Posted on March 29, 2021 in Uncategorized

A work accident such as a fall, caught-between accident, or equipment-related injury can cause profound suffering and financial distress. Workers’ compensation benefits are intended to reimburse an injured worker for work injuries that occur on the job. Although workers’ compensation insurance is mandatory for all Illinois employers, getting the compensation you need and deserve after a work accident can be problematic—especially when the accident has worsened a pre-existing injury.

Work Injuries Can Make an Existing Medical Condition Worse

Most adults struggle with at least one health concern. They may have a bad knee from an old sports injury, degenerative disc disease, an inherited disorder, or countless other medical conditions. When a work accident worsens an employee’s medical condition, this is also covered by workers’ compensation insurance. However, workers’ compensation claims involving aggravation of preexisting conditions are often more complex than claims involving a brand-new injury or medical condition. Workers’ compensation insurance companies or employers may argue that the condition is unrelated to the accident or that the accident did not actually worsen the condition. The insurance company may deny your claim or offer you less than you deserve.

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 Posted on March 19, 2021 in Brain Injury

Brain injuries can vary considerably in severity. Some brain injury sufferers only experience short-term, mild symptoms. Other brain injury victims suffer from debilitating symptoms that prevent them from working or even enjoying life as they once did. If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in a car accident in Illinois, you may be entitled to compensation. However, getting the compensation you deserve may be a very challenging task.

Reimbursement for Medical Expenses Caused by a Brain Injury

Brain injuries are typically diagnosed through imaging tests including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans. Brain injuries are often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may not appear for a few hours or days after the accident. Severe brain injuries may be immediately apparent and require emergency medical intervention. Sometimes, surgery is needed to stop bleeding in the brain or relieve the pressure inside of the skull. Some brain injury sufferers must be placed in a temporary coma so that the brain has time to heal. Many severe brain injury sufferers require rehabilitative care and ongoing medical treatment for months or years.

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 Posted on March 16, 2021 in Personal Injury

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) reports that one individual is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds in the United States. The effect that sexual violence has on the victim cannot be overstated. Sexual abuse victims often bear physical and psychological scars for the rest of their lives. If you or a loved one were the victim of sexual abuse, you should know that you may be able to hold the perpetrator accountable and recover damages through a personal injury lawsuit.

How a Personal Injury Case Differs From a Criminal Case

Sadly, many sexual abuse victims are abused by someone that they trusted. The perpetrator may be a family member, teacher, religious authority, community member, or another respected figure. This can often make it even harder for the victim to report the abuse. Some sexual abuse survivors can hold their abuser accountable through criminal proceedings. However, there is sometimes not enough evidence for the prosecution to secure a conviction against the perpetrator. Even if the criminal case is successful, a criminal conviction against an abuser does not offer the victim restitution.

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 Posted on March 12, 2021 in Car Accident

When we think about car crash injury claims, most people picture broken bones and other physical injuries. However, not every injury that a car accident victim suffers is physical in nature. The emotional, mental, and psychological effects of a serious car accident can be profound. Many car accident victims are left with psychological symptoms that interfere with their ability to work and complete everyday responsibilities like maintaining their home or caring for children. If you have suffered psychological or mental health problems because of a car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.  

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Other Mental Health Conditions

Anyone who has been involved in a serious auto collision can tell you how terrifying the ordeal can be. The psychological effects of a car crash are often especially severe if the victim feared for his or her life or witnessed other victims’ deaths. Car crashes are the leading causes of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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 Posted on March 09, 2021 in Personal Injury

Foodborne illnesses occur when food is contaminated with dangerous viruses, bacteria, or parasites. About one out of six people in the United States suffer from some type of foodborne illness each year. Some endure painful symptoms such as severe vomiting and diarrhea that keep them from working and fulfilling their daily responsibilities. Others get so sick that they require hospitalization. Sadly, about 3000 people die because of foodborne illnesses annually. If you or a loved one suffered from food poisoning or another form of foodborne illness, you may be able to sue the responsible party and collect compensation for your damages.  

Foodborne Illnesses Often Occur When Food is Negligently Prepared or Stored

Most foodborne illnesses are preventable. Many times, an individual suffers a foodborne illness because a restaurant, grocery store, product manufacturer, or other party acted negligently.  According to the Food and Drug Administration, the following steps can prevent most pathogens from contaminating food:

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 Posted on March 03, 2021 in Personal Injury

The snow finally seems to be relenting in Northern Illinois, which means that more and more people will be out riding their bicycles. Riding a bike is a healthy and cost-effective mode of transportation but it can also leave bicyclists vulnerable to dangerous collisions. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bicycle accident, you could be entitled to compensation through a personal injury claim. However, issues like shared fault can complicate the process of getting the compensation you need and deserve.

An Injured Bicyclist May Be Considered Partly at Fault

When a bicyclist is hurt in a car accident, he or she may bring a personal injury claim against the driver’s insurance company. If the insurance company does not offer a reasonable payout, the bicyclist may file a personal injury lawsuit. The burden of proof in a personal injury case is on the plaintiff. This means that it is up to you to prove that the other driver’s negligence or carelessness caused your injuries.

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 Posted on February 26, 2021 in Medical Malpractice

Emergency room doctors, nurses, and other staff are held to extremely high standards. They are often the first medical professionals that an injured or ill person seeks help from. ER staff have the crucial responsibility of assessing a patient’s condition and determining the next steps. They often deal with immediate, life-threatening medical emergencies. If an ER doctor makes a mistake, it can cost the patient his or her life. If you were injured or a loved one died and you suspect that substandard emergency room treatment was the cause, you may have a valid medical malpractice case.

What Constitutes Substandard Medical Treatment at the ER?

Going to the emergency room does not guarantee a positive outcome. ER doctors and nurses cannot always save a patient or fix their medical issues. However, ER staff are expected to provide medical care that meets the accepted medical standard. In other words, they must provide the level of care that a reasonably competent medical staff of the same profession would have provided in a similar situation. If a doctor fails to provide medical care that meets the accepted medical standard and the patient is harmed or killed as a result, this may be considered medical negligence. If the patient’s injury or death is caused by negligent medical care and the injury or death causes damages, this is medical malpractice.

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 Posted on February 18, 2021 in Medical Malpractice

While most surgical procedures are completed successfully, patient death during surgery is not unheard of. There is always a small chance that a patient will not survive a surgical procedure. Problems with anesthesia, the medication used to “put a patient under,” is one reason that some patients die on the operating table. It is estimated that about 1-4 of every 10,000 surgeries involving anesthesia results in the patient’s death. Sometimes, an anesthesia-related death is unavoidable. Other times, the patient’s death is caused by the negligent actions of an anesthesiologist, nurse anesthetist, or other medical professional.

Types of Anesthesia Errors That Could Lead to a Patient’s Death

If your loved one passed away during a surgical procedure, you are probably desperate for answers. You may be unsure if your loved one’s death was caused by a medical mistake. Anesthesia errors that may result in patient injury or death include:

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 Posted on February 16, 2021 in Medical Malpractice

Cerebral palsy is a movement disorder that causes a range of debilitating symptoms. A child with cerebral palsy may suffer from difficulty controlling his or her muscles, vision and hearing problems, difficulty eating and speaking, seizures, and more. About a third of cerebral palsy sufferers also experience intellectual and learning impairments. The causes of cerebral palsy are not fully understood, however, there are cases in which a child’s cerebral palsy is caused by a doctor’s failure to provide competent medical care during pregnancy, labor, or delivery.  

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is most commonly caused by atypical brain development before, during, or shortly after a child’s birth. Many different types of factors can cause a child to develop cerebral palsy, including:

• Maternal infections

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 Posted on February 11, 2021 in Medical Malpractice

Surgeons, doctors, and other medical professionals have an incredibly important job. A single mistake can lead to a patient’s severe injury or even the patient’s death. Medical malpractice claims against negligent medical professionals can serve two important purposes: holding the negligent medical professional accountable for the patient’s harm and recovering financial compensation for the patient or the patient’s surviving loved one. To win a medical malpractice claim, medical malpractice lawyers often utilize testimony from expert witnesses.

Demonstrating the Defendant’s Breach of Duty

Medical malpractice may involve failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis, medication mistakes, surgical errors, birth injuries, and a range of other issues. However, most medical malpractice claims come down to four main questions:

• Did a doctor-patient relationship exist?

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