March is national Brain Injury Awareness Month. This week, our Chicago brain injury lawyers will discuss various aspects of traumatic brain injury (TBI), including causes, symptoms, statistics and prevention. Traumatic brain injuries are sudden, devastating and life-changing events. In the context of a catastrophic truck accident or several-story construction fall, the magnitude of the brain… Read More
No ‘Relation Back’ in Personal Injury Complaint Adding Employer Defendant
People sometimes wonder why it is important to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible if you suspect an injury was caused by the carelessness or recklessness of another. One important reason is to identify all possible defendants before the statute of limitations (the time in which a lawsuit must be filed)… Read More
Court Reverses $12.5 Million Verdict Based on Lawyer’s Inflammatory Comments at Trial
A recent case decided by the Illinois appellate court stresses the importance of personal injury attorneys showing restraint in arguing a case to a jury, especially in cases where the defense has admitted fault. In Pleasance v. City of Chicago, No. 1-08-1510 (Ill. App. Ct 1st Dist. Dec. 14, 2009), the Illinois appellate court overturned… Read More
Police Officers Not Immune in Taser Gun Injury
In a case dealing with the right to file a lawsuit based on a serious injury caused by a police officer, an Illinois federal district court judge held on Wednesday that police officers who used a Taser gun on a woman are not immune from liability even though the woman was resisting arrest. Therefore, the… Read More
Pedestrian Killed After Being Struck By Semi-Trailer Truck, Police Crackdown
According to a Sun-Times breaking news story, a 59-year-old male pedestrian was killed after being struck by a semi-trailer truck on the northwest side in Chicago. The man was allegedly crossing the street at West Chicago and North Ashland avenue on Saturday night when he was fatally struck by an 18-wheeler semi-trailer truck. It is… Read More
Common Fund Doctrine Applies to Medical Payments in Illinois Injury Settlement
To the relief of Chicago personal injury lawyers, a divided Illinois Appellate Court for the Fourth District recently held that the “common fund doctrine” applied reimbursement of injured plaintiff’s medical payments paid by plaintiff’s insurer. Stevens v. Country Mutual Ins. Co., 2008 WL 5473299 (Ill. App. Ct. 4th Dist. Dec. 31). The facts of the case involve… Read More
Violation of Police General Orders as Evidence of Negligence or Willful and Wanton Conduct
Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers handling Police Chase cases must keep abreast of recent Illinois case law dealing with police conduct constituting negligence or willful and wanton conduct. Two recent Illinois appellate courts reached different conclusions regarding the relevance a potentially critical piece of evidence in every Chicago police chase case: violation of police department General… Read More
Police Chase Cases — Proving Willful and Wanton Conduct
When policemen are engaged in a reckless police chase in Illinois, as long as they are considered to be “executing” or “enforcing” the law, the Tort Immunity Act will apply. Therefore, to survive a motion to dismiss or motion for summary judgment in an action against the city, a plaintiff and his or her Chicago… Read More
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin – Police Chase
The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin discuses one of Stephen Passen’s Chicago Personal Injury Cases on behalf of the Estate of a girl who sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury, and subsequently died, after she was struck by a Chicago Police Department vehicle allegedly in a police chase.