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Recent Blog Posts
Car Accidents Caused by Government Employees: Understanding Your Rights
Approximately 4.5 million people were injured in car accidents in 2019. Car accident victims are often faced with significant financial losses, including vehicle repair costs and medical bills. Many are unable to work while they recover from their injuries. Some suffer catastrophic injuries that leave them permanently disabled. Car accident victims may be able to recover financial compensation for their losses through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
However, not all car accident injury claims are the same. When a car accident is caused by a government employee, a government entity may ultimately be responsible for compensating the victim. Unfortunately, bringing a successful claim against the government can be even more challenging than bringing a claim against an insurance company. Claims against the local, state or federal government are subject to special rules and tight deadlines. If you or a loved one were injured in a wreck and a government worker is at fault, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for help.
My Baby Died Because of a Defective Product. What Can I Do?
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is the government agency tasked with ensuring consumer products are safe. The agency frequently issues product recalls, but tragically, recalls are often not enough to prevent injuries and deaths caused by dangerous or defective products.
If your baby died and you suspect that a defective product was the cause, you may be looking for answers. You may wonder if there is anything you can do to seek justice on behalf of your child and hold the at-fault company responsible for this tragedy.
Unsafe Infant Products and Wrongful Death
Parents trust that products designed for infants are safe for infants. Unfortunately, baby and child products are frequently recalled due to safety hazards. Often, these recalls do not occur fast enough to prevent children from being hurt or killed by the products. Just recently, over 3 million infant loungers were recalled after eight reports of infant suffocation were associated with the lounger.
Seeking Compensation for an Accident Resulting in Paralysis
Most of us take our ability to use our arms and legs for granted. Someone who has suffered paralysis after an accident knows just how precious this ability is. Paraplegia, quadriplegia, and other forms of paralysis are often the result of spine injuries suffered in a collision, slip and fall accident, or other type of accident. Some paralysis victims can still retain some control over the affected body parts, others are completely paralyzed. Their muscles may become flaccid and unusable or tight with painful spasms. Whatever the specifics of the condition, paralysis affects every aspect of a person’s life.
Legal Options for Paralysis Victims in Winnebago County
Per Illinois law, individuals who are injured by the actions of another party may be able to bring a personal injury claim and seek financial compensation. Money could never make up for the loss of your hand, foot, arm, or leg, however, it may relieve some of the financial burden caused by the accident. Many paralysis victims are left with massive medical bills and other expenses. They may be unable to work either temporarily or permanently. Many are never able to enjoy the same hobbies and activities they could before the accident.
How Is Loss of Companionship Addressed in a Wrongful Death Case?
When a person dies unexpectedly, their family members may struggle financially while also dealing with grief and emotional trauma. Picking up the pieces after the loss of a loved one can be especially difficult when the person’s death was caused by someone else’s negligence. In these situations, a family may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim against the person or parties who were responsible. While the damages available in these cases may provide compensation for the financial losses a family has experienced, they may also address the ways family members have been personally affected. By understanding how loss of companionship is addressed in these cases, a family can make sure they will be able to receive the compensation they deserve.
What Is Loss of Companionship?
A wrongful death case will often focus on “pecuniary” losses. These are also known as economic damages, and they will address the ways a family has been affected financially by a person’s death. Family members may be compensated for the loss of the income that their loved one would have earned, as well as other financial benefits they would have provided. In addition to these pecuniary losses, family members may also be compensated for non-economic damages, including their loss of a relationship with their loved one.
What Are the Most Common Reasons for a Medical Misdiagnosis?
When patients receive substandard care from doctors or other medical professionals, they can suffer serious harm. While medical malpractice can take many forms, misdiagnosis is one of the most common issues that affect patients in the United States. An incorrect diagnosis, a delayed diagnosis, or a failure to diagnose a serious medical condition can result in a patient not receiving the proper medical care within the right time frame. In cases involving misdiagnosis of cancer or other serious illnesses, the failure to receive timely treatment may result in a person’s wrongful death. By understanding the reasons that misdiagnoses may occur, victims of medical negligence can ensure that their injuries and damages will be addressed properly.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Brain Injuries?
While 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 affect a person’s health and well-being. A person who suffers from a brain injury may experience issues such as memory loss, sleep disorders, sensory issues, problems with balance and coordination, mood disorders, personality changes, seizures, or intellectual disabilities. By understanding the causes of brain injuries, victims can determine their legal options for receiving compensation that will allow them to address their symptoms and make a full recovery.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
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 situations such as:
UPDATE: Punitive Damages Could Be Available for Victims of Distracted Driving Accidents
Originally published: October 24, 2018 -- Updated: December 6, 2021
UPDATE: While punitive damages, as described below, may be available in some cases, these types of damages are generally only awarded in situations where a person committed an egregious violation of the law or knowingly acted in a way that put others at risk of serious harm. While punitive damages may be available in some car accident cases involving distracted driving, they may also be awarded in cases where a drunk driver caused injuries to others, since all drivers should be aware of the dangers of driving while intoxicated.
Punitive damages may apply in certain types of situations, but other types of damages are available in most car accidents that were caused by a negligent driver or other parties who were at fault for a collision. These usually include economic damages that address the financial losses that a person experienced because of their injuries, including medical expenses, income they lost due to an inability to work while recovering from an accident, and physical or mental disabilities that have affected their future income-earning ability and career prospects. Non-economic damages may also be awarded, and these may address the ways a victim and their loved ones have been personally affected, such as the physical pain and suffering they have experienced and the emotional trauma that has affected their overall well-being.
Understanding The Dangers of Defective Medical Devices
Patients who undergo medical procedures put a significant amount of trust in their surgeon and medical facility. When unexpected, severe, and even fatal injuries occur during these procedures, patients and their families suffer devastating consequences. In some cases, these injuries are caused by defective devices utilized during the medical procedure.
To better understand how to pursue a claim to hold the at-fault parties accountable and recover damages, contact an attorney proficient in handling defective medical device injury cases.
Defective Medical Devices and Common Injuries
Though not all defective medical devices cause injury, those that do can have catastrophic consequences. Defects can be present across various surgical instruments that are often used in critical procedures, including implants, pacemakers, and prosthetic devices. There are certain medical devices that feature defects more frequently than others, some of which include:
An Overview of Illinois Premises Liability Cases
Terrible accidents that occur due to poor property management often seem altogether preventable and unnecessary. When visitors suffer an injury due to unsafe environments that the landowner should have addressed, premises liability law holds property owners accountable for the sustained harm. If you have been injured due to the negligent actions of a property owner, it is vital to understand what legal options may be available.
Different Types of Premises Liability Cases
Accidents that involve premises liability can arise in many different instances, therefore it is critical for property owners to remain vigilant for safety hazards within their property. These types of injuries can occur at nearly any location, including restaurants or stores, the workplace, daycare, or a neighbor’s yard.
Slip and fall accidents may be the most common premises liability danger. Luckily, most slip and fall accidents are fairly minimal and do not result in serious accidents. However, slip and fall accidents can also be extremely dangerous and lead to devastating injuries. Wet floors, unmarked obstacles, and snowy or icy pathways are common factors in slip and fall accidents. Any of these conditions have the potential to cause the victim catastrophic head, neck, or other bodily injuries.
How to Prevent Medication Errors in Nursing Homes
In Illinois and across the country, nursing homes are seeing a rising number of residents suffer injuries and health problems due to medication errors. Families who cannot properly care for their elderly loved ones on their own often rely on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to properly and compassionately attend to them instead. When their loved one’s health fails due to negligent or abusive care, it is critical to work with legal professionals who can represent your loved one’s case.
What Are The Dangers of Medication Errors?
It is very common for nursing home residents to take prescription medication. Unfortunately, nursing homes are notoriously understaffed, and this is a leading cause of medication errors in long-term care facilities. Commonly occurring errors include providing the resident with expired medications, administering the wrong dosage of medication, and neglecting to monitor the resident following administration.
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