Top-Rated Naperville Personal Injury, Environmental, and Business Attorneys

Great Lawyers. Great Results.

We are one of the most highly awarded law firms in Naperville with outstanding case results to match. Over the years, we have won over $1.354 billion in settlements and verdicts. Our environmental, personal injury, and business attorneys have some of the best legal minds in the country and utilize every legal strategy available to get you the results you deserve. Equally importantly, we treat clients like family and are dedicated to fighting for justice every single day.

Record-Setting $363 Million Verdict

Our record-setting $363 million verdict in Kamuda v. Sterigenics U.S. LLC, et al., was honored by Top Verdict as 2022’s:

  • #1 verdict in Illinois in ALL PRACTICE AREAS
  • 2nd highest PERSONAL INJURY VERDICT in the U.S.
  • 10th highest jury verdict in ALL PRACTICE AREAS in the United
  • This record setting verdict was also the LARGEST EVER single plaintiff verdict in Illinois.

In 2023, our environmental attorneys helped secure a $408 million dollar settlement in a toxic tort case in Illinois. As a co-lead of the Plaintiffs Executive Committee in the In re Willowbrook Ethylene Oxide Litigation, Collins Law partner Shawn Collins was pivotal in negotiating this 9-figure settlement for more than 800 plaintiffs who had contracted cancer after breathing carcinogenic ethylene oxide from a Sterigenics facility in their community.

$408 Million Dollar Settlement

Our personal injury attorneys, led by partners Edward Manzke and John Risvold, have had their car and truck accident settlements listed on Top Verdict’s Top 20 Settlements in Illinois and Top 100 Settlements in the United States. And our commercial law division, helmed by partner Robert Dawidiuk, has an outstanding record of successes for our many business clients.

Nationally Recognized for Excellence

Our firm was a national finalist in The National Law Journal ‘s Elite Trial Lawyers Awards in the Mass Torts category in 2023. For years, we have also been ranked nationally and as a “Best Law Firm” by Best Lawyers, including these rankings in 2024:

Nationally
  • Recognized for Environmental Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions.
Chicago Region
  • Recognized for Personal Injury Litigation, Environmental Litigation, and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions.
Top Rated Attorneys

Our attorneys are also regularly recognized for excellence in the law, including:

  • Shawn Collins and Margaret Galka received the 2023 Trial Lawyer Excellence Award for obtaining the “Highest Reported Illinois Verdict or Settlement for an Individual Plaintiff” from the Jury Verdict Reporter and Law Bulletin Media.
  • Shawn Collins was chosen as a national Environmental MVP for 2023 by Law 360 due to his work on the Sterigenics litigation in Cook County. IL.
  • Edward Manzke, Shawn Collins, and John Risvold have been designated as “Best Lawyers” in the United States.
  • Shawn Collins, Edward Manzke, John Risvold, Margaret Galka, Norm Berger, and John Sopuch have all been honored as “Super Lawyers” in Illinois.
  • Robert Dawidiuk and Shawn Collins have been selected as “Leading Lawyers” for their work.
  • Shawn Collins has also been chosen as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association, one of the Nation’s Top Attorneys by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, and a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.
Free Consultations - 150 Years of
 Combined Experience

When you need a great lawyer who gets great results, contact us. Our record of big wins and five-star reviews from clients speak for themselves. Call us (630) 527-1595 or fill out our contact form for a FREE CONSULTATION if you or a loved one is suffering due to:

Enviromental contamination

Environmental contamination that is making you and your family sick or damaging your property value.

wrongful death

The wrongful death of a loved one.

Personal Injury

Most people seriously injured in an accident simply wish they could have their life back the way it was before they were hurt or disabled. Unfortunately, we do not have the power to turn back time here at The Collins Law Firm. What we do have are tough, experienced personal injury attorneys who will fight to get you the maximum compensation for your injuries. We realize that this is not the same thing as turning back the clock to a time before you were injured, but it does give you a measure of justice. Whether you or your loved one were harmed by a car accident, a defective product, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse or a slip and fall accident, we can help you fight for your rights against the person or company responsible. Our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys know how to deal with insurance companies, gather all the necessary evidence, prove the other party was at fault, and negotiate a just settlement for you--or argue your case in court, if the responsible party does not offer a just settlement. If you have been the victim of an accident caused by someone else's negligence, call our Naperville, IL personal injury attorneys and start fighting back.

Car Accidents

Getting in your car and driving is becoming more hazardous every day. Drunk drivers, overworked and exhausted truck drivers, inexperienced rideshare drivers, distracted drivers (especially those on their smart phones), and irresponsible teen drivers can cause serious car accidents. These accidents happen every day in Illinois, and they wreak havoc in people's lives. In 2016 alone, 11,623 people were seriously injured in car crashes and 1078 were killed in traffic accidents in Illinois. Whether you have been struck while driving a car, riding a motorcycle, sitting on a bus or even crossing the street, our experienced Naperville car accident attorneys can help you prove that the other driver acted negligently and that you were injured as a result. We have decades of experience negotiating with insurance companies and getting the maximum recovery in car accidents. We will fight to get you fair compensation for lost income, medical bills, disability, and pain and suffering caused by the car crash, so you can focus on your recovery and move on with your life.

Wrongful Death

There is no greater loss than losing a loved one. This tragedy is compounded when the death could have been avoided. Grieving families who lose a loved one as a result of another person or company's negligence want answers and may wish to pursue justice by filing a wrongful death lawsuit. This is where the Collins Law Firm can help. Our experienced attorneys will handle your wrongful death case with sensitivity and compassion. We are very familiar with all kinds of wrongful death claims--including those caused by car accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, and nursing home abuse--and know how to collect the necessary evidence to prove who was at fault. We will get you the answers you need and fight to get you the maximum compensation for your losses. Our compassionate wrongful death attorneys understand that this will never bring back your loved one, but we can give you a measure of justice, and, hopefully, help prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Many families have to rely on a nursing home to care for aging parents, and they agonize over choosing the right facility for their loved one. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect is on the rise, and some facilities in Illinois fail to provide safe, adequate care for their residents. When nursing home facilities fail to select competent staff, patients may be physically abused by their caregivers and end up with broken bones, concussions, internal injuries or worse. Uncaring or dishonest staff may abuse patients emotionally or financially. Overworked, underpaid or inexperienced staff may also neglect patients, leading to bed sores, untreated infections, medication errors, serious falls or even death. Most of this abuse and neglect goes unnoticed and unreported, and families are shocked when they discover the truth. When this happens, families must deal not only with their sadness but also the guilty feeling that they might have prevented this tragedy. Our dedicated nursing home attorneys understand what families go through and stand ready to hold accountable any nursing home responsible for injury to your loved one.

Medical Malpractice

When you are sick or injured, you turn to the medical profession for diagnosis and treatment, putting your trust in the doctor or hospital to get you well. Unfortunately, that trust is sometimes broken by the medical community, and your life can be forever changed as a result. Medical malpractice occurs when physicians or hospital staff fail to provide an acceptable standard of care to a patient, and that failure results in death or injury. And the sad fact is that this is not a rare occurrence. Thousands of people throughout the country die or are seriously injured every year by medical negligence. In fact, a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that medical errors were the third leading cause of death in the United States. That means that a staggering number of grieving families may have a medical malpractice claim. In tragic situations like this, families turn to The Collins Law Firm for justice. Our compassionate, experienced medical malpractice attorneys know how to navigate these typically complex cases, supporting the victim and family members while getting to the bottom of what happened, and making the physicians or hospitals take responsibility for the harm they have caused.

Slip and Fall / Premises Liability

Business owners and landlords have an obligation to keep their business premises free of dangerous conditions that could harm patrons or tenants. Wet and slippery floors, broken or uneven flooring or stairs, loose railings, inadequate lighting in a stairwell, or poorly maintained parking lots are all conditions which could lead to a fall and subsequent injury. Customers who are seriously injured in a fall which results in surgery, broken bones, internal injuries, significant physical therapy or a long, difficult recovery period need an experienced premises liability attorney who can help them recover the maximum compensation. Our Naperville personal injury attorneys have a long track record of helping injured clients recover for damages such as lost wages, medical bills, disfigurement and pain and suffering.

Environmental Litigation

Most families never think about environmental contamination affecting them until, one day, they get a notice from a government agency or a company informing them that their property or drinking water might be contaminated with toxins. Or worse yet, they read in the newspaper that the air or groundwater in their neighborhood is contaminated with a cancer causing chemical. When that happens, people feel violated. They come to The Collins Law Firm afraid and looking for answers and for help protecting their family from the toxic chemicals that threaten their health. Fortunately, our dedicated environmental litigation attorneys know how to aid these families. We have decades of experience fighting big corporate polluters and winning. We fight to win clean water, clean air, property damage settlements, and meaningful contamination clean-up efforts for our families. We also help people who have contracted cancer or other serious illnesses, as a result of toxic exposure, win compensation for the harm that the polluters have caused. If you are suffering because of toxic chemical contamination, it is critical that you do not wait. Reach out to our experienced environmental attorneys as soon as possible to protect yourself and your family.

Vapor Intrusion

People used to believe that if they relied on a municipal water supply in their homes, they were not in danger from a plume of contaminated groundwater underneath their property. However, we now know this is not necessarily true. If the groundwater underneath your home is shallow and is contaminated with a chemical called a volatile organic compound -- meaning it can turn into a gas-then that chemical can turn into toxic vapors, rise up through the soil and get into your home through cracks in the foundation-a process called "vapor intrusion". If that happens, the toxic vapors may contaminate the air you breathe right in your own home and present a threat to your family's health. In these frightening situations, the experienced vapor intrusion attorneys at The Collins Law Firm know exactly how to help. We fight to get our clients clean air by insisting the polluter supply affected homes with vapor mitigation systems, which protect the homes from vapor contamination, and we win them compensation for the loss in property values which happen when a neighborhood is known to be contaminated. Moreover, we fight to get the polluter to clean up their contamination at the source. And if a family member has gotten sick with cancer or another serious illness because of toxic vapors, we fight for them, too, making the polluter compensate them for causing their illness.

Groundwater Contamination

One right most people take for granted is the right to clean water. For some families who come to The Collins Law Firm, however, that right has been taken away by a corporate polluter in their neighborhood. Usually, the scenario goes like this. The facility-sometimes many years ago-has dumped toxic chemicals in an illegal or careless fashion on their property. The chemicals over time have leached down through the ground and contaminated the area groundwater which flows to neighborhood homes. If the homes are on private wells, the families are unknowingly drinking, cooking with and bathing in contaminated water. Our committed, groundwater contamination attorneys are very familiar with this kind of case. We help worried families with contaminated groundwater get answers, a clean drinking water source, and compensation for their property losses. We force the polluters to clean up the original source of contamination and compensate family members who have contracted cancer or another serious illness because of exposure to the toxins in their water.

Environmental Cancer / Toxic Tort

Every year scientists learn more and more about the dangers that toxic chemicals pose to our health. For example, we now know that many of these chemicals are carcinogenic to humans. That is why it is essential that you contact the experienced toxic tort lawyers at The Collins Law Firm if you believe you may have been made ill by exposure to toxins--whether in the air you breathe or the water you drink. Chemicals like TCE, PCE, benzene, toluene, ethylene oxide, PCB, vinyl chloride, xylene, PFOA/PFOS and MTBE can all cause serious illness, and even cancer. If you are sick, we can help you find out if toxic pollution in your community is the reason. We have years of experience filing claims for families whose lives have been devastated by exposure to toxic chemicals. Our environmental toxic tort lawyers fight for justice and compensation for individuals who have contracted cancer and families who have lost a loved one to cancer because of exposure to toxins. Families from all over the country seek us out because we know how to make polluters take responsibility for harming people with their toxic pollution.

Landfill Contamination

In addition to being eyesores, landfills can pose many dangers to surrounding neighborhoods. Older, unlined landfills can leak toxins into the groundwater. Those toxins can contaminate people's drinking water or the air they breathe via vapor intrusion. Methane gas from the landfill can build up in nearby homes and--because it is highly flammable-- can run the risk of exploding. Even landfills without these serious issues can devalue neighborhood properties because of the overwhelming smells and mess that drift off their property. Our landfill contamination attorneys represent families who have been affected by landfill contamination and want to see the landfills clean up their act. We help these families fight the landfill and recover compensation for any damage they might have suffered because of the landfill's negligence.

Ethylene Oxide and Air Pollution

Air pollution is one of the most difficult environmental dangers to combat because it is often impossible for a community to know if a corporate polluter has been emitting toxic chemicals--like ethylene oxide--into the air. This is because many toxic chemicals are colorless and odorless. Unfortunately, the consequences of years of undetected exposure to airborne toxins can be huge. Cancers, lung diseases, asthma, cardiac problems and other health issues can all be caused by long-term, low level, chronic exposure to industrial air toxins like benzene, ethlylene oxide, perchlorethylene, trichlorethylene, dioxin, and asbestos. When families discover that their air is contaminated with a toxic chemical, they come to The Collins Law Firm because their health and their homes are at risk. Our experienced air pollution attorneys can litigate to force the polluter to stop endangering people's health and win compensation for health issues caused by the company's air pollution.

Bet-the-Company / High Stakes Litigation

You have spent years building your company. It's an important part of who you are - not only as a C.E.O. or Founder, but also as a person. But when you've been sued, a lawsuit can threaten everything you've worked so hard for. Our commercial litigation attorneys focus on saving your business - not just winning your court case. We take an aggressive, creative, and comprehensive approach to helping you manage the legal and non-legal aspects of business-threatening litigation. Beginning with our initial counseling session, and throughout our relationship, we will help you evaluate your options and work with you to determine a course of action which preserves your time and resources. When the life of your business is in jeopardy, let us help you reach a successful resolution - as soon as possible.

Partnership Disputes

Business people experience an all-consuming sense of betrayal when they have been deceived by a business partner. Whether your business partner has opened a business which directly competes with yours, has improperly taken funds out of your business, or has left with a major customer, it is important that the situation be resolved quickly. Put your trust in our business attorneys to help you accomplish this. We'll work with you to develop a course of action which will resolve your partnership dispute by exhausting all non-legal options, undertaking emergency injunctive relief, exploring options for alternative dispute resolution, or fast-tracking your issue for litigation. We understand the legal, monetary, and emotional toll partnership matters can impose on our clients. Trust us with your legal matters so you can focus on the profitability of your company.

Breach of Contract

Promises are the lifeblood of your business. Every business depends on contracts, written or unwritten, to work with customers, vendors, partners, and employees. When you bring our experienced business lawyers a contract problem, we consider not only the dispute, but also your relationship with the party to the contract. We'll help you to determine if it is in the interest of your business to have the contract enforced in a court of law. Should you determine it is in the best interest of your business to end a contractual relationship which no longer serves you, we will aggressively represent your interests in that way, too.

Compassionate Lawyers Dedicated to Helping You When You Need It Most

Our experienced Naperville personal injury lawyers are ready to fight on your behalf and pursue the full compensation you deserve for your injuries. Call The Collins Law Firm at (630) 527-1595 (dial extension 221 for Shawn Collins or 226 for Edward Manzke) to schedule a free consultation and discuss your case with a member of our team.

Learn More About Our Attorney Referral Program
Client Reviews
★★★★★
Shawn Collins is a very talented lawyer, as are all the attorneys on his team. I've known and worked with Shawn for more that 30 years. Not only is he a top notch technical litigator but his communication skills are second to none. If anyone I know is ever in need of an attorney, Shawn is my very first recommendation. He gives very solid advice that goes beyond the law. He is someone you can trust to tell you the truth so you are not lead astray in the complex legal world. You really can't find a better advocate. E.M.
★★★★★
We were incredibly satisfied with our experience with The Collins Law Firm. We worked closely with Ed Manzke and found that he had a personal touch and truly got to know us in addition to being knowledgeable and effective in his field. The caring and individual attitude helped us tremendously throughout the entire process and we always felt like our case was in safe hands. We would highly recommend The Collins Law Firm for both its stellar work and dedicated employees. M.A.
★★★★★
My father recommended The Collins Law Firm to me after watching Shawn Collins and Ed Manzke at trial representing Lisle residents against Lockformer. For years, he told us courtroom tales about Shawn and Ed, citing their incredible skill as trial lawyers and how they put the huge Lockformer legal team to shame. So when my son was the victim of a wrongful death, they were my first and only choice. I can't say enough to truly express how grateful I am to The Collin's Law Firm for all that they did for me and my family. This amazing team advocated for me in my darkest moments, surpassing my expectations in every way. I will be forever grateful to Shawn and Ed. K.D.
★★★★★
I have worked with Rob, Shawn and The Collins Law Firm team in connection with both complex business transactions and litigation over the past several years. Shawn is far and away the best business litigation attorney I have worked with. Rob has been our lead attorney on M&A and corporate restructures, and he has delivered each time, and on time. I would highly recommend Rob to get the deal done! W.D.
★★★★★
Rob has been our out-side General Counsel for ten years. As a business with a global presence, it is important that we have the very best legal representation. Rob and the team have guided us through litigation battles, negotiating and drafting our important business contracts, and advising us in our business strategies. He has a great team of lawyers working with him. M.F.
Members of:
Illinois State Bar Association
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
The Chicago Bar Association
DuPage County Bar
The American Association for Justice
Firm News
Law 360 MVP

Our legal work on important cases results in news coverage and national recognition. Recent news includes:

  • Shawn Collins was selected as a Law 360 Environmental MVP for 2023 for his work as co-counsel in the Kamuda v. Sterigenics et al trial that secured a $363 million verdict for the plaintiff, as well as his work as co-lead of the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in In Re: Willowbrook Ethylene Oxide Litigation, that reached a $408 million settlement for 800+ plaintiffs. This honor is reserved for only 5 attorneys across the country.
  • Collins Law Firm attorneys Shawn Collins and Margaret Galka will be honored with the JVR Excellence Award for the Highest Reported Verdict or Settlement since 2022 at Jury Verdict Reporter's Trial Lawyer Excellence Awards in Chicago.
  • The firm's record-setting $363 million verdict in Kamuda v. Sterigenics et al. garnered a place as a Top 10 Jury Verdict in all Practice Areas the U.S., the Number 2 Personal Injury Verdict in the U.S. and the Number 1 Jury Verdict in Illinois for 2022 as announced by Top Verdict.
  • Firm was named a finalist for The National Law Journal and ALM/Law.com's 2023 Elite Trial Lawyers Awards in the mass torts category.

Over the years, our cases have been covered by CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, the BBC, USA Today, the London Daily Mail, the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Herald, the Naperville Sun, the Star Tribune, the Wisconsin State Journal, the Detroit News, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and more. Moreover, our attorneys are regularly consulted by the media for their legal opinion and recognized in the press for their awards.

Featured In
Badge
Badge
Badge
Badge
Badge
Badge
Video Library
Video Player
Environmental Contamination in Your Home? 10 Questions to Ask

After 20 years as an environmental lawyer, I have found ten essential questions to ask if you've been exposed to toxic chemicals: 1) What is the chemical and how dangerous is it? 2) How long has my family been exposed? 3) Will I still be able to sell my home? 4) Who is the polluter? 5) How long has the polluter known about the contamination? 6) How long has government known? 7) Can the contamination be cleaned up? 8) Who is going to clean up the contamination? 9) How long will it take to clean up the contamination? 10) How do I protect my family right now and do I need a lawyer? The attorneys at The Collins Law Firm can get you answers to all of these questions.

Illinois Personal Injury Blog
Contact Us
  1. 1 Free Consultation - Available 24/7
  2. 2 We'll Come to You! Home & Hospital Visits Available
  3. 3 No Fees Unless You Win for Injury and Environmental Cases

Fill out the contact form or call us at (630) 527-1595 to schedule your free consultation.