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Recent Blog Posts
Poor Nutrition in Nursing Homes Leads to Adverse Outcomes
Nursing home neglect usually takes the form of either medical neglect, neglect of basic needs, neglect of personal hygiene, or social or emotional neglect. In many cases, more than one type of neglect is present. According to NCBI, nursing home residents are at significant risk for malnutrition as a result of health status, decline in physical activity, an increase in prescription drug use, decreases in food intake, and being served unappetizing foods or those that are low in nutrition.
Many nursing homes are understaffed and, in some cases, staffed with employees who do not want to take the time to ensure nursing home residents are eating and staying hydrated. By some estimates, as many as 85 percent of those living in a nursing home environment suffer from malnutrition, but only 19 percent of those were recognized as being malnourished, and only 7 percent received a dietician referral.
Premises Liability Claims from Injuries at IL Music Venues
While attending a music event can be a fun, exciting experience, an unexpected hazard can turn your fun evening into a nightmare. For example, two people were recently hurt at Chicago’s Southwest Side when debris fell from the ceiling during a performance. The musical band Levity, which was performing at the time, called the incident a "freak accident."
The result of that accident was that a 29-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman were taken to Stroger Hospital for cuts and other minor injuries. It was later determined that the falling object was a piece of wood attached to a steel frame. Accidents like this fall under premises liability claims. If you have been injured at a music event as a result of negligence, contacting a Chicago, IL premises liability claims lawyer can ensure the best outcome.
Can You Sue When Lasik Surgery Goes Wrong?
More than a million people across the United States have Lasik eye surgery annually. Lasik corrects certain vision problems, allowing many patients to forgo any type of vision correction device, like contacts or glasses. Lasik uses a laser to change the shape of corneal tissue, resulting in refraction and correcting blurred vision. Patients with astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness can benefit from Lasik corrective eye surgery, and most patients benefit from the surgery.
Despite its relative safety, some patients may experience severe complications from Lasik eye surgery. A number of patients have reported compromised vision or loss of vision following the procedure. When negligence is present in these eye surgeries, the patient may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Lasik eye surgery is not recommended for certain patients, making pre-screening a vital step in the process. If you have suffered a serious complication from Lasik surgery and you believe the complication is the result of negligence, it is time to talk to an experienced Chicago, IL medical malpractice attorney.
Are Injury and Death Risks Increasing for Chicago Drivers?
Chicago favors public transportation, making it easy to forget how dangerous the roads can be for drivers. In fact, Chicago drivers typically spend more time in congested traffic and have more auto accidents than those in New York City, Los Angeles, and Detroit. In 2024, Chicago drivers lost an average of 102 hours to traffic - even more than the 96 hours in 2023 (the nationwide average is 43 hours lost to congested traffic).
Trips into downtown Chicago increased by 13 percent in 2024. While this is good news for tourism and the city, it is not good news for Chicago residents who must drive in the city and commute to and from the city. If you are the victim of a car accident caused by a negligent driver, a Chicago, IL car accident attorney can help you get the compensation you are entitled to for your damages.
Why Are Car Accidents Increasing In Chicago?
Along with the fact that there are simply more cars on the roadways in and around Chicago, many people are continuing their pandemic-era speeding behaviors. During COVID-19, there were fewer cars on the road, causing many drivers to drive faster. Unfortunately, this behavior has persisted even though traffic levels in many areas have largely returned to pre-pandemic "normal." Excess speed increases both the severity of crashes and the likelihood of fatalities.
Have You Experienced Serious Side Effects from Ozempic?
A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that more than two in five adults in the United States (42.4 percent) suffer from obesity. Obesity can cause a number of health issues, which could explain why the weight loss industry in the nation makes more than $90 billion a year. This push for Americans to lose weight explains why weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro are so popular right now.
The financial cost of these drugs can be unaffordable for many, even those with insurance. The cost of Ozempic without insurance is more than $1,000 a month. Most of those with insurance will pay between $50 and $300 per month for the drugs. While these drugs are being touted as a "miracle" for weight loss, there is a dark side that is rarely talked about. Many of the severe side effects of these weight loss drugs can be devastating.
Illinois Nursing Home Failed to Correctly Administer Meds
During the fourth quarter of 2024, a Gibson City nursing home was fined $77,200 by the Illinois Department of Health for violations that led to the death of a resident. The resident died after being taken to a local hospital for Warfarin toxicity and lethal bleeding. After the death, it was determined that the nursing home had not been administering the Warfarin as ordered and had also failed to monitor the resident’s lab results.
The same nursing home was also cited for failing to prevent a fall through proper supervision and failure to safely transfer a resident when a resident's foot became caught in the mechanical geriatric chair, causing a fracture. Older adults often have long-term or chronic illnesses that require prescribed medications to treat. In fact, the average nursing home resident is prescribed seven to eight medications daily.
Are Property Owners Liable for Swimming Pool Accidents?
Unfortunately, far too many children drown in swimming pools or suffer catastrophic injuries. Between 2019 and 2021, about 360 children fatally drowned in swimming pools or hot tubs each year, while about 6,500 children visit ERs annually after being injured in a near-drowning accident.
While a child of any age can potentially drown or have a near-drowning incident, those who are five years old or younger are particularly vulnerable, representing 75 percent of all drowning deaths and 77 percent of non-fatal injuries. Chicago residents look forward to summer after months of icy cold and biting wind, and there is nothing quite like spending time at a pool on a sunny day.
However, those with swimming pools must take steps to ensure children cannot access the pool when there are no adults present. When pool owners fail to follow the laws in place that are meant to protect children from tragic swimming pool incidents, they may be responsible for resulting injuries or death. If your child has suffered a serious or fatal swimming pool accident, it is time to speak to a knowledgeable Chicago, IL premises liability injury attorney who can help you secure some measure of justice.
Can I Sue a Chicago Restaurant for An Allergic Reaction?
As many as 33 million Americans have food allergies, which translates to one in 10 adults and about one in 13 children. More than half of all adults with food allergies have experienced a severe reaction, while about 42 percent of children with food allergies have had a severe reaction. Those with food allergies rely on restaurant staff members to provide accurate information about whether the foods they are allergic to are in a specific dish.
Restaurants must also take every reasonable precaution to avoid cross-contamination. A customer can suffer a severe, even fatal, allergic reaction when the staff in a restaurant are careless or negligent. In such a situation, the restaurant owner, staff, and/or management may be held liable for injuries or death through a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
If you or a loved one had a severe allergic reaction - after questioning staff about the ingredients in a particular dish and letting them know you were allergic to a specific food – contacting an experienced Chicago, IL personal injury attorney is extremely important.
Are Punitive Damages Allowed in a Chicago Wrongful Death Claim?
The death of a loved one as a result of another person’s negligence can be devastating for family members. A wrongful death lawsuit can be filed on behalf of family members by the personal representative of the decedent (which could be a surviving spouse or next of kin). Unfortunately, under the prior Illinois Wrongful Death Act, families of those who died as a result of negligence were not able to collect punitive damages.
Punitive damages were also not available under the Illinois Survival Act, barring specific statutory authority or strong equitable reasons. Punitive damages are paid in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits when the defendant acted deliberately, willfully, or maliciously. In other words, punitive damages go a step further to punish a defendant who not only caused the death but willfully acted in a manner that caused the death.
Suing an Illinois Nursing Home for Abuse or Neglect
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect are far more common than most people realize. The National Council on Aging believes as many as 5 million older Americans experience serious abuse each year, with many of these residing in nursing homes. Nursing home abuse and neglect can be traumatic for the victim and devastating for the victim’s loved ones. Older adults who are abused may become anxious and fearful or could suffer serious physical injuries that become long-term disabilities.
Bedsores, left untreated, can lead to serious infections and constant physical pain. Other common injuries from nursing home abuse include head injuries, back injuries, and sprained and broken bones. Finding out that your loved one has been abused is shocking. Perhaps you are considering suing the nursing home but are unsure whether you can sue and, if so, where to start. You and your loved one have rights in this situation. This is the time to speak to a knowledgeable Chicago, IL nursing home abuse attorney who can answer your questions and guide you through the process.
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