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Recent Blog Posts
What Kind of Medical Evidence Is Used in Personal Injury Cases?
No one signs up for a personal injury case. Rather, people become plaintiffs in a personal injury lawsuit because something out of their control has happened to them - due to another party’s negligence. Dealing with your injuries is likely already painful and difficult. Fighting to force the party who injured you to compensate you can also be challenging in many ways. It is necessary to introduce substantial evidence to prove the extent and nature of the physical harm that was done to you.
If your case goes to court rather than settling, this may mean that you necessarily will lose some privacy in your medical information. If you are naturally a private person, this may be difficult for you. Understanding the ways that medical evidence may be used in your trial is important so that you are well-prepared. Our attorneys do, of course, always make an effort to secure a settlement you are happy with first.
How Much Trouble Will I Get in for Stealing Makeup From a Drugstore?
In recent years, news headlines in many states have announced that minor shoplifting is not being seriously prosecuted and defendants charged with stealing items valued under a certain amount are only being charged with a misdemeanor offense. Certain cities in Illinois have taken a similarly lenient approach. In 2016, Kim Foxx told Cook County prosecutors that the vast majority of retail theft under $1,000 would only be prosecuted as a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
While news like this may make it seem like stealing products of little value from retail stores is not a big deal, many drugstores have closed because of an inability to prevent theft and previously lenient prosecutors are now taking a firmer stance against minor theft. Theft laws in Illinois still remain strict and, in Will County, prosecutors are still going after retail thieves aggressively.
Robbing Someone at an ATM in Illinois Carries Serious Consequences
For criminals unschooled in federal case law, robbing someone at an ATM might seem like the perfect opportunity to get easy cash without having to commit the more serious crime of holding up a teller at a bank. If you can catch someone at an ATM with their debit card, you may think you can access account funds without risking more than charges of basic robbery.
This turns out to be a huge mistake. While most personal robberies do indeed fall under state law, robbing someone at an ATM will likely be treated the same as robbing someone at a bank. While courts are still somewhat divided over this issue, rulings exist that have allowed ATM robberies to fall under federal law and jurisdiction, bringing much harsher penalties. If you have been charged with robbing someone at an ATM in Illinois, make sure you have an excellent criminal defense attorney.
Improperly Restraining Nursing Home Residents Can Lead to Dangerous Bedsores
When elderly adults reach the point that they need live in a full-time residential care facility, their health and well-being can easily be put at risk by improper care or monitoring. Although many Illinois nursing homes have well-trained staff who are responsive to the needs of their patients, the news is full of stories about nursing home residents who have been seriously injured or even died because staff are untrained, overworked, neglectful, or abusive.
One early sign that nursing home abuse or neglect may be present is the appearance of bedsores. Fortunately, the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act guarantees nursing home patients a basic standard of care, and there are legal remedies available to take action if patients are being treated poorly.
What Are Bed Sores?
Bed sores, also called pressure ulcers, are injuries that happen when someone has been lying in the same position for too long. A person’s body weight puts pressure on the areas where the body comes into contact with a bed or wheelchair, cutting off circulation and causing sores to develop. Generally, sores first appear on a patient’s elbows, buttocks, back, or legs, and sores begin to worsen in gradual stages.
Can I Sue on Behalf of My Spouse Who Was Killed in an Accident?
The death of a loved one is a terrible shock. In addition to the grief survivors suffer, plans for the future must be completely recalibrated; for example, when the deceased individual is the primary breadwinner for a family, children are deprived both of a parent and that parent’s crucial financial support. In cases like these, a wrongful death lawsuit can be a lifeline for suffering families. If you recently lost a loved one and are wondering whether you can take legal action, read on.
Who Can Bring a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
Illinois law allows a person’s next of kin to recover damages for wrongful death. “Next of kin” is generally the decedent’s spouse and children. If the decedent is not married, children and sometimes even parents can file a lawsuit. For example, if an infant is killed during childbirth because of a medical mistake, the parents may be able to sue the doctor responsible for the error.
When is a Property Owner Liable for a Slip and Fall on Their Property?
People can be seriously injured when they slip, trip, or fall, and the hazards of poorly tended surfaces are heightened for elderly and disabled individuals. Accidentally falling is one of the leading causes of unintentional deaths in America, and millions of people are treated in the hospital for injuries sustained in falls. It is important to understand your rights in Illinois if you are injured when you slip and fall. You may be eligible to receive compensation from the responsible party for your injuries, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more.
How Does Illinois Premises Liability Law Work?
The Illinois Premises Liability Act is intended to hold property owners and managers responsible if someone who has a right to be on the property is hurt because of carelessness or negligence on the part of the property owner. In some cases, property owners may be liable for injuries that occurred even when someone was trespassing.
Illinois Truck Drivers Should Be Aware of These Common Commercial Driver License Violations
The truckers and deliverymen and women who ensure the rest of Americans receive their packages and food on time often need to have commercial driver’s licenses (CDL). Getting a CDL requires extensive training in recognition of the serious responsibility that comes with driving vehicles carrying significant weight or dangerous substances.
Because of this responsibility, Illinois law is highly circumspect when it comes to articulating CDL violations and the consequences such actions involve. If you are a CDL driver or want to be and have questions about license violations or reinstatement, speak with an attorney right away.
Common CDL Violations
While certain violations, such as driving under the influence, might be more well-known, other violations may surprise you. Just a few common CDL violations include:
- Leaving the scene of a crash while driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV)
What Happens to Commercial Truck Drivers Who Get a DUI?
Commercial drivers are a crucial part of the American economy, especially in a world where Covid and other challenges prevent easy or regular access to stores. More people than ever are doing the majority of their shopping online, and the significant supply disruptions that occur when truckers are overworked or unavailable attest to the importance of these jobs.
Although commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders are essential to helping our daily lives continue normally, they are human just like everyone else and sometimes make serious mistakes like drinking or taking drugs before driving. A DUI on a commercial driver’s license can have serious consequences, to say nothing of what can happen when a big rig driver loses control of his truck because he is not thinking clearly. If you are facing DUI charges on your CDL, get help from an aggressive criminal defense attorney right away.
Summer in Illinois Requires Heightened Vigilance Against Swimming Pool Accidents
One of the best parts of summer is enjoying the warm weather by the side of a swimming pool. Kids stay busy and parents enjoy having the kids out of the house and tuckered out at the end of the day. However, pools also come with serious injury risks, as thousands of people, both children and adults, are injured in swimming pools every year in America.
Many of the children who are injured will face a long, uphill battle toward recovery. Their parents will likewise struggle with the healing process as they face expensive medical and rehabilitative treatment for their child, as well as the emotional burden of helping their child recover from their injuries. If you or your child are injured in a preventable Illinois swimming pool accident this summer, it may be helpful to know the basics of Illinois premises liability law and have the help of an experienced swimming pool injury attorney.
Warn Your College-Aged Child About These Criminal Offenses Over Summer Break
Summer is in full swing in Illinois and kids are out of school. For young adults that just graduated high school or are visiting from college for the summer, the freedom can be downright intoxicating. Add literal intoxicants like THC or alcohol, and the mix can sometimes be disastrous.
Young adults—young men, in particular—generally still do not have a fully developed frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain responsible for making decisions and accurately predicting the consequences of those decisions. When drugs, alcohol, or peer pressure are added to the inevitable lack of maturity and underdeveloped decision-making skills that come with young age, risk-taking behaviors increase. While most activities are relatively harmless—and even those that are harmful are often escaped without causing serious damage—sometimes the consequences of poor decisions require the help of an Illinois criminal defense attorney.
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