Posted on February 03, 2015 in Firm News

In a previous article we wrote on our website, we discussed a report that ranked Illinois at 42nd in the country in terms of nursing home care in 2013. This state was better than only eight other states when it came to facilities focused on caring for the elderly.

That article, which can be found here, discussed why Illinois ranked so poorly in 2013 and why it was one of 11 states that received a failing grade. Unfortunately, any hopes that the report would prompt some positive changes were dashed when researchers from Families for Better Care, the organization that released the 2013 rankings, reported that Illinois dropped to an overall ranking of 44 in 2014.

Illinois, still given a failing grade overall, got worse marks in three different areas including:

• Above-average direct care staffing

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 Posted on January 28, 2015 in Car Accidents

While the Bears may not be playing in the Super Bowl this weekend, football fans all across Illinois are undoubtedly looking forward to the game. Every year, millions of people tune in to watch the biggest sports event of the year, and this year looks to be no different.

Whether you plan on watching the game or not, you should still be aware of what happens across the country during and after Super Bowl games. Reports indicate that car accidents increase by a whopping 40 percent after these games, so it can be important for Illinois drivers to be aware of the potential high risk of being hit by a negligent or reckless driver this weekend.

Researchers found, after looking at accident rates during and after the Super Bowl for 27 years, that there in an increase in deaths and injuries caused by car accidents after the game. In fact, an average of more than 600 additional people are killed or injured after the Super Bowl when compared with other Sundays preceding or following the event.

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 Posted on January 20, 2015 in Firm News

The modern farming industry can be just as physically and mentally demanding as it ever was. The introduction of new technologies and advanced equipment can make the work easier and faster, but they can also present new hazards that didn't exist a generation ago.

No matter what the cause of a farming accident is, whether it was caused by sophisticated equipment or traditional farming practices, victims should understand that they often have access to financial remedies to help them cope with their injuries.

One Midwestern man may be considering his legal options in the wake of a serious accident that resulted in burn injuries. He had to be flown to a hospital more than 200 miles away for medical treatment.

At this point, it is too early to tell what caused the explosion that led to the man's injuries, but reports indicate that it happened in a hog building on the farm. These types of explosions are relatively rare, but they can and do happen on farms all across the Midwest. In many cases, the explosion is tied to manure foam.

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 Posted on January 13, 2015 in Firm News

If you have suffered an on-the-job injury, chances are that you are getting a lot advice and suggestions for what to do next from co-workers, family members or even employers. However, unless the person giving you advice is a medical professional or attorney, you may not be getting the most accurate and helpful information available.

People who suffer work-related injuries can be eligible to pursue workers' compensation in Illinois. However, there are a number of steps that must be taken properly in order for a claim to be successful, and there are times when an injured worker may be misinformed or discouraged from filing a claim. It is for these reasons that workers would be wise to speak directly to an attorney regarding their options for workers' compensation.

Friends and family members may have good intentions when advising you on what to do after an injury, but chances are high that they do not know what the reporting requirements are at your workplace. They also may not understand that medical assessments may have to be completed by specific parties in order to be eligible for workers' compensation.

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 Posted on January 07, 2015 in Firm News

Every driver in Illinois knows that winter can be a particularly stressful time to be behind the wheel. The roads are often icy, wet and obscured by heavy snowfall or blowing snow. Despite these unavoidable hazards, there are still too many drivers who fail to appropriately adjust their driving behaviors to avoid winter crashes.

Unfortunately, some of these drivers are behind the wheel of 80,000-pound commercial trucks. When truckers fail to take adequate precautions to prevent an accident on dangerous roads, the consequences can be tragic.

Like all drivers, truckers need to be aware of how their vehicle will respond in certain situations. Commercial vehicles in particular are huge and powerful, which means that even the slightest oversight in driving or maintaining a truck can be magnified when it combines with icy roads or snow. 

For instance, it will take much more space for truck to come to a stop when it is on ice. This means that if a trucker is following another vehicle too closely or is not focused on the road, he or she may be unable to stop in time to avoid a collision.

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 Posted on December 30, 2014 in Firm News

Suffocation is a very real threat for those working in the grain industry. Between the possibility of crusted grain breaking, becoming trapped while removing spoiled grain, or drowning in the grain bin, farmers and farm workers who tend to grain handling duties face very real risks on the job. 

Recently, the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board worked together to come up with a potentially life-saving app. The app helps people locate the nearest grain rescue tube. These tubes can be put around someone who is trapped inside of a grain bin and can mean the difference between life and death. 

The idea behind this app is for it to be downloaded before there is an emergency situation. This way, it is at hand if needed.

Of course, this is all good news for the grain industry and the farmers and farm workers who tend to grain duties. However, while the hope is this app will reduce the number of workers killed in grain accidents, there is no guarantee. Accidents can still happen. 

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 Posted on December 15, 2014 in Firm News

Nursing homes can provide critical care to the most vulnerable patients. In many cases, elderly patients are admitted to these facilities because their care needs are more extensive than what can be managed by loved ones. This means that a huge population of people is depending on the medical care, support and respect that many nursing home facilities are expected to provide.

Sadly, not every patient will receive this basic level of care. Too many will or have become victims of neglect or abuse. This mistreatment is often ignored or denied by the very people expected to protect the patients, and family members of victims across Illinois want solutions. One such solution is currently being considered by Illinois lawmakers.

The proposed legislation is targeted at protecting nursing home patients while also empowering family members to keep a better eye on the treatment provided in the facility. According to reports, the legislation would allow the family members of nursing home residents to equip their loved one's room with audio and video recording equipment.

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 Posted on December 10, 2014 in Firm News

This time of year can be quite hectic for people all across Illinois. There is often a lot going on, from holiday shopping to road trips to visit loved ones. Stress and anxiety levels can already be at an all-time high during this season; a serious injury or accident could only make matters worse.

Unfortunately, there are a number of holiday hazards that put people in danger. In this post, we will explore some common risks people may be confronted with in the coming weeks. 

Many holiday hazards lead to personal injuries and can fall into a few different categories for legal claims: product liability, premises liability and automobile accidents.

A product liability claim may be filed if the use of a dangerous or defective product results in damages. During the holidays, these products may include:

• Faulty Christmas lights
• Tainted food
• Defective children's toys

A premises liability claim may be an option for people injured on property that has been poorly maintained or neglected. Holiday-specific risks include:

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 Posted on December 05, 2014 in Car Accidents

When you’ve been involved in a car accident, your first priorities should be survival and recovery. Accident victims cannot be expected to focus on anything else, at least not right away.

Once your situation has stabilized, however, you will need to address practical issues, such as how your accident and injuries will impact your life and your finances. If you were injured by the negligence of another driver, you will likely want to seek compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. Compensation you seek for loss or injury is typically referred to as “damages.”

In today’s post, we’ll discuss three common kinds of damages you may be able to claim in your personal injury lawsuit. Perhaps most obvious are damages related to medical expenses. Depending on the severity and prognosis of your injuries, damages could be as small as a few thousand dollars or as high as millions of dollars. Permanent paralysis, traumatic brain injury and other serious medical outcomes will likely necessitate high-end damages.

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 Posted on December 02, 2014 in Car Accidents

We would all like to think that every driver on the road is taking adequate precautions to drive safely and pay attention to the road. Unfortunately, distracted driving is all too prevalent in Illinois; preventable car accidents still happen because motorists are more focused on their phones than driving, despite the considerable awareness efforts that have been launched to curb the behavior.

When people think about distracted driving, they often think of talking on a handheld phone or texting. These are certainly two very distracting behaviors, and there are laws that specifically prohibit these activities while driving. Unfortunately, there is reportedly an increase in drivers who seem to be missing the message these laws and awareness campaigns are trying to send. 

A recent report by State Farm determined that while drivers are talking on handheld phones less and have not increased texting habits in the past six years, they are surfing the Internet at increasing rates.

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