Posted on June 03, 2022 in Personal Injury

When an individual patronizes a bar, restaurant, nightclub, retail store, or other commercial business, he or she expects that the business will take reasonable steps to prevent customers from being harmed. However, not every business fulfills its duty to keep customers safe.

Negligent security lawsuits are brought against businesses and property owners when inadequate security causes a guest to be injured or killed. If you or a loved one were the victim of assault, battery, rape, or robbery because of a business’s substandard security measures, you may be able to file a premises liability claim on the basis of negligent security. You may be able to hold the at-fault party responsible for physical and mental injuries and recover financial compensation for your damages.

What Counts as Negligent Security?

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 Posted on May 23, 2022 in Workers' Compensation

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 2.7 million workplace injuries and illnesses in the year 2020. The agriculture, mining, utilities, construction, and manufacturing industries accounted for a significant portion of work-related injuries. However, a workplace accident or illness can happen to anyone in any profession.

If you or a loved one were hurt on the job, you may be exploring your options. Workers' compensation and personal injury laws can be complicated and hard to understand. Many people are especially confused by the role of liability in a work injury case.

Workers' Compensation is No-Fault in Illinois

Employees who are hurt on the job are typically entitled to workers' compensation as long as their injury is related to work duties, occurred at work, and happened while the employee was "on the clock." In Illinois, workers' compensation is no-fault. This means that the worker does not need to prove that an employer acted negligently or wrongfully to recover compensation.

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 Posted on May 13, 2022 in Wrongful Death

Nursing home residents should have access to consistently high-quality care. Unfortunately, not every nursing home provides the standard of care residents need and deserve. Stories of intentional nursing home abuse often make news headlines, but less attention is paid to nursing home neglect.

Nursing home neglect can be extremely dangerous, and in many cases, deadly. Residents who do not receive the medical attention and day-to-day care they need can suffer from new and worsened health concerns that significantly decrease their quality of life. In extreme cases, nursing home neglect is fatal.

Nursing Home Neglect Resulting in a Resident’s Untimely Death

Many people who live in nursing homes are elderly and in poor health. They need help with everyday tasks like eating meals, bathing, using the restroom, and getting in and out of bed. Most residents are also on one or more medications which must be administered regularly. When staff fails to provide the care and attention residents need, they can suffer profoundly. Some are unable to survive the consequences of the neglect. Examples of nursing home neglect that can be fatal include:

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 Posted on April 26, 2022 in Auto Accidents

Medical advancements have helped people live longer, healthier lives. Among these advancements are implantable medical devices like insulin pumps, pacemakers, and artificial joints. While most medical devices are safe and effective, sometimes there are unexpected problems with medical devices that put patients at risk of injury or even death. Defective medical devices can be extremely dangerous so it is important for anyone who uses a medical device to be aware of product recalls involving medical devices.

Defective and Dangerous Medical Devices

Whether it is a metal rod used to keep bones in place after a break, a pump that delivers medication, or another type of medical device, it can be unnerving to have a foreign object implanted in your body. Sometimes, this hesitation is warranted. People who suffer complications after a medical device is implanted may not initially realize that the device is the cause of their problem. However, they soon realize that something is terribly wrong.

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 Posted on April 15, 2022 in Auto Accidents

Freight trucks transport the majority of the cargo shipped across the country. While most trucks are loaded properly and the freight is shipped without incident, sometimes, cargo becomes dislodged. In extreme cases, cargo even falls off of the truck and onto the road. This creates an extremely serious and potentially deadly hazard.

If you or a loved one were involved in an accident caused by loose or dropped cargo, you may be unsure of who to blame. A personal injury attorney experienced in truck accident cases can help you identify the liable party and seek the financial compensation you need.

Improper Loading and Securement of Truck Freight

Commercial trucks travel vast distances – often on rough roads and through unpredictable weather. The importance of truck cargo being loaded properly and secured tightly can hardly be overstated. Loose truck cargo can move around in the trailer of a semi-truck, causing the driver to lose control. Truck freight may even drop out of a truck during transit. Fallen cargo may strike other vehicles directly or cause accidents indirectly when motorists swerve to avoid colliding with the cargo.

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 Posted on March 28, 2022 in Auto Accidents

Cell phones, GPS systems, kids in the backseat, and countless other factors can lead to distracted driving. Driving takes a great deal of concentration. Drivers must pay attention to traffic signs and signals, other motorists, and pedestrians simultaneously. Failure to pay close enough attention to the road and surroundings can lead to horrible accidents.

To bring attention to the ongoing problem of distracted driving, April has been designated as distracted driving awareness month. If you or a loved one were injured in a car crash caused by a distracted driver, you should know your rights. You may be able to hold the distracted driver accountable and seek financial compensation for your damages.

Dangers of Distracted Driving

Despite advances in automotive technology and safety, The National Highway Safety Administration reports that fatal auto accidents rose 17 percent from 2019 to 2021. Many experts believe that the increase in smartphone use behind the wheel and complacency while driving has contributed to the increase in fatal crashes.

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 Posted on March 09, 2022 in Personal Injury

The average person uses consumer goods on an everyday basis. From appliances and tools to children’s’ toys and motor vehicles, consumer products are a vital part of modern living. Consumers expect that the products they use are safe and will operate correctly. However, not every product meets these expectations. Defective products can represent serious and potentially fatal hazards. If you or a loved one were injured by a defective product, you may be able to take legal action against the at-fault party and recover financial compensation.

Liability for Dangerous Products in Illinois

The companies that design, create, and distribute products are legally responsible for ensuring that the products are not unreasonably hazardous. If a company fails to meet this expectation and a customer is harmed as a result, the injured person may be entitled to monetary damages.

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 Posted on February 23, 2022 in Auto Accidents

Unfortunately, many people struggle to express their feelings in an appropriate way. Fears about COVID-19, problems at home, work frustrations, and other issues can cause a person to lash out at others while driving. Studies show that incidences of road rage are on the rise. The AAA foundation states that aggressive driving is a contributing factor in over half of all fatal car crashes. It is estimated that road rage leads to 1,800 injuries and 30 deaths each year in the U.S.

If you or a loved one were injured in a collision caused by another driver’s road rage, you should know that you have options. In addition to any criminal charges the driver faces, you may be able to seek financial compensation for your damages through a personal injury claim.

What is Road Rage?

There is no one definition for road rage, but it is usually characterized by driving behaviors that are intentionally dangerous. Aggressive drivers may tailgate, weave in and out of lanes, slam on their brakes, or yell at other drivers. Sometimes, this behavior escalates to deliberately colliding with other vehicles or running another vehicle off the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that following too closely, driving under the influence, speeding, and erratic lane changes often coincide with road rage accidents.

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 Posted on February 06, 2022 in Personal Injury

Nursing homes help keep our loved ones safe when they can not care for themselves. Sadly, understaffing and other issues can lead to substandard care in nursing home facilities. Sometimes this substandard care escalates into neglect or abuse of residents. One significant issue that poses a great risk to residents’ health is bedsores. Bedsores, or decubitus ulcers, are wounds that develop on skin exposed to excessive periods of pressure. In addition to being painful, these sores can lead to serious and even fatal medical complications.

How Do Bedsores Develop?

Bedsores almost always develop on people with limited mobility. Individuals with full mobility can get up and move around, which relieves pressure on body parts and encourages blood flow. However, nursing home residents who cannot sit up, stand, or walk on their own may be in one position for long periods of time. This can cause bedsores to form on the body parts that are under pressure. Bedsores often form on the tailbone, back, backs of feed, and back of the head.

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 Posted on January 25, 2022 in Auto Accidents

In an study conducted by Allstate, nearly 90 percent of drivers surveyed admitted to driving faster than the posted speed limit. Approximately 40 percent admitted to driving more than 20 miles an hour over the speed limit. Even though it is dangerous, many drivers speed.

If you were hurt in a car accident while you were speeding, you may question whether you can still file an injury claim and seek monetary compensation for your damages. The answer, like many answers in personal injury law, depends on the unique circumstances of your case. Read on to learn how speeding may impact an accident victim’s ability to successfully recover compensation after an accident.

Who Is At Fault for the Collision?

Illinois is an at-fault state when it comes to car accident claims. This means that the at-fault’s insurer is typically responsible for paying for accident-related costs. However, determining who is at fault for an accident is not always as easy as it may initially seem. Often, the actions of multiple parties contribute to a serious wreck. In shared liability cases such as these, fault may lie with several drivers. Illinois uses a legal theory called “comparative negligence” when more than one party is liable for an injurious accident.

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