# Car accidents in Chicago: deadlines, crash reports and city claims

> After a Chicago crash: the 2-year Illinois deadline, the 51% fault bar, police and state police crash reports, and the 1-year limit to sue the City.

Canonical page: https://accidentclaimfacts.com/location/chicago/  
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team  
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

## Quick answer

A crash in Chicago follows Illinois law: you generally have 2 years to file an injury lawsuit, and you recover nothing if you were more than 50% at fault. The local catch is the City itself. A lawsuit against the City of Chicago or one of its employees, such as the driver of a city truck, generally must be filed within 1 year.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Injury lawsuit deadline | 2 years | 735 ILCS 5/13-202 |
| Vehicle damage deadline | 5 years | 735 ILCS 5/13-205 |
| Wrongful death deadline | 2 years | From the date of death |
| Lawsuit against the City or its employees | 1 year | Tort Immunity Act |
| Fault rule | No recovery above 50% fault | 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 |
| Chicago police crash report | $6 | Per report |
| People killed on Chicago streets, 2024 | 130 | Expressways not counted |
| Chicago Bar Association referral line | (312) 554-2001 | |

## Deadlines and fault rules in Chicago

Chicago has no special deadlines for crash claims between drivers. The statute of limitations comes from Illinois law: 2 years from the crash to sue for injuries, 5 years for damage to your car, and 2 years from the date of death for wrongful death. See the [Illinois guide](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/location/illinois/) for more on state law.

Illinois uses modified comparative fault: your damages are reduced by your share of the blame, and you recover nothing if your share is more than 50%. Illinois is an at-fault state, so the driver who caused the crash, through their insurer, pays. Every Illinois policy includes uninsured motorist coverage; the Insurance Information Institute estimates that 15.2% of Illinois drivers were uninsured in 2023.

> **Example:** A driver turning left on Western Avenue hits you as you go straight. A jury finds you 30% at fault for speeding, so your damages are cut by 30%. At 51%, you would recover nothing.

Try other shares of fault in the [fault-rule explainer](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/tools/fault-rule-explainer/?state=il&fault=30#fault).

## Getting a crash report in Chicago

Who writes the crash report depends on where the crash happened:

- **City streets.** The Chicago Police Department takes the report, and a copy costs $6. Reports from before 2016, paper reports and other requests go to CPD's Records Customer Service Section, 3510 South Michigan Avenue, open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- **Expressways.** Freeway crashes in the Chicago area are handled by the Illinois State Police. Order a copy online through ISP's E-Pay service, or by mail for $5.

If no officer came, Illinois still requires each driver to report a crash that caused a death, an injury or more than $1,500 of property damage ($500 if any driver was uninsured), within 10 days. For a city-street crash, you can report it at a Chicago police district station. For a freeway crash, state troopers take reports at five CPD district stations, including the 1st District at 1718 S. State Street. IDOT says drivers no longer need to send it a separate Illinois Motorist Report. Read more about [police reports](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/police-report/).

## Claims against the City of Chicago

If a city vehicle or a city road defect played a part, the deadline is shorter. Under the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, a lawsuit against a local public body, such as the City, or its employee generally must be filed within 1 year of the injury. The same Act gives local governments several forms of immunity, which can limit what the City must pay. The limit is for filing the lawsuit in court, not for reporting the claim.

The City takes claims in two ways:

1. **Vehicle or property damage under $2,500.** File a paper claim with the Office of the City Clerk, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Room 107. There is no online option; the City Council's Committee on Finance can tell you its status.
2. **Injuries, and property damage of $2,500 or more.** File with the City's Claims Unit online, by email, mail, fax or in person. Its number is 312-744-5650.

The Claims Unit does not handle claims involving the CTA, the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Board of Education, Cook County or the State of Illinois (IDOT). Those bodies have their own processes, and a lawyer can tell you which deadline applies.

## Crashes in Chicago

The Chicago Department of Transportation counted 130 people killed and 1,896 seriously injured in crashes on Chicago streets in 2024; 45 of those killed were walking. These counts leave out the interstate expressways.

Many Chicagoans do not drive: in Census survey data for 2020-2024, 26.6% of households had no vehicle. People hit while walking or cycling usually claim against the driver's liability insurance, including after a "dooring" crash, when a cyclist hits an opened car door. See [pedestrian accidents](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/accidents/pedestrian-accidents/).

## Where a lawsuit is filed

Chicago crash lawsuits are filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Its Law Division, at the Richard J. Daley Center, hears claims over $30,000; smaller claims go to the Civil Division.

Some cases go through the court's mandatory arbitration program before trial. A neutral arbitrator or panel, made up of practicing lawyers or retired judges, hears the evidence and issues an award. Any party who took part can reject it and go to trial. Downtown hearings are held at 222 N. LaSalle Street. See [filing a lawsuit](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/filing-a-lawsuit/) for the steps.

## Finding a lawyer in Chicago

The Chicago Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service at (312) 554-2001 for Cook County and nearby counties. If you meet the lawyer it refers, the lawyer collects $30 at the first consultation for the service; any further fee is agreed with the lawyer. The CBA also runs a free Call-A-Lawyer phone line, usually on the third Saturday of the month.

Before hiring anyone, look the lawyer up in the [ARDC Lawyer Search](https://www.iardc.org/Lawyer/Search), which shows whether a lawyer is licensed in Illinois and any public discipline.

## FAQ

### How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Chicago?

Generally 2 years from the crash for injuries, 5 years for vehicle damage and 2 years from the date of death for wrongful death. A lawsuit against the City of Chicago or its employees generally must be filed within 1 year.

### How do I get a Chicago police crash report?

A copy of a Chicago Police Department crash report costs $6. Older and paper reports come from CPD's Records Customer Service Section at 3510 South Michigan Avenue. Freeway crashes are reported by the Illinois State Police.

### What if a City of Chicago vehicle hit me?

You can file a claim with the City Clerk for vehicle damage under $2,500, or with the City's Claims Unit for injuries and larger damage. If it does not settle, the lawsuit generally must be filed within 1 year.

### Do I have to report a crash if the police did not come?

Yes, if it caused a death, an injury or more than $1,500 of property damage ($500 if a driver was uninsured). The report is due within 10 days, and you can make it at a Chicago police district station.

### Is Illinois a no-fault state?

No. Illinois is an at-fault state, so you claim against the driver who caused the crash. Your damages are reduced by your own share of fault, and you recover nothing above 50%.

## Sources

- [Chicago Police Department, Special Order S04-07: Preliminary Investigations - Traffic Crashes](https://directives.chicagopolice.org/api/publicDirective/6124) — crash reports taken at district stations
- [Illinois Department of Transportation, Crash Reports](https://idot.illinois.gov/form-and-reports/crash-reports.html) — the Illinois Motorist Report is no longer required
- [Circuit Court of Cook County, Mandatory Arbitration Program](https://www.cookcountycourt.org/department/mandatory-arbitration-program) — how court arbitration works
- [Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Civil Division](https://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/divisions/civil-division) — cases seeking less than $30,000
- [Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, Lawyer Search](https://www.iardc.org/Lawyer/Search)
- [Illinois General Assembly, 735 ILCS 5/13-202](https://www.ilga.gov/Documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/073500050k13-202.htm), checked October 29, 2026
- [Illinois General Assembly, 745 ILCS 10/8-101(a) (Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act)](https://www.ilga.gov/Documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/074500100K8-101.htm), checked October 29, 2026
- [Illinois General Assembly, 735 ILCS 5/13-205 (text via courtrules.net)](https://www.courtrules.net/illinois/illinois-code-civil-procedure/rule-13-205), checked October 29, 2026
- [Illinois General Assembly, Wrongful Death Act, 740 ILCS 180/2](https://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2059), checked October 29, 2026
- [Illinois General Assembly, 735 ILCS 5/2-1116](https://ilga.gov/Documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/073500050K2-1116.htm), checked October 29, 2026
- [Chicago Police Department, Traffic Crash Reports](https://www.chicagopolice.org/traffic-crash-reports/), checked October 29, 2026
- [Chicago Department of Transportation, Chicago Traffic Crashes Annual Report (published fall 2025)](https://api.chicago.gov/filenet5/servlets/getDocumentContent?applicationId=CompleteStreets&documentId=%7B805EE69A-0000-C518-8777-D32746FEA322%7D), checked October 29, 2026
- [Chicago Bar Association, Lawyer Referral Service](https://www.chicagobar.org/CBA/Legal_Help_for_the_Public/Lawyer_Referral_Service.aspx), checked October 29, 2026
- [Illinois State Police, Obtain a Crash Report by Mail](https://isp.illinois.gov/CrashReports/Mail), checked October 29, 2026
- [Illinois State Police, Crash Reports](https://isp.illinois.gov/CrashReports), checked October 29, 2026
- [City of Chicago Department of Law, Claims](https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dol/provdrs/claims.html), checked October 29, 2026
- [Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Law Division](https://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/divisions/law-division), checked October 29, 2026
- [Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists](https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists), checked October 28, 2026
- [U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, Table DP04 (Selected housing characteristics)](https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=160XX00US1714000), checked October 28, 2026