Few people experience the misfortune of a workplace injury.  And that’s a good thing.  None of us wants to get injured, and certainly not seriously enough to require surgery.
I recently settled my client’s case that involved not one, but two, separate knee surgeries, and also a reinjury to one of the knees after he had recovered from surgery.  Find out more about what happened to him, and how I was able to garner fair compensation for his injuries.
Left, Right, Left, Right…
My client is a long-time flight attendant for one of the major airlines.  He loves his job…
Continue Reading Two For One Special

It’s time for a refresher on how personal injury claims work and what has to be proven in order to recover compensation.  Think of this as your introductory class, only you don’t have to listen to boring lectures, participate in class discussions, or even receive a grade.
Let’s break down the way an injury claim or lawsuit works by looking at the elements of a claim. In order to recover compensation for your injury, you must be able to prove all elements: the existence of a duty of care, a breach of the duty, causation, and damages.
Duty
First, you…
Continue Reading Duty Breach Causation Damage

Electronic bikes and scooters are all around, even when it’s snowy and in the 20s in Chicago. 
And they can be very dangerous.  Among the reasons for this are the high speeds they can attain(nearly thirty miles per hour); the lack of training, licensing, or skill of many users; and the lack of understanding of these conveyances by others on the roadways.
Making Limeade
In Chicago, there is a way to rent electronic bikes through the Divvy platform, and for scooters, it’s Lime.  Now, if you have ever ridden a non-motorized bicycle, you’ve undoubtedly had a crash or two.  Lots…
Continue Reading E-bikes, E-Scooters, Eek!

Everybody has heard of workers’ compensation, but most people don’t know its origins, or how it really works. Here’s what you should know if you get injured while working. 
What is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system designed to compensate people injured while working.  In the early 1900s, if you got hurt at work, there was virtually nothing that could be done.  You might have no way to earn a living, your family might be in danger of starving, yet there was no system in place to act as a safety net.
Seems hard to believe now, but…
Continue Reading Illinois Workers’ Compensation Basics

In my thirty-sixth year as a personal injury and workers’ compensation lawyer, I’m still encountering new injuries, different terminologies, and yet, unfortunately, the same frustrating attitudes of many insurance companies.
While it would be wonderful if every case was deemed legitimate at the outset, that is not what our adversarial system is designed to do.  Sometimes, I owe my very career as an attorney to obstinance, disbelief, and arrogance.  So I suppose I should thank at least some insurance adjusters and opposing attorneys for this.
Recently, I was able to resolve a work-related injury case that involved an injury I…
Continue Reading Jersey Finger

Most people, especially in America, if they are breathing, have come across advertisements for personal injury lawyers.  Maybe you’ve seen a “one call, that’s all” motif, or a giant name on the backstop at a televised baseball game.  Billboard, television ads, PI lawyers are everywhere.  You have to have seen them.
But what exactly is personal injury law, and how does it relate to you?
Cars, Trips, and Such
In the barest terms, personal injury law, known to law nerds as “tort law,” involves some basic principles.

…
Continue Reading What is Personal Injury Law, Anyway?

My clients need me sometimes.  Not necessarily because of the legal things I do but sometimes just so they can vent, ask questions, and get someone to listen to them about what they’re going through. 
I’m sure you’ve seen signs on lawyer’s offices that say “Attorney and Counselor at Law.”  You don’t see this phrase as often as you used to, maybe because extra words gum up the machinery of search engine optimization (SEO).  But I digress.
 Writ large, all attorneys are expected to do what attorneys are known for—go to court, read documents, write briefs, research the law, take…
Continue Reading Attorney and Counselor At Law

Recently, on September 16th, I spent an entire day at an American Bar Association TIPS (Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section) Seminar. A friend had asked me to participate in this seminar months ago, and I readily accepted, hoping to offer a plaintiff’s attorney perspective on why arbitration and other forms of alternative dispute resolution can work for all parties.
The Seminar
For an entire day, various speakers and panelists shared wisdom about arbitration, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in general.  We had some “bold print” names from all across the country, from those who had handled the…
Continue Reading Getting and Giving Wisdom about ADR

While this sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, involving a priest, minister, and a rabbi, it’s not at all funny.
In fact, this is precisely what happened to my client, K.
Fortunately, she recovered after being knocked down and injured by a car.  I was able to get her a fair settlement to compensate her for her medical bills, physical injuries, lost work and income, pain and suffering, and loss of a normal life.
Car Runs Over Client
I don’t care how jaded you are, hearing that a human being was hit by a car hits a nerve. …
Continue Reading A Comic Gets Run Over By A Car

In a recent blog, I discussed denial of personal injury claims by insurers.  
What about workers’ compensation cases?  Insurers deny these claims all the time, for all sorts of reasons.  Many people torpedo their own cases by failing to do a few basic things.
What can you do to protect your rights  if you are injured while working?  
A Person Walks into Work and Gets Hurt
That heading sounds like the beginning of a joke, but that’s how it all starts.
The basis of workers’ compensation law in Illinois is contained in the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act and the subsequently…
Continue Reading Denial—Workers’ Compensation Edition

It’s not just a river in Egypt (old joke, not worth explaining).
Seriously, I get this question often from prospective clients, “can the insurance company deny my claim?”  The answer, of course, is a decided “yes.”  Another variant is, “can the insurance company deny my claim based upon the police report?”  Again, a resounding “yes.”
In short, insurance companies base their denials of claims upon multiple factors, and they only need to base it upon some good faith belief to avoid being penalized for acting in bad faith.
How can you avoid a denial of your claim, and what can…
Continue Reading Denial