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Waukegan & Lake County Personal Injury Lawyer

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Aerial view of downtown Waukegan, Illinois near the Lake Michigan shoreline

If you were hurt in Waukegan or anywhere in Lake County, Illinois, a Waukegan personal injury lawyer at Mixan Mahony, LLC can review your claim for free and walk you through the next steps. We serve Lake County clients from our Chicago office with phone and video meetings, so you can start without driving into the city. Most Illinois injury lawsuits must be filed within two years, and claims against local governments generally have one year.

Working With a Waukegan 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 Waukegan and Lake 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.

Lake County Roads and Injury Patterns

Lake County combines tollway traffic, North Shore commuter routes, and busy retail and tourism areas:

  • Crashes on I-94 (the Tri-State Tollway) and near the Route 120 and Route 132 interchanges.
  • Crashes on US-41, Route 137, and Grand Avenue.
  • Traffic and pedestrian injuries near Gurnee Mills and Six Flags Great America.
  • Pedestrian injuries near the Waukegan and North Chicago Metra stations.
  • Falls and unsafe-property injuries at stores, apartment buildings, and nursing facilities.

The 19th Judicial Circuit and the Lake County Courthouse

Lake County is the 19th Judicial Circuit. Civil injury cases arising in Lake County are generally filed at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan.

Some Lake County communities border Cook County or Wisconsin. If a crash happened across a county or state line, or a defendant is based elsewhere, the proper court may change.

We review the crash location and the parties before choosing where to file.

Injury Cases We Handle for Waukegan and Lake County Clients

We handle a range of personal injury matters for people in Waukegan and Lake 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 Waukegan and Lake County Clients

Long-Term Care and CILA Injuries in Waukegan and Lake County

Families in Waukegan and Lake 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 Waukegan and Lake County

Survivors in Lake County sometimes contact us about abuse in schools, youth programs, health care settings, or nursing facilities. These cases often turn on supervision, screening, and how an institution responded to warnings. We talk privately, and the survivor decides how to proceed.

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 Waukegan and Lake 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 Waukegan, Lake County, a school district, or another local public entity generally have a one-year filing limit 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

We serve Lake County clients through phone and video meetings, electronic records requests, and e-signature. We schedule calls around your work and medical appointments.

Choosing a Waukegan 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 Waukegan 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 Waukegan and Lake 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 Waukegan and Lake County from our Chicago office. We do not have an office in Waukegan and Lake 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.

Mixan Mahony, LLC, Chicago and Illinois personal injury lawyers

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Questions About Waukegan and Lake County Injury Claims

Does Mixan Mahony, LLC have a Waukegan office?

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

Where is a Lake County injury lawsuit filed?

Cases arising in Lake County are generally filed in the 19th Judicial Circuit at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan.

What if I was injured near Gurnee Mills or Six Flags Great America?

Property owners must use reasonable care to keep their premises safe for visitors. Photos of the hazard, incident reports, and witness names can help show what happened.

I was hurt in a Tri-State Tollway crash near Gurnee. Who has the crash report?

Tollway crashes are often handled by the Illinois State Police rather than a city department. Keep the report number and the name of the responding agency so the report can be requested.

How does Illinois handle shared fault in a US-41 crash?

Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116, you are barred if your fault is more than 50 percent of the cause. If it is 50 percent or less, you may recover, but your damages are reduced by your share.

How long do I have to sue a Lake County municipality?

Claims against local public entities and their employees generally must be filed within one year under 745 ILCS 10/8-101(a). Some claims, such as those arising from patient care, follow different rules.

What will it cost to talk with a lawyer about a Waukegan 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.