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. 

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. 

If the person who died is not married and has no children, the people who may be considered “next of kin” may broaden to apply to other relatives like grandchildren or grandparents. Friends and fiancés are generally not considered next of kin.

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. 

This is because property owners and managers have a responsibility, or a legal “duty,” to make sure people on the property are safe from injury. This involves keeping the property safely maintained and removing or alerting visitors about dangerous conditions as soon as they are known. 

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: 

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. 

The Legal Alcohol Limit Is Lower for CDL Drivers

While the legal alcohol limit is .08 for standard drivers and even for Uber and Lyft drivers, CDL drivers are restricted to a blood alcohol limit of just .04. For drivers, especially female drivers, this can be as few as two drinks. This means that even if a driver does not feel drunk, he or she may still be over the legal limit for CDL drivers.