After a fairly dreary spring here in Chicagoland, the weather has turned, and we can all enjoy the outdoors. For many people this also means it is time to dust of the motorcycles and head out for a bike ride. Whether you choose to ride a motorcycle or not, if…
Mediation is a form of “alternative dispute resolution” where the parties agree to let a person outside of the proceedings (often called a “neutral”) get involved to try and settle the matter. It can happen at any time during a personal injury matter: before a personal injury case is filed,…
“Yeah, but it was his fault too!” That sums up in a nutshell what an affirmative defense is in a personal injury lawsuit. In the example of a car accident case, a plaintiff may be injured when the responsible driver runs a red light and a car crash takes place.…
Sadly, earlier this month there was another fatal accident involving a school bus here in Illinois. While the official cause of the incident that left one person dead and dozens injured is still not known, the accident in Lake County highlights the need for better safety and institutional controls when…
As discussed here previously, reading something you are asked to sign, before you sign it, is vitally important in any context, but especially when it comes to personal injury waivers or releases of liability. Americans are routinely bombarded with advanced waivers they are expected to sign before they are allowed…
Any type of lawsuit, whether it be personal injury, breach of contract, or otherwise, is initiated by the filing of a complaint. The complaint lays out the basic facts of who the parties to the suit are, what the case is about, and what the plaintiff (in a personal injury…
In civil litigation, the most powerful tool an experienced attorney has for uncovering the truth of what happened is discovery. Discovery is the term to describe when the parties to a lawsuit not only exchange information amongst themselves, but also are allowed to investigate further and ask questions, get documents,…
Many people do not realize when they are hurt, even in a minor accident, that a good personal injury attorney is an invaluable resource. Some people try to just “handle it on their own,” thinking if something is small in their mind, it is not worth bringing in a personal…
A few months back this blog gave you some important information on winter weather and how it relates to personal injury lawsuits. Well, winter has not made much of an impression on Chicagoland this year…until now. With the biggest storm of the season set to hit Illinois tonight, things like…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local health officials investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney infections linked to Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter, with SKU # 97111, made by Sunland Inc. of Portales, New Mexico. On…