Recent Blog Posts
Why Would a Sexual Abuse Victim Want to Pursue a Civil Claim Against the Perpetrators?
The statistics about child sex abuse are grim. Approximately one out of every five girls is sexually abused. It is estimated that about one out of every 20 boys is abused. However, many children, teens, and adults never report sexual abuse, sexual assault, or other sex crimes committed against them.
Sexual abuse victims often suffer profound physical, mental, emotional, and psychological consequences after being victimized. They may develop anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health issues that require expensive medication and treatment. Many turn to drugs or alcohol to numb their pain.
If you or a loved one were the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a religious authority, teacher, child care worker, medical provider, or family member, know that you are not alone. Also, know that you have legal options for holding the perpetrator accountable and seeking compensation for your financial and non-financial damages.
4 Most Common Medical Errors in a Hospital Setting
When you or your loved one is extremely ill or badly injured, a hospital admission may come as a relief. Hospital patients are monitored by trained medical professionals 24 hours a day, so you would think that they are as safe as possible. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Hospitals are often understaffed and overwhelmed, which can contribute to critical safety mistakes. Hospitalized patients are medically fragile as it is. A single careless mistake can do serious harm or even prove fatal. If you were personally harmed by or lost an immediate family member due to medical malpractice in a hospital setting, you may be entitled to recover compensation. An attorney can help you better understand what rights you may have.
What Are the Most Common Careless Mistakes Made in Hospitals?
Hospital inpatients are often not in a good position to speak up for themselves and look out for their own safety. They have little choice but to trust that the medical professionals treating them are taking the needed precautions to keep them safe. When they are not, the results can be traffic. The most common types of medical malpractice to look out for in hospitals include:
4 Things Not to Do After a Kane County Car Crash
You probably already have a good idea of what to do after you get into a car accident - call the police, exchange information, get medical attention, and then call an attorney. Equally important - but lesser known - is the list of things you should not do after a car crash. Making one of these mistakes could make it more difficult for you to recover full compensation or even bar your claim. It can be difficult to think clearly in the immediate aftermath of a crash, particularly while you are still on the side of the road or if you have been injured. Calling a lawyer right away can help you avoid these mistakes as you navigate your path to recovery after a crash.
What Should I Avoid Doing on the Side of the Road After a Car Accident?
Most people are quite stunned right after a car accident. People react in different ways to this kind of shocking event. Some people are naturally inclined to try to minimize the impact of the accident in an effort to calm this situation. However, doing so can cause problems when it comes time to fight for compensation. In general, you should try to avoid:
4 Signs of Nursing Home Abuse You Could Easily Miss
Signs of abuse can be as difficult to pick up on in elders as they are in children. Many residents of skilled nursing facilities are experiencing some form of incapacity. It may be difficult or impossible for them to outright tell you that they are being abused. In neglect cases, some nursing home residents hesitate to speak up out of misguided politeness. Residents themselves may not be aware that they are being neglected. If one of your loved ones lives in a nursing home, it is important that you check on them regularly and keep your eye out for subtle signs of abuse. If you think something is wrong, an attorney may be able to help you investigate further.
What Clues Should I Look Out for That My Loved One is Being Abused?
When you visit your elderly family members or friends in a nursing home - whether you do so virtually, in person, or over the phone - there are a few signs you should not ignore. That said, you know your loved ones and what is or is not normal for them. Be mindful of:
Can I Get Workers’ Compensation for a Psychological Injury?
Mental and emotional injuries are very real harms that can occur in the course of a person’s employment. Traumatic events can happen in the workplace just as easily as they can happen anywhere else. Workers who witness a major accident can suffer psychiatric injuries just as the people involved in the accident may suffer physical injuries. Other extreme events that occur while an employee is performing their job duties can cause lasting psychological harm that makes it impossible for the employee to return to work immediately. Contrary to popular belief, these mental injuries can be covered under workers’ compensation. However, it is likely to take a skilled attorney to get you the assistance you deserve after a workplace psychological injury
When is a Mental or Emotional Injury Covered by Workers’ Compensation?
After a workplace psychological injury, you are likely to need treatment and time to recover. Your lawyer will need to show that your mental injury was directly caused by something that happened at work, typically a traumatic event. This includes situations like:
8 Signs of Sexual Abuse in Children Parents Should Never Ignore
Sexual abuse can have a devastating, lifelong impact on a child. Few crimes evoke the level of outrage that sexual abuse of a child does, and for good reason. Suffering from sexual abuse at a young age can leave a child in need of therapy for many years to come and cause troubling behavioral changes. The sooner the abuse is caught, the more complete a child’s emotional and psychological recovery can be. Parents should keep a lookout for any signs that their child is being hurt in this fashion. There are some signs that may prompt parents and other concerned adults to investigate further.
If your child was the victim of sexual abuse, you have the right to file a civil lawsuit on top of any criminal action that may take place. The individual or organization responsible for harming your child can be held financially responsible for their horrible behavior. Any money recovered can be used to aid your child’s long-term recovery.
6 Potentially Fatal Types of Medical Malpractice
People rely on their doctors to help them heal from illnesses and injuries. We tend to implicitly trust our doctors to help, rather than hurt us. Most people who do not work in the health care field lack a high level of medical knowledge and rely entirely on our doctor’s advice, diagnoses, and treatment plan. Like everyone else, doctors make mistakes at work. Unfortunately, these mistakes can cost people their lives. While the vast majority of doctors are not acting maliciously, those who have suffered due to medical malpractice deserve to be compensated for the harm done. No amount of money can undo this type of mistake, but it is quite frequently the best way the legal system can attempt to right a serious wrong.
What Medical Mistakes Can Become Fatal?
Some types of medical errors can cause people to become seriously ill, suffer disfigurement, or cause life-altering disabilities. Others can lead to a patient’s death if not caught and corrected quickly. These mistakes include:
5 Signs That You Need a Lawyer After a Workplace Injury
After a workplace injury, you may be unsure whether you can handle your workers’ compensation claim yourself. In most cases, it is a good idea to at least speak with an attorney who can evaluate your case and give you an educated estimate of what your claim is worth. Most injured workers could benefit from a little help - the claims process can be difficult and legally complex, especially if you are faced with a permanent disability. An experienced attorney can step in and advocate for you to help ensure that you receive all the compensation you need.
When Do I Need an Attorney to Help With my Workers’ Compensation Claim?
If your claim is uncomplicated, your employer is fair, and you are able to return to work quickly, you may be able to handle it yourself. If you are faced with any of these situations, it may be in your best interest to be represented by counsel during the claims process:
Who is Eligible for Permanent Total Disability After a Work Injury?
Most injuries that occur in the workplace are temporary. Injuries like broken bones, torn or pulled muscles, and severe sprains may take you out of the workforce for some time, during which Workers’ Compensation can help in the short term. On the other hand, some workplace injuries are so severe that you may never be able to return to your job. These life-altering injuries can render some individuals not only unable to work, but unable to care for themselves and in need of long-term medical care. When this is the case, you could be eligible for permanent total disability (PTD) payments through Workers’ Compensation. Navigating the application process for these benefits can be extremely complicated. It may be in your best interest to work with an attorney if you believe you may qualify for these benefits.
How Do I Know if I Qualify for PTD?
There are a couple of different ways to establish that you qualify for PTD. For starters, the injury that left you disabled must be a workplace injury. If you became disabled for another reason, you would look into Social Security benefits or a personal injury lawsuit.
When to Consider Seeking Guardianship of an Aging Adult
Seeking guardianship over an adult loved one is not a decision to be made lightly. There are quite a few factors that you should consider before taking this rather drastic step. However, becoming a guardian for an aging adult is sometimes a necessary step to keep them safe and financially stable. As people age, a variety of medical conditions such as Alzheimer's or dementia can prevent them from making reasonable decisions about their life or make it impossible for them to responsibly manage their property and finances. While it may at times be a difficult step - legally and emotionally - it may be the best way to protect a loved one.
A guardianship attorney may be able to help you decide whether filing for guardianship is an appropriate step, and guide you through the court proceedings if it is.
What Are the Two Types of Guardianships in Kane County?
First, you should know that there are two types of guardianships - guardianship of the person, and guardianship of the estate. Guardianship of the person allows the guardian to make decisions such where the person under guardianship (the “ward”) will live. This type of guardianship is often sought when an elderly person can no longer safely live at home, but will not voluntarily go to a care facility.
