The Illinois Supreme Court addressed an interesting issue earlier this month: whether the Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions on the standard of care for professional negligence correctly stated the law in Illinois. This issue was considered in Studt v. Sherman Health Systems, 2011 WL 2409897. In Studt, the plaintiff filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the […]

In Tilschner v. Spangler, No. 2-10-0111, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District, considered the viability of a personal injury lawsuit based on claims seeking to impose liability for the failure to control a third party’s actions. In this case, the plaintiff was a guest at a party and was injured when another guest set […]

In Clark v. Children’s Memorial Hospital, No. 108656, the Supreme Court of Illinois considered the validity of a lawsuit involving claims that a hospital and its physicians failed to properly test and diagnose a couple’s first born child for a genetic defect and thus failed to advise the couple of the risk of conceiving a […]

In past posts, we’ve reported that rental car agencies regularly lease recalled cars without fixing the underlying safety issue behind the recall. There have been a number of attempts to fix this problem, including a joint petition filed with the FTC by two consumer groups asking that the FTC investigate the situation, legislation introduced in […]

In the very near future, if the Department of Transportation gets its way, all new vehicles may be required to have “black boxes” much like the ones used in airplanes. These devices record and collect data related to the operation of the motor vehicle. This data can then be accessed and analyzed in the event […]

As we discussed in recent posts, changes to Illinois’ workers’ compensation have been on the horizon for a few months now. One sticking point in recent drafts of the proposed legislation that was of great concern was the proposed change that would require workers to prove that the injuries for which they seek benefits were […]

Drain entrapment is a little-known swimming pool and hot tub hazard that many parents haven’t heard of that can cause even the strongest swimmer to drown. Drain entrapment can occur when a drain is either uncovered or the cover is brittle, broken, or improperly attached. Without the protection of the drain cover, suction can pull hair, clothing, jewelry, or even a body part into or against the pool drain. If a swimmer’s head is pulled and underwater, they can drown.

The Amber Alert has become the gold standard in how police provide broadcasters with timely information about abductions—including photos and descriptions so word can be spread immediately to the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of an abducted child. The decision to declare an AMBER Alert is made by each police organization, which investigates the abduction. Today, all 50 states and hundreds of cities have Amber Alert plans.

emorial Day is the official start of summer when many pools and beaches throughout Chicago and the suburbs open. While swimming pools, ponds and lakes provide a source of recreation as well as a way to escape the summer heat, they are also responsible for many injuries and, in some cases, deaths.

In May, the Illinois Supreme Court handed down its decision in Bell v. Hutsell, Docket No. 110724. In this case, at issue was whether the defendants were liable for the death of Daniel Bell, a young 18 year old man who had imbibed alcohol at the defendants’ house while attending a party held by the […]