Recent Blog Posts
Children And Product Liability
No parent ever expects that a product or toy they purchase could injure or kill the child for which it is intended. Yet, every year, there are between 400 and 450 recalls of products in the interest of safety. In 2017, there were 251,700 injuries related to toys alone, as reported by emergency rooms to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Kids getting minor injuries related to playtime is unavoidable, but the negligence of a company and serious injury or death can be avoided.
How Do Recalls Work?
When a faulty product is discovered, it is the company’s job to report the defect to the government. You may recall seeing flyers around your regular retailer's about recalls. When a product is recalled, it is completely up to the consumer to follow through with reaching out to the company. Recalls are also listed on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website, where company contact information and remedies to the defect are also available. If a consumer ignores or is unaware of a recall, he or she is potentially putting themselves or loved ones in danger.
Common Christmas Injuries
The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and celebration, and the last thing on your mind should be a personal injury lawsuit. Unfortunately, accidents do happen, even during the most wonderful time of the year. Tripping or falling over Christmas lights of your own doing is one thing, but what if your injury is caused by the negligence of someone else?
What is Negligence?
Negligence is when a person could have done something to prevent an unfortunate outcome but did not, either due to ignorance or laziness. For example, if a store owner refuses to clean up a spill and someone ends up getting hurt, the injured party is considered a victim of negligence.
Most Common Injuries During the Christmas Season
During 2011 through 2015, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported over 1,700 Christmas related injuries in 100 hospitals. Here are a collection of those common Christmas injuries.
Signs Of Nursing Home Neglect
The decision to place an elderly parent or another family member in a nursing home is often made with best intentions. Common tasks may become impossible for your elderly loved one to complete, and a nursing home can provide around-the-clock care to make them more comfortable. You may feel guilty for not being able to provide the care yourself, but nursing homes have health professionals that are experienced in the needs of elderly people.
You want to think that your loved one is safe in your nursing home of choice, but one out of ten elders experience some form of neglect in a nursing home.
There are four main types of neglect that are seen in a nursing home:
- Basic needs neglect,
- Medical neglect,
- Hygiene neglect, and
- Social neglect.
Common Workers' Compensation Claims
Running a business without workers' compensation insurance is considered a felony. Under Illinois Workers’ Compensation Laws, almost all workers are eligible for workers compensation. A couple of exceptions are farm workers and Federal employees.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
Employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance, which provides financial stability and medical care for employees who are facing injuries that were caused by an accident in the workplace or their working conditions. It is there to help employees heal from their ordeal, physically and emotionally.
If you are unsure about whether your work-related injuries are eligible for workers' compensation, here are some of the most common workers' compensation claims:
Slips and falls - Anyone can trip and fall, but conditions such as a slippery floor, uneven surface, poorly managed wires, or inadequate lighting can make an employee falling at work more likely. According to the United States Department of Labor, trips, falls and slips account for twenty-five percent of the work-related injuries that prevent an employee from immediately returning to work. In the case of a slippery floor, even if a wet floor sign is present, an employee may still eligible for workers compensation, even if a wet floor sign is present, so long as the injury is severe enough that it renders an employee unable to work. Serious falls, such as those from heights, are more commonly seen in utility and construction professions.
Preventing Auto Accidents In The Winter
Kane County is no stranger to cold and snowy winters. During the second week of February of this year, St. Charles received over 14 inches of snow over a span of four days. Shoveling the driveway and sidewalk is hard enough, but what happens when you need to operate a vehicle during the harsh Midwest winter?
Statistics
Every year, approximately 900 people are killed in an auto accident during winter precipitation, and 1,300 are killed because of pre-existing road conditions such as snow, ice, or slush. Thousands more are injured, despite almost 75 percent of the United States regularly experiencing winter weather.
In an act of preparing for the harsh winter ahead, here are some tips for keeping safe on the roads, despite unfavorable conditions:
Go Slow - Your safety is more important than getting to your destination quickly. It takes longer to stop your car on snow or ice, giving you a shorter reaction time if you are speeding. If your destination is time-sensitive, consider leaving early. Other people will be driving slow as well. If conditions are too bad, safely pull over.
Reasons For Truck Accidents
We have truck drivers to thank for providing goods and services across the county. However, these massive vehicles are one of the most dangerous on the road, weighing up to 80,000 pounds. Any accident on the road can be deadly, but when an 18-wheeler is involved, catastrophic personal injury can occur. Driver fatigue is often blamed for accidents involving trucks, but overworking is not always the cause of a truck accident.
What Are Truck Driver Labor Laws?
In the United States, truck drivers must keep a 24-hour logbook while on duty. Commercial motor drivers can only work 11 cumulative hours within a 14 hour period. Drivers are then required to rest for a minimum of ten hours. A recent mandate has made electronic onboard recorders mandatory, which record the actual driving time of a truck.
Famous Infant Product Liability Cases
After bringing a child into the world, you do your best to provide a safe environment for them to grow up in. You may put locks on cupboards, and a gate in front of the basement stairs, but what happens when a product you purchase puts your infant in harm's way? Poor design or a manufacturing flaw in a product can result in injury or death to your child. Common injuries involved in a products liability suit may include:
- Choking,
- Burns,
- Amputation,
- Lacerations, and
- Strangulation.
Defective Baby Products Can Cause Death or Injury to an Infant
Something seemingly safe for your child may result in death or injury. Here are some examples of products for infants that are seen as hazards, or have been recalled due to bodily harm to a child.
Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois Workers Compensation
For the average adult, one-third of your life is spent at work. Your workplace is a familiar space and, especially for traditionally non-hazardous spaces like an office, it may be hard to believe when a serious accident occurs. No matter who is at fault for the accident, you have rights as an employee to submit a claim for any pain and suffering sustained while at work. Suffering an injury at work is a scary and unsure time. Here are a collection of frequently asked questions in regards to workers compensation in Illinois.
What Is Workers Compensation?
According to the Illinois Handbook On Workers Compensation And Occupational Diseases, workers compensation is defined as a system, for most employees, to receive benefits by law after a workplace injury or disease developed from an occupational hazard.
After Getting Hit By A Drunk Driver
Car accidents are inevitable with human error. However, the likelihood of an accident is significantly higher when the driver behind the wheel is under the influence of alcohol. Approximately one-fourth of all fatal car accident victims in Illinois in 2016 were alcohol-related. There were also 29,528 DUI arrests in the same year, as reported by the Secretary of State’s office. A drunk driver perceives the road differently than a sober driver, and sometimes defensive driving is not enough to protect yourself.
What Is A DUI?
A DUI, or Driving Under the Influence, is when a person is operating a motor vehicle while under a mind-altering substance. DUI’s are most known for alcohol offenses, but they also include:
- Drugs,
- Marijuana,
OB/GYN Medical Malpractice
Most practitioners experience at least one medical malpractice lawsuit during their career. Obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYN) and surgeons are the most commonly sued in the medical world. In fact, according to a Medscape study, 85% of OB/GYN specialists have been sued.
What is Medical Malpractice?
When a healthcare professional or medical establishment causes harm to a patient because of negligence, this is medical malpractice. One-third of lawsuits related to an OB/GYN practice is the result of an injury during care. Examples of medical malpractice include:
- Misreading results,
- Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose,
- Surgical error,
- Unnecessary surgery, and
- Improper follow-up.
