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Since 2001, findgreatlawyers.com has been the leading resource to find the right Illinois wrongful death lawyer for your case. We are a unique service in that we allow you to speak with our staff of attorneys for free, ask questions at no cost and if needed, get a referral to an independent lawyer that best fits your needs. If you would like our help please call us at (312) 346-5320 or complete our contact form and we will call you. We help people find attorneys throughout Illinois. Every inquiry is free and confidential.

There is no such thing as the best wrongful death lawyer in Illinois. The right attorney for one case is not always the right attorney for another case. For example, if your spouse was killed in an accident with a semi-truck we would likely suggest a law firm that can show a track record of success on trucking cases. If the death was from medical malpractice in Illinois, we’d suggest a completely different firm. It’s all about what gives you the best chance for a good result.

There is no one thing that helps you choose the right wrongful death law firm. Below are ten tips that will hopefully help you make the right decision.

1. Look for a certain success rate. Your attorney should have a solid history of large settlements and jury verdicts in wrongful death cases.
2. Along the same lines as success rate, you don’t want an attorney who is inexperienced handling your case, even if the firm itself is successful. Every Illinois accidental death attorney we suggest has been licensed for at least ten years.
3. Wrongful death cases vary in scope and type. So, if you lost your loved one due to a medical mistake or mishap, then your attorney should have tried many wrongful death claims specifically involving medical malpractice. In other words, your attorney should have a proven track record in the exact type of wrongful death claim that you are pursuing.
4. Since wrongful death actions often require the use of costly expert witnesses and other expenses, find an attorney at a financially stable firm that will sustain all of the associated fees and expenses during the litigation of your case. If they want you to pay the expert fees, keep looking.
5. It takes hard work to win a case at trial. There is a great deal of hours, research and preparation involved. Sometimes, it might seem easier to settle for a lesser amount. Make sure your attorney is part of a firm that has a reputation for being willing to take a case to trial rather than settle for a lesser amount. Ask how many jury trials they have done in the last five years.
6. Make sure your case is not a training ground for a young associate at a law firm. In other words, you may meet with an experienced partner at the firm in the initial meeting but your case may actually be handled by a younger, less experienced attorney. It is okay to insist that the person you hire is the person who will handle your case.
7. Wrongful death cases are particularly sensitive by nature. Your attorney should treat all of his or her clients’ emotional situations with the utmost respect. Because the pursuit of a wrongful death action can be an emotional and often anxious process, your attorney should be sensitive to this and keep you up to speed on any developments or other details regarding the case.
8. Your attorney should not act without consulting you first. When faced with a decision during the course of the litigation, he or she should consider both your economic and emotional situation and discuss and weigh the options with you before acting.
9. Your attorney works for you. As with respecting your emotional situation and consulting you before making decisions, your attorney should also make time for you. There should be a degree of customer service when it comes to taking your phone calls, answering questions and explaining things in plain English.
10. Wrongful death attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means that they do not get paid unless you recover something. Their payment is a certain percentage of your recovery. The amount you pay will depend on the type of case as well as the difficulty of the case. If you are considering a firm that wants money up front it is likely a bad sign.

Nothing can guarantee that the lawyer you hire will get you a good result, but we are big believers in factors like the ones mentioned above being good predictors of success. There are thousands of lawyers to choose from. Picking the right one can be the difference of hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

If you would like our help in finding the right attorney for your unique case, please contact us at (312) 346-5320. We are based in Chicago, but help people find the right law firm for their situation throughout Illinois.