Recent Blog Posts
Is Delayed Diagnosis Grounds for a Medical Malpractice Case?
It is fairly common for a person to go to the doctor if they begin feeling unwell or develop some strange new physical symptom. The list of illnesses and diseases is way too long to memorize, and each illness has its own set of numerous symptoms, so it would not be reasonable to expect an average person to understand what is happening to you. However, doctors go through years of medical school and training so that they can eventually do their job and be able to diagnose issues based on the presented symptoms.
While needing to research illnesses and symptoms for the sake of certainty is understandable, it is reasonable to expect that your doctor is familiar with the most common causes of the most common symptoms. If your doctor is at a loss for what your symptoms might mean, she should take her uncertainty as a sign that she needs to start researching those symptoms and determining which diagnosis she can weigh out and which she should consider. If she is still unsure, she should order blood work and other tests that could help narrow the options down.
Bad Faith Failure in Car Accident Claims in Illinois
If you are injured in a car accident caused by another driver, the last thing you want to deal with is the at-fault party’s insurance company, especially if you have serious injuries. Many insurance adjusters go out of their way to minimize, delay, or outright deny a claim to protect the company’s profit margin, even if all the evidence shows the other driver was at fault. This is referred to as a “bad faith failure to settle.”
This failure to settle typically occurs when the insurance company prioritizes its own interests over the policyholder’s. The following are some ways an insurance company may drag its feet to resolve a case. This is one more reason why having an Illinois personal injury lawyer advocating for you if you have been injured in a crash is crucial. Consider contacting the legal professionals at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C., many of whom have been designated Super Lawyers or Elite Lawyers, signifying they are among the top five percent of lawyers in Illinois.
The Most Vulnerable in Truck Accidents in Illinois
Large trucks pose significant risks to everyone they share the road with due to the sheer size and weight disparity between these vehicles and vulnerable road users. Most semi-trucks are more than 70 feet long and weigh over 80,000 pounds. They are especially dangerous to pedestrians and bicyclists, often resulting in devastating consequences. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2021,15 percent of the almost 5,000 people killed in truck accidents were pedestrians and cyclists. If you or a loved one have been injured in a crash, an Illinois personal injury lawyer can explain your legal options.
Why Are Pedestrians and Cyclists More Vulnerable?
One of the most glaring aspects of large truck accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists is the disproportionate severity of injuries they sustain. The sheer mass and momentum of a commercial truck can cause catastrophic harm upon impact, resulting in severe trauma, multiple fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage. Pedestrians and cyclists lack the protective enclosures that other vehicles have, rendering them particularly susceptible to the devastating forces unleashed in collisions with large trucks.
Electrical Injuries on Job Sites in Illinois
According to national statistics, more than 4,000 workers are injured each year because of electrical hazards. Approximately 150 workers die from their injuries. Electricity ranks sixth among the country's most common causes of occupational injury. The injuries workers suffer in these incidents can leave them with chronic and permanent disabilities. This is why it is essential for an employee who has sustained an electric injury to consult with an Illinois workers' compensation lawyer to ensure they receive all the benefits they may be entitled to.
How Do Electrical Injuries Occur?
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the most frequent causes of electrical injuries on the job include:
March Is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Illinois
Each year, the month of March is designated as Brain Injury Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness about brain injuries, their causes, prevention, and the challenges faced by individuals affected by these injuries. During the month, various organizations, advocacy groups, healthcare providers, and individuals engage in activities and campaigns to promote understanding and support for individuals living with brain injuries.
According to national statistics, the most common causes of brain injuries include falls (responsible for almost half), vehicle accidents, and assaults. When a brain injury is the result of another party's negligence, the injured party may be able to pursue damages for the losses he or she has suffered. The amount of that financial compensation usually depends on the type and the long-term impact of the injury. An Illinois personal injury lawyer can determine what type of compensation you may be entitled to.
Pursuing a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in Illinois
Lawsuits for sexual abuse are a critical way – sometimes the only way – for survivors to seek justice, providing an avenue for accountability for the perpetrator and compensation for the survivor. These legal actions are vital in many contexts, often involving religious institutions and those in education or business. A dedicated Illinois personal injury lawyer can help you navigate through this complex area of tort law.
How Do Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Help Survivors?
First, sexual abuse lawsuits let survivors voice their experiences. A lawsuit is an avenue for a survivor to seek validation for the harm they endured. Survivors often face significant barriers in coming forward to press criminal charges. Some of these barriers include disbelief, social stigma, and fear of retaliation.
Company Fined $264K for Fall Protection Violations
A construction company based in Oswego, Illinois, is facing more than $264,000 in federal fines for its continued failure to protect workers from fall hazards. This is the eighth time since 2015 that this company has been cited for failing to ensure a safe work environment on job sites. Any worker who has suffered an injury caused by an unsafe work site should contact an Illinois workers' compensation lawyer immediately.
Four Violations
According to a press release issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), on August 23, 2023, OSHA inspectors saw employees of United Custom Homes LLC working without any protective equipment at a residential construction site in Naperville. Some workers were operating at heights up to 20 feet without any fall protection.
Negligence Per Se and Drunk Driving Crashes
In many car accident cases, one of the difficulties that can arise is trying to prove the at-fault driver truly is the driver who caused the crash. It is not uncommon for insurance companies to try to deny a claim by trying to shift blame to the injured driver. This is why it is so important to retain the services of an Illinois car accident lawyer to help pursue damages.
But there are car accident cases where the legal doctrine of “negligence per se” can be used to show fault. Negligence per se is a legal doctrine that holds individuals automatically negligent if they violate a statute or regulation intended to protect the public from harm, such as laws prohibiting driving under the influence. If someone causes an accident while driving drunk, they are considered negligent per se because they violated a law designed to prevent the exact harm that occurred.
Should Illinois Ban the Right on Red Law?
Approximately 50 years ago, Illinois, along with most states in the country, changed its law so drivers could turn right at red lights. However, the law specifically states that a driver could turn right on red only after the vehicle comes to a complete stop. While the right turn on red rule is intended to expedite traffic flow, it poses significant dangers to pedestrians. Pedestrians are vulnerable road users, and the execution of right turns on red can create hazardous situations that compromise their safety. Unfortunately, the high number of pedestrians struck and injured or killed at these locations has resulted in some states and major cities, including Chicago, considering banning right-on-red laws. Anyone injured in a pedestrian accident should speak with an Illinois personal injury lawyer to determine what legal recourse they may have.
OSHA Announces New Safety Protocols for Its Own Employees
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced that it is updating its safety protocols for all agency employees who wear hard hats. Employees will be given safety helmets instead as part of their personal protective equipment (PPE). OSHA urges all employers with employees who use hard hats to take steps to replace them with safety helmets to provide workers with the protection they need. Any worker who has suffered an injury at work should speak to an Illinois workers’ compensation lawyer to find out what benefits they may be entitled to.
Safety Helmets vs. Hard Hats
Safety helmets and hard hats are essential pieces of personal protective equipment designed to protect the head from hazards in various work environments. While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are distinctions between safety helmets and hard hats regarding design, materials, and the level of protection they offer.
