The family of an eighth-grader who was shot by a classmate has filed personal injury lawsuits against the school district and the county. The personal injury lawsuits allege that the school’s failure to protect the boy led to his death.
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In one of those pieces that we never like to read about, an attorney has been suspended for unethical conduct. The attorney is banned from practicing law for two and a half years because he mishandled a client’s money after winning a personal injury lawsuit.
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In all different types of lawsuits, experts agree that you can save money on legal fees by considering three options: compromise, mediate, or settle. The general rule is that the longer a legal case continues, the more it is going to cost. One mediation program in Ohio handles 1,200 personal injury lawsuits a year and ninety percent are resolved without a trial.
Here in Illinois, the Supreme Court of Illinois provides for mandatory arbitration of Illinois personal injury lawsuits and other civil actions where a plaintiff asserts a claim of less than or equal to $50,000.
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The Archdiocese of Chicago has agreed to settle lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by priests for more than $12.6 million. Cardinal Francis George publicly apologized and will apologize privately to each of the victims as part of the settlement. The Chicago settlement brings the total to $65 million the total paid by the archdiocese over three decades to settle about 250 claims.
The individual apology is particularly interesting because often times in personal injuries, apologies are what plaintiffs hope most to get from the defendants.
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The owner of an insurance company was arrested today on one count of embezzlement and one count of obtaining property by false pretenses. Investigators allege that the owner provided workers’ compensation coverage for commercial construction contractors and subcontractors. In at least one case, the owner took payment from a client but failed to remit that payment to the insurance company.
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Johnson & Johnson recently said that it has received a subpoena by the Justice Department in connection with its sales of bile duct stents. This subpoena was part of an investigation about potential product liability of the stents. The Justice Department is investigating whether manufacturers had been promoting the devices for unapproved uses, among them the repair of weakened blood vessels. The bile duct stents are plastic or metal tubes intended to treat obstructions to the liver.
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A bar owner recently sued a police officer and police chief for allegedly assaulting him and violating his civil rights. The bar owner suffered a fractured rib, a collapsed lung, personal and reputation injuries, as well as emotional distress and monetary costs as a result of the assault.
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According to a recent study, the average time that hospital emergency room patients wait to see a doctor has grown from 38 minutes to almost an hour throughout the past decade. Overall, visitors went up 32% in the past ten years.
The study made additional interesting findings. Summer and winter were the busiest seasons in ERs and the early evening (around 7 p.m.) tended to be the busiest time of the day.
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A minor car accident five years ago has led to the arraignment of a couple for allegedly stealing funds from their auto insurance company and lying under oath in regards to a personal injury lawsuit. The couple submitted bodily injury claims with their insurance company and claimed to have missed work. A separate investigation revealed that neither one was employed at the time.
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A report looking into the nutritional quality of kids’ meals at thirteen major restaurant chains found that 93% of the possible choices exceeded 430 calories – the amount that is one-third of the total amount that children aged four through eight should consume in one day. Eating such high calorie food as a child is not only a bad choice, but also dangerous to children.
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Local music reporters have pieced together some of the more dangerous occurrences from this weekend's Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago. The first-hand accounts and pictures show that many fans received personal injuries during the concert. Apparently, security staff allowed some fans to breach the security gates and storm the venue. It is unclear if security staff negligence caused any personal injuries. The online photos show that many crowd members surged forward during more active performances and placed fellow onlookers in danger. Though drug overdoses were less prevalent at this year's performance, personal injury incidents increased due to crowd violence.
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Anyone worried about child safety consumer products here is a link for you. An investigative report has found that many children toy recalls have followed after children have suffered serious injuries and even death following playing with toys with magnets. The serious personal injuries suffered by children nationwide caused Chicago, Illinois reporters to look into the situation. Investigations have pushed congressional legislation to address safety in children’s toys. Additionally many children’s car seats and children’s cribs have been recall due to safety hazards. Product liability suits can result from the use of defective cribs and defective car seats which may put a child’s life in danger. To read several articles about these current news issues and to see videos discussing safety tips for consumers click here.
Anyone worried about child safety consumer products here is a link for you. An investigative report has found that many children toy recalls have followed after children have suffered serious injuries and even death following playing with toys with magnets. The serious personal injuries suffered by children nationwide caused Chicago, Illinois reporters to look into the situation. Investigations have pushed congressional legislation to address safety in children’s toys. Additionally many children’s car seats and children’s cribs have been recall due to safety hazards. Product liability suits can result from the use of defective cribs and defective car seats which may put a child’s life in danger. To read several articles about these current news issues and to see videos discussing safety tips for consumers click here.
Allstate Insurance Company, a company based in a northwest Chicago, Illinois suburb was declared in a recent study to be the worst insurance company nationwide. Allstate Insurance Company which is known for insuring those in car accidents, those who sustain serious personal injuries in situations ranging from motor vehicle accidents to house fires got the study’s worst rating. Allstate is criticized for putting its profits over the safety of its insured. Those who have suffered personal injuries and were rejected by Allstate to be covered in motor vehicle accident may know all too well how the Company works. To read more about this disappointing story on the near Chicago, Illinois based insurance company click here.
Research has found that eliminating state helmet requirement for motorcyclists has dramatically increased the number of personal injuries and subsequent health care costs. In one state that recently eliminated its helmet laws, the study found fatal head injuries rose 66% while head injury hospitalizations nearly doubled. This study mirrors research from other states that has found riders not wearing a helmet are 32 times more likely to be in a fatal or serious accident. Although advocates of no helmet laws argue it is a personal choice that has no impact on society at large, data shows these accidents lead to higher insurance and health care costs for everyone else. In response, many states without helmet laws are reforming advocating consumer safety.
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Five years and a number of personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death lawsuits have passed since an apartment porch collapse accident killed 13 people on the city’s north side. Porches are very popular in Chicago, often the focal point of a weekend gathering. Residents should know that there are now only three ways that porches get inspected: by calling 311, during an annual building inspection, and when the porch is constructed. Notably, the porch collapse accident that killed 13 on the city’s north side in 2003 was not detected in five years of annual inspections. Apartment residents who worry that their porch is unsafe and could result in a porch collapse accident should contact the City of Chicago.
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Levin and Perconti has been honored in Chicago Magazine's 2008 Illinois Super Lawyers Edition. Both John Perconti and Steve Levin were named Super Lawyers as Plaintiff's Personal Injury Lawyers. The pair have been honored for the last four years as two of Chicago's best Injury Lawyers.
Recently, news regarding anemia drugs such as Aranesp, Epogen and Procrit has caused concern among patients and their families. Patients have learned that the drugs could increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as increasing the progression rate of tumors in certain cancers. With the emergence of this news, family members have been left wondering whether the death of their loved ones came too soon. The FDA's safety warnings of the anemia drugs have been recently strengthened, cautioning that heart attack, death, and cancer progression could be side effects. A newer study has also linked the anemia drugs to an increased risk for patients with myelofibrosis of developing leukemia. Doctors have been warned to use the lowest doses possible of these drugs.
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