Why DIY Deeds Seem Appealing—but Often Backfire

Many people want their home to pass smoothly to their children or loved ones without going through probate—the court process for distributing a person’s assets after they die. One common strategy is adding someone else to your property deed so the house transfers to them automatically at death.
But while this may sound simple, do‑it‑yourself deeds are one of the most common sources of estate headaches. A small mistake can invalidate the deed, cause costly delays, and even send your property to someone you never intended. At Rincker Law, we regularly help families…
Continue Reading DIY Property Deeds Can Cost You | Avoid Probate Mistakes

Property that is deemed non-marital in an Illinois divorce cannot be divided. But, what if that property has increased in value during the marriage? Does the increase in value during the marriage make the property marital? Is the increase in value, itself, marital property because it came into existence during the marriage? Under 750 ILCS 5/503(a)(7), the increase in value of non-marital property remains non-marital, regardless of what caused the increase. However, the marital estate may be entitled to reimbursement under 750 ILCS 5/503(c)(1)(A)(ii) if marital funds or a spouse’s personal effort contributed to that non-marital asset’s appreciation. This reimbursement…
Continue Reading Appreciation of Non-Marital Assets in Illinois Divorce: Who Gets the Increase in Value?

The Complete Guide to Personal Injury Claims in Illinois

A straightforward, experience-backed guide from a Chicago firm that has been fighting for injury victims since 1945.

Introduction: Why We Wrote This Guide

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured because of another person’s carelessness, you are probably overwhelmed. Medical bills are stacking up. You might not be able to work. Insurance adjusters are calling. And you have no idea where to start.

We created this guide because we believe information is the first step toward justice. At Phillips Law Offices, we have spent more than 76 years…
Continue Reading The Complete Guide to Personal Injury Claims in Illinois: What You Need to Know

An 80,000-Pound Problem Most Lawyers Don’t Know How to Handle

Picture this: It’s nighttime on an Illinois interstate. A curve in the road ahead. A tandem trailer, the second one, has come uncoupled from the rig in front of it. No lights. No flares. No reflectors. It’s just sitting there, resting on the edge of the travel lane, invisible in the dark.

A truck driver is heading home. He’s a family man, the kind of guy who opens his house to homeless families during the holidays. He never sees the trailer. The impact kills him instantly.

His family fought for…
Continue Reading Why Trucking Accidents Are Far More Complicated Than a Car Crash: What Illinois Victims Need to Know

Phillips Law Offices · Chicago, Illinois · Founded 1945Based on Episode 2 of Navigating Negligence, the Phillips Law Offices podcast

A Family Man Goes to Work and Never Comes Home

He was an electrician. A husband. A father of two. Every morning, he kissed his wife goodbye, drove to a warehouse construction site in the Chicago suburbs, and did the work that keeps buildings running. He was good at his job. He followed the rules. He trusted that the people running the site were keeping it safe.

One day, he climbed onto a scissor lift, a common piece of…
Continue Reading Construction Accidents in Illinois: Your Rights When Safety Rules Are Broken on the Job Site

A Woman Lost Her Life, and Her Family Lost Millions Because of One Coverage Decision

She was a high-earning executive. A mother of two. She was driving on a two-lane road when another driver crossed the center line and killed her.

Her family’s claim was worth millions. But her uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage maxed out at $500,000. That was it. There was no second chance, no appeals process, no way to go back and buy more coverage after the fact.

Five hundred thousand dollars for a life. For two children who would grow up without their mother.

Managing partner Steve Phillips,…
Continue Reading Insurance Mistakes After a Car Accident in Illinois: What Could Cost You Everything

“Run, Forrest, Run”, That’s What a 41-Year Veteran Attorney Says About Social Media During a Lawsuit

A woman had a small personal injury case. A scar on her face from an accident. Her attorneys at Phillips Law Offices told her clearly: do not post on social media.

She posted anyway.

Attorney Steven J. Phillips sent a settlement demand to the insurance company. The next morning, their response arrived. Exhibit A was a photo from the client’s own Facebook page, showing her face looking perfectly fine.

The insurance company offered less money. One photo. One post. That’s all it took.

Steve…
Continue Reading How Social Media Can Destroy Your Personal Injury Case (Even if Your Account Is Private)

You’ve Heard the Myths. Here’s What Chicago Attorneys With 70+ Years of Experience Actually Say.

“Spill coffee, make a million.” You’ve heard it at a barbecue, read it in a comment section, or maybe your uncle said it at Thanksgiving dinner. It’s one of those lines that gets tossed around so casually that most people accept it as truth, along with a dozen other myths about personal injury law that couldn’t be further from reality.

At Phillips Law Offices, we’ve been practicing personal injury law in Chicago since 1945. Managing partner Steve Phillips has spent more than 41 years trying…
Continue Reading 7 Personal Injury Myths Exposed by Chicago Attorneys With 70+ Years of Experience

“Good Luck, Mr. Phillips.” He Didn’t Need Luck.

When Steve Phillips told the opposing lawyers he was going to prove their client’s trucking company was part of a web of interconnected shell companies, they laughed. Literally laughed. “Good luck,” they said.

They stopped laughing when the judge, peering over his glasses halfway through Steve’s presentation, said: “Is anybody really here claiming that these companies aren’t interrelated?”

That case started as a $1 million claim. It settled for $4 million. And it happened because an attorney refused to accept what a trucking company told him at face value.

This is the…
Continue Reading How Trucking Companies Use Shell Companies to Avoid Paying Accident Victims

Your commercial driver’s license is more than just a license. It is your livelihood. Losing it, even temporarily, can mean losing your job, your income, and your ability to support your family. CDL holders are held to a much higher standard than regular drivers, and certain traffic violations can trigger disqualification even if the violation happened in a personal vehicle. 
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, CDL holders must meet strict requirements under 49 CFR Part 383, which sets federal standards for commercial driver licensing across all states. Illinois mirrors these federal standards under 625 ILCS 5/6-514…
Continue Reading What Traffic Violations Can Disqualify a CDL in Illinois?

Being hurt in a serious truck accident can change your life in an instant. The injuries are often severe, the recovery is long, and the financial pressure can feel overwhelming. When a crash happens because a truck driver was too tired to react or too distracted to pay attention, that is not just an accident. It is negligence, and whoever is responsible should be held accountable.
According to the FMCSA’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study, 13 percent of commercial motor vehicle drivers were considered fatigued at the time of a serious crash. Distraction and inattention also rank among the…
Continue Reading Serious Truck Accidents Are Caused by Driver Fatigue and Distraction

While some people see the end of their marriage approaching, others find that divorce is unexpected. But whether they are ready to divorce or not, people often express feeling blindsided by the legal complexities and financial costs of dissolving their marriage.
Divorce can be expensive and difficult, but one way to make the process easier is through mediation. If couples are able to work together with a trained mediator to resolve the issues in their divorce, they can complete the process much more quickly and efficiently.
At A. Traub & Associates, our Schaumburg, IL divorce attorneys work on providing…
Continue Reading 4 Benefits of Divorce Mediation

Most people arrested for drug possession in Joliet believe they’re facing relatively minor consequences. They’re wrong. Illinois treats controlled substance possession as a serious felony crime with harsh penalties including years in prison and fines up to twenty-five thousand dollars. Even first-time offenders with small amounts of cocaine, heroin, or prescription pills face Class 4 felony charges carrying one to three years incarceration. The misconception that drug possession is “just a misdemeanor” or will result in probation automatically leaves defendants unprepared for the reality of Illinois’s controlled substance laws and the aggressive prosecution they face in Will County courtrooms.
Consider…
Continue Reading Drug Possession Charges in Joliet: What Most People Get Wrong About Illinois Controlled Substance Laws

Divorce During Planting Season: How Illinois Farmers Can Protect Their Operation is a critical topic for agricultural families across Central Illinois. For farmers in communities such as Champaign, Springfield, Bloomington, Decatur, Shelbyville, Effingham, and surrounding rural areas, planting season is one of the most demanding and financially significant times of the year. When divorce arises during this period, it can create serious disruptions not only for the family but also for the farm’s operations, income, and long-term viability.
Why Planting Season Complicates Divorce
Planting season is not just another time of year for farmers. It is the foundation for the…
Continue Reading Divorce During Planting Season: How Illinois Farmers Can Protect Their Operation

Modifying Parenting Plans Before Summer Break in Illinois: What Parents Should Know is an important topic for parents across Central Illinois as the school year comes to an end. For families in Champaign, Springfield, Bloomington, Decatur, Shelbyville, Effingham, and nearby communities, summer brings schedule changes, vacations, and new childcare needs. If your current parenting plan no longer fits your family’s situation, it may be time to consider a modification.
Why Summer Is a Key Time for Parenting Plan Changes
Summer break often introduces a completely different routine for children and parents. School schedules are replaced with camps, travel, and extended…
Continue Reading Modifying Parenting Plans Before Summer Break in Illinois: What Parents Should Know

One of the more memorable films in Chicago has a connection to Ankin Law.  That’s because of the filming location of one of the most memorable scenes of the film, which happened around the personal injury law firm’s office in the Loop. “The Fugitive” was a 1993 filmed that followed Dr. Richard Kimble’s travels through Chicago to prove his innocence in his wife’s murder. He was gathering clues for his case while the FBI was trying to bring him into custody. One of the major scenes features Kimble, portrayed by Harrison Ford, trying to elude FBI agents, one of which…
Continue Reading How Ankin Law’s Office Found Its Way Into a Major Chicago Movie