Personal Injury

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Ilustración de una persona conduciendo una bicicleta eléctrica roja
Las bicicletas eléctricas y los scooters eléctricos han cambiado rápidamente la forma en que muchas personas se desplazan por Chicago y otras comunidades de Illinois. Son convenientes, económicos y cada vez más populares, pero su creciente uso también ha provocado accidentes graves y nuevas preguntas acerca de cómo deben clasificarse estos vehículos y qué reglas deben cumplir sus conductores.
El Senado y la Cámara de Representantes de Illinois aprobaron el Proyecto de Ley del Senado 3484, conocido como SB 3484, que propone cambios importantes al Código de Vehículos de Illinois relacionados con bicicletas eléctricas, scooters eléctricos y otros dispositivos de…
Continue Reading SB 3484 de Illinois y Demandas por Lesiones de E-Bikes

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Unless you have buried your head in a few feet of sand, you know that AI has seemingly made its way into every aspect of our lives. Supporters of AI praise it as the next big thing. Opponents express concern over its increased usage of electricity. People are concerned about data centers to support AI popping up in their communities. Let’s not even get into those who are proponents of AI who claim untold riches for those who embrace this magic elixir.
So, who’s right in the great AI debate? We likely won’t know for…
Continue Reading Can AI Replace Lawyers?

Slip-and-fall accidents are among the most common causes of back and neck injuries. What happens in an instant and seems like a simple fall actually involves being thrown off-balance, followed by the overextension of muscles and bones during the fall, and then blunt-force trauma on impact with the ground or floor. One of the worst outcomes of a slip-and-fall accident is a herniated disc that ruptures with enough force to cause paralysis. Contact our Chicago slip and fall attorney today for a free case consultation.

What Is a Herniated Disc?

The spinal column is a row of circular bones…
Continue Reading How Slip and Falls Can Cause Herniated Discs and Paralysis

Accident News | Chicago

Two people were injured, including one critically, after a car crashed into a truck Tuesday morning in Chicago’s South Loop. The collision occurred near the intersection of Roosevelt Road and State Street.

A sedan struck the rear of a flatbed truck that appeared to be carrying a water tank used to water plants along the Roosevelt Road median. Fire crews reportedly had to cut into the sedan to remove at least one person.

Chicago Fire Department officials said both injured people were taken to hospitals, with one listed in critical condition. The cause of the crash…
Continue Reading 2 Injured, 1 Critically, in Accident in Chicago’s South Loop

After an accident or injury, you’re likely to be contacted by an insurance adjuster. They may ask you for a recorded statement. Even if they make it sound like giving a statement is urgent, you are generally under no obligation to give one to another person’s insurance without speaking to an attorney first.
What you say on that call can affect your claim later. Even a short, casual conversation can end up in your claim file and affect what you are ultimately paid. An Arlington Heights, IL personal injury attorney can help you understand what to say and…
Continue Reading What Should I Say When an Insurance Adjuster Asks for a Statement?

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Smith LaCien LLP is proud to announce that five of our attorneys have been recognized on the prestigious 2027 Illinois Super Lawyers®list. Congratulations to Carla A. Colaianni, Brian LaCien, Todd A. Smith, Allyson C. Cox and Andrew W. Mason on this well-deserved recognition.

We are proud of the exceptional advocacy, dedication and commitment these attorneys bring to their clients and the legal profession every day.

Continue Reading Five Smith LaCien Attorneys Named to 2027 Illinois Super Lawyers® List

Crash News | Chicago

A 20-year-old Chicago man has been charged with DUI and reckless homicide after a crash on the Stevenson Expressway left an SUV passenger dead early Saturday morning. According to Illinois State Police, Armando Gonzalez Vargas was driving southbound on Interstate 55 near Wentworth Avenue around 4:30 a.m. when his GMC Suburban collided with a white Nissan SUV. Court records indicate Gonzalez Vargas was traveling more than 20 mph over the speed limit before the crash.

The GMC then left the roadway and struck a concrete barrier. A passenger in the vehicle, 26-year-old Carlos Vasquez, was pronounced…
Continue Reading Chicago Man Charged with DUI in Deadly Accident on Stevenson Expressway

Even a mild, fully recoverable injury can quickly become expensive when a large emergency room bill arrives at the same time that you’ve missed a week of work, but what about a catastrophic injury with permanent, life-altering effects? While the negligent party’s appropriate insurer pays on claims when their policyholder is proven liable for the damages, how does an insurer handle the enormous costs of a catastrophic injury? Our catastrophic injury attorney in Chicago can help with your injury claim if you’ve sustained a severe injury.

First, What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?

All injuries are painful and distressing, but…
Continue Reading How Insurance Companies Handle High-Value Catastrophic Injury Claims

People who are incarcerated in Illinois do not lose their right to necessary medical care. If an inmate suffers serious harm because necessary medical care was denied or unreasonably delayed, a civil rights lawsuit may be possible. When prison officials or medical providers know that an inmate has a serious medical condition and deliberately fail to provide appropriate treatment, the denial or delay may violate the inmate’s constitutional rights. That distinction matters. A bad medical outcome does not automatically create a lawsuit. Neither does every disagreement with a prison doctor. But repeatedly ignoring serious symptoms, withholding prescribed medication, delaying necessary…
Continue Reading Denied Medical Care in an Illinois Prison: Can Inmates Sue?

One person was killed and another was hospitalized after a two-vehicle crash on the Stevenson Expressway early Saturday morning on Chicago’s Southwest Side. According to Illinois State Police, troopers responded to the crash in the southbound lanes of Interstate 55 near Wentworth Avenue, close to the Bridgeport neighborhood, at about 4:30 a.m.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while another victim was injured and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Southbound I-55 was temporarily closed while authorities investigated the crash, with traffic diverted to southbound Interstate 94. The lanes have since reopened.

The cause of the crash…
Continue Reading Chicago I-55 Crash Today: 1 Dead, 1 Hurt on Stevenson Expressway Near Wentworth Ave

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A contested will can create immense heartache for families in an already difficult time. It’s understandable that parents would want to minimize the possibility of fighting between children because of the contents of their will.
You can make a will much harder to challenge, but no document is completely contest-proof. A Barrington, IL estate planning attorney can help you put a plan together in 2026 that’s built to hold up.
Who Can Legally Contest a Will in Illinois?
Under 755 ILCS 5/8-1, an interested person may petition to contest a will’s validity. An interested person generally means someone with…
Continue Reading Can I Prevent My Children From Contesting My Will?

A crash inside a construction zone is its own kind of disorienting experience. You were driving. Something happened. And now you’re sitting with injuries, a damaged vehicle, and a stack of questions you don’t know how to answer. Maybe you felt the zone was poorly marked. Maybe the lane narrowed without warning. Maybe you’re just […]
The post How Can Road Construction Contribute to Car Crashes? appeared first on SAM LAW OFFICE LLC.
Continue Reading How Can Road Construction Contribute to Car Crashes?

A catastrophic injury is one with permanent, life-altering adverse effects, often on all aspects of the injury victim’s life, including their ability to work and accomplish routine daily tasks. Some catastrophic injuries also impact mobility, independence, and personal relationships.

When the injury directly resulted from someone else’s careless, reckless, or wrongful actions—all examples of legal negligence—it may be even more emotionally agonizing, but the injury victim has the right to demand financial accountability for their losses from the responsible party, typically through the appropriate insurance.

The timing of a personal injury claim is important, and early legal action may be…
Continue Reading Why Early Legal Action Matters After a Catastrophic Injury

Crash News | Chicago

A vehicle caught fire Thursday evening on DuSable Lake Shore Drive near Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood, causing concern for motorists traveling through the area. The incident reportedly occurred in the southbound lanes near Chicago Avenue, close to downtown Chicago.

Video shared from the scene showed the vehicle fire and emergency response activity. ABC7 crews observed at least one person being taken to an ambulance following the incident.

Chicago fire and police officials were contacted for additional information, but further details about the cause of the fire and any injuries were not immediately available.

Source: ABC7 Chicago

At…
Continue Reading Chicago Crash Vehicle Catches fire on DuSable Lake Shore Drive Near Streeterville

Wheaton, IL Estate Planning AttorneyGetting married in Illinois can significantly change your estate plan. Marriage affects how your assets may be distributed. It can also create new rights for your spouse that override provisions in an outdated will.
If you got married in 2026, our DuPage County estate planning lawyer can help you understand what needs updating. You’ll work directly with Attorney Eron McCormick, who takes a guy-next-door approach that makes complicated legal concepts easy to understand.
Does Marriage Automatically Change Your Will in Illinois?
Marriage does not automatically revoke or change your will in Illinois. Under 755 ILCS 5/4-7, a…
Continue Reading Does Getting Married Change Your Estate Plan in Illinois?

An injury happens in an instant, but the effects can be long-term or even permanent. Injuries are always painful and traumatic, but when someone else’s careless, reckless, or wrongful action caused the injury, it adds to the trauma. Even worse, if the injury causes serious permanent consequences, it impacts all aspects of your life. In legal terms, this is a catastrophic injury.

It’s important to know your options under Illinois law after a catastrophic injury. Reach out to our catastrophic injury lawyer in Chicago for a free consultation today.

What Is a Catastrophic Injury In Illinois?

Illinois law considers any…
Continue Reading How Illinois Law Handles Catastrophic Injury Claims