and deserves dedicated representation. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I treat you how I wish my father had been treated.
Most lawyers finish law school, pass the bar, and consider education complete. That's inadequate for serious injury work.
I've invested over $100,000 in advanced trial training with America's premier trial lawyers. I graduated from Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College—one of the most selective programs existing. I completed The Edge program, elite training fewer than one in 10,000 lawyers ever attempts.
This training matters tremendously. When facing insurance companies with unlimited resources and defense teams, you need someone who knows how to try cases and win. That's what I bring as your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney.
Lake County juries differ from Cook County juries in meaningful ways. Successful attorneys understand local demographics and community values.
Lake County's mix of affluent communities, working-class towns, and diverse populations influences jury composition and decision-making. Presenting cases effectively requires understanding these dynamics.
I understand Lake County juries and know how to present cases that resonate with local community values. A Lake County Personal Injury Attorney with deep local knowledge presents more persuasive cases.
I treat clients with complete honesty—no pressure tactics, no false promises, no games. You'll always know where your case stands because I communicate clearly and regularly.
I'll give you my honest assessment even if it's not what you want to hear. If your case has weaknesses, I'll explain them. If settlement offers are inadequate, I'll tell you why. If litigation is necessary, I'll explain what that means.
I don't make guarantees I can't keep. What I promise is fighting as hard for you as I would for my own family. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, you get my absolute best effort.
Even if you feel relatively okay, seek medical attention immediately. Many serious injuries don't produce immediate symptoms. Whiplash manifests hours later. Internal bleeding might not be obvious. Traumatic brain injuries can take days to show effects.
If you delay medical care, insurance companies will argue you weren't really injured. Don't hand them that argument. Get evaluated by medical professionals immediately after any accident.
Photograph everything. The accident scene from multiple angles. Your injuries as they appear and develop. Property damage. Hazardous conditions that contributed to injury.
Collect witness information—names, phone numbers, addresses. Witnesses disappear quickly and memories fade.
Keep every document: medical records, bills, prescription receipts, insurance correspondence, wage loss documentation. This creates your evidentiary foundation.
Insurance adjusters will contact you quickly, sounding friendly and concerned. They'll request a recorded statement "just to document what happened."
Decline politely but firmly.
Adjusters use interrogation techniques to elicit damaging statements. They ask leading questions. They get you minimizing injuries or accepting partial fault. They create inconsistencies they'll exploit later.
Tell them you need to consult an attorney first, then call me. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I'll handle all insurance communications.
Insurance companies make rapid lowball offers betting you don't understand your case's value and are financially desperate enough to accept anything.
Once you accept and sign the release, you can never return for additional compensation—even if you later discover injuries are far worse than initially understood.
Before accepting any settlement, call me for free consultation. I'll assess whether their offer is remotely fair or exploitative.
Insurance companies monitor social media obsessively. They search for anything contradicting injury claims or suggesting exaggeration.
That photo of you smiling at an event? They'll claim you can't be in pain. That gym check-in? They'll argue injuries aren't serious.
Safest approach: complete social media silence until your case resolves. If impossible, absolutely don't post about your accident, injuries, activities, or emotional state.
Evidence vanishes quickly. Surveillance footage gets recorded over. Witnesses move or forget. Property owners repair hazards and deny they existed. Insurance companies solidify denial positions.
By the time you finally hire a lawyer, critical evidence may be permanently lost. The winnable case becomes impossible to prove.
Don't wait. Call an experienced Lake County Personal Injury Attorney immediately. Early intervention preserves evidence and protects your rights.
Insurance companies employ full-time adjusters and attorneys whose sole purpose is minimizing payouts. They know you don't understand Illinois law. They know you don't know fair value. They know you're probably financially desperate.
They'll exploit every advantage ruthlessly.
Even seemingly simple cases benefit enormously from experienced representation. The difference between self-representation and hiring a skilled Lake County Personal Injury Attorney can easily be tens of thousands of dollars.
Be completely truthful about injuries, medical history, and accident impact. If you've had prior injuries, disclose them. If you can do some activities but not others, explain specifically.
Insurance companies investigate everything. They'll obtain all medical records. They'll hire investigators. They'll search social media exhaustively. If they catch you lying, your case evaporates.
Complete honesty is essential. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I need truth so I can address potential problems proactively rather than get blindsided.
If you skip appointments or ignore doctor recommendations, insurance companies will argue injuries can't be serious. Consistent medical care proves injury severity and creates documentation we need to win.
Attend every appointment. Follow prescribed treatments. Take medications as directed. Complete recommended therapy. This helps you heal and strengthens your legal claim simultaneously.
The other party's insurance company is not your friend. They exist to pay you as little as possible—ideally nothing.
They'll seem pleasant. They'll tell you lawyers just complicate things. Every word is calculated deception.
Don't engage with them. Let me handle every interaction. That's what you hire a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney to do.
Find Out What YOUR Case Might Be Worth...for free.
Illinois generally allows two years from injury date to file personal injury lawsuits. Workers' compensation cases provide three years, but you must notify your employer within 45 days.
Exceptions exist, so don't assume you have the full period. Medical malpractice, governmental liability, and other situations have different deadlines.
The sooner you contact a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, the stronger your case becomes. Evidence quality degrades rapidly with time.
Many people think they can only recover medical expenses. Illinois law allows comprehensive compensation:
Insurance companies won't inform you about these categories. That's why you need a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney pursuing every dollar you're entitled to receive.
Illinois uses modified comparative negligence. You can recover damages as long as you're less than 50% at fault. Your award gets reduced by your fault percentage.
Example: You're 30% at fault. Total damages are $200,000. You recover $140,000.
Insurance companies always try inflating your fault percentage. A skilled Lake County Personal Injury Attorney fights to ensure fault allocation is accurate and fair.
We begin with no-obligation consultation. Call me 24/7, or we'll meet wherever is convenient—my office, your home, even the hospital if necessary.
I'll listen carefully, answer questions honestly, and give you genuine assessment—strengths, weaknesses, realistic expectations.
You decide whether to hire me. No pressure. No obligation. No cost.
If you hire me, I launch into immediate action. Obtaining police reports. Interviewing witnesses. Photographing scenes. Collecting medical records. Analyzing policies. Consulting experts when necessary.
I use proprietary case management software I developed to handle cases more efficiently than traditional firms. This means we discover critical information earlier and build stronger cases faster.
Your health is absolute priority. If you have insurance, use it. If you lack insurance, I'll connect you with quality providers who treat on a lien basis—waiting for payment until we resolve your case.
I ensure all treatment is thoroughly documented. This creates the medical evidence foundation we need.
After you complete treatment, I calculate your case's full value. This includes medical expenses, wage loss, pain and suffering, permanent disability, and all other damages.
I send comprehensive demand packages to insurance companies. Having negotiated thousands of settlements over 27 years, I know these cases' true values. I don't accept inadequate offers.
Approximately 90% of my cases settle during negotiation. But that high settlement rate exists because insurance companies know I'm fully prepared to try cases.
If insurers refuse fair compensation, I file lawsuits without hesitation. I've handled over 30 jury trials plus hundreds of depositions and arbitrations. Some attorneys fear courtrooms. I don't.
When insurance companies see you have a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney ready to take the case to verdict, they typically settle rather than risk jury judgment.
Whether through settlement or verdict, my goal is always maximizing your compensation. When we succeed, I deduct my contingency fee, subtract advanced costs, and you receive the remainder.
If we lose—which happens rarely—you pay me nothing. That's my promise as your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney.
Illinois typically allows two years from injury date to file personal injury lawsuits. Workers' compensation cases provide three years, but employer notification is required within 45 days.
Exceptions exist to these rules. The sooner you contact a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, the better your case prospects become because evidence degrades over time.
Nothing upfront, nothing out of pocket. Pure contingency—I only get paid when you get paid.
My fee is 20% for workers' compensation (statutory rate), 33⅓% for injury cases, or 40% if we must file suit. These are standard Illinois rates. I advance all costs. If we lose, you owe me nothing.
Hiring a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney on contingency means everyone can afford quality legal representation regardless of financial situation.
Absolutely not. Never accept without consulting an attorney first.
Initial offers are always lowball. The insurance company bets you don't know your case's true value and are desperate enough to accept anything.
Once you sign the release and accept payment, you can't return later for additional money—even if injuries prove far worse than initially thought.
Call me before accepting anything. Free consultation, no obligation. I'll assess whether the offer is fair or exploitative.
Yes, provided you're less than 50% at fault. Illinois uses modified comparative negligence, reducing your award by your fault percentage.
Example: You're 35% at fault. Damages are $180,000. You recover $117,000.
Insurance companies love inflating your fault percentage. A skilled Lake County Personal Injury Attorney fights to ensure fault allocation is accurate and fair.
Don't let insurance absence prevent you from getting necessary care. I can connect you with medical providers who treat on a lien basis—providing care now and receiving payment later from your settlement.
Your health is paramount. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I'll ensure you receive proper treatment.
It depends on multiple variables:
Some cases settle within months. Others require a year or longer. What I promise is aggressive case prosecution because you need money now, not years from now.
An experienced Lake County Personal Injury Attorney knows how to move cases efficiently while maximizing results.
Probably not. Roughly 90% of my cases settle without trial.
If we file suit, you might need courtroom appearances for depositions or hearings. If we actually try the case, you'll need to testify.
But most cases resolve through negotiation. When insurance companies know you have a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney prepared to try the case, they typically settle rather than risk a jury verdict.
It doesn't automatically kill your case. Illinois law permits claims for "aggravation" or "exacerbation" of pre-existing conditions.
The key is complete honesty about medical history. Insurance companies will obtain previous records anyway. If you lie or conceal past injuries, it destroys your credibility completely.
A Lake County Personal Injury Attorney experienced with pre-existing condition cases knows how to prove this accident significantly worsened your prior condition.
No. Illinois law prohibits retaliation for filing workers' compensation claims.
Of course, proving retaliation can be challenging. Employers rarely admit "we fired you for filing workers' comp." They'll claim performance issues or other pretexts.
If you believe you were fired in retaliation, call me immediately. I handle retaliatory discharge cases and know how to prove them. As your Lake County Personal Injury Attorney, I'll protect your rights vigorously.
You might still recover through your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage.
Many people don't realize their own auto policy includes this coverage. It protects you when hit by uninsured or underinsured drivers.
I examine every insurance policy thoroughly—yours, the at-fault driver's, any other potentially liable parties—to identify every possible recovery source. A thorough Lake County Personal Injury Attorney explores all options to maximize your compensation.
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
