The women’s college basketball Final Four was this past weekend in Phoenix. The highlight was South Carolina defeating defending champion Connecticut on Friday night. That ended a 54 game winning streak. It was a physical game and much closer than the final score.
The lowlight was that as the game was ending and the teams walked to midcourt to shake hands, Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma lost his shit and instead of shaking SC coach Dawn Staley’s hand and moving on, yelled at her. We later learned that he was mad because he felt she slighted her by not shaking his hand for a second time before the game started.
Let’s give Geno the benefit of the doubt and assume that he is correct and was slighted. Apparently it is tradition at the Final Four for coaches to shake hands after lineups are announced. That had shook hands before that, but not after the lineups. Geno said he waited for three minutes.
Even if he is correct, his response AFTER the game was over and he lost was terrible.
There Ought To Be A Law
The seemingly obvious truth here is that Geno was pissed that they lost. He was mad at the refs. He was mad at Coach Staley for “working” the refs. He said so during an in game interview. He was apparently mad that he did not get his hand shook a second time.
There is no way that he reacts this way after the game if his team had won. Do you think he would care enough about the “slight” to make it the focal point after a victory? Hell no! And he had no right to distract from the great SC victory.
There ought to be a law that governs post game handshakes. Say good game or something positive or just shake and keep walking. But if you start something, you are suspended and fined.
I have been a coach. One rule the powers that be always teach us is to tell parents and players that if they are unhappy about something from the game, give it 24 hours and if it still bothers you then, then we can talk. Here, Geno did not even wait until the game was technically over and he was complaining about nonsense. And he was making himself the story.
It is the job of these professionals to model appropriate behavior for the younger generations and those who are watching at home. We are not asking anyone to best friends. Just take your L, say good game, and move on. And if you can not do that, the NCAA (in this case) should suspend you.
And to show that it really matters and to prevent fights that have occurred in other games like the one below, if you step out of line or cause a disruption, it is a minimum five game suspension and a fine.
Let’s get the focus back on to the players. Save your gripes for the press conference or preferably just keep it to yourself. Otherwise you look like a big baby.
its amazing how chatgpt knows everything about subjects I know nothing about, but is wrong like 40% of the time in things im an expert on. not going to think about this any further
People are using AI tools like ChatGPT for answers to all sorts of things. Some people are smart and use it like a search engine. They also take it with a grain of salt and as one source of information.
Others treat AI like it is an expert and knows everything about everything. It’s like taking the opinions of Steven A. Smith or someone like that as “expert” because they talk loud and confidently.
What I have found is that people use AI tools when looking for Illinois legal advice, it is often because they do not want to pay a lawyer. I get that. In some cases, lawyers can be expensive. Of course ChatGPT won’t just ever tell you to call an attorney for a free consult.
How To Get Free Legal Advice That Is Better Than ChatGPT or Any AI
If the goal is to ask someone legal questions without having to pay for it, that exists. We founded our Illinois legal guidance and lawyer referral service 25 years ago today. During that time we have helped more than a half a million people with their legal questions. Sometimes they are basic, other times they are complex. It’s as simple as:
Speak to an experienced Illinois attorney for free.
We give you the same advice we would give to a family member or friend.
There are a few things that make us different and better than relying on an AI tool
We are actually attorneys.
If we do not know the answer to your question, we won’t hallucinate and make something up. Our goal is to be honest and direct, not tell you what you want to hear.
We can ask you the questions you are not thinking about. Maybe you got fired, but do not realize you have a work comp case. Perhaps you believe you are owed a life insurance payout, but haven’t checked to see who the beneficiary is.
We know who to ask about unique situations to get the answer right.
We know what the law is and how it works. For example, you have a right to represent yourself in court, but AI is probably not going to know which Judges that strategy will go sideways with.
As Illinois attorneys, we are keeping up with current case law and know how to differentiate new case law and laws with old ones.
You can’t hire AI and AI will not protect you from a statute of limitations violation.
We could go on, but the bottom line is that with services like ours, you get FREE legal advice that you can be confident is correct. So if you ever want a free case review, call us at 312-346-5320. We cover all of Illinois.
From before I became a lawyer in 1997, I have heard jokes about “people getting rich from spilling coffee on themselves.” This all stems from a case that started back in 1992 when an older woman was severely burned due to a McDonalds coffee lid not being secured. While the case eventually settled for an undisclosed sum, the woman was awarded $2.9 million by a jury.
What most people do not know is that the third degree burns she suffered in her pelvic region were so severe that she was hospitalized for eight days. She had skin grafts and two years of medical care. She originally tried to settle for just $20,000 to cover her medical bills. When McDonald’s refused, she sued. During the trial it came out that the store kept its coffee much hotter than other local retailers did. It was also disclosed that McDonald’s had over 700 reports of burn injuries in the decade prior to this.
So whole many people joke that this was a frivolous lawsuit, it was actually quite legitimate. The reality is that lawyers do not take on cases they know have no merit and juries do not award such large sums when it is not deserved.
And while they have not gotten the same level of publicity, there continue to be similar cases filed for negligence in hot coffee spills. In fact a jury in Los Angeles last year awarded $50 million to a woman who ordered three secret menu items from an LA Starbucks. One of those drinks was not properly secured and caused a significant burn to the penis of the customer. This caused disfigurement, nerve damage and makes sex a very painful experience.
Of significance in this case is that video footage clearly showed that one of the drinks was not properly secured which caused it to spill seconds after the customer took it.
These cases are about negligence. It is no different than you walking into a store and slipping on a recently mopped floor where there wasn’t a wet floor sign or getting rear-ended at a stoplight by someone who was on their phone. And it is essentially the same as ordering coffee at a sit down restaurant and having the waiter trip and spill it all over you. All of these acts happen due to negligence and the remedy for that is to bring a lawsuit.
There have been similar lawsuits filed in Illinois. Every case is fact dependent. We would need to know why there was a spill, what your injury was and what medical care you received. And while most cases are not worth millions, many are worth in the high five figures or somewhere in the six figures.
The 1992 McDonald’s case does make these cases a little more challenging because for many potential jurors it is all they know about personal injury law and they are not actually aware that case was very legit. But when you have good facts and can prove the business you got coffee from was negligent, you likely have a case and can make a recovery to pay your medial bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
If you would like a free Illinois personal injury case review, give us a call at 312-346-5320 to speak with a lawyer any time. All calls are confidential and every case is handled on a contingency basis which means you only pay if you win the case.
We have been helping victims of sexual assault since 2001. If you would like a FREE, confidential case review with a lawyer, please contact us any time.
The rise of ridesharing applications like Uber and Lyft has permanently transformed urban transportation, providing unprecedented convenience and economic flexibility. However, managing massive networks of over one million active drivers across the United States introduces severe systemic risks. Despite corporate screening protocols, background check failures frequently allow dangerous individuals onto the platforms.
Tragically, this gap has resulted in numerous passengers being subjected to rape, physical violence, or sexual assault by their drivers. If you or a loved one has experienced this trauma, please know that you are not alone and that there are direct avenues to pursue civil justice, hold these tech giants accountable, and secure your long-term recovery.
Emergency Protocol: 3 Immediate Steps to Take After an Assault
If you have just escaped an unsafe rideshare encounter and are in a secure location, executing these three steps is vital for both your personal well-being and your future legal rights:
1. Contact Law Enforcement Immediately: Call 911 to report the incident. Request that responding officers dispatch a specialized detective, secure the driver’s immediate vehicle data, and issue an official police report.
2. Seek Immediate Medical Evaluation: Go directly to a hospital emergency room or a specialized crisis center for a forensic examination. This ensures your physical health is protected and preserves critical, time-sensitive physical evidence.
3. Retain Rideshare Data and Contact Counsel: Do not delete your Uber or Lyft app history. Take screenshots of the driver’s name, profile photo, license plate number, and the mapped route history, then contact a specialized civil litigator.
Can You Sue Uber or Lyft for an Assault Committed by a Driver?
Yes. Uber and Lyft have historically attempted to shield themselves from corporate liability by asserting that their drivers are independent contractors rather than traditional corporate employees.
However, aggressive personal injury litigation has systematically dismantled this defense in courtrooms nationwide. Plaintiffs’ attorneys have successfully argued that because the tech platforms exercise immense control over fare distribution, navigation routing, and driver access, the drivers act as legal agents of the corporation.
Under the doctrines of agency law and negligent vetting, juries have repeatedly held rideshare corporations financially responsible for the criminal actions of their drivers. In a prominent recent example, a jury awarded a survivor $8.5 million in damages against Uber due to an assault committed by a driver. Currently, Uber faces more than 3,000 active civil lawsuits filed by survivors of rideshare assault, many of which are grouped into centralized Multi-District Litigation (MDL) platforms to maximize discovery leverage.
How to Build a Successful Civil Case Against a Rideshare Platform
Because corporations deploy massive, aggressive defense teams to protect their brand reputations, winning a rideshare liability lawsuit requires flawless strategic preparation. Your legal strategy should incorporate several core elements:
1. Documenting Emotional and Psychological Damages
Rideshare assaults are intensely traumatic, life-altering events. Securing continuous psychiatric care, trauma counseling, or psychological therapy is vital for your personal healing process. Legally, these medical treatment records serve as objective, foundational proof of the deep emotional distress and mental suffering required to maximize your case’s damages framework.
2. Initiating Early Discovery Vetting
Do not delay in contacting legal counsel. Rideshare companies operate on strict data-retention schedules. An experienced civil attorney must immediately issue formal “spoliation letters” to legally compel Uber or Lyft to preserve the driver’s in-app GPS coordinates, interior audio recordings (if applicable), passenger complaint histories, and internal communications regarding the incident before they are permanently erased.
Addressing Privacy and Cost Barriers for Survivors
It is completely natural to feel hesitant, overwhelmed, or anxious about the prospect of reliving a traumatic event within a legal framework. Elite legal groups prioritize survivor safety, absolute discretion, and mental health boundaries through structured accommodations:
Complete Anonymity (John/Jane Doe Filing): To safeguard your personal privacy and prevent your story from being searchable by the public or employers, your attorney can petition the court to file your lawsuit anonymously using a standard placeholder pseudonym.
Gender-Matched Legal Staffing: Your emotional comfort is a non-negotiable priority. If you feel more secure, validated, and comfortable detailing your experience to an attorney or investigator of your same gender, your firm will make that accommodation instantly.
Strict Contingency Fee Structures: You do not need personal wealth to sue a multi-billion-dollar corporation. Every legitimate rideshare assault case is managed on a 100% contingency fee basis. There are zero upfront out-of-pocket costs, and your legal team only receives compensation if they successfully win a financial recovery or settlement for you.
Total Autonomy and Case Control: You remain in control of your legal path at all times. If you choose to halt the litigation process at any point due to personal boundaries or emotional distress, your legal team will respect that decision without pressure.
Connect with a Trusted Rideshare Assault Litigator
Since 2001, we have provided compassionate, objective, and completely confidential guidance to survivors navigating civil litigation. We do not operate a high-volume marketing mill, nor do we accept payments from law firms to recommend them.
We take these cases very seriously and promise to do whatever we can to help. If you have been a victim of sexual assault or abuse, please call us any time at 800-517-1614. All calls are free and confidential.
We have been helping people since 2001 with Illinois legal matters. You can talk to our lawyers for free to ask questions or get our opinion as to which law firm is best suited to handle your case. Contact us at 312-346-5320 for a free case review.
Some areas of injury law in Illinois have caps on attorney fees. Medical malpractice lawyer fees can not exceed 33 1/3%. Illinois workers’ compensation attorneys can not receive more than 20% of what they recover and in bigger cases that percentage is lower. If you are suing the Federal government under the Federal Tort Claim Act (FTCA), lawyers fees are capped at 20-25% of the recovery depending on whether there is a trial or not. In fact if your contract states you will receive more than that, it is a crime by the lawyer.
One area of law that does not have a cap on it is lawsuits for personal injury. These include cases like car accidents, slip and falls, truck crashes and general negligence lawsuits. As a result we get contacted a lot by people who are considering hiring a lawyer to see what we think about the attorney fee being charged.
Illinois personal injury attorneys can charge what they want for their services. The only caveat to that are state ethical rules that the fee must be reasonable. Sadly, many of them will ask you to agree as much as they think they can get away with and they will hope that you will not challenge it.
We see a lot of contracts where the attorney says something like this:
1/3 if settled before trial; 40% if the case goes to trial; 50% if there is an appeal.
In my opinion, for most cases, that is excessive. The 1/3 is relatively standard and appropriate. 40% if you go to trial and certainly 50% if there is an appeal seems like a money grab to me. I personally would not agree to that type of contract. I would only agree to 1/3 unless there are very unusual circumstances involved or some incredible effort is involved.
I have also seen contracts where the fee goes to 40% if a lawsuit has to be filed and 45% if there is a trial. That is wrong in my opinion.
Potentially going to trial is the lawyer’s job. It would be great if a case could settle before then, but you need a firm that is willing to take cases to trial when needed to get the maximum recovery.
I find these higher fees especially bothersome when the attorney knows that there is not much insurance available. If you get in a car accident with someone who has a $100,000 insurance policy, the most you can likely recover is a $100,000. If the lawyer is taking 40%, that is almost $7,000 out of your pocket when all is said and done.
There are two points that I think people really should be aware of when it comes to Illinois personal injury attorney fees. The first is that you do not have to agree to these terms and can always seek other opinions or ask them to not go above 1/3. In fact when injuries are catastrophic, some firms will cut their fee to 30%, especially if there is good insurance such as being hit by a commercial vehicle.
The second point is that you have to remember that some cases are simply worth more in the hands of some lawyers as compared to others. If you are hit by a semi truck and end up needing a couple of surgeries (or something worse like death or paralysis), that case is likely worth more than $1 million. With some firms the best outcome might be $2 million which sounds great. But if another firm could take the exact same case and get $10 million, they are the one for you. Even if the second firm charged 40% (which they should not do), you would still end up with much more money.
If you have questions about an Illinois personal injury contract or want our opinion as to which law firm is best for your case, please contact us any time. No attorney pays us to recommend them. We will give you the same advice we would provide friends or family if they were in the same situation as you.
In what is probably a surprise to nobody, strip clubs and other places with exotic dancers are often owned and/or run by people who are not the most reputable people. Some don’t think that rules or the law should apply to them. We have seen instances of them wrongly classifying employees as independent contractors. They do this to skirt laws around taxes, wages and discrimination. We have seen a lot of tip theft. And worst of all, we have seen them encourage or ignore serious sexual assault and harassment.
When you go to a strip club there are rules. A lot of those rules apply to the patrons. Unfortunately some of these patrons are inebriated or do not see the entertainment as people that they need to respect. This treatment is gross. As a result it is not uncommon for there to be situations where the clients expose themselves, grab body parts that they do not have permission to do so and commit actual assault and battery through acts like biting, choking and hitting.
In our experience, most clubs will not tolerate this bad behavior from average customers (although some do, and of course, that is wrong), but they will look the other way when it comes from VIP’s, regulars, or big spenders. In fact, there have been a lot of reports about very inappropriate and unwanted behavior happening in front of managers and bouncers who do nothing.
When bad behavior is allowed, it tends to get worse and can lead to serious sexual assaults including forcible rape. Being entertained by a dancer is not license to break the law or treat them as less than human. When a customer does this, the customer can be sued directly. When your employer lets it happen, they can also be sued.
It is important to note that even if you are called an independent contractor, you do not lose your rights. It is understood that bouncers and management are there in part to protect the dancers. Their failure to do so, including failure to prevent offenders from being in the club, creates liability on them.
In other words, do not be deterred from bringing a lawsuit. You have rights.
In one recent lawsuit, dancers alleged that while they were told they can not have inappropriate contact with customers, as a matter of practice that is never told to the customers. My guess is that is done to maintain the illusion that these women are interested in them. The practical effect it had was dancers were sexually and physically assaulted. When they complained the customers were allowed to stay and the dancers were fired.
A lawsuit is the only way to hold these clubs accountable. The value of these claims depends on what actually happened and what the evidence shows. One wage lawsuit for misclassification was resolved for $10 million against a well known club. It would not be surprising for a sexual assault case to be worth in the six figures and possibly more depending on how bad it was.
We have handled hundreds of sexual assault and abuse cases in Illinois. The attorneys we recommend have a track record of success and treat these matters with the sensitive nature they deserve. All calls are confidential and all cases are handled on a contingency basis which means there is no fee unless you make a recovery.
If you would like a free consultation with an attorney, please call us any time at 312-346-5320. We handle cases everywhere in Illinois via our state wide network of attorneys.
A bed sore (also known as a pressure ulcer or pressure sore) is a localized skin and tissue wound that develops when prolonged pressure is applied to a specific area of the body.
Bed sores commonly occur during extended hospitalizations or intensive care unit (ICU) stays when a patient is bedridden or has limited mobility. Because patients spend consecutive hours on their backs, these ulcers most frequently develop on the back, buttocks, hips, heels, and legs.
Stages of Bed Sores and Medical Severity
Medical professionals classify pressure ulcers into four primary stages based on severity:
Stage 1 & 2: Mild, superficial skin redness or minor blistering. These are typically treatable with topical medical creams and frequent repositioning.
Stage 3 & 4: Severe, deep-tissue wounds where significant tissue death (necrosis) occurs. In the most extreme scenarios, the wound can expand to the size of a fist or deeper, exposing underlying muscle, tendons, and bone.
What is Wound Debridement?
For Stage 3 and Stage 4 ulcers, surgical intervention is often required. This procedure is called wound debridement—the medical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to clean the wound and allow the remaining healthy tissue to heal.
Why Do Hospital Bed Sores Happen?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) classifies severe, hospital-acquired pressure ulcers as a “Never Event”—meaning they are entirely preventable and should never occur under proper medical care.
When a patient develops a severe ulcer, it is usually a direct indicator of hospital neglect. Common systemic causes include:
Failure to Reposition: Medical staff neglecting to turn or shift immobile patients every two hours.
Inadequate Skin Assessments: Failing to inspect a patient’s skin surfaces daily for early signs of breakdown.
Chronic Understaffing: Low nursing and assistant levels, leading to delayed patient monitoring.
Malnutrition and Dehydration: Failing to provide the proper nutritional support necessary to maintain skin integrity.
When Can You Sue a Hospital for Bed Sores in Illinois?
To successfully sue an Illinois hospital for a bed sore, the case must meet specific medical and financial viability criteria:
Bed Sore Severity
Legal Viability & Lawsuit Success
Estimated Case Value
Minor / Superficial(Stage 1-2)
Low. The cost of bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit in Illinois typically exceeds the financial recovery value of a minor, quickly healed wound.
Generally not financially viable for a lawsuit.
Severe / Deep Tissue (Stage 3-4, requiring surgery)
High. When the ulcer requires significant medical intervention (like debridement), causes sepsis, or permanently impacts recovery, a lawsuit is highly likely to succeed.
$100,000 to millions of dollars, depending on hospital negligence and the ultimate health outcome.
Illinois Bed Sore Lawsuit Legal Fees
Every malpractice attorney recommended by IllinoisLawyers.com works strictly on a contingency fee basis.
No Upfront Costs: You pay nothing out of pocket to file or investigate the case.
No Fee Unless Successful: The legal team only collects a fee if they win a settlement or jury verdict.
Statutory Fee Cap: By Illinois state law, medical malpractice contingency fees are strictly capped at 33.3% (1/3) of the total financial recovery.
Action Steps: What to Do If a Loved One Develops a Bed Sore
If you discover a pressure ulcer on a hospitalized family member, take these immediate actions to protect their health and secure evidence for a potential legal claim:
Alert Medical Staff Immediately: Demand an immediate evaluation by a wound care specialist and a change in the patient’s turning schedule.
Document with Photos: Take clear, high-resolution photographs of the wound immediately. Visual evidence of a “never event” provides powerful leverage in a malpractice lawsuit.
Request Full Medical Records: Secure copies of daily skin assessment logs and charts detailing how often the patient was repositioned.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can a hospital bed sore cause death?
Yes. Untreated or severe Stage 4 bed sores can allow bacteria into the bloodstream, leading to sepsis (a life-threatening systemic infection), organ failure, and ultimately death.
How quickly can a pressure ulcer form?
A pressure ulcer can begin forming in as little as 2 to 3 hours if a patient is left completely immobile on a firm hospital mattress without repositioning.
Do I need a specialized medical malpractice lawyer?
Yes. Illinois medical malpractice laws are complex, requiring an expert certificate of merit to even file a case. Working with an experienced attorney who understands the specific medicine behind pressure ulcers gives you the best chance of legal success.
Get a Free Case Review
If someone you know has suffered from a severe hospital-acquired bed sore in Illinois, contact IllinoisLawyers.com at (312) 346-5320 or toll-free at (800) 517-1614 for a free, confidential consultation with an experienced attorney.
I love “The Pitt.” Any show that is unlike anything else out there and tells stories in such a good way gets me. It is probably the only appointment TV show that I have, at least from the standpoint that I watch it on the day it comes out.
I have a handful of friends who are ER doctors or nurses and they tell me that the show is incredibly realistic. That makes the graphic scenes of the various procedures and injuries even way more interesting to watch. It is also why it is so disappointing that episode 8 of season two was the most unrealistic one to date.
The Pitt Spoiler Alerts Ahead!!!
I am a lawyer, not a doctor, so I can not comment on any of the medical stuff. I have never heard anyone say that any of it is unrealistic. It really makes the show so cool.
One of the story lines this week is that Mel, a 2nd year resident, is being sued for medical malpractice and has a deposition in that case that is happening that day. She is freaking out in prior episodes and worried about how this is going to affect her career. The other doctors are very reassuring that everyone gets sued at one point or another. I have been wondering what happened that ended up with her being sued.
Side note. Mel is played by actress Taylor Dearden who happens to be the daughter of my favorite actor, Bryan Cranston. And that’s because of Malcolm In The Middle more than anything. How fricking proud must he be of her performance and that she’s not trying to cash in on the family name.
We learn during this episode that the alleged medical malpractice lawsuit is from something that happened in season one of The Pitt. In that timeline, there was a crazy, anti-vax mom story line. That mom’s son did not get the MMR vaccine and ended up with measles. As can happen, sadly, to the children with parents who do not protect them, the measles caused a severe injury.
In this case, that meant the boy got pneumonia and they suspected a brain injury. The child needed a spinal tap and the mom did not want him to have that due to the risk of paralysis with that. The father eventually overrules the mom and he is able to get a life saving spinal tap. That is all we really knew when season one ended.
Flash forward to season two and we have now discovered that the boy has brain damage and intellectual decline. The mom blames that on the spinal tap procedure and is suing a bunch of doctors over this. And that is where the story goes off the rails.
How Is The Pitt Lawsuit Unrealistic? Let’s Count The Ways
There is quite literally no way in the world of law that this deposition would ever take place. Let me tell you why.
The deposition is happening on July 4th! Scheduling depositions is hard. You need the availability of multiple parties. In my 29 years of being an attorney, I have never seen anyone even propose doing it on a holiday, much less the biggest one of the summer. It would never happen because logistically it makes no sense and no lawyer or court reporter is working that day. I once got called for jury duty and it was for July 3rd. There were hundreds of us at court that day and everyone was dismissed by 10:00 a.m. Legal work doesn’t happen then.
The original issue started September 25, 2025. This episode is July 4, 2026. September 25th was a Thursday. Even if crazy pants mom decided to call a lawyer the next day, the actual injury would not manifest itself then so any attorney would at most say, “let’s keep in touch and see what happens.” But let’s suspend reality and assume they knew he had irreversible brain damage by October 10th. The next step would be to obtain his medical records. The earliest they would conceivably have all of the needed medical records would put them into November. He probably was sent to a rehab facility and/or has been treating with a neurologist. So there are thousands of pages of records.
Medical malpractice lawyers do not file a case the day you hire them or the day they get the records. So if an attorney had all of the records on November 15, they would have thousands of pages to pore through. The first thing law firms do is an internal review, often by nurses on staff, to see if they see signs of medical malpractice. If the assigned person drops everything, that can take a few days to properly do. Of course they would not drop everything, but again, suspending reality, we are going to assume they did it ASAP and told the client it was worth investigating right before Thanksgiving.
Expert review is needed. In Pennsylvania, just like Illinois where I am, you need a certificate of merit by a doctor to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Just like how depositions do not happen on July 4th, doctors are not reviewing thousands of pages over the Thanksgiving period. Beyond that, the law firm would have to prepare a written summary for the doctor outlining their theory of the case. On average, the review process for a law firm with an expert before a lawsuit can be filed takes six months to a year from the time records are first received. In other words, under the best case scenario, a lawsuit would have been filed in May or 2026. Brain injuries are of course complex so they take longer to review. It is possible that more than one expert would be needed.
The actual injury could not be known. Brain injuries can change over time, especially if there is brain function. With children, developmental delays take longer to sort out. It is one reason in Illinois that there is an eight year time limit for suing for medical malpractice for kids.
Nothing in the treatment was close to medical malpractice! This is the biggest problem I have. In order to win a medical malpractice lawsuit, you have to prove that the medical provider violated the standard of care. In this case, the proper treatment for someone with measles and a suspected brain injury is a spinal tap. Does a spinal tap have risks? Of course it does. But you can not sue a doctor for an injury that has known risks. At least not successfully. And because a medical expert is required to sue, this lawsuit would never be filed in the first place because no credible doctor would state that the injury was most likely from a spinal tap or that choosing to do a spinal tap was unreasonable. The obvious explanation is that this is an injury from measles.
But wouldn’t a quack doctor state that it was malpractice? I bet that could happen, but these cases are incredibly expensive. Most medical malpractice cases cost $100,000 or more to get to trial. So an attorney would have to spend their own money on the hopes that a jury would believe their nutso doctor over the defense experts who surely would be credible. This would not happen and is why you will never see an attorney file a malpractice lawsuit that they know is frivolous. And if they discover along the way it’s not a case, they will cut their losses and withdraw. In Pennsylvania, you have to convince more than 80% of the jury that malpractice happened. If it’s a jury of 12 that means 10 or more must agree with you. Would you role the dice on $100,000 hoping that 10 people believe your doctor over common sense?
Even if it was somehow a case and people took depositions on July 4, the timeline still makes no sense. Depositions are a big part of every medical malpractice case. But they do not happen right after a lawsuit gets filed. In fact, if the lawsuit was filed in May or June, the first court appearance might not have happened yet. There are initial court dates. The defense has to respond in writing to the lawsuit. Each side exchanges written questions with each other. The defense is given a long time to have the medical records reviewed, conduct interviews, seek out their own experts, etc. It would be stunning if a deposition of one of the doctors being sued took place within the first year of a lawsuit being filed. Certainly not this quickly nor less than a year after the alleged malpractice.
The deposition would not happen at the hospital. It would likely be at the defense attorney’s office and Mel would not have worked that day, but most likely would have spent some time preparing for the deposition with her lawyer. And even if it was somehow at the hospital, you likely would not be taking the depositions of multiple doctors on the same day. The plaintiff’s attorneys would want at least a day or two to review the first one as it could inform questions they ask on the next one.
July 4th is a Saturday. Even if somehow any lawyers were working on the 4th, nobody takes depositions on the weekend. Absurd!
I am sure there is something else I am missing. Surprising to me that they surely spend a bunch of money on medical consultants, but appear to have spent a penny talking to an attorney to get that scenario even closer to reality. A way better approach would be to make it a different story line that led to the lawsuit or maybe even just having her served with the lawsuit that day in front of everyone and seeing how she reacts. But this nothing burger lawsuit would never happen and neither would anything associated with the deposition.
I still love the show and enjoyed the episode, but man was it a sharp deviation from the philosophy of incredible accuracy. And by the way, almost every episode has an example of something that could turn into a med mal case, including this one. And it was with Mel! She was under orders to stay with the patient who was at risk of an eye stroke and she left her. Would have been much more realistic for something bad to happen after she left and then the family to scream that they were going to sue her or someone from administration to tell her that she is at risk of a lawsuit due to her actions. And probably more interesting.
Under Illinois workers’ compensation law, while you generally have a right to choose your own doctor, your employer, through their insurance company, has a right to send you to a doctor of their choosing as well.
The difference is that while your doctor would be considered a treating doctor, their doctor is only meant to see you once. They are not your doctor, but instead owe an allegiance to the people paying their bill. These exams are ironically called independent medical examinations or IME’s.
The purpose of an IME is for a doctor to look at you and your medical records and then answer questions that the insurance company has. These questions often include:
What is the injury?
Is the injury related to the job or something else?
Does the worker need to be off work?
Can they work with restrictions?
What treatment is needed?
Is a surgery reasonable?
Is the need for treatment related to a work injury or something else?
Often these doctors are hired guns. Injured Illinois workers that we talk to are shocked when an “exam” lasts 3-5 minutes. The truth is that a lot of these doctors make a huge living just off these reports and want to keep the cash cow going. If they see 10-15 of these patients a week along with doing depositions on some of these cases, it’s not unheard of for them to make over $1 million a year from this part of their business alone.
The most common question we get from injured workers is what happens next after an IME?
The answer is it depends on why the IME happened and the results.
Most IME reports seem to be against the injured worker. If that happens you can expect that the report will be prepared and provided rather quickly and you will receive notice that your benefits have been suspended or the case has been denied.
When that happens, the only next step is to have your lawyer file what is called a 19(b) petition for immediate hearing. This is a legal process at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission to get your case before an Arbitrator ASAP. Your case probably can’t go to trial right away, but it gives your lawyer a chance to discuss the case with the other attorney. This is also why it’s important to have a lawyer in place so they can be prepared with these filings.
Before your case can go to trial, your lawyer will likely have to take the deposition of your doctor and the IME doctor. These are called evidence depositions. That means that instead of showing up to court, their testimony takes place by deposition and the Arbitrator will read them after the trial.
The entire process from getting the IME denial letter until going to trial can be 3-6 months depending on how aggressive your lawyer is.
But what happens if I went to an IME months ago and haven’t heard anything yet?
This result happens all of the time. There is no law that requires the IME doctor to prepare a report or for the insurance company to turn it over. Like I said, when it is in their favor it is usually produced right away.
When they do not provide one, it is a sign that the IME doctor will not say what they want them to say. In those cases a few things can happen:
They might just call the adjuster to deliver the bad news, but not put their findings in writing. That way you can not submit a report that hurts them.
They might provide the report to the adjuster, but that person will just stick their head and the sand and lie about its availability.
So how do you solve this problem, especially if they continue to delay your benefits?
There are two solutions. The first is that your lawyer again should file a 19(b) petition. When an IME takes place and is not produced, Illinois law assumes that it would not be favorable for the insurance company. So while it is not as strong as having the actual document, it really works in your favor. Your attorney can at the very least pressure the other side to pay you and approve treatment until the IME is available, especially if it’s been over a month.
The second option is your lawyer can subpoena the IME doctor for a copy of the report. Different attorneys disagree as to whether or not you can get it by subpoena, but most doctors do not want to be bothered and often will comply. Or at the very least this will cause the insurance company to show their cards and give it to you.
All of this demonstrates why having an aggressive Illinois workers’ compensation lawyer is so important. Nobody should be waiting more than a month for a report without any action being taken. The insurance company has a goal to frustrate you into using your own insurance or ignoring your doctor’s advice. Don’t let them beat you down.
If you were hurt on the job in Illinois and would like a free case review, please call us any time at 312-346-5320. We help injured workers everywhere in Illinois.
Back in the day I was a waiter at Bennigan’s. We didn’t have a uniform, just a general dress code of khaki shorts or pants and some sort of collared shirt. Beyond that we had to have “pieces of flair” much like Jennifer Aniston had to wear in “Office Space.” Most of the items I had to wear could be found in my closet already and I didn’t have to make any special purchases. Even the pins/buttons, I had or got from other staff.
Some employers are like this. Others require you to wear a specific uniform. It could be company branded clothing with their logo on it. It could be a specific color you have to wear or items you can’t wear like nose rings. And in some cases uniforms are designed for safety or require personal protective equipment (PPE). They have a right to dictate what you wear at work. What they can not do in Illinois (and many other states) is make you pay for it.
Under Illinois labor law, your employer can not charge you for uniforms by deducting money from your paycheck unless they get your express agreement in writing. And of course we never recommend that you agree to that.
Starbucks has been sued for an alleged violation of this law in Illinois and other states. They put a new dress code into force in May of 2025 that required all workers to wear a solid black shirt under their green aprons to make the green stand out more. They also required khaki, black or denim bottoms without patterns or solid black dresses that could not be more than four inches above the knee. The dress code prohibits employees from having face tattoos or more than one facial piercing. Tongue piercings and “theatrical makeup” are also prohibited.
Prior to this change, the dress code was more relaxed and individual expression was allowed. Now if you are out of compliance you can not start your shift. They are even requiring specific footwear and banned one worker from wearing Crocs.
Again, they have a right to do this, but if you have to go out and buy a new wardrobe, they have to reimburse you. It might be reasonable to expect you’d have one black shirt in your closet. But if you work six days a week, you shouldn’t have to pay for six shirts out of your pocket.
It would be no different if you worked at a factory and they required steel toed boots. Nobody can expect you to have that and those are expensive. They should provide them for you or reimburse you if you have to get them yourself.
The catch with this law is that a lawyer would only get involved if it is on a class action basis. If you work at a neighborhood bakery and there are ten of you that spent $150 on a uniform, it isn’t enough damages to justify getting an attorney (you could file a complaint with the IL Department of Labor). On the other hand, if you work for an employer that has thousands of employees in multiple locations and they are all facing the same issue, it makes sense for an attorney to get involved.
Labor lawyers who we recommend for these cases all work on a contingency basis. That means that there is no fee to hire them or bring a case. They only get paid if they win the case. You as a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit would receive extra compensation for the time and effort you put in. That amount depends on the case result of course.
Our best advice is to check your company handbook for their policies on these issues and document everything. That includes keeping receipts for anything you have to buy. If comfortable, you can also ask other co-workers if they experienced the same thing.
And if you want a free and confidential consult on whether or not what is happening to you is illegal and what your options are, you can call us any time at 312-346-5320. You will immediately speak with a lawyer who will answer your questions and treat you like a family member or friend.
A little over 40 years ago, I was a camper at Greenwoods in Michigan. I can vividly remember a camper a year older named Robbie walking into the path of someone swinging a golf club and getting hit in the head. He was quite bloody and in a lot of pain, and I believe he even went to the hospital. Golf was one of the activities we did at the camp and if there was a safety presentation, I don’t remember it. That wasn’t really much of a thing back in the 1980’s. Fortunately Robbie turned out fine, or at least as far as I am aware of.
Flash forward to now and there are a bunch of fun places for hitting golf balls and eating food. Topgolf is the industry leader, but there are others with Five Iron Golf and X Golf two prominent ones in Chicago.
These places don’t cater to golfers the way a golf course does. The cater to the whole experience which is fun and includes various games that can be played. It’s a popular place for birthdays, bachelor parties and corporate events. Because there are kids and others not used to the golf course environment. Accidents can happen.
And while it was not in Illinois, Topgolf got hit with a judgment of over $15 million for an injury to a nine year old who suffered a traumatic brain injury when they were hit in the head with a club at a birthday party. The accident description I read sounded really similar to how Robbie got hurt at Greenwoods back in the 80’s. The injured child crossed the red safety line just as another child was starting his swing and he was struck in the forehead.
According to the lawsuit, the child suffered an open depressed skull fracture, orbital roof fracture, cerebral hemorrhage and traumatic brain injury. He had emergency surgery with three titanium plates placed in his skull.
The crux of the lawsuit was that Topgolf failed to provide the required tour and safety talk that a “bay host” is expected to give before guests begin playing. That briefing lays out explicit instructions to stay behind the red line to avoid being struck by a swinging club. Testimony revealed that Topgolf had been aware of such incidents for years and allegedly a safety consultant recommended back in 2013 that they put in safety barriers and/or have staff nearby the hitting bays. Those recommendations were not followed. I imagine they thought it would be too expensive or detract from the user experience.
Topgolf tried to blame the party hosts, but the jury placed Topgolf at 97% fault and the party hosts at 3% fault. Eventually a confidential settlement was reached according to reports.
The lesson for the public is that if you get injured at one of these places and were not given a safety briefing, there is likely a lawsuit. Fortunately these types of tragedies are few and far between, but if you’ve ever been to one of these places, it doesn’t take much imagination to see how these accidents could happen. Nobody can say for sure if a safety lecture would have stopped this from happening, but when it didn’t happen and that is expected to happen, it creates liability.
And if you’ve ever been to one of these places and had to listen to one of these lectures, this is why.
We help people throughout Illinois with injury cases. If you would like a free case review with an attorney, please contact us at 800-517-1614.
There is no issue we get contacted about more than people who are looking to sue their employer for discrimination. There are all sorts of claims that can be made. Age, religion, gender, etc. But the number one reason people look for an Illinois discrimination lawyer is racial discrimination.
What does an Illinois racial discrimination lawyer look for?
Like I said, these are common calls. When people are treated differently they often assume it’s for racial reasons. And in many cases it is. If you and three others are the only black women nurses at a hospital and are given the worst shifts and the most dangerous patients. that might be because of your race.
What lawyers are looking for is actual evidence of discrimination. It’s one thing to know in your heart that someone is treating you in a racist way, it’s another thing to have proof.
How do you get proof of racial discrimination?
The reality is that most racism is not done out loud or directly. We have represented people who have been called the N word, had bananas put on their desks, had a noose put in their locker, had people dress up in a way that mocked Mexicans and other cases. It’s rare that an employer could be that dumb, but it happens.
Other times things are said in private, but overheard or put in an email or text that you get a hold of. Without that, your case is circumstantial and much harder to prove. In other words, you could be right, but ultimately not have a case because you can’t prove it enough.
How do these cases work?
When you think you are a victim of discrimination, the law usually requires you to report the bad behavior and give the company a chance to correct it. If it’s not corrected and problems continue, that is when you may have a case.
Even when you appear to have good evidence, no case is a slam dunk. If you were treated in what appears to be a discriminatory way, but fired for showing up drunk to work or for legitimate bad work performance, they might get away with it.
For some people the first step is to go to the EEOC or the Illinois Department of Human Rights. For others it makes sense to sue right away. What is best for you really depends on how strong your facts are. The better the evidence the more likely that suing is what you should do.
Finding the best Illinois employment lawyer
If you would like our help in determining if you have a case and if so which law firm we think is best for you, please contact us any time at 312-346-5320. We are selective about which cases we get involved with, but will talk to anyone for free and give an honest analysis.
Simple vs. Complex Claims: Do You Actually Need a Lawyer?
Not every workplace injury requires legal representation. Knowing the difference between a simple claim and a disputed claim can save you time and preserve your benefits.
Claims You Can Likely Handle Yourself
Minor Injuries: Small cuts, scrapes, or minor strains that require basic first aid or a single doctor’s visit.
No Missed Work: You are cleared to return to your normal job duties immediately.
Undisputed Expenses: Your employer’s insurer pays your medical bills promptly and without objection.
Claims That Require an Illinois Workers’ Comp Lawyer
Severe Injuries: Fractures, head trauma, repetitive stress injuries, or conditions requiring surgery and physical rehabilitation.
Denied Claims: The insurance adjuster disputes that your injury happened at work.
Delayed Benefits: Your weekly lost-wage payments (Temporary Total Disability) are late or withheld.
Disputed Medical Care: The insurer refuses to authorize a treatment, test, or surgery recommended by your doctor.
5 Tactics Insurance Adjusters Use to Cut Your Benefits
Even if an insurance adjuster appears helpful, their primary goal is to minimize the financial payout of your claim. Unrepresented workers often fall prey to several common insurance tactics:
Illegal Doctor Contact: Nurse case managers may try to speak directly with your treating physician or attend your appointments to influence medical restrictions. This is illegal under Illinois law.
Overbroad Medical Authorizations: Insurers often request signatures on wide-ranging releases to dig into your lifetime medical history, searching for pre-existing conditions to blame for your current pain.
Hired-Gun Independent Medical Exams (IMEs): The insurer can force you to see a doctor of their choosing. These insurance-paid physicians frequently downplay workplace injuries to justify stopping your benefits.
Private Surveillance: Insurance companies routinely hire private investigators to follow and film you during your daily activities to catch you exceeding your reported physical limitations.
Recorded Trap Statements: Adjusters use recorded phone interviews or review your personal social media accounts to find statements they can twist to contradict your claim.
How an Attorney Protects Your Rights Early in the Process
Hiring a reputable lawyer early prevents insurance companies from sabotaging your case before it starts. A workers’ comp attorney steps in to actively manage your claim by:
Blocking Third-Party Interference: Stopping nurse case managers from interfering with your medical providers.
IME Preparation: Preparing you for the Independent Medical Examination so you know what to expect and how to protect your accurate medical narrative.
Securing Maximum Weekly Benefits: Fighting delayed, shorted, or wrongfully terminated wage-differential payments.
Expediting Medical Disputes: Filing an emergency 19(b) petition to get a fast hearing before an Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) arbitrator if your surgery or treatments are denied.
Quick Comparison: Filing Without vs. With an Illinois Lawyer
Claim Milestone
Handling the Case On Your Own
Hiring an Illinois Work Comp Lawyer
Medical Treatment
Insurer can delay or deny doctor-recommended surgeries.
Attorney forces immediate authorization or schedules an IWCC hearing.
Insurance Communication
Adjusters call you directly, seeking recorded trap statements.
Attorney handles all calls; the insurer is legally blocked from contacting you.
Weekly Wage Benefits
Payments are frequently delayed or arbitrarily stopped.
Legal pressure ensures consistent, maximum checks under Illinois law.
Final Case Settlement
Insurer offers a lowball lump sum based on your lack of legal knowledge.
Settlement is maximized based on permanent partial disability (PPD) calculators.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does a workers’ comp lawyer cost in Illinois?
It costs nothing upfront. Attorneys handle these claims on a contingency fee basis. They only receive a percentage if they win a settlement or award for you.
Can I be fired for hiring a workers’ comp attorney in Illinois?
No. Illinois law strictly prohibits employers from retaliating or firing an employee for exercising their right to file a workers’ compensation claim or hiring legal counsel.
Can the insurance company choose my doctor?
No. In Illinois, you generally have the right to choose your own treating physicians within the state’s “Two-Doctor Rule” framework. The insurer cannot force you to treat with a company doctor.
Get a Free, No-Obligation Case Evaluation
Not sure if your workplace injury requires a lawyer? Contact IllinoisLawyers.com at (312) 346-5320 or toll-free at (800) 517-1614 for a 24/7 free consultation. Speak directly with an experienced attorney.
When a child with special needs is sexually abused, the harm goes far beyond the immediate trauma. These cases are devastating, complex, and far too common—especially when the child depends on adults, caregivers, or institutions for daily care. If you suspect abuse, speaking with a special needs child sexual abuse lawyer in Illinois can be a critical first step toward protecting your child and holding the right people accountable.
At Illinois Lawyers, we’ve helped families since 2001 by offering free legal guidance and referrals to the best lawyers who handle sensitive abuse cases with care, experience, and urgency.
If you suspect sexual abuse of a special needs child, contact us immediately. We have a long track record of helping victims of this disgusting behavior and we will do whatever we can to get justice for them and their family. You can have a free, confidential consultation with an attorney any time at 312-346-5320.,
Why Special Needs Children Are at Higher Risk
Children with physical, developmental, or cognitive disabilities are statistically more likely to be victims of sexual abuse. Many rely on adults for basic needs like mobility, hygiene, communication, or supervision. Unfortunately, this dependency creates an opportunity for abuse.
In many special needs abuse cases, the abuser is not a stranger. Abuse often comes from someone the family trusted—a caregiver, staff member, teacher, aide, or even another resident in a care facility.
What makes these cases especially difficult is that many children cannot clearly communicate what happened or may not understand that the behavior was wrong.
Sign of Abuse and Neglect of a Special Needs Child
Parents and caregivers are often the first line of defense. Any sign of abuse and neglect of a special needs child caught as early as possible can help stop abuse sooner.
Some warning signs include:
Sudden behavioral changes or withdrawal
Fear of specific people or places
Regression in speech, toileting, or daily skills
Unexplained injuries, bruises, or infections
Changes in sleep, appetite, or mood
Where Special Needs Abuse Commonly Happens
Sexual abuse can occur anywhere, but certain environments carry higher risk—especially when oversight is limited.
These cases frequently involve:
Schools or special education programs
Day programs and therapy centers
A special needs group home
Group homes for special needs adults
Residential care facilities
Sadly, abuse in group homes is often under-reported because residents may depend on staff for housing, food, and safety, making it harder to speak up.
The Role of a Special Needs Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer
A sexual abuse lawyer experienced in special needs cases understands how disability, trauma, and institutional failure intersect. These sexual abuse attorneys focus on protecting vulnerable children while building strong civil cases against both individuals and organizations.
Their role often includes:
Investigating how the abuse occurred
Identifying all responsible parties
Preserving evidence and records
Working with medical and care experts
Filing civil lawsuits for compensation
Who Can Be Held Legally Responsible
In many special needs abuse cases, more than one party may be legally responsible. This can include:
Individual abusers
Caregivers or staff
Schools or school districts
Operators of a special needs group home
Companies running group homes for special needs adults
When institutions ignore warning signs, fail to supervise staff, or don’t act on complaints, they can—and should—be held accountable.
Civil Lawsuits vs. Criminal Cases
Families often ask whether they should wait for criminal charges. The truth is, criminal cases and civil cases serve different purposes.
Even if a criminal case is filed, it does not provide compensation for therapy, lifelong care, or lost opportunities. A civil case—handled by a special needs lawyer—focuses on the child’s future needs. The criminal case exists to punish the abuser with hopefully prison. The civil lawsuit is about money and making changes to prevent such a terrible crime from happening again.
What Parents and Guardians Should Do Immediately
If you suspect abuse:
Ensure your child’s immediate safety
Seek medical care if needed
Document changes, injuries, or statements
Call the police
Speak with a special needs lawyer about your options
You don’t need proof to ask questions. Early legal guidance can help prevent further harm.
You Are Not Alone—And FREE Help Is Available
Abuse of a child with special needs is heartbreaking, but it does not have to go unanswered, whether the abuse happened in a home, school, or care facility, accountability matters.
Speaking with a personal injury attorney for special needs can be the first step toward justice, protection, and long-term security for your child.
If you have concerns, call Illinois Lawyers today at (312) 346-5320 or (800) 517-1614. Your call is free, confidential, and we are available 24/7.
One reason we started our free Illinois legal guidance and lawyer referral service almost 25 years ago, was to change the perception of attorneys. One reason people hate attorneys is they hire the wrong one and that attorney does a terrible job for them. We thought if we could get you with the right attorney for your case, someone we know would do a good job for you, it would change the way you perceive attorneys.
Another reason people hate lawyers is how they act and what they say. Unfortunately that will always be louder in shaping opinions than a good experience with an attorney will.
I thought of this when I read an article about a Houston attorney who said that he and another partner charge $4,000 an hour for their services! That is apparently up from $3,000 last year. Publicizing this, in my opinion, is gross as was a comment in the article that said, “If there’s someone out there who bills at a higher rate than Bill and me on hourly cases, please let us know so we may raise our rates.”
Now this is a lawyer at a well regarded firm that has approximately 200 attorneys in four offices across the country. It is not the type of law firm that anyone who would reach out to us would likely be hiring. They often deal in multi-billion dollar cases. Many of there cases involve very complex litigation.
My problem with this is that it is incredibly tone deaf to make comments like this. Is he worth $4,000 an hour? I have no idea. I’m sure there are plenty of great attorneys at similarly big law firms who could get similar results for the low, low cost of $800 an hour. And I don’t even begrudge the guy for charging what he can get. If someone wants to pay that, good for him.
But if a regular person reads this and has never interacted with an attorney, they might think that this is what lawyers actually cost. $4,000 is more than most people make in a month. So many people refuse to even reach out to an attorney because they think they can’t afford. Articles like this with flippant comments do nothing to help those people.
The good news is that most people can afford an attorney. Many cases are handled on a contingency basis which means there is no fee unless you win the case. That is mostly injury cases or other matters where you will recover money like suing for unpaid life insurance benefits or a contested estate.
Other cases are hourly or flat fee and while it might take some searching around, most people can eventually find a good attorney that is in their price range.
I will say that the rates for this attorney are certainly shocking. I remember being a young attorney and seeing big firms charge $600 an hour and thinking that was insane. I can not imagine the justification that some of these big companies use to pay attorneys something in the four figures, especially knowing that there are usually multiple lawyers from the same firm working on a case at the same time. Fortunately, the rate for hiring a “regular” attorney who represents consumers has not gone up that much.
We have helped people fight for denied life insurance benefit payouts since 2001. We work on a contingency basis which means there’s only a fee if we are successful. The cases we get involve with are where someone dies and the life insurance or accidental death policy benefit isn’t paid off.
We see a lot of similar situations occur and thought it would be helpful to provide answers to some common questions. Here are some Illinois life insurance FAQ’s:
How could they deny my payout?
Insurance companies make billions of dollars a year. Some of that is by doing the wrong thing. If they have any reason to deny payment, no matter how flimsy, they will. And often they deny paying out a claim with no valid reason just to see what you will do.
My wife died, but the life insurance company is out of business. Am I out of luck?
No. Illinois law guarantees death payments from a State fund for up to $300,000.00.
What do I do if I can’t find the policy?
You have to at least know the name of the company for us to be able to help. If you don’t know who that is, we suggest you go through old credit card and bank statements to see if any payments were made that identify a company. Or if they had the policy through their job, ask them.
What’s the difference between life insurance and an accidental death policy?
Accidental death policies pay for accidental deaths like car accidents, falling off a mountain, etc. Life insurance pays for those along with illnesses, gun shots, etc.
Is life insurance part of the Illinois probate process?
No unless the beneficiary is listed as the estate of the person who died. Otherwise payment goes to the beneficiary listed on the policy.
The insurance company is trying to void the policy after my husband died. Can they do that?
They often do it fraudulently. But if you lied on the application they can get away with it. For example if you were asked if you have a history of heart disease and said no, but it turns out you previously were diagnosed with congestive heart failure, that’s grounds for cancelling the policy.
What do lawyers charge to handle my case?
Every attorney we work with and recommend works on a contingency basis meaning they take a percentage of what they recover. That amount can vary, but nobody we recommend takes more than 1/3 of what they get for you. If they get nothing you owe them nothing.
If you would like to discuss a case for FREE, please reach out any time at 312-346-5320. We handle disputes everywhere in Illinois.
If there’s anything we’ve learned in the last year, it is that life isn’t fair. Some people, usually rich or connected ones, can get away with things that others can not. Different people get different results.
We see that every day in Illinois law in various ways. Just about every day someone asks me a question, gets the answer, and then is pissed because they don’t think that someone should be able to do something. I often say something along the lines of, “It’s not my job to tell you what the law should be, it’s to tell you what it is.”
There are other times that you might be in the right, but it doesn’t make financial sense to bring a case forward. In other words, you’d spend more money than it’s worth. A recent example is an accountant who cost their client a $10,000 penalty. We’d likely spend more than that in expert fees to try and bring a case forward.
Another example that shows that yes, they can do that, even when it’s BS that came from a Lyft driver who called me the other day. He has driven for a while and got a notification that he was no longer allowed to drive for them. Basically a passenger claimed he sexually harassed her, so they ended his access to the platform.
He wanted to sue for defamation as he has no idea what they could be talking about. He says he’d never harass anyone and can’t think of who could have possibly said that as his interactions have all been positive. Lyft won’t tell him either.
He wants to sue the passenger for defamation because he’s lost his job. To do that, he’d likely have to sue Lyft to get the name. Then he’d have to sue the person who allegedly made this up.
Now let’s assume this person is a liar. If they lied for some reason to Lyft, they’d likely lie in court when defending a lawsuit. So you have a he said/they said situation. Unless that person can somehow be proven to not be credible, it’s likely you lose. If they say they felt uncomfortable when you made a generic comment, you likely lose. And of course if they have a witness you’ll almost certainly lose.
So you are out a job and have an uphill battle to win a case. And to bring a case forward, you’ll probably spend thousands out of pocket win or lose. And even if you win, you have to hope the person you are suing actually has money to pay off a judgment.
Is any of this fair if you’ve done nothing wrong? No, but Illinois law and certainly life isn’t always fair. Do people get away with BS? Absolutely. I have no idea if this is a BS case or a mistake or a legit complaint. The point is that in order to pursue “justice” you often have to be willing to spend money with the knowledge you may not get anywhere.
My job as a lawyer is to make sure you understand your options. I don’t want to steal your money by encouraging you to pursue a case that is probably not a winner. If you do that you get screwed over twice or at least feel that way.
It is against Illinois law to fire a worker because they have pursued workers’ compensation benefits. In fact there have been some cases where injured workers have been awarded millions of dollars because their employer blatantly fired them due to bringing a work comp case.
In my experience, when you have a work comp attorney, it makes the employer less likely to fire you. That is because they know you have legal representation and are often wary of you knowing your rights. That said, it does happen and often they will try to say it is for some other b.s. reason.
As a result, we do get calls from people who have been fired after getting injured on the job. My first question to them is always the same: Do you have have an Illinois workers’ compensation attorney?
If they tell me they do, this is my typical advice:
Have you asked your attorney about how to handle this?
If no, and you like them, you should ask them.
If yes and they refused, then they are not doing a good job for you.
If you don’t like them, why are you staying with them?
It is not the job of your work comp attorney to represent you if you got fired. That is not why you hired them. BUT …. it is their job, in my opinion, to refer you to someone who can help investigate if you have a wrongful termination case.
If a lawyer makes their career out of representing injured workers, this issue will come up. Part of delivering customer service is helping your client with anything that is closely related to the case. I would say the same thing if you think you have a medical malpractice or personal injury case that stems from your work injury.
In other words, they might not have to represent you if you were fired, but they absolutely should try and help you find an attorney who can help.
It’s also in your best interests for them to do this. They have information to share that can help your wrongful firing case. That is easier done if they have a relationship with the labor attorney. If they tell you they do not know any labor lawyers they are either lying and blowing you off or that is a screaming red flag.
So if you call us about this issue, we’ll tell you that if you have a lawyer you like, ask them. If you don’t like them or they won’t help, we can refer you to a new work comp attorney to take over the case. That attorney will then refer you to a labor lawyer if you hire them. But nobody will do one without the other.
Note that while the ideal situation would be that your lawyer helps you, it costs nothing to switch attorney and it is easy to do if there is not a settlement offer yet.
If you would like to discuss a wrongful termination after filing an Illinois workers’ comp case, please call to speak with a lawyer for free at 312-346-5320.
We are Illinois attorneys who, since 2001, have helped injured workers find the best Illinois workers’ compensation law firm near them. If you would like a free case review, please contact us any time at 312-346-5320. We know and recommend top lawyers all over Illinois.
We have literally helped tens of thousands of Illinois workers find the right work comp attorney for their case. When people call us for a free consultation, they often ask us something like, “Who is the best work comp attorney near me?” In fact we have statistics for searches on our website and it is one of the leading ways people look for a workmans comp law firm.
What Goes Into Determining The Best Work Injury Attorneys Near You?
We give callers the same legal advice that we would give to family members or friends. In other words, we will not tell you what you want to hear, but will always tell you the truth. Our goal is to do what is in your best interest.
So here are some of the factors that we consider in recommending an attorney for you:
What is your injury? Some Illinois work comp lawyers are better than others with repetitive injury cases. Sometimes an injury is unique and you want to make sure that your lawyer has experience with that type of claim.
Is your case denied or delayed? If it appears that you have a claim that is likely to go to trial, you need an attorney in your corner who has a track record of winning arbitrations at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Do you need someone who speaks a foreign language? While experience with work injuries is more important, if you speak Polish, Spanish, etc and we know an attorney who is great at work comp and also speaks that language, we would likely recommend them to you.
Is a third party lawsuit part of your case? If you were injured on the job due to the negligence of someone who is not a part of your company, you likely have a personal injury lawsuit against them as well as a work comp claim. There are some Illinois law firms who have attorneys who are great at both types of cases. Usually that means one lawyer at the firm does the work comp part and the other does the personal injury part.
Are you looking to fire your attorney and hire a new one? If you made a mistake with the first firm you hire, it’s really important to get the second one right. Not every law firm will take over from other lawyers. Some will take over from certain firms, but not firms they are friendly with. And still others will not take over from anyone in their geographic area. That usually is the case in central and southern Illinois. We know the preferences of top firms and can help you find a new firm that is better than your old one.
OK, But What About Finding An Illinois Work Comp Attorney Near Me?
This is another factor we consider for sure. Some things we think you should know about this:
No matter who you hire, you are almost never going to meet with them face to face unless your case goes to trial. You can do that before you hire them, but once the case starts, lawyers handle claims via phone, email, text and Zoom. There is no way to run a practice if you constantly have clients in your office, but also spend a lot of time in court.
In Cook County and the Chicago area in general, the best work comp attorneys are usually downtown. They might live in the suburbs and usually will meet you there if you prefer, but their offices are going to be downtown. That is because all cases are heard at the Daley Center. And even though a lot of court hearings now happen online, you still want a lawyer who is regularly at the actual Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.
As you get farther away from Chicago, it is more likely that an attorney will not have a practice that is focused just on representing injured workers. There are some good ones that do. We know and recommend top work injury attorneys in Waukegan, Rockford, Decatur, Fairview Heights, Alton and other places. But the reality is that if you want to give yourself the best chance of a good result, you need an attorney who is doing nothing but representing injured workers all day, every day. The more complex your injury, the more important it is that your attorney just represent injured workers.
We do know and recommend attorneys who dabble in other areas aside from work injuries. But these are attorneys who have multiple lawyers at their firm and a track record of over 20 years of winning cases.
In some downstate areas you might find 1-2 firms who handle a lot of work injury claims. Because they get so many cases, their customer service tends not to be great. That is potentially disastrous for you. Part of what makes a great work injury lawyer is they communicate well, explain the law, get back to you right away and fight for you. It is our experience that some law firms who feel entitled to all of the local business do not always deliver great service.
So we will always try to connect you with an attorney who is close to where you live whenever possible. But we also will go over your case and explain when it makes sense to get someone out of the area.
In other words, if an attorney down the street can handle your case and get you $50,000, but a lawyer who is more experienced and fights harder can get you $100,000.00, we would highly recommend the second lawyer even if they are not physically near you. It comes down to what is in your best interests.
What Else Should I Know?
Illinois work injury attorneys travel a lot. This is especially true with central and southern Illinois law firms, but common for many Chicago work comp attorney as well.
So the attorney you hire might not be in your town, but that does not mean they are not in your area once a month or more. So if the reason you want someone near you is to make it easy to meet with them, it is usually not a problem.
It is also important to know that except for rare circumstances, we would not recommend an attorney who only has a handful of cases in your geographic area. When they have a bunch of clients near you, that means they will know the Arbitrator on the case and have reason to be down by you. Galesburg is an example of this. We do not recommend any attorneys in Henry County, but know a bunch of great lawyers who are there all of the time for cases. The same is true for Rock Island and other Quad Cities locations. In fact, some Chicago work comp law firms also have offices there and in other towns that they regularly go to.
Back to what we said earlier. We always give the same advice we would provide to a family members or friends. That means there is not a one size fits all approach to securing the best work comp attorney near you. Sometimes that means they are five minutes from your house. Other times they are 100 miles away, but will give you service and results better than anyone near you could.
If you have questions or ever want to speak to an attorney to discuss your claim, please contact us any time at 800-517-1614.
If your child has cerebral palsyand you suspect something went wrong during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, you may need a cerebral palsy lawyer.
This is not a decision you want to rush. Cerebral palsy cases are complex medical malpractice cases, often involving hospitals, doctors, nurses, and insurance companies with deep pockets and aggressive legal teams. Choosing the right lawyer can mean the difference between struggling financially for decades or securing the resources your child needs for lifelong care.
At IllinoisLawyers.com, we’ve helped families since 2001 by offering free legal guidance and attorney referrals to the most experienced Illinois cerebral palsy lawyer. Contact Illinois Lawyers anytime, day or night, to get free legal guidance and referral to the best attorneys for your case.
Cerebral Palsy Birth Injuries
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological condition caused by damage to a baby’s developing brain, most often due to oxygen deprivation during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or shortly after birth. It affects muscle movement, tone, posture, and coordination, and is the most common serious birth injury linked to medical malpractice lawsuits.
There are four main types of cerebral palsy:
Spastic CP (80%+ of cases): Muscle stiffness that limits movement, including diplegia (legs), hemiplegia (one side), and quadriplegia (entire body).
Dyskinetic CP: Involuntary movements with fluctuating muscle tone, sometimes affecting speech and swallowing.
Ataxic CP: Poor balance and coordination.
Mixed CP: A combination of two or more types, most commonly spastic-dyskinetic.
Signs and Diagnosis
CP symptoms may not be obvious at birth and are often diagnosed between 10–24 months. Early signs include poor head control, muscle stiffness or floppiness, delayed milestones, involuntary movements, abnormal crawling, and speech or feeding difficulties. Pediatricians may use tools like the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) to assess severity and predict future mobility.
Treatment and Management
Caring for a child with cerebral palsy can be extremely costly. Families may rely on public assistance programs, nonprofit organizations, and legal compensation to cover therapy, medical equipment, and long-term care needs.
Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and improving quality of life and often includes:
Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
Medications for seizures and muscle spasticity
Surgical interventions (primarily for spastic CP)
Assistive devices, orthotics, and rehabilitation therapies
Do You Have a Cerebral Palsy Case?
Contact a cerebral palsy lawyer if your child experienced any of the following:
Oxygen deprivation before, during, or shortly after birth
Delayed or missed emergency C-section
Failure to monitor or respond to fetal distress
Untreated infections during pregnancy or delivery
Severe newborn jaundice that was not promptly treated
Head trauma during delivery (e.g., improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors)
If your child’s CP diagnosis stems from potential medical mistakes during pregnancy or birth, contact IllinoisLawyers.com immediately to get connected with the best birth injury lawyer for your case.
What Makes a Top-Rated Cerebral Palsy Lawyer?
Not every lawyer is qualified to handle these cases. Cerebral palsy lawsuits are among the most difficult medical malpractice cases to prove. A cerebral palsy lawyer handling these cases must be prepared to take on hospital defense teams and insurance carriers that aggressively fight liability. They need to be part of a well funded firm that can spend hundreds of thousands of their own dollars to hire experts, take day in the life videos and show the true harm your child and family has suffered.
The best cerebral palsy lawyer has:
Extensive experience handling birth injury claims
A strong background as an attorney for medical malpractice claims in general
Access to respected medical experts
A proven track record with serious birth injury results
The financial resources to take on hospitals and insurers
Has winning trial experience and is not afraid of hospital defense teams
A top-rated cerebral palsy lawyer also understands the emotional side of these cases. Families are not just seeking compensation—they are seeking answers, accountability, and long-term security.
Does not work at a firm with a lot of other lawyers
Lacks birth injury experience
Won’t explain the legal process
Handles non-injury cases too
The best cerebral palsy lawyers for medical malpractice give honest advice—even when it’s not what families want to hear.
Who a Cerebral Palsy Attorney Identifies as Liable in a Case
In Illinois cerebral palsy cases, a cerebral palsy lawyer may hold the following parties accountable:
Doctors: Obstetricians, pediatricians, anesthesiologists, or any physician whose actions (or inactions) during prenatal care, labor, delivery, or post-birth care caused brain damage.
Nurses & Midwives: Care providers who failed to monitor mother/baby, missed signs of distress, or provided substandard care.
Hospitals/Facilities: For vicarious liability (staff mistakes) or direct negligence (faulty equipment, inadequate training, history of negligence).
Other Professionals: Specialists, if a necessary consultation was missed.
A strong cerebral palsy attorney investigates not just the doctor, but the hospital system as a whole.
What Compensation Can a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Win for You
A successful cerebral palsy lawsuit can provide life-changing financial support. Compensation in medical malpractice cases may cover:
Past and future medical expenses
Physical, speech, and occupational therapy
Specialized equipment and home modifications
Lost income for parents who must stop working
Pain and suffering
Cerebral Palsy Statute of Limitations in Illinois
In Illinois, medical malpractice claims must generally be filed within two years of the date you knew—or reasonably should have known—that medical negligence caused your child’s cerebral palsy. For birth injury cases involving minors, Illinois law provides an extended deadline, allowing claims to be filed up to the child’s eighth birthday. In cases of significant disability the timelines might be extended. They also can be as short as two years if the treatment was at a Federally funded clinic. We highly recommend you not delay having a possible case investigated.
How IllinoisLawyers.com Helps You Find the Best Cerebral Palsy Lawyer
We don’t believe one lawyer is right for every case. That’s why we take the time to understand your specific situation:
Where the injury occurred
Which hospital was involved
The type of negligence suspected
Then we connect you with the best medical malpractice lawyer for your situation—at no cost. If your child has cerebral palsy and you believe medical negligence played a role, you deserve answers.
IllinoisLawyers.com offers free, confidential consultations to help you:
Understand your legal options
Determine if malpractice occurred
Get referred to a proven cerebral palsy lawyer
Call (312) 346-5320 or (800) 517-1614 or request a free case review online—no pressure, no obligation.
There is no single “best” cerebral palsy lawyer for every family—but there is a best lawyer for your case. With the right birth injury lawyer for cerebral palsy, families can secure accountability, justice, and the financial support their child deserves.
FAQs
What is a cerebral palsy lawyer?
A cerebral palsy lawyer represents families whose child developed cerebral palsy due to possible medical negligence. These lawyers focus on birth injury and medical malpractice cases and help families pursue compensation for lifelong medical care and support.
Can cerebral palsy be caused by medical malpractice?
Yes. Cerebral palsy can be caused by medical malpractice if a provider’s mistake leads to a baby’s brain injury before, during, or shortly after birth.
Common causes include delayed C-sections, failure to monitor fetal distress, improper use of delivery tools, and oxygen deprivation at birth.
Can I sue if my child has cerebral palsy?
You may be able to sue if medical negligence during pregnancy, labor, or delivery caused your child’s cerebral palsy. A cerebral palsy lawyer can review your case and explain your legal options.
Who can be sued in a cerebral palsy lawsuit?
A cerebral palsy attorney may file a lawsuit against the hospital, doctor, nurse, or other medical professionals responsible for the negligence that caused the injury.
How much does a cerebral palsy lawyer cost?
Cerebral palsy lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs. Legal fees are only paid if compensation is recovered. Free consultations are typically available.
What is the average cerebral palsy settlement?
There is no average. Many cerebral palsy settlements exceed $10 million, though the amount depends on the severity of the condition and future care needs. A cerebral palsy lawyer can estimate potential compensation based on your case once they have a full understanding of the negligence and your child’s injury.
How long does a cerebral palsy case take?
Every cases is different, but these cases typically take many years. There is a lot of work to be done and it also takes time to have a true understanding of the child’s developmental delays and future medical requirements.
