If you were hurt in a crash, a fall, or by someone else's carelessness in Madison, here are the personal injury firms that show up again and again across peer rankings and client reviews.
Updated January 29, 202611 min readEditorially independent
Getting hurt because of someone else's carelessness changes your week, sometimes your year. Medical bills arrive, you miss work, and an insurance adjuster calls sounding friendly while quietly working to pay you as little as possible. A good personal injury lawyer evens that out.
In Wisconsin, almost every personal injury firm works on contingency, which means you pay nothing up front and the lawyer's fee comes out of the recovery — usually around a third, more if the case goes to trial. So the real question is not whether you can afford a lawyer, but which one will actually move your case and try it if the insurer lowballs you.
We looked at the firms handling injury claims in Madison and Dane County, cross-checked them against Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Avvo, Justia and Best of Madison recognition plus each firm's own reported results, and pulled together the ones that consistently come up. Here is who made the list, what they focus on, and what injury help tends to cost here.
How we picked these 7: We cross-referenced peer rankings and directories (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia, Expertise.com, FindLaw) and each firm's own published practice pages. Every firm below appeared in at least two independent sources and has a verifiable Madison-area personal injury practice. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
1
Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C.
150 E. Gilman St., MadisonBest of Madison 2025Statewide injury firm
Practice focus: Serious personal injury, car and truck accidents, medical malpractice and wrongful death.
With its Madison office at 150 East Gilman Street and more than nine decades of statewide history, Habush Habush & Rottier was named Best Law Firm in Madison by Best of Madison in 2025. The Madison office is co-managed by Eric J. Ryberg, a board-certified civil trial advocate on the Super Lawyers list since 2013.
Why they made the list: Wisconsin's best-known injury firm, with the trial record and resources to back the biggest cases.
Practice focus: Serious personal injury, wrongful death and civil-rights litigation across Wisconsin.
Gingras, Thomsen & Wachs has represented Madison residents for more than 35 years and reports recovering over $200 million for clients, with offices serving the Madison, Milwaukee, Eau Claire and Waukesha areas. The firm pairs injury work with a notable civil-rights practice.
Why they made the list: A long-established trial firm with a large reported recovery total and a contingency-fee structure.
Practice focus: Personal injury, nursing-home neglect and wrongful death for injured Wisconsin clients.
Founded in 2004 by Michele Vaughan and Matthew Boller, who bring more than 40 years of combined experience, Boller & Vaughan focuses on injury and nursing-home-neglect cases in the Madison area. The firm is well reviewed across the directories and works on contingency.
Why they made the list: A focused injury and nursing-home-neglect practice led by two experienced trial lawyers.
Practice focus: Personal injury, with a concentration on motor-vehicle and serious-injury claims.
William M. Pemberton founded the firm in 2006 and has been named a Wisconsin Super Lawyer for 12 consecutive years. The practice concentrates on injury claims for Madison-area clients and offers free case evaluations.
Why they made the list: A consistently recognized injury attorney with a long, unbroken Super Lawyers run.
Madison, WIFounder: Robert KasietaInjury & employment
Practice focus: Personal injury and employment law, with individualized attention to each case.
Kasieta Legal Group, led by Robert Kasieta, offers Madison clients personal attention on injury and employment matters. The firm positions itself as a smaller practice where the named attorney stays close to the file rather than handing it off.
Why they made the list: A smaller firm option for clients who want direct contact with the lead attorney.
Practice focus: Motor-vehicle and motorcycle accidents and other serious-injury claims across Wisconsin.
Hupy and Abraham is a large multi-office Wisconsin injury firm serving Madison, with more than 1,000 positive Google reviews and a strong motorcycle-accident practice. Its scale means resources and staffing, so ask who specifically handles your file.
Why they made the list: High client-review volume and a deep injury and motorcycle-accident practice.
Practice focus: Personal injury and workers' compensation for Madison and Dane County clients.
Atterbury, Kammer & Haag is a Madison firm handling personal injury alongside workers' compensation, which is useful when a single incident raises both kinds of claim. It appears among top injury firms serving the Madison area.
Why they made the list: Handles injury and workers' comp together — helpful for on-the-job injuries with a third party.
After a serious injury, the insurance company starts building its case against you immediately. Tell us what happened and we will connect you with a Madison firm that handles Wisconsin injury claims every day.
How to choose between them in Madison
Match the firm to your injury's size. A minor soft-tissue claim and a catastrophic brain injury call for different firms. Ask each one how many cases like yours — by injury and value — it has tried or settled recently.
Ask whether they try cases. Insurers track which firms actually go to trial. A firm with real trial wins tends to command better settlements. Ask for recent verdicts, not just a settlement total.
Confirm the contingency terms. Most Wisconsin injury firms charge around a third, rising if the case is filed or tried. Get the percentage, when it changes, and how case costs are handled in writing.
Find out who handles your file. At larger firms the lawyer you meet may not be the one doing the work. Ask for the name and direct contact of the attorney and paralegal who will run your case.
What personal injury help typically costs in Madison
Personal injury work in Madison is almost always contingency-based, so you pay no hourly rate and nothing up front. What matters is the percentage and how costs are handled. Rough expectations in Wisconsin:
Attorney fee: Commonly around 33% of the recovery if the case settles before a lawsuit, often rising to around 40% if a suit is filed or the case goes to trial.
Case costs: Records, accident reconstruction, and expert witnesses are billed separately and usually advanced by the firm, then repaid from the settlement.
No recovery, no fee: If the firm does not win or settle your case, you generally owe no attorney fee — confirm how costs are treated in that scenario.
What you net: Your take-home is the recovery minus the fee and case costs, so ask each firm to walk through a realistic net, not just the headline number.
Because the fee is contingent, a reputable firm only takes cases it believes in. If a firm pressures you to sign immediately or guarantees a number, treat that as a warning sign.
How long it takes
How long an injury case takes depends mostly on your medical recovery and whether the insurer fights. Rough expectations:
Medical treatment: A case should not settle until you reach maximum medical improvement, which can take months, so the full extent of your injury is known.
Demand and negotiation: Once treatment stabilizes, a demand and negotiation phase often runs a few months for a claim that settles without suit.
Lawsuit and discovery: If a suit is filed, discovery and depositions commonly add a year or more before trial.
Trial: Cases that go to a jury can take well over a year from filing, and a defense appeal can add more.
Red flags to watch for when hiring a personal injury lawyer in Madison
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees a win, a number, or a court ruling, walk away.
The disappearing senior partner. You meet a named partner at intake, then never hear from them again while an unsupervised junior runs the file. Ask in writing who handles your matter day to day.
Pressure to sign on the spot. Reputable firms give you the engagement letter in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a volume-mill signal.
No verifiable track record. Look for named results, peer rankings, board certifications, or bar recognition — not "we have helped thousands of clients."
Vague fees. Every legitimate firm will put the fee structure, what is covered, and what triggers extra charges in a written engagement letter.
10 questions to ask in your free consultation
Most of the firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial call. Use it. Bring a written list and write down the answers, then compare across two or three firms before you sign anything.
Who, specifically, will handle my matter day to day? Get a name and a direct email, not just the firm.
How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? You want a number, not a brochure line.
What is your fee, and what does it cover? Get the structure in writing before you sign.
What out-of-pocket costs am I responsible for, and when? Filing fees, records, and experts add up - ask now.
What is the realistic range of outcomes? A good lawyer gives a range; a weak one promises the high end.
How long will this take? An honest estimate, with the assumptions stated.
What is my deadline, and is it at risk? Many personal injury matters carry hard filing deadlines.
How often will I hear from you? Set the communication cadence now.
What can I do to help my own case? The best lawyers will give you homework.
What is the worst-case outcome? A lawyer who refuses to discuss downside risk is selling you something.
What to bring to your Madison consultation
You will get more out of the first call if you arrive organized. For most personal injury matters, gather:
A short written timeline. Dates, names, and what happened, in order.
The key documents. Any contracts, letters, agreements, court orders, or filings you have received.
Your correspondence. Relevant emails, texts, or messages - and do not delete anything.
Any deadlines you know about. A court date, a signing deadline, or an agency notice.
Your questions. The 10 above are a good place to start.
If you are not sure whether something is relevant, bring it anyway. It is easier for a lawyer to set aside what does not matter than to chase down what you left at home.
Talk to a vetted Personal Injury attorney in Madison
Tell us about your situation. We'll match you with one of these firms or a similar one. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Frequently asked questions about personal injury lawyers in Madison
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Madison?
Almost always a contingency fee — commonly about a third of the recovery, rising toward 40% if a lawsuit is filed or the case is tried. You pay nothing up front and generally nothing if you do not win.
How long do I have to file an injury claim in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin's statute of limitations for most personal-injury claims is generally three years, but some claims and parties have shorter notice deadlines. Talk to a lawyer early so you do not lose the right to file.
Should I take the insurance company's first offer?
Usually not without advice. First offers are typically low, and once you accept and sign a release you cannot reopen the claim. A lawyer can tell you whether an offer is fair for your injuries.
What is my case worth?
It depends on your medical bills, lost income, the severity and permanence of your injury, and the available insurance. Be skeptical of any lawyer who promises a specific number at the first meeting.
Do I have to go to court?
Most injury cases settle without a trial. But hiring a firm willing and able to try the case is often what produces a fair settlement in the first place.
What if I was partly at fault?
Wisconsin uses a modified comparative-negligence rule: you can still recover if you were not more at fault than the other party, though your recovery is reduced by your share. A lawyer can assess how this applies to you.
Will I owe money if we lose?
Under a contingency agreement you generally owe no attorney fee if there is no recovery. Ask specifically how unrecovered case costs are handled, since that varies by firm.
How soon should I call a lawyer after an accident?
As soon as you reasonably can. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and the insurer is already working. Early representation protects the claim while you focus on healing.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you a lot. — The LawFirmSquare team
LawFirmSquare is a directory. We do not represent clients or refer cases for a fee.
Helpful next steps
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