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Rockford & Winnebago County Personal Injury Lawyer

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Aerial view of Rockford, Illinois and the Rock River in autumn

If you were hurt in Rockford or elsewhere in Winnebago County, a Rockford personal injury lawyer at Mixan Mahony, LLC can explain your rights at no cost. We represent Rockford-area clients from our Chicago office, about 90 miles away, and handle most of the work by phone, video, and secure document sharing. Illinois gives most injured people two years to file suit, and some claims have shorter limits.

Working With a Rockford personal injury lawyer From Our Chicago Office

Mixan Mahony, LLC is a Chicago plaintiff personal injury firm founded by Mackenzie J. Mahony and Colleen Mixan Mikaitis. Our only office is at 444 W. Lake St., Suite 1707, in Chicago. We represent people across Illinois, including Rockford and Winnebago County, and we do not have a local office in this area. You can learn more about our Illinois personal injury representation or our Chicago personal injury practice.

Rockford Roads and Injury Patterns

Rockford sits where interstate traffic meets a busy local street grid. Common injury situations here include:

  • Crashes on I-39 and I-90 (the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway), including out-of-state trucks.
  • Crashes at the I-90 and US-20 interchange and along the US-20 bypass.
  • Intersection crashes on East State Street, Alpine Road, and Perryville Road.
  • Pedestrian injuries near downtown Rockford and along the Rock River.
  • Workplace and unsafe-property injuries at manufacturing and logistics sites.

The 17th Judicial Circuit and the Winnebago County Courthouse

Winnebago County is part of the 17th Judicial Circuit. Civil injury cases arising in Rockford and elsewhere in Winnebago County are generally filed at the Winnebago County Courthouse in Rockford.

Belvidere and other communities east of Rockford are in Boone County, which is also in the 17th Judicial Circuit but has its own courthouse. The crash location helps decide where the case is filed.

When an out-of-state trucking company is involved, a case may sometimes proceed in federal court. We evaluate this before filing.

Injury Cases We Handle for Rockford and Winnebago County Clients

We handle a range of personal injury matters for people in Rockford and Winnebago County, including:

Vehicle and Transportation Injuries

Abuse, Neglect, and Long-Term Care

Medical and Birth Injuries

Premises, Work, and Boating Injuries

Specific Injury Claims for Rockford and Winnebago County Clients

Long-Term Care and CILA Injuries in Rockford and Winnebago County

Families in Rockford and Winnebago County sometimes contact us when a parent, grandparent, or adult child with a disability is hurt in a care setting. In Illinois, nursing homes and assisted living establishments are licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, and Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs) for adults with developmental disabilities are overseen by the Illinois Department of Human Services. The IDHS Division of Developmental Disabilities publishes OIG abuse, neglect, and exploitation information by CILA provider, showing allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation reported to and accepted for investigation by the IDHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and the results of those investigations. Claims in these settings often turn on staffing, supervision, medication records, and incident reports.

Sexual Abuse and Assault Claims in Rockford and Winnebago County

Survivors in the Rockford area sometimes reach out about abuse at daycares, schools, residential programs, or religious organizations. A civil claim can focus on whether the institution properly screened, trained, and supervised the people it put in charge. We keep these conversations confidential and move at the survivor’s pace.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Civil claims are separate from criminal cases, and speaking with us is confidential.

Illinois Deadlines and Fault Rules for Rockford and Winnebago County Injury Claims

  • Two-year deadline for most injury claims. Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within 2 years after the cause of action accrues.
  • Shared fault. Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116, an injured person is barred only if their fault is more than 50 percent of the cause of the injury. Otherwise, damages are reduced by their percentage of fault.
  • Local public entities. Under 745 ILCS 10/8-101(a), most civil actions against a local public entity or its employees must be filed within 1 year after the injury. Claims arising from patient care follow a separate rule.
  • Childhood sexual abuse. Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202.2(f), a civil action based on childhood sexual abuse may be filed at any time, unless the claim was already time-barred before the 2014 amendment to that section took effect.
  • Wrongful death. Under 740 ILCS 180/2, a wrongful death action is generally filed within 2 years after the death, with exceptions written into the statute.
  • Medical negligence. Under 735 ILCS 5/13-212(a), a claim generally must be filed within 2 years after the injury was or should have been discovered, and no more than 4 years after the act or omission, subject to exceptions.

Claims against the City of Rockford or another local public entity generally must be filed within one year under 745 ILCS 10/8-101(a).

These are general rules. Exceptions can shorten or extend a deadline, so ask a lawyer to confirm the deadline for your situation.

How We Work With Clients Outside Chicago

Because Rockford is a long drive from Chicago, we set up the case so you rarely need to travel. We meet by phone or video, collect records directly from providers, and use e-signature for documents.

Choosing a Rockford personal injury lawyer does not have to mean choosing someone down the street. What matters is a team that knows the local courts and deadlines, gathers the records quickly, and keeps you informed. As your Rockford personal injury lawyer, we do that from Chicago while you stay home and focus on recovery.

  • A free first conversation by phone or video.
  • Records requests sent directly to police agencies, hospitals, and insurers.
  • Electronic signatures for the fee agreement and authorizations.
  • Updates by phone, email, or text.
  • In-person meetings at our Chicago office or another arrangement when a case needs one.

Meet the Partners

Chicago personal injury lawyers Colleen Mixan Mikaitis and Mackenzie J. Mahony, partners at Mixan Mahony, LLC

Mixan Mahony, LLC was founded by Colleen Mixan Mikaitis and Mackenzie J. Mahony. Both partners are personally involved in the cases the firm handles for clients in Rockford and Winnebago County, and you can reach them through our Chicago office by phone or video.

No attorney fee unless we recover for you. Your first consultation is free. How case costs and expenses are handled is explained in writing in the fee agreement before any work begins.

Contact Mixan Mahony, LLC

Mixan Mahony, LLC
444 W. Lake St., Suite 1707
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 262-3971
View our Chicago office on Google Maps

We serve clients in Rockford and Winnebago County from our Chicago office. We do not have an office in Rockford and Winnebago County. Phone and video meetings are available. You can also reach us through our contact page.

This page provides general information about Illinois law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and past outcomes do not guarantee future results.

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Practice Areas.

Car Accident
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Sexual Abuse and Assault
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Trucking Accidents
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Wrongful Death
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Medical Negligence
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Uber/Lyft Accidents
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Work Injuries
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Nursing Home Abuse
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Motorcycle Accidents
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Pedestrian Accidents
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Slip and Fall
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What Our Clients Say About Us.

COMMONLY ASKED

Questions About Rockford and Winnebago County Injury Claims

Does Mixan Mahony, LLC have a Rockford office?

No. Our only office is in Chicago at 444 W. Lake St., Suite 1707. We serve Rockford and Winnebago County clients by phone and video.

Where is a Rockford personal injury lawsuit filed?

Civil injury cases arising in Winnebago County are generally filed in the 17th Judicial Circuit at the Winnebago County Courthouse in Rockford.

I was hit by an out-of-state semi on I-39. Does that change anything?

It can. The trucking company may be based in another state, which can affect insurance, federal safety records, and sometimes whether the case is filed in federal court. Early preservation of driver logs and truck data is often important.

What if the crash happened in Belvidere instead of Rockford?

Belvidere is in Boone County. Boone County is also in the 17th Judicial Circuit, but a case arising there is generally filed in Boone County rather than at the Winnebago County Courthouse.

Can I recover if I was partly at fault for a crash on East State Street?

Possibly. Illinois bars recovery only when your fault is more than 50 percent under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. At 50 percent or less, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault.

Will I have to drive to Chicago for my Rockford case?

Usually not. Most meetings happen by phone or video, and documents are signed electronically. If a deposition or court date is required, we explain the details in advance.

What does it cost to talk with a lawyer about a Rockford injury?

The consultation is free, and there is no attorney fee unless we recover for you. How case costs are handled is explained in writing in the fee agreement.