When a work injury caused significant injuries that changed his life, Seth M. needed Ankin Law to help get the care he deserved.  More specifically, Attorney Scott Goldstein, whose 20 years of expertise came through for this client in 2026. In August 2023, Seth was pushing boxes when he tore his right biceps and ruptured ligaments in his wrist. Further pain from the injury would require him to get a spinal stimulator, with insurance fighting him on all the treatment. But Scott, along with legal assistant Kelly Pickert, worked to get his case to trial, where he was awarded his…
Continue Reading Seth Had Someone ‘Fighting for Me’ at Ankin Law

One of the biggest questions asked to a lawyer in the social media age is what to do about their accounts if they get injured.  It’s one that Attorney Howard Ankin of Ankin Law has gotten several times over the past few years. When he responds, he usually has three pieces of advice for people.

  • Don’t delete previous posts on your accounts – This could end up being problematic to your case down the road. 
  • Don’t constantly document your life following your injury – Don’t post often about your activities following an injury.
  • Don’t have family and friends document your

    • …
    Continue Reading What Attorney Howard Ankin Says Not to Do on Social Media After an Injury

    Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that doesn’t discriminate based on wealth, job title, or social status.
    Mesothelioma is considered a rare disease, with only around 3,000 Americans diagnosed each year. Despite this, it has taken the lives of many well-known public figures, including musicians, politicians, actors, and athletes.
    Many celebrities have passed away from mesothelioma, including the beloved actor Steve McQueen, the musician Warren Zevon, the football player Merlin Olson, and more.
    If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, get a free consultation now to see how we may be able to…
    Continue Reading 12 Famous Deaths Caused by Mesothelioma & Asbestos Exposure

    Postpartum psychosis affects roughly 1 to 2 out of every 1,000 births, and while it is rare, it is also one of the most severe postpartum psychiatric conditions, carrying real risk of harm to the mother or child if it goes unrecognized. The condition has a good prognosis when it is caught and treated early, which is exactly why a healthcare provider’s failure to screen for it, diagnose it, or manage it safely can amount to medical malpractice.

    If you or a loved one experienced a severe postpartum psychiatric crisis and believe a doctor, nurse, or mental health provider failed…
    Continue Reading Postpartum Psychosis and Medical Malpractice: What Illinois Families Should Know

    In Illinois, pets are legally classified as personal property, not people, which means a claim over an injured or killed pet works differently than a typical personal injury case, but real compensation is still available when someone else’s negligence is to blame. Illinois courts have gone further than many states in what pet owners can recover, including the full cost of veterinary treatment in some cases, not just the animal’s market value.

    If your pet was injured or killed because of someone else’s carelessness, call Phillips Law Offices at (312) 346-4262 for a free consultation.

    Why Pets Are Treated as…
    Continue Reading Can You Sue If Your Pet Is Injured or Killed by Someone Else’s Negligence? Illinois Law Explained

    On August 21, 2026, a Belmont Cragin couple filed the first Illinois lawsuit connected to the 2026 Cyclospora outbreak, after it took 23 days and three separate testing attempts before doctors could identify the parasite making one of them seriously ill. The case, filed in federal court against Taylor Farms, is an early look at how these claims are being built, and a sign that more Illinois filings are likely as the outbreak’s case count continues to climb.

    If you or a family member were sickened during this outbreak and haven’t spoken with an attorney yet, call Phillips Law Offices…
    Continue Reading First Illinois Cyclospora Lawsuit Filed Against Taylor Farms: What It Means for Other Victims

    A worker in Wilmington, Illinois became trapped more than 130 feet in the air for roughly six hours on July 21, 2026, after the aerial lift he was using malfunctioned and could not be brought back down to retrieve him. His account only became public in news reports in late August 2026. He was eventually rescued safely by a technical rescue team using a replacement lift escorted in by state police, but the incident is a stark reminder that equipment failure on a job site can create serious legal exposure, even when the worker survives without physical injury.

    If you…
    Continue Reading Worker Trapped 130 Feet in the Air: What Equipment Failure Means for Liability in Illinois

    The CDC and USDA warn that cross-contamination, allowing raw meat, poultry, or seafood to come into contact with food that won’t be cooked, is one of the most common causes of preventable food poisoning. At home, this is a kitchen habit. In a restaurant, grocery store, or food service kitchen, it’s a food safety failure, and when it makes someone seriously ill, it can also be a legal claim.

    If you got sick after eating at a restaurant or from food prepared by a business, and you believe cross-contamination was the cause, call Phillips Law Offices at (312) 346-4262 for…
    Continue Reading Cross-Contamination From Raw Meat: How It Causes Food Poisoning and When It’s Legally Someone Else’s Fault

    2026 is on pace to be the worst West Nile virus season in the United States in 22 years, and Illinois has confirmed and probable human cases across dozens of counties, including Cook County mosquito activity. While most West Nile infections don’t lead to a lawsuit, property owners who allow standing water to breed mosquitoes on their land can, in some circumstances, be held legally responsible when that negligence contributes to a tenant’s or visitor’s infection.

    If you or a family member developed a severe or neuroinvasive West Nile infection and believe a property owner’s neglected standing water contributed to…
    Continue Reading West Nile Virus in Illinois 2026: Worst Season in 22 Years and Your Legal Rights

    On August 25, 2026, Baxter International issued a voluntary nationwide recall of two lots of its 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection after discovering possible fiberglass particulate contamination, and Illinois is one of the states where the affected product was distributed. If the contaminated IV fluid was administered to you or a loved one, you may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer under Illinois product liability law.

    If you or a family member received IV saline at an Illinois hospital or clinic between late July and early August 2026 and suffered complications, call Phillips Law Offices at (312) 346-4262 for a…
    Continue Reading Baxter IV Saline Recall 2026: Fiberglass Contamination Risk in Illinois

    Illinois has confirmed 1,437 cases of cyclosporiasis in 2026, including 69 hospitalizations, as part of a 17-state outbreak traced to contaminated iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. Nationally, the CDC has counted 9,481 illnesses linked to this outbreak, with two deaths reported in Michigan. If you or a family member became seriously ill after eating contaminated produce, you may have the right to file a product liability or negligence claim against the grower, processor, distributor, or restaurant that served it.

    If you were hospitalized or suffered a serious illness connected to this outbreak, call Phillips Law Offices at (312) …
    Continue Reading Illinois Cyclospora Outbreak 2026: 1,437 Cases Linked to Contaminated Lettuce

    When a pedestrian is hit in a Chicago crosswalk, attention usually turns first to the driver. But driver negligence is not always the only factor. A malfunctioning pedestrian signal, poorly maintained crossing, obstructed sightline, or other problem with city-controlled infrastructure may contribute to an accident. When that happens, determining when the city is responsible for pedestrian injuries requires looking closely at the specific crosswalk, what Chicago knew about the dangerous condition, and whether the problem contributed to the collision. If you were injured in a Chicago crosswalk and have questions about whether a driver, the city, or multiple parties may…
    Continue Reading Dangerous Chicago Crosswalks: When Is the City Responsible for Your Pedestrian Accident Injuries?

    You may be able to sue if you contracted Legionnaires’ disease because a property owner, building operator, maintenance company, or another responsible party failed to keep the building’s water system reasonably safe. Recent reports involving a Chicago federal court courthouse, where concerns about Legionella in the building’s water system have raised questions about exposure and responsibility, highlight how these claims frequently turn on notice, maintenance practice, and testing history. If you developed Legionnaires’ disease after spending time in a Chicago apartment building, hotel, hospital, workplace, government building, or other facility, a legionnaires disease lawyer can investigate your exposure, identify who…
    Continue Reading Can You Sue If You Contract Legionnaires’ Disease From Contaminated Water in a Chicago Building?

    If your spouse controls the money, divorce can feel overwhelming even before the legal process starts. You might not know your spouse’s income, where accounts are, what debts exist, or if you can afford a lawyer. You may also worry that asking questions could lead to anger, threats, changes to accounts, or pressure to stay silent. In Illinois, having less access to money does not mean you have no legal options. We help clients in Downers Grove and across Chicago learn how Illinois divorce law can address financial control, temporary support, attorney’s fees, marital property, and the records you need…
    Continue Reading How To Prepare For Divorce When Your Spouse Controls The Money

    As of January 1, 2027, a new law will classify e-bikes, e-motos and other battery-powered vehicles that travel over 28 mph as motor vehicles.  Gov. JB Pritzker signed the law on August 26, 2026.
    What this means is that you will need to get a driver’s license, carry insurance and register your vehicle with the state.  You will be required to follow motor vehicle traffic laws including those involving DUI.  You will not be allowed on bike paths or lanes.
    E-scooters, electric skateboards and electric unicycles may still use bike lanes, paths and sidewalks or roads but would be barred…
    Continue Reading New Law Subjects E-Motorists To DUI and Traffic Laws

    Many nonunion employers do not expect that they may be one ordinary employee group chat away from a potential National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) issue. The common misconception is that labor law only matters when a union is involved. It doesn’t. As a result, disciplinary decisions that seem routine can quickly become unfair labor practice charges if managers fail to recognize when employees are engaging in protected concerted activity.
    Continue Reading Inside the NLRB: That Employee Group Text Could Create NLRA Liability for
    Nonunion Employers