Medical malpractice is a form of professional negligence that occurs when a medical professional fails to meet the applicable standard of care. Under Illinois medical malpractice law, this standard of care is defined as the same degree of knowledge, skill and ability that an ordinarily careful professional would exercise under similar circumstances. Establishing a departure… Read more »
Not surprisingly, construction consistently ranks among the most dangerous industries in which to work. In fact, the Assistant Secretary of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration referred to the construction industry as “one of the most dangerous industries in the country” and indicated to Congress that construction sites account for 60 percent of the agency’s… Read more »
According to statistics compiled by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), there were more than 285,000 reportable motor vehicle crashes in 2013 throughout the state. Accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycles or other motorized vehicles often involve tremendous force and often result in serious bodily injury to vehicle occupants. Personal injury law allows people who have… Read more »
The Illinois Senate passed a key piece of legislation that prevents doctors and hospitals from withholding critical information from patients. S.B. 1564 changes the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act. Prior to this recent change, doctors and hospitals could withhold critical health information based on a right of conscience. Now, with this new… Read more »
Recently, President Obama hosted the 2015 White House Conference on Aging. This conference brought together multiple experts and groups; focused on the pressing issues affecting our nation’s elderly population; and launched a series of policy briefs on the matter. One of the key themes of the conference was elder justice, which includes the abuse older Americans… Read more »
A growing number of student (and professional) athletes are claiming short and long-term injuries caused by concussions, and, in turn, more and more players are suing their schools for the mishandling of their injury. A former women’s soccer player from the University of Illinois is suing the university for its mistreatment of a concussion she… Read more »
Early in June a fatal crash near the Wisconsin-Illinois border left one woman dead, two children fighting for their lives, and an interstate shutdown. A disabled Ford Taurus was on the side of I-39/90 after the drunk driver hit a median guardrail. A passing semi-tractor trailer drifted into the left lane and struck the… Read more »
Throughout the month of May, the Illinois legislature has been conducting hearings on reform measures proposed by the governor. These changes – done in the name of helping big businesses — will instead significantly impede medical malpractice victims’ ability to recover for their injuries and costs. Proposed Changes The first change is an attempt to… Read more »
Proposed cuts to the state’s Medicaid system, as per Governor Rauner’s recent announcement, will significantly impact already at-risk nursing home residents. The governor’s proposed budget includes $230 million in cuts to nursing homes in addition to the previous $50 million cut in nursing home Medicaid funding. This will lead to a variety of adjustments… Read more »
The latest study on teen drivers finds that distractions, especially cell phones, are extremely common in the seconds before a serious car accident. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that teen drivers were texting or talking with a passenger in almost 60 percent of moderate to severe car accidents. This is significantly higher than the official… Read more »