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Recent Blog Posts

Fetal Meconium Aspiration Can Be Fatal

 Posted on February 13, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

Rockford, IL personal injury lawyerIn the womb, unborn babies float in amniotic fluid. This fluid contains nutrients, helps the fetus’s lungs develop, assists with temperature regulation, and cushions the baby to protect against injury. Although fetuses urinate in the womb, they usually do not defecate. Meconium, a baby’s first stool, usually passes in a bowel movement within a few hours of birth. However, some fetuses do pass meconium into the amniotic fluid before birth.

When a baby inhales a mixture of amniotic fluid and meconium, whether before birth or during labor and delivery, meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) can occur. Physicians should be aware of this possibility and be prepared to administer various treatments for the condition. When MAS is not diagnosed or properly treated, the infant can suffer long-term or permanent harm; it can even be fatal. Proving that medical negligence caused your baby’s MAS can be challenging, but you could receive much-deserved compensation for multiple damages. You need an experienced Rockford, IL birth injury lawyer with focused knowledge about MAS to help you get optimal results.

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If a Doctor Causes Nerve Damage in Surgery, Can I Sue?

 Posted on January 31, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

Rockford, IL medical malpractice lawyerDid you know the human body contains more than 7 trillion nerves? From controlling muscles and body functions to sensing things like temperatures, pain, and pressure, each nerve has a function. Whether discussing a major nerve bundle or a tiny peripheral nerve, any nerve damage can have profound consequences.

While nerve injuries often result from trauma like sports injuries or car accidents, surgeons can also cause nerve damage that significantly affects the patient’s life. If you suffered a nerve injury from a preventable surgical error, you may have a valid medical malpractice claim. Partnering with an experienced Winnebago, IL medical malpractice attorney can maximize your compensation.

What Are Motor, Sensory, and Autonomous Nerves?

Consider that the central nervous system, which consists of the spinal cord and brain, sends and receives messages constantly. Outgoing messages, transmitted through motor nerves, give instructions, such as to move your arm or keep it still. Incoming messages are sent from sensory nerves to inform the central nervous system of current conditions and stimuli, such as pain, heat, or vision. Autonomous nerves control involuntary bodily functions, including digestion, blood pressure, breathing, and other unconscious processes.

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What Are the Most Common Causes of Brain Injuries?

 Posted on January 16, 2025 in Personal Injury

Rockford, IL personal injury lawyerWhile the brain is one of the most important organs in the body, it is also one of the most sensitive. Even though the skull provides protection for the brain, there are many ways that serious brain injuries can occur, and they can drastically impact a person’s health and well-being. When brain injuries occur because of someone else’s intentional act or negligence, you may qualify for compensation.

What are the most common causes of brain injuries? How do I know if I have a valid case? What if I did not realize I had a serious brain injury until long after it was sustained? Will I get a large payout? Our experienced Rockford, IL brain injury attorneys can explain your legal options and work diligently to maximize your compensation.

How Do Brain Injuries Occur?

Many of the most serious brain injuries involve trauma, such as a blow to the head. These traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, can occur in various situations, including:

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Industrial Accident Injuries in Winnebago County

 Posted on December 26, 2024 in Catastrophic Injuries

Rockford, IL personal injury lawyerWinnebago County has major industrial activity, from Multi-Conveyor LLC and Winnebago Motorhome Factory to Oshkosh Designs and Collins Aerospace. Industrial accidents can cause catastrophic injuries and death, whether in manufacturing plants, food processing operations, logistics and distribution warehouses, or construction sites. When these injuries are sustained because of someone else’s negligence or intentional act, victims or their families could receive compensation through a personal injury or wrongful death action.

Cases involving catastrophic injuries and fatalities are complex, and you need to choose a competent Rockford, IL personal injury attorney to get the best possible results. We will aggressively pursue the highest available amount of compensation on your behalf.

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What to Do if You Think Your Spouse Has Died a Wrongful Death

 Posted on December 10, 2024 in Wrongful Death

Rockford, IL personal injury lawyerLosing your spouse can be one of the most devastating experiences you face. If the death was caused by someone else, whether intentionally or through their negligence, your distress can be compounded by anger and a desire to make sure justice is served. 

Although no amount of money can replace your spouse, holding the at-fault party fully accountable can give you a sense of closure and the funds to compensate for your losses. If you believe your spouse died a wrongful death, speak with an experienced Rockford, IL personal injury lawyer who can aggressively pursue the maximum amount of compensation available.

What Is Negligence in Wrongful Death Cases?

Drivers, physicians, property owners, employers, and other parties typically have a legal duty to use reasonable care to reduce the likelihood of accidents, incidents, and injuries. Negligence is when a party behaves carelessly in a way that endangers someone else. As it is the basis for many wrongful death and personal injury claims, victims generally need to demonstrate that the guilty party was negligent by proving the following:

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Severely Injured as a Pedestrian or Bicyclist: Can I Sue?

 Posted on November 26, 2024 in Burns

Rockford, IL personal injury lawyerWalking and cycling can be enjoyable, whether for exercise or simply to get where you are going. However, both pedestrians and cyclists are incredibly vulnerable when involved in car accidents. Even low-speed impact can cause catastrophic or fatal injuries. Victims can experience excruciating pain and find their lives altered permanently. Their families also face multiple challenges. If your pedestrian or bicycle accident resulted from someone else’s negligence, you may qualify for compensation.

What are the long-term effects of bicycle or pedestrian accident injuries? Do you need a lawyer to get compensation? One of our experienced Rockford, IL attorneys from Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Jambois, can answer your questions during a free consultation, so call now.

The Dynamics of Pedestrian Accidents

When a motor vehicle collides with a pedestrian, there are three distinct impacts that are each capable of creating injuries and exacerbating previously existing conditions. Variables like vehicle and pedestrian height determine where the initial impact hits the person, but on average a pedestrian is hit around the hips and upper leg. The force of that impact typically throws the pedestrian onto the car’s hood and windshield, which can often cause head and facial injuries. Finally, the pedestrian will probably be thrown to the ground. Bicycle accidents produce similar impacts.

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What is the Role of Presumed Negligence in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

 Posted on November 11, 2024 in Personal Injury

Rockford personal injury attorneysThe vast majority of personal injury lawsuits involve the concept of negligence. When a negligent party’s carelessness causes another person to be injured or killed, the negligent party is liable for the damages caused by the injury or death. Proving that the defendant acted negligently is often the most complicated and challenging part of a personal injury lawsuit.

In some cases, however, a defendant in a personal injury case is automatically presumed to have been negligent. The legal concept of "negligence per se" can help if another person’s recklessness injured you or a loved one. A knowledgeable Illinois lawyer from Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Jambois, can help you establish negligence and liability and then work to help you get the full compensation you deserve.

Main Elements of a Negligence Claim

Typically, there are four elements to establishing negligence in a personal injury case. First, you and your lawyer must prove that the defendant owed you a "duty of care." Duty of care simply means that the defendant was obligated to act in a way that would not put the plaintiff at an unreasonable risk of harm. For example, a property owner who invites guests onto his property has a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises that do not include environmental hazards like broken stairs.

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Is Failure to Diagnose Preeclampsia Medical Malpractice? | Illinois

 Posted on October 31, 2024 in Medical Malpractice

Rockford, IL medical malpractice attorneyAlthough some expectant mothers experience minor issues such as morning sickness and heartburn, some develop severe conditions that endanger both mother and child. Preeclampsia, also called toxemia, is such a condition. Failing to diagnose and treat preeclampsia promptly can lead to devastating consequences. Although this condition is somewhat rare, any obstetrician or midwife should be well aware of its symptoms and potential risks.

If you, your spouse, or your child suffered harm because your healthcare provider failed to diagnose preeclampsia, you could be entitled to compensation through a medical malpractice or wrongful death claim. A trusted Illinois birth injuries attorney from Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Jambois, can assess your situation, gather supporting evidence, and fight to help you obtain all eligible damages.

What Is Preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a condition that typically affects expectant mothers after their 20th week of pregnancy. Symptoms include:

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Who Is Liable for Paying Me After a Multiple Vehicle Crash?

 Posted on October 14, 2024 in Car Accidents

IL injury lawyerCar accidents can cause significant vehicle damage and catastrophic injuries. When someone else is responsible for causing one, they are likely responsible for paying your damages. Many crashes involve only two vehicles, making it somewhat easier to establish fault. Unfortunately, multiple cars can collide in a chain reaction, increasing the severity of injuries and complicating liability.

If you are injured in a multiple-vehicle crash, who is responsible for paying you? Are these claims complicated? The knowledgeable attorneys at Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Jambois, can give you answers during your free consultation.

How Is Fault Determined in Multiple-Vehicle Pileups?

Fault must be determined to allow you the opportunity to file one or more car accident insurance claims. In Illinois, you are likely eligible for compensation if you are less than 51 percent responsible for causing your crash. However, your total recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.

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Male or Childhood Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis: Can I Sue?

 Posted on October 07, 2024 in Medical Malpractice

IL injury lawyerWhen you hear of someone having breast cancer, you probably automatically assume it is a woman. Did you know that men and children can also develop breast cancer? Although rare, physicians should be aware of these possibilities to allow for prompt diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, breast cancer in these uncommon groups is often misdiagnosed.

You may be entitled to compensation through a medical malpractice claim if you suffer harm due to a breast cancer misdiagnosis. These cases are often complex, but the knowledgeable attorneys from Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Jambois, thrive on complicated cases and know how to get you the compensation you deserve.

How Does Breast Cancer Affect Men and Children?

Childhood or male breast cancer is often not caught at earlier stages because these patients do not usually undergo routine screening mammograms as women do. This rare cancer typically affects men who are at least 60 years old, with symptoms including:

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