Murphysboro, IL Personal Injury Attorneys

Hurt by Someone Else’s Negligence in Jackson County? We Fight for the Injured.

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Murphysboro Personal Injury Lawyers Who Fight for the Injured

A serious injury can change your life in a few seconds. One distracted driver on Route 13, one unguarded machine at the plant, one hazard a business ignored, and suddenly you are facing hospital bills, lost paychecks, and an injury that may never fully heal. The insurance company on the other side handles claims like yours every day, and its job is to pay you as little as possible. You deserve someone who does this every day too.

Murphysboro is the seat of Jackson County, which means a personal injury suit filed here is filed and tried right in town, at the Jackson County Courthouse on Walnut Street. We handle injury and wrongful death cases throughout the county, from the busy Route 13 corridor between Murphysboro and Carbondale to the rural two-lanes out toward Ava and Pomona, the Big Muddy River bottoms, Kinkaid Lake, and the industrial plants and job sites where working people get hurt. We take these cases on a contingency fee, so you owe no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you. The call and the case review are free. If we can help, we will tell you. If we cannot, we will point you to someone who can.

This page explains the kinds of injury cases we handle in and around Murphysboro, the Illinois rules that govern every claim, how compensation works, and the mistakes that cost injured people money. Use the linked practice areas for a deeper look at your specific type of case, and read the sections below for the law that applies to all of them.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Jackson County

If another person, business, or government body caused your injury through carelessness, you may have a claim. Below are the main types of cases we handle for Murphysboro and Jackson County clients. Select a linked practice area for an in-depth look, then read the sections that follow for the law that applies to every injury case in Illinois.

Car Accidents on the Route 13 Corridor

Car crashes are the most common injury case we handle here, and in Murphysboro they cluster on one road in particular. Illinois Route 13 is the spine that connects Murphysboro to Carbondale about six miles east, and most of the town drives it every day to reach SIU, the hospital, the Aisin plant in Marion, and the Carbondale retail belt. Morning and evening commuter peaks, plant shift changes, and the mix of local traffic with people in a hurry make the corridor a steady source of rear-end, intersection, and lane-change collisions.

Illinois is an at-fault state, which means the driver who caused the wreck, and that driver’s insurance company, is responsible for the harm. Fault usually turns on the crash report, witness statements, photographs, and any citations for things like following too closely, failure to yield, or improper lane usage. Two mistakes hurt crash victims most: accepting a fast settlement before the full injury is known, and giving the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement. For the full breakdown of fault, coverage, and what your claim may be worth, see our Southern Illinois car accident attorneys page.

Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accidents

A fully loaded semi can weigh 20 to 30 times what a car weighs, so when a truck is involved the injuries are often catastrophic. Murphysboro has no interstate of its own, so trucks serving Penn Aluminum, the Business and Technology Park, and the county’s farms run Route 13 and Route 127 to reach Interstate 57 at Marion. Add harvest-season grain trucks on the rural roads and at-grade rail crossings around town, and there is real heavy-vehicle exposure here.

Truck cases carry an extra layer of federal regulation covering driver hours of service, inspection and maintenance, and cargo securement, and a violation can be strong evidence of negligence. More than one party may share fault, including the driver, the motor carrier, the trailer owner, and the company that loaded the freight. Critical evidence such as the electronic logging device, the engine control module, and the driver’s logs can be lost quickly, so preserving it early matters. Learn more on our Southern Illinois truck accident lawyers page, and if your crash happened on the interstate east of here, see our I-57 accident lawyers page.

Motorcycle Accidents

Riders are far more exposed than people in a car, so motorcycle crashes produce a high rate of severe injury. The most dangerous pattern is a driver turning left across a rider’s path, followed by drivers who change lanes into a motorcycle or never look for one. The rural routes around Murphysboro add their own hazards, from gravel and potholes to the deer that cross Route 127 and the roads near Kinkaid Lake and the river bottoms.

Illinois does not require adult riders to wear a helmet, and a rider who chose not to wear one can still recover. Riders also face an unfair head start in the other side’s thinking, because adjusters and some jurors assume a motorcyclist was speeding or reckless. Overcoming that bias with scene measurements, witness accounts, and the other driver’s own statements is central to the work. For Illinois motorcycle law and more, see our Southern Illinois motorcycle accident attorneys page.

Workplace & Industrial Injuries

Murphysboro is more industrial than its size suggests. Penn Aluminum, an extrusion and precision-tubing maker that has operated in town for a century, along with the hospitals, public-sector employers, and the trades, means press, drawing, material-handling, and repetitive-motion injuries are part of the local picture. If you are hurt on the job in Illinois, you usually have two separate paths to recovery, and understanding the difference is one of the most valuable things an injured worker can learn.

The first path is workers’ compensation, a no-fault system that pays medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of fault, but it is generally your only claim against your own employer and does not pay for pain and suffering. The second is a third-party injury claim. When someone other than your employer caused or contributed to your injury, such as a negligent driver who hit you on the clock, a subcontractor, or the maker of a defective machine, you can bring a separate lawsuit against that party for the full range of damages. Pursuing both at once is often how injured workers recover the most. Learn more on our Southern Illinois workers’ compensation attorneys page.

Wrongful Death

When a person is killed by another’s negligence, Illinois law provides two related claims that are usually brought together. The Illinois Wrongful Death Act lets the surviving spouse and next of kin recover for their own losses, including lost financial support and the loss of the decedent’s society, companionship, and guidance. A separate survival claim under the Probate Act lets the estate recover for what the decedent personally suffered between the injury and death.

A wrongful death claim is generally filed by the personal representative of the estate on behalf of the family, and the recovery is divided among the spouse and next of kin according to each person’s loss. The deadline is generally two years from the date of death, with different rules when the death results from a crime or a government defendant is involved. Since 2023, Illinois also allows punitive damages in many wrongful death and survival cases involving egregious conduct. For more, see our Southern Illinois wrongful death attorneys page.

Premises Liability & Slip and Falls

Property owners and businesses have a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for people who are lawfully there. When they ignore a known hazard or fail to inspect for one they should have found, people get hurt. In Murphysboro, much of the everyday big-box exposure actually sits in Carbondale, where residents drive to shop, but local hazards are real too: the angled parking and crowds along Walnut Street downtown, the grocery and strip lots on Route 13, and the heavy foot traffic during the Apple Festival and the Big Muddy Monster Festival.

To win a premises case in Illinois, you generally must show a dangerous condition existed, that the owner knew or should have known about it, and that the owner failed to fix it or warn in time. Proof often comes from incident reports, surveillance video, and maintenance logs, and store video is frequently recorded over within days, so it is important to demand its preservation early. Illinois also recognizes defenses like the open-and-obvious doctrine and the natural-accumulation rule for snow and ice, but a quick denial from an insurer does not mean a case lacks merit. Learn more on our Southern Illinois premises liability and slip and fall attorneys page.

Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect

Families trust nursing homes to keep their most vulnerable loved ones safe, and far too often that trust is betrayed. Warning signs include unexplained bruises or fractures, bedsores, sudden weight loss or dehydration, poor hygiene, medication errors, and unexplained withdrawal. Jackson County families rely on facilities in and around Murphysboro for skilled nursing care, and a frequent root cause of neglect is chronic understaffing, where a facility tries to care for too many residents with too few people.

Illinois protects residents through the Nursing Home Care Act, which establishes a detailed bill of rights and lets residents recover when a facility fails to provide adequate care. These cases require careful review of medical charts, staffing records, incident reports, and state inspection findings, because the home and its insurer will often try to blame a resident’s decline on age or pre-existing illness. We hold facilities accountable for the harm they cause. For a full discussion of residents’ rights and what to do if you suspect abuse, visit our Southern Illinois nursing home abuse attorneys page.

Dog Bites

Illinois is a strict-liability state for dog attacks, which gives victims much stronger protection than they have in many other states. Under the Illinois Animal Control Act, the owner is liable when their animal, without provocation, attacks or injures a person who is peaceably conducting themselves where they may lawfully be. Illinois does not give a dog “one free bite,” and the victim does not have to prove the owner knew the animal was dangerous.

Dog attacks tend to cause deep puncture wounds, nerve damage, infection, and permanent scarring, and they leave lasting emotional trauma, especially in children. Recovery usually comes through the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Documenting the attack with photographs, identifying the dog and owner, reporting the bite to animal control, and getting prompt medical care all strengthen a claim. For more on owner liability and the steps to take after an attack, see our Southern Illinois dog bite attorneys page.

Boating & Recreational Injuries

Jackson County is built for the water. Kinkaid Lake, just northwest of Murphysboro, is the county’s top powerboat lake, with three public launches, a marina, and heavy summer traffic, and Lake Murphysboro State Park sits on the edge of town. Crowded ramps, no-wake zones that go ignored, and alcohol on the water lead to collisions, propeller and wake injuries, and falls. The Big Muddy River adds its own drowning and boating risks.

A boat operator owes the same basic duty of reasonable care that a driver owes on the road, and operating under the influence is both a crime and powerful evidence of negligence in an injury claim. These cases often turn on witness accounts, marine-patrol and DNR reports, and the physical damage to the vessels. If you or a family member was hurt on Kinkaid Lake or another Jackson County waterway, we can investigate what happened and identify the insurance that applies, including a boat owner’s policy and your own coverage.

Dram Shop, Bar & Winery Injuries

Under the Illinois Dram Shop Act, 235 ILCS 5/6-21, a bar, restaurant, brewery, or other licensed establishment that serves alcohol to someone who then injures another person can be held liable to the injured party. This matters around Murphysboro because the at-fault driver’s own insurance is frequently not enough to cover serious injuries, while a downtown tavern, the local brewery taproom, or a tasting room on the nearby Shawnee Hills Wine Trail carries separate liquor-liability coverage that can add a source of recovery.

There are two important cautions. Dram shop recovery is capped by statute and adjusted each year for inflation, and for judgments or settlements in 2026 it is limited to $90,411.55 per person for injury, with a separate limit of $110,503.00 for loss of means of support or loss of society. Second, the deadline is short. A dram shop claim must be filed within one year, far less than the usual two years for a personal injury claim. If a drunk driver who had been over-served injured you, see our Southern Illinois bar injury attorneys page.

Where Injuries Happen in Murphysboro and Jackson County

Serious injuries can happen anywhere, but certain roads and settings see them more often. Murphysboro is not on an interstate, so the heaviest traffic runs through town on Route 13 and Route 127, which overlap along Walnut Street and cross the Big Muddy River on the west edge of town. That river crossing is a genuine pinch point. It floods in high water, fog settles in the river valley on cool mornings, and the bridge deck freezes before the surrounding road does, all of which turn an ordinary commute into a hazard.

The Route 13 corridor between Murphysboro and Carbondale carries the dominant daily flow, and the combination of commuter peaks, plant shift changes, and through traffic produces a steady stream of rear-end and intersection crashes. Away from that corridor, the danger changes character. Route 127 north and south, Route 4 toward Ava, and the county roads toward Pomona, Grand Tower, and Gorham are narrow two-lanes with deep ditches, soft shoulders, blind crests, and almost no lighting, which is classic run-off-road and rollover terrain. Whitetail deer add to the risk on every rural route, heaviest near the Shawnee National Forest, Kinkaid Lake, and the river bottoms during the November rut.

Injuries are not limited to the roads. They happen on the floor at Penn Aluminum and other plants, on farms and orchard ground during planting and harvest, in the grocery and strip lots along Route 13, in the angled parking and festival crowds on Walnut Street, and at the boat ramps on Kinkaid Lake. Pedestrians are especially at risk during the Apple Festival, when tens of thousands fill downtown for the Grand Parade, and in the 20 mph school zones around the Murphysboro schools at dismissal. Wherever your injury happened, the same legal principles apply, and the same careful investigation is needed to establish what went wrong and who is responsible.

The Illinois Personal Injury Legal Framework

Every injury claim in Illinois runs on the same core rules. Understanding them helps you see why fault, deadlines, and insurance matter so much.

Negligence: The Foundation of a Claim

Most injury cases are built on negligence. To recover, you generally must show four things: that the other party owed you a duty of reasonable care, that they breached it, that the breach caused your injury, and that you suffered real harm as a result. A driver owes a duty to drive safely, a business owes a duty to keep its premises reasonably safe, and a manufacturer owes a duty to make a product that is not unreasonably dangerous. Proving how the breach caused the harm is where most cases are won or lost.

The 51% Rule: Comparative Fault in Illinois

Illinois follows modified comparative negligence under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. Your compensation is reduced by your share of the fault, so if you are 20% at fault on a $100,000 claim, you recover $80,000. But there is a hard line: if you are found more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. This is exactly why insurers work so hard to shift blame onto injured people, and why pushing back on an inflated fault percentage is one of the most important things a lawyer does.

Joint and Several Liability

When more than one party is at fault, Illinois law in 735 ILCS 5/2-1117 governs who pays. In general, a defendant found at least 25% at fault can be held responsible for the full amount of the economic damages, while non-economic damages are divided by each defendant’s share. This protects an injured person when one at-fault party cannot pay, and it is one more reason identifying every responsible party early matters.

Deadlines: The Statute of Limitations

A claim filed too late is barred no matter how strong it is. The deadline depends on the type of case, and some are far shorter than people expect.

Type of Claim	Deadline to File	Statute
General personal injury (negligence)	2 years from the injury	735 ILCS 5/13-202
Wrongful death	2 years from the death	740 ILCS 180/2
Medical malpractice	2 years from discovery; 4-year outer limit	735 ILCS 5/13-212
Product liability	2 years, with a longer repose period	735 ILCS 5/13-213
Claim against a city, county, or local government	1 year	745 ILCS 10/8-101
Dram shop (bar/tavern liability)	1 year	235 ILCS 5/6-21
Workers’ compensation (IWCC)	3 years from injury, or 2 years from last payment	820 ILCS 305/6

These are general rules, and important exceptions apply, which is exactly why it is risky to count the days on your own. The one-year deadlines for government and dram shop claims catch people off guard most often.

The Discovery Rule and Statutes of Repose

Two doctrines can change a deadline. The discovery rule can delay the start of the clock until the date you knew or reasonably should have known that you were injured and that the injury may have been caused by someone’s wrongful conduct, which matters most in cases like misdiagnosis or a slowly developing condition. A statute of repose, by contrast, sets an absolute outer deadline that runs from the date of the negligent act regardless of when the injury is discovered. Medical malpractice has a four-year repose period, and product liability has its own. Once a repose period expires, even the discovery rule usually cannot revive the claim.

Tolling for Minors and Legal Disability

When the injured person is a minor or under a legal disability, Illinois law in 735 ILCS 5/13-211 generally pauses the limitations period until the disability is removed, for example until a child turns 18. Statutes of repose can still impose an outer limit, and medical malpractice has its own special rule for minors. The protection exists because a child cannot be expected to protect their own legal rights, but it should never be relied on without legal advice.

Wrongful Death Act vs. Survival Act

When someone dies, Illinois recognizes two distinct claims. A claim under the Wrongful Death Act compensates the surviving family for their own losses, such as lost financial support and loss of companionship. A survival claim under the Probate Act, 755 ILCS 5/27-6, lets the estate recover for what the decedent personally endured before death, including conscious pain and suffering and medical bills. The two are usually brought together by the personal representative of the estate.

No Cap on Damages in Illinois

Unlike some states, Illinois does not cap the damages an injury victim can recover. The Illinois Supreme Court has struck down caps on non-economic damages, including in medical malpractice cases, holding that they violate the separation of powers in the Illinois Constitution. There is no statutory limit on what a jury can award for pain and suffering. A court can still reduce a verdict it finds excessive through a process called remittitur, but no across-the-board cap applies to your case.

Prejudgment Interest

Since July 1, 2021, Illinois law in 735 ILCS 5/2-1303 adds prejudgment interest of 6% per year to most personal injury and wrongful death judgments. The interest runs on the damages awarded, not counting punitive damages, and is designed to discourage insurers from dragging cases out. A defendant can limit this exposure by making an early, reasonable settlement offer, which gives injured people a real reason to expect a fair resolution instead of years of delay.

Compensation You Can Recover

The goal of an injury claim is to make you whole by recovering the losses the injury caused. Illinois recognizes three broad categories of damages.

Type of Damages	What It Covers
Economic	Medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, lost earning capacity, property damage, out-of-pocket costs
Non-Economic	Pain and suffering, disfigurement, loss of a normal life, emotional distress, loss of consortium
Punitive	Awarded only for egregious conduct, to punish the wrongdoer (limited by statute)

Economic damages are the out-of-pocket losses documented by bills and records, including the cost of future care and the income you will lose if the injury limits your ability to work. Non-economic damages cover real harms without a fixed price tag, such as chronic pain, scarring, and the inability to do the things you once enjoyed. Because Illinois places no cap on these damages, the value of a claim depends on the facts, not an arbitrary limit.

Understanding Your Insurance Coverage

In most injury cases, the money comes from an insurance policy, so understanding which coverage may apply is important. Several types can come into play, sometimes in the same case.

Liability coverage. The at-fault party’s policy pays for the harm they caused, up to the policy limits. Illinois requires drivers to carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, but those minimums are often far below what a serious injury costs.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Part of your own auto policy, this applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough. It is one of the most overlooked sources of recovery, and on the rural roads around Murphysboro it matters often.
Medical payments coverage. Often called MedPay, this optional auto coverage can help pay medical bills quickly, regardless of who was at fault.
Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance. These policies typically cover dog bites and many injuries that happen on a person’s property.
Commercial and umbrella policies. Businesses, trucking companies, and some individuals carry higher-limit commercial or umbrella coverage that can be critical in a serious case.

Finding every applicable policy, and stacking coverage where the law allows, can be the difference between a recovery that falls short and one that actually covers your losses. We investigate all available coverage rather than stopping at the first policy.

How Personal Injury Settlements Are Valued

The most common question we hear is, “What is my case worth?” There is no calculator that answers it, because value depends on the facts. The biggest factors are the severity and permanence of the injury, the total past and future medical bills, the amount of lost income and lost earning capacity, how clearly the other side is at fault, and the amount of insurance available. A permanent injury that ends a career is worth far more than a sprain that fully heals, and strong, well-documented liability is worth more than a disputed claim.

One factor that surprises people is the role of liens and subrogation. If your health insurer, Medicare, Medicaid, a hospital, or a workers’ compensation carrier paid for treatment related to your injury, they often have a legal right to be reimbursed out of your settlement. A skilled attorney works to reduce these liens through negotiation and the legal rules that govern them, which can put significantly more money in your pocket at the end of the case. We account for every lien and every category of harm, present and future, so a settlement reflects the full impact of the injury rather than just the bills that have already arrived.

What to Expect: The Claim Timeline

Every case is different, but most injury claims move through the same general stages. Knowing the path ahead eases a lot of the stress.

Investigation and treatment. We gather the crash or incident report, records, photos, and witness information and work to preserve evidence, while you focus on getting medical care and reaching maximum medical improvement.
Demand. Once your treatment and damages are clear, we send the insurer a demand package documenting liability and the full extent of your losses.
Negotiation. Many cases settle here. We push back against lowball offers and negotiate for fair value.
Filing suit and discovery. If the insurer will not be fair, we file suit at the Jackson County Courthouse. Both sides then exchange information through written discovery, document requests, and depositions.
Mediation and settlement. Most cases resolve before trial, often at a mediation where a neutral third party helps the sides reach agreement.
Trial. If a fair settlement is still not possible, we are prepared to present your case to a Jackson County jury and let it decide.

What to Do After an Injury

The steps you take early can protect, or sink, your claim. If you are able, do the following.

Get medical care right away. See a doctor even if you feel alright. Serious crashes near Murphysboro are first stabilized at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital and the more severe injuries are transferred to the trauma center in Carbondale, and a gap in treatment is the first thing an insurer uses against you.
Report the incident. Call the police after a crash, tell the manager about a store fall, or notify your employer in writing about a work injury.
Document everything. Photograph the scene, your injuries, and anything that caused the harm, and collect the names and numbers of any witnesses.
Do not admit fault. Stick to the facts and avoid apologizing or guessing about what happened.
Be careful with the insurance company. You are not required to give the other side a recorded statement, and you should talk to a lawyer before you do.
Keep records. Save bills, receipts, and a simple journal of how the injury affects your daily life.
Call a personal injury lawyer. The sooner counsel is involved, the more can be done to preserve evidence and protect your rights.

Common Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Claim

Good cases are sometimes undermined by avoidable errors. Being aware of them helps you protect your own claim.

Waiting to get medical treatment. A delay lets the insurer argue you were not really hurt or that something else caused your injury.
Giving a recorded statement to the other insurer. Adjusters use these to find inconsistencies and to pin you to words that can be twisted later.
Accepting the first offer. Early offers are usually low and often come before the full extent of an injury is known.
Signing a release or medical authorization too soon. A broad authorization can hand the insurer your entire medical history to mine for a defense.
Posting about the incident on social media. Photos and posts are routinely used out of context to dispute injuries.
Missing the deadline. The statute of limitations is unforgiving, and the shorter government and dram shop deadlines catch people off guard.
Trying to handle a serious claim alone. Insurers know unrepresented people are easier to underpay.

How Insurance Companies Fight Claims

It helps to remember what an insurance company actually is: a business that makes money by collecting premiums and paying out as little as possible. Adjusters are trained, professional, and often friendly, but they work to protect the company, not you. Common tactics include making a fast, low offer before you understand the severity of your injury, requesting a recorded statement, asking you to sign a broad medical authorization, blaming you for the incident to trigger the comparative fault rules, and arguing that your injuries were pre-existing or that a gap in treatment means you were not seriously hurt.

When you have a lawyer, the calculus changes. An insurer knows that an experienced injury attorney understands the value of a claim, will not be rushed into a bad settlement, and is prepared to file suit and try the case. A study by the Insurance Research Council found that injury victims who hired an attorney recovered settlements substantially higher on average than those who represented themselves, even after fees. Representation is not about being difficult. It is about not being taken advantage of at the worst moment of your life.

Why Local Representation Matters in Jackson County

Injury cases are filed and tried in the county where the incident happened, which for Jackson County means the courthouse in Murphysboro. Because Murphysboro is the county seat, the courthouse, the circuit clerk, and the cases all sit right here in town. There is real value in working with a firm that knows how these courts run and how cases move through the First Judicial Circuit. Familiarity with the local procedures helps a case run smoothly, and it is procedural knowledge, not any special relationship, that makes the difference.

Just as important, the people who sit on a Jackson County jury are members of this community. They drive the same Route 13, shop the same stores, and know the same roads, and a case has to be presented to them honestly and clearly. We handle injury and wrongful death cases throughout Southern Illinois, and we bring the same preparation to a Murphysboro claim that we bring anywhere else.

Local representation is also practical. You do not need to travel to an office to get started. We can come to you if your injuries make travel difficult, or set up a free virtual consultation, so getting help does not depend on driving anywhere. When you are recovering from a serious injury, that is one less thing to worry about. For criminal, DUI, traffic, or other matters in the same courthouse, see our Murphysboro, IL lawyers page.

Injury Statistics in Illinois and Nationwide

Serious injuries are far more common than most people realize, and the data shows how often they trace back to preventable conduct. The figures below link directly to the underlying government and research sources.

Unintentional injuries are the number one cause of death for Americans between the ages of 1 and 44, according to the CDC’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS).
The Illinois Department of Transportation recorded more than 300,000 traffic crashes on Illinois roads in 2024, including over 1,000 fatal crashes.
Falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death among adults age 65 and older, and the most common cause of traumatic brain injury, according to the CDC.
Per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are roughly 27 times more likely to die in a crash, per mile traveled, than people in passenger vehicles.

Statistics never capture what a serious injury does to a single family. What they do show is that these harms are widespread and, in most cases, caused by someone’s choice to be careless.

Why Choose Olson & Reeves for Your Personal Injury Case?

No Fee Unless We Win. We handle injury cases on a contingency fee, so you owe no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you. The consultation and case review are always free.
We Take On the Insurance Companies. Insurers try to lowball injured people and shift blame onto them. We push back hard and make them justify every position.
Local Roots in Southern Illinois. We were born and raised here, and we are familiar with the courts and procedures across the region, including the Jackson County Courthouse where these cases are heard.
Prepared to Try Your Case. We work to settle claims fairly, but we prepare every case as if it will go to trial, which is exactly what gives an insurer a reason to pay full value.
You Work Directly With Our Firm. From your first call to your final check, you deal directly with our firm and we keep you informed at every step.

Proven Results: Recent Southern Illinois Personal Injury Victories

We don’t just talk a big game. We get results, and we’re ready to get results for you too. Here are some of our recent results for Southern Illinois injury clients:

$755,000 Settlement – Our client was in a car accident in Fayette County, Illinois.
$250,000 Insurance Policy Limit Settlement – Our client was in a car accident in St. Clair County, Illinois. After trying to handle the case by himself for 18 months, he had an offer of $65,000 on the table. After retaining us, we settled the case within 1 month, getting the maximum policy limit of $250,000.
Insurance Policy Limit Settlement – Our client was involved in a motorcycle accident after a distracted driver ran into the back of his motorcycle. He suffered road rash and soft tissue injuries, and we settled his case for the maximum insurance policy limits available.
Insurance Policy Limit Settlement – Our clients were a husband and wife pulled over on the side of the road helping another vehicle with a flat tire. A distracted driver crossed into their lane and caused a head-on collision. After hiring us to handle their car accident case in Wayne County, Illinois, we settled both of their cases for the maximum insurance policy limits available.

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different, and the value of any claim depends on its own facts.

Still Not Sure? Listen To Our Former Clients!

Matthew W. – “This firm is highly recommended!! They are professional, efficient, and polite! The firm keeps you updated step by step and explains the process clearly!! Sydney is just plain awesome!! Love these guys!”
Heather M. – “They are amazing! I contacted them and they responded immediately! Kept me updated through the whole process! I will always recommend them and use them in the future!”
Johnnie T. – “They were honest with us from the start and really gave us every option they could think of. They took their time and really listened to the whole story. I would highly recommend them!”
Chad H. – “Best results that I ever had from an attorney! Highly Recommend!”
Rita S. – “Very friendly, cared about me as a person. Great communication.”

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Driving Directions and How to Reach Us

No Office Visits Required! We’ll Happily Come To You or Set Up a Free Virtual Consultation!

Jackson County injury cases are filed and heard at the Jackson County Courthouse, 1001 Walnut St., Murphysboro, IL 62966. You do not need to come to us to get started, but for those who prefer to meet in person, our offices are a short drive away.

Mt. Vernon Office
Olson & Reeves, Attorneys at Law
1015 Broadway
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
Phone: (618) 316-7322

Centralia Office
Olson & Reeves, Attorneys at Law
217 S. Locust St.
Centralia, IL 62801

Murphysboro Personal Injury FAQ

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Illinois?

Most personal injury claims in Illinois must be filed within two years of the injury under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. But the deadline depends on the type of case. Claims against a city, county, or other local government, and dram shop claims against a bar, are limited to just one year, and medical malpractice has its own special rules.

Because some deadlines are much shorter than people expect and missing one usually ends the case, the safest step is to speak with a lawyer soon after the injury rather than waiting.

Can I still recover money if I was partly at fault?

Yes, as long as you were 50% or less at fault. Illinois uses a modified comparative negligence rule under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, but if you are found more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover anything at all.

For example, if your damages are $100,000 and you are 20% at fault, you would recover $80,000. Insurance companies push hard to inflate your share of the blame, which is one of the most important things a lawyer fights over.

Where will my Murphysboro injury case be filed and heard?

In Jackson County, injury cases are filed and tried at the Jackson County Courthouse at 1001 Walnut Street in Murphysboro, which is the county seat. Jackson County sits in the First Judicial Circuit. Because the courthouse, circuit clerk, and jury pool are all in town, your case stays local from filing to verdict.

You do not have to handle any of that alone. We are familiar with how the First Circuit courts run and prepare every case for that courthouse, whether it ultimately settles or goes before a jury.

I was hurt in a crash on Route 13 between Murphysboro and Carbondale. What should I do?

Get medical care first. Serious crashes here are stabilized at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro and the worst injuries are transferred to the trauma center in Carbondale. Then report the crash, photograph the scene, get witness information, and avoid giving the other insurer a recorded statement until you have spoken with a lawyer.

The Route 13 corridor carries heavy commuter and plant-shift traffic, so these crashes are common and well documented. Acting quickly to preserve the crash report, vehicle damage, and any nearby camera footage protects your claim before that evidence disappears.

I was injured at work at a Murphysboro plant. Is workers' compensation my only option?

Not always. Workers’ compensation is usually your only claim against your own employer, but if someone other than your employer caused or contributed to your injury, such as a negligent driver, a subcontractor, or the maker of a defective machine, you may also have a separate third-party injury claim for the full range of damages, including pain and suffering.

Industrial and machine injuries at plants like Penn Aluminum often involve equipment makers or outside contractors. Pursuing both a workers’ compensation claim and a third-party claim is frequently how injured workers recover the most.

Is there a cap on pain and suffering or other damages in Illinois?

No. Illinois does not cap the damages an injury victim can recover. The Illinois Supreme Court struck down caps on non-economic damages, including in medical malpractice cases, as unconstitutional. There is no statutory limit on what a jury can award for pain and suffering.

A court can still reduce a verdict it finds excessive, but no across-the-board cap applies. The value of a claim depends on the facts of the case, not an arbitrary legislative limit.

What if I was hurt at the Apple Festival or in a downtown parking lot?

You may have a premises liability claim. Property owners and businesses must keep their premises reasonably safe, and that duty does not stop during a festival or in a parking lot. If a hazard the owner knew about or should have found caused your fall or injury, you can pursue a claim for your medical bills, lost income, and pain.

Crowded events and angled parking on Walnut Street create real risk, and surveillance video is often recorded over within days. Reporting the incident and preserving the footage early can make or break this kind of case.

A drunk driver who was over-served at a bar or winery hurt me. Can I sue the establishment?

Possibly. Under the Illinois Dram Shop Act, a licensed bar, brewery, restaurant, or winery that served alcohol to a person who then injured you can be held liable, separate from the drunk driver. In 2026 the recovery is capped at $90,411.55 per person for injury, and the claim must be filed within one year.

This matters because the driver’s own insurance often is not enough, while the establishment carries separate liquor-liability coverage. Around Murphysboro, that can include downtown taverns, the local brewery taproom, and tasting rooms on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.

Do I have to travel to an office to hire you?

No. You do not need to visit an office to work with us. We can come to you if your injuries make travel difficult, or set up a free virtual consultation, so getting help does not depend on driving anywhere. We are also regularly at the Jackson County Courthouse where your case will be heard.

This is especially helpful after a serious injury, when getting to an appointment is hard. The call and the case review are free, and you owe no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you.

How much is my personal injury case worth?

There is no fixed formula. The value of an Illinois injury case depends on the severity and permanence of your injuries, your medical bills and lost wages, how clear the other side’s fault is, and the available insurance coverage. Serious and permanent injuries lead to substantially larger claims.

No honest lawyer can promise a number before reviewing your case. What we can do is account for every category of harm, present and future, so the demand reflects the full impact on your life.

Contact a Murphysboro Personal Injury Attorney for a Free Case Evaluation

If you or someone you love was hurt by another’s negligence in Jackson County, do not wait while deadlines run and evidence disappears. Call Olson & Reeves for a 100% free case evaluation at (618) 316-7322. You pay nothing unless we win your case. We represent injured people throughout Murphysboro and Jackson County, and we can come to you or set up a free virtual consultation.