People increasingly prefer to shop from home. Especially in the winter before the holidays, it can be much more convenient to buy gifts online instead of driving from store to store or carrying bags around the mall. The trend towards online shopping becomes more pronounced each year. During the month of December, many people have boxes arriving almost daily. Unfortunately, packages can also be a tripping hazard, especially in apartment buildings where numerous residents are having deliveries made. Accidents can also occur during the delivery process, especially when delivery drivers are rushed. If you were injured by a careless…
Continue Reading Package Delivery and Fall Injuries

Typically, the summer months bring more violent crime such as muggings and gang-related shootings. The winter months bring more property crime. Theft, vandalism, and sometimes criminal trespass all tend to increase shortly before major winter holidays. There are a number of reasons for these patterns, which are fairly predictable year after year. Many of these crimes are committed out of desperation or frustration rather than with any real malice or desire to commit a crime. If you are charged with theft, vandalism, or a related offense, you need an experienced Joliet, IL property crime attorney to help you. Courts…
Continue Reading Why Theft Charges Peak During the Holidays

Ghost guns have become a subject of much discussion after it was discovered that the gun used to shoot the CEO of United Healthcare had no serial number and may have been made with a 3D printer.  It is likely that a lot of gun crime in the Chicago area involves “ghost guns” that were not produced or sold through legitimate channels. In Illinois, it is illegal to own a ghost gun that has no serial number and was not purchased lawfully. It is also illegal to create these guns at home. Illinois has fairly strict firearms laws…
Continue Reading Are Ghost Guns Legal to Own?

Playing a lighthearted prank on a friend, neighbor, or coworker can be a nice way to make a normal day a little more fun. The internet is full of prank videos. Even major TV networks feature TV shows based on pranking unsuspecting victims. As long as everyone – including the person being pranked – is laughing in the end, you are probably not going to face criminal charges. However, it is important to exercise great care when playing pranks that could be upsetting to the victim. If property is damaged, someone is hurt or made ill, or the prank…
Continue Reading Pranks That Are Actually Criminal Offenses in Illinois

When you are trying to have your driver’s license reinstated after a DUI revocation, you may be asked to attend either a formal or informal hearing. If you have had multiple DUIs or injured someone during your first DUI, you will probably have to go through a formal hearing. However, if you have only had one uncomplicated DUI, you might qualify for an informal hearing. If you qualify for an informal hearing, you will only need to go to a Secretary of State Driver Services office where hearing officers are located. You do not need an appointment, but you…
Continue Reading What to Expect at an Informal Driver's License Reinstatement Hearing

Repetitive stress injuries can happen to any worker with any job. Even white-collar workers with desk jobs can sustain this type of injury. A repetitive stress injury is a type of bodily harm that comes about when someone is making repetitive bodily movements, like bending and lifting or even typing on a computer. These injuries do not happen abruptly – they come on slowly, over time. You might first notice that a body part is sore, but you can still use it. Then, problems like pain, stiffness, or reduced movement build up, and it gets to a point where you…
Continue Reading Worker's Compensation for Repetitive Stress Injuries

Being a healthcare worker, like a nurse or CNA, can be dangerous. Healthcare workers are much more likely to be injured on the job than most people. Nursing is a physically demanding profession, especially for those who work in elder care or bedside nursing. Nurses and nurses’ aids often bear the brunt of the physical labor that needs to be done, like helping patients ambulate or change positions in bed. Healthcare workers who are injured on the job may be eligible for workers’ compensation. If you are a healthcare professional who got hurt at work, you should immediately contact…
Continue Reading The Most Common Work Injuries Among Healthcare Workers

Dealing with a driver with road rage can be terrifying and also dangerous. Road rage incidents tend to increase during times of civil unrest or universal stress, such as during the height of the pandemic and around election day. When people, in general, are short on patience in their daily lives, they tend to be less patient on the roads as well. This can lead to a lot of car accidents. With the election approaching, a lot of people are also displaying political bumper stickers on their vehicles. While this is a vital form of free speech, it can…
Continue Reading Compensation for Road Rage Injuries

It can be stressful getting pulled over, taking a breathalyzer test, and failing it. Most people start panicking that they will be charged with a DUI and face all the serious consequences that come with a conviction. 
However, breathalyzers are not always accurate and there are many reasons why a failed test does not necessarily mean you will be convicted. If you failed a breathalyzer and are worried about what this means, speak with a knowledgeable Joliet, IL DUI lawyer to understand your options. 
How do Breathalyzers Work?
A breathalyzer is a testing mechanism that you blow into. The device…
Continue Reading I Failed a Breathalyzer. Can I Prove It Was Inaccurate?

When an employee gets injured at work, he or she is generally entitled to workers’ compensation. These benefits help an employee cover the costs of medical expenses and loss of income due to recovering from a work-related injury. 
However, there is some confusion regarding people whose jobs involve travel and who get injured outside their usual work environment. For example, what happens when airline employees, including pilots and flight attendants, get injured at work? Since Illinois is a major travel hub, many people throughout the state work in the travel industry and need to travel for their jobs. A…
Continue Reading Are Traveling Airline Employees Eligible for Workers’ Compensation?

Garbage collectors provide an important service to the communities they serve. Without them, neighborhoods could have obstructed roads, hygiene risks, and other challenges. However, garbage trucks can also pose a risk to other cars on the road, and they are involved in many accidents that have caused significant injury or death.
Since garbage trucks are often owned by a private company or a municipality, there can be questions about liability for damages. If you were injured in a collision with a garbage truck, contact a skilled Will County, IL personal injury attorney to understand your options.
Common Causes of Garbage…
Continue Reading Questions of Liability in a Garbage Truck Accident

People naturally try to avoid harmful situations. We are hard-wired to engage in a “fight or flight” response, and it is reasonable to expect someone to do whatever they can to prevent something negative from happening to them. When it comes to being arrested, this instinct can be problematic. In Illinois, resisting arrest is treated as a serious charge with severe consequences. There are various directions you could pursue to defend yourself against these charges. The best step you can take is to find a reliable Will County, IL criminal defense lawyer to advise you on how to proceed.
Resisting…
Continue Reading What Happens When You Resist Arrest in Illinois?

Laws require Illinois employers to have workers’ compensation insurance policies, with only a few exceptions. This coverage should provide specific benefits to workers who become ill due to work-related duties or are injured while on the clock. In exchange for these benefits, injured workers typically give up their right to pursue a personal injury claim against their employers.
Are there any circumstances that might allow you to pursue a personal injury claim? How do you know your options? The knowledgeable attorneys at McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC can discuss your situation during your free consultation and answer your questions.
When Could…
Continue Reading If I Claim Workers' Comp, Can I Also Sue My Employer?