The best wrongful death lawyers in Chicago in 2026 include Corboy & Demetrio, Clifford Law Offices and Power Rogers among established trial firms, Romanucci & Blandin for negligence and abuse cases, Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard and Napleton & Partners for medical and transportation deaths, and Malman Law and Briskman Briskman & Greenberg for wider accident practices.
| Firm | Office | Focus | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Corboy & Demetrio | The Loop | Wrongful death and catastrophic injury | Families after a fatal accident |
| 2. Clifford Law Offices | The Loop | Aviation and transportation deaths | Air, train and transportation disasters |
| 3. Power Rogers | The Loop | Wrongful death, construction, transportation | Deaths from construction or transportation accidents |
| 4. Romanucci & Blandin | River North | Negligence, abuse, mass shootings | Deaths involving public or institutional failure |
| 5. Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. | The Loop | Medical and accident deaths | Deaths from a medical error |
| 6. Napleton & Partners | The Loop | Medical negligence and wrongful death | A smaller team for serious cases |
| 7. Malman Law | The Loop | Nursing home and accident deaths | Elder care deaths |
| 8. Briskman Briskman & Greenberg | The Loop | Car accident and wrongful death claims | Families in the north and southwest suburbs |
| 9. Wallace Miller | The Loop | Toxic exposure and product deaths | Deaths linked to asbestos, drugs or products |
A wrongful death claim in Illinois is brought for the family by a representative of the estate, so the family usually deals with probate as well as the lawsuit. Choose a firm that has handled the cause of death in your case, whether that's a hospital error, a crash, an unsafe workplace or a nursing home.
Long-running Chicago trial firm with wrongful death at its core.
Corboy & Demetrio says it has represented injured people and families for more than 50 years, with wrongful death one of its core areas. Its news page shows recent filings, including cases from boating and aviation deaths.
Good to know: Bring the death certificate and any police or medical reports you have.
33 N Dearborn St, 21st Floor, Chicago, IL 60602
Known for aviation litigation as well as other fatal injury cases.
Clifford Law Offices has dedicated pages on major air crashes and lists wrongful death among its central areas. It's a natural call where a death involves an airline, a carrier or several defendants.
Good to know: Multi-victim cases are often coordinated. Ask how the firm works with other families.
120 N LaSalle St, 36th Floor, Chicago, IL 60602
Wrongful death is listed first in this firm's practice areas.
Power Rogers puts wrongful death at the top of its practice list, followed by catastrophic injuries and construction and transportation accidents. It also takes referrals from other lawyers.
Good to know: If another lawyer sent you, ask how the fee will be shared.
70 W Madison St, Suite 5500, Chicago, IL 60602
Impact litigation practice with a mass-shooting page.
Romanucci & Blandin focuses on negligence, abuse and wrongful death, and has a specific section on mass shootings. It's a relevant option where a death raises wider questions about an institution.
Good to know: Ask what the firm's public profile on a case would mean for your family's privacy.
321 N Clark St, Suite 900, Chicago, IL 60654
Strong medical focus, including misdiagnosis.
Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard lists wrongful death alongside medical malpractice and misdiagnosis. That combination fits a death that followed a hospital or doctor's mistake, where both medical deadlines and wrongful death deadlines apply.
Good to know: Request complete medical records as soon as you can.
161 N Clark St, Suite 4700, Chicago, IL 60601
Mid-sized firm listing both medical and vehicle deaths.
Napleton & Partners lists wrongful death with medical negligence, auto and truck accidents. It's an alternative to the largest Loop firms if you'd prefer a smaller team.
Good to know: Ask who your day-to-day contact will be.
140 S Dearborn St, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60603
Personal injury firm with detailed elder care pages.
Malman Law lists wrongful death alongside nursing home issues such as sepsis, falls and bed sores. That's useful for a family asking whether a death in care was preventable.
Good to know: It also has a Champaign office if your relative was downstate.
205 W Randolph St, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60606
Accident firm with suburban offices.
Briskman Briskman & Greenberg lists wrongful death directly after personal injury and works on a no-fee-unless-recovery basis. Its offices in Northfield and Joliet can save a trip downtown.
Good to know: Ask about the probate step, since a representative must be appointed.
205 W Randolph St, Suite 925, Chicago, IL 60606
Toxic exposure and dangerous drug practice.
Wallace Miller handles personal injury and wrongful death, along with asbestos, dangerous drug, product defect and toxic exposure cases. Consider it where a death came from a long-term exposure or a product rather than a single accident.
Good to know: These cases depend on work and medical history. Write down jobs and exposures.
200 W Madison St, Suite 3400, Chicago, IL 60606
Generally 2 years from the date of death under 740 ILCS 180/2, with special rules for minors and for deaths caused by violent intentional conduct, according to Illinois Legal Aid Online's list of deadlines.
The personal representative of the person's estate files the case, for the benefit of the surviving spouse and next of kin. A lawyer can explain how a representative is appointed, and it's usually not difficult.
Most work on contingency, so the fee is a percentage of any recovery. Get the agreement in writing and ask how costs are handled. Court approval is often part of settling these cases.
Be careful. Don't sign a release or accept an offer until you've had advice. You don't have to give a recorded statement to the other side's insurer.