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Recent Blog Posts
Have You Used a CPAP Machine That Causes Cancer?
The constant advances in the medical industry often mislead the average consumer into feeling like products recommended by doctors are always safe. Unfortunately, lack of research, poor design, and greed and corruption on the part of medical device designers and manufacturers can expose patients to dangerous conditions that can pose serious, life-long risks.
One type of defective medical product that has become notorious in recent years for causing cancer is CPAP and BiPAP machines made by Philips. These machines exposed users to toxic chemicals that caused specific types of cancers and respiratory illnesses, often with fatal consequences. If you used a Philips CPAP machine or any other dangerous or defective medical device, you deserve to know your options.
Why Were These CPAP Machines Dangerous?
Can I Sue the Bar That Allowed the Driver Who Hit Me to Become Drunk?
People go to bars to drink - that is no secret. But how much can a bartender allow a single person to drink before sharing some responsibility for what that person does when he or she leaves the bar? If a bartender allows or encourages someone to get so drunk he or she cannot drive safely, and the drunk person gets in their car and hurts or kills someone else, can the bartender be held responsible?
According to Illinois law, it may be possible to hold the bar or bartender responsible if a drunk driver gets in their car after being allowed to become intoxicated on the bar’s premises. An Illinois personal injury attorney can talk to you about your case and determine which parties are responsible for the injuries or losses you have suffered as the result of someone else’s poor decision to drink and drive.
Winter Weather Increases the Risks of Serious Car and Truck Accidents
The majority of the United States and all of Illinois is headed into its winter weather season. While Illinois residents are no stranger to snow, sleet, and rain, bad weather can still easily impact road conditions and the ability to drive safely. Unfortunately, even with defensive driving practices, the reckless or careless actions of other drivers on the road can jeopardize your safety during winter weather. If you are involved in a serious car accident this winter, make sure you meet with an Illinois personal injury lawyer.
Weather Conditions Cause Fatal Accidents
Snow, slush, and ice on roadways cause nearly 25 percent of weather-related vehicle accidents and 15 percent more happen during actively snowy or sleety conditions. Almost 1,500 people are killed and well over 100,000 injured every year in these accidents. Besides precipitation actively falling from the sky and accumulating on the roadway, blowing and drifting snow, avalanches, and freezing rain can cause unexpected dangers in the roadway. Black ice, a form of invisible ice that is usually impossible to see, causes many accidents when unsuspecting drivers fail to reduce their speed.
Can I Sue My Child’s Athletics Team for a Brain Injury from Playing Sports?
Every year, kids all over America get injured as they participate in school sports like football, basketball, and cheer. For the most part, these injuries are just part of growing up and reflect an active, healthy kid who is taking normal risks. Unfortunately, however, some of the most serious injuries are sustained after carelessness or negligence on the part of school or program leadership. If your child was seriously hurt during an athletics program at school, meet with an Illinois personal injury attorney to see if you can take legal action.
Are Schools Responsible For Injuries Sustained in Youth Sports Programs?
Children and their parents usually have to sign agreements saying that they assume responsibility for the risks inherent in playing sports and that they will not hold the school or its employees liable for any injuries that occur during the program.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Hospital Malpractice Case?
Visiting the hospital is never a pleasant experience, but at the very least, the hospital patient can expect a treatment that improves his or her medical condition. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some patients suffer worsened conditions, new illnesses or injuries, or even wrongful death because of the negligent medical care they received in a hospital. A medical malpractice claim is often the best way to hold a hospital or medical professional accountable for negligent care. A malpractice claim may also allow for the recovery of monetary damages.
Types of Compensatory Damages in a Hospital Malpractice Case
If you or a loved one has been seriously harmed by medical negligence, you may be wondering what types of damages you can recover in a hospital malpractice case. The amount of compensation that a person can recover will depend on the specific facts and circumstances of their case. However, there are certain types of damages that are commonly awarded in hospital malpractice cases, including:
When Can I Sue for a Construction Site-Related Injury?
Although construction sites are one of the most common places where serious and fatal work injuries occur, Illinois’ workers’ compensation laws require every company with even one employee to have workers’ compensation insurance. This can make it very difficult to sue an employer after a workplace injury occurs.
The circumstances surrounding each case of construction site injury and death are different, but it is important to know that even if you cannot sue your employer for your injuries, you still may be able to sue a third party. It is important to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney so you know the best option for your case.
Can an Injured Construction Worker Ever Sue Their Employer?
Suing an employer after even the worst construction site accident is usually not possible in Illinois. The injured party has to prove that the employer acted intentionally to cause the worker’s injury or death. Even gross negligence is not sufficient to bring a lawsuit against an employer and requires an employee to seek compensation through workers’ compensation insurance. However, if your boss broke the law and did not have workers’ compensation insurance, or if you believe you were injured because of an intentional action, talk to an attorney.
Car Accidents Can Cause Catastrophic Burn Injuries
Most people know that car accidents can cause serious injuries of all kinds, but not everyone realizes that many of the most severe burn incidents happen because of car accidents as well. And while the survival rate for burn victims is high, life quality after a severe burn can be seriously impacted by the pain, recovery, and medical expense of treating burns.
Car accidents can result in many different burn severities, but when someone is trapped inside a burning car, the damage to their body can be life-threatening and even fatal. When such a car accident is caused by the negligence or recklessness of another driver, cyclist, or pedestrian, those injured by burns may be able to recover compensation with the help of an Illinois personal injury lawyer.
How Do People Get Burned in Car Accidents?
What Happens When Doctors Remove the Wrong Organ or Limb?
While most doctors are committed to the careful practice of medicine according to the highest standard of care, doctors are human and can make mistakes. Sometimes these are genuine mistakes of fact, while other errors are the result of careless mistakes, incorrect hospital records-keeping, or practicing under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
One of the most serious kinds of medical malpractice happens when a surgeon removes the wrong organ or limb, or mistakenly removes an organ or limb that should not have been removed. It can be difficult to believe that such a thing could happen, but such surgical mistakes are not infrequent. Cases like this can result in severe life-long injuries and changes to patient quality of life, including the need for ongoing medical care or job loss. If you believe that a surgeon wrongfully operated on you, it is important to take action right away by consulting with an experienced Illinois medical malpractice attorney.
What Kind of Injuries Cause Erb’s Palsy?
Our bodies are made up of complex, multifaceted parts. All of our bones, nerves, organs, and muscles work together to play an essential role in our mobility, health, and life enjoyment. When doctors who are supposed to treat their patients according to the highest standard of medical care fail to do so, patients can suffer serious injuries. One of these injuries is Erb's palsy. If your child has been diagnosed with Erb’s palsy, it is important to understand how the injury occurred, whether a negligent health practitioner was responsible, and whether you can recover compensation to help you pay for your child’s medical treatment.
What is Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s palsy is a nerve condition that is most commonly seen in infants shortly after childbirth. It is characterized as muscle weakness, loss of function, or loss of movement in a victim’s arm or shoulder, caused by damage to a bundle of nerves called the “brachial plexus.” The brachial plexus nerves are located in the neck and shoulders and are essential for helping the brain communicate to the arms and hands. Damage to these nerves can cause lifelong partial disability.
What Kinds of Injuries Cause Paraplegia and Quadriplegia?
While some people are born paralyzed, the vast majority of paralysis occurs because of an accident. When someone has gone their entire life enjoying the full use of their limbs, a sudden transition to full or partial paralysis is devastating. In addition to the loss of enjoyment from activities like sports, hobbies, and exercise, people who suffer from sudden paralysis as the result of an injury often struggle with depression, expensive and long-term medical treatment, relationship loss, and permanent changes to the type of work they are able to do.
If you or someone you love suffers from full or partial paralysis as the result of a recent accident or medical incident, contact an Illinois personal injury attorney to learn whether you can seek justice against the responsible party. A personal injury lawsuit will not bring back full mobility, but it can help compensate victims by providing the funds they need to adjust to their new life.