Posted on April 05,2021 in Personal Injury

Individuals above a certain age may remember news stories about a woman suing the McDonald’s restaurant chain because her coffee was too hot. The 1994 lawsuit made international headlines and became the go-to example of "frivolous" lawsuits. For almost 30 years, the McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit has been touted as the epitome of American litigiousness. However, the real story behind the infamous product liability lawsuit may surprise you.

The Real Facts of Stella Liebeck’s Hot Coffee Claim

If you are like most people, you may remember reacting to the "hot coffee" lawsuit by rolling your eyes in disbelief. After all, everyone knows that coffee is hot. You may remember hearing that the woman spilled the coffee on herself because she was attempting to simultaneously remove the lid while driving. You may have also heard that the woman received an exorbitantly high payout for the incident.

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 Posted on March 20,2021 in Auto Accidents

The year is not even half over and there have already been 137 fatal crashes in Illinois. Car accidents resulting in serious injury or death are not uncommon in Illinois – especially in populous areas like Cook County and DuPage County. Distracted driving, drunk driving, and other forms of negligent driving are often to blame for these accidents. However, the party who is liable for a car crash is not always another driver. In fact, sometimes the liable party is a municipality or government entity.  

Car Accidents Caused by Poorly Designed Roads

We trust that the government will design and construct roads that reduce the risk of car accidents. After all, this is what our taxes help pay for. Mistakes in the design, construction, or maintenance of roads can cause or contribute to crashes. Inadequate road markings, unsafe shoulders, unreasonably complicated intersections, or dangerous exit ramps may all be examples of poor road design. Insufficient or conflicting road signs and traffic signals may increase the chances of an accident at an intersection. Roadside hazards, hidden obstructions, and unmarked construction zones may also be the fault of a government entity.

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 Posted on March 08,2021 in Workers' Compensation

Did you know that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) jobs are listed in the top 25 most dangerous professions? Burns, electrocutions, falls, and other HVAC accidents can lead to severe injuries and even death. In 2018, just under 7,000 HVAC workers suffered injuries and 40 workers were killed in a work-related accident. If you or a loved one were harmed in an HVAC work accident, it is important to know your rights. You may be entitled to compensation through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance and/or a third-party claim.

Types of Work Injuries for Which You May Be Owed Compensation

Per Illinois law, workers’ compensation coverage is "no-fault." This means that you do not have to show that your employer or another party’s actions caused your work injury to be covered by workers’ compensation. As long as the injured person is an employee and not an independent contractor and the injury occurred during the course of work, the injured person is typically covered.

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 Posted on February 23,2021 in Auto Accidents

A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When a truck collides with another vehicle or a pedestrian, the results are often catastrophic. If you were injured or a loved one was killed in a truck crash, you may be interested in pursuing a personal injury claim against the at-fault party. An injury claim may allow you to hold the liable party accountable for the truck collision and recover compensation for your damages. However, in order to build a credible claim, you will need to show evidence of the defendant’s negligence, the connection between your injuries and the defendant’s actions, as well as your damages.

Basic Components of a Successful Truck Accident Claim

Most truck accidents occur because a party acted negligently or carelessly. Legal responsibility for the accident may lie with the truck driver, the trucking company, the designer of a defective truck part, or a number of other parties.

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 Posted on February 09,2021 in Personal Injury

When another party’s negligence, recklessness, or wrongdoing causes someone to be injured, the negligent party may be liable for damages. This means that the injured person is entitled to compensation for the losses they sustained. Financial compensation may be available for the actual expenses incurred by the injury as well as the non-financial losses like pain and suffering. The amount of compensation available in a personal injury claim varies significantly from case to case, but the same basic factors are typically used to determine the compensation awarded.  

The Severity of Your Injuries Will Impact the Value of Your Case

As anyone who has ever received a hospital bill can attest, the cost of medical treatment in the United States can be astronomical. Even seemingly minor injuries such as a laceration or a small fracture can incur steep medical bills. Compensation for past medical bills as well as future medical expenses may be available in a personal injury claim. If your injuries require multiple surgeries, ongoing rehabilitative care such as physical therapy, and other costly treatment, this will increase the potential value of your claim.

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 Posted on January 26,2021 in Auto Accidents

Driving a commercial truck across the country is a challenging profession. Truck drivers must contend with long days, unpredictable work schedules, and erratic sleeping patterns. Fatigue can have a considerable impact on a person’s ability to drive – especially when people are maneuvering a large commercial truck. Sleepiness causes lowered reaction times, impaired decision-making, tunnel vision, and memory problems. Drivers who are extremely sleep deprived may even fall asleep at the wheel. Federal law has instituted restrictions designed to curb the frequency of fatigued driver truck accidents. Unfortunately, truck accidents caused by sleepiness or falling asleep at the wheel are still alarmingly common.  

Hours of Service Rules Are Intended to Prevent Fatigued Driving

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 Posted on January 12,2021 in Medical Malpractice

Few would argue that healthcare professionals have a very challenging occupation. Doctors and other medical professionals are expected to interpret vast amounts of medical data and patient information and use this information to make educated decisions about patient treatment plans. Although medical professionals are fallible just like everyone else, they are held to an exceptionally high standard regarding patient care. A mistake in the diagnosis or treatment of a medical condition can cause severe patient suffering or even death. If you or a loved one has experienced a negative surgical or healthcare outcome or received substandard medical care, you may wonder if you were the victim of medical malpractice.

When Does a Medical Mistake Cross the Line into Medical Negligence?

The majority of medical malpractice claims are founded upon the legal concept of negligence. Medical negligence occurs when a medical professional acts in a way that deviates from the accepted medical practice. Of course, understanding when a healthcare worker’s actions deviate from the accepted medical practice is not always easy – especially for someone who has no medical training. Proving that a medical worker acted negligently is often the first step in a medical malpractice claim.

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 Posted on December 24,2020 in Workers' Compensation