Posted on May 08, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

Suing a healthcare professional for a birth injury falls under the umbrella of medical malpractice, and in Illinois, you have the right to file a lawsuit against a doctor if their negligent care resulted in injury to you or your baby. However, medical malpractice cases are generally more challenging to prove than other personal injury cases, mainly because of the complexity of medical care and the heavy burden of proof. Going at it alone would be daunting for anyone, but an experienced Chicago, IL medical malpractice attorney will investigate the circumstances of your case to offer you a clear understanding of how the laws apply.

Your Legal Right To Sue for Medical Malpractice Following a Birth Injury in Illinois

In Illinois, you have the right to sue a healthcare professional or even a facility if their negligence resulted in an injury to you or your baby before, during, or after birth. As the plaintiff in the case, you are responsible for proving that their treatment violated the duty of care they owed you and that the violation resulted in your injuries and damages. An experienced attorney can help, but you have to act fast. According to Illinois law, you only have two years from the date of injury to file the lawsuit.

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 Posted on May 05, 2025 in Motorcycle Accidents

The aftermath of a devastating motorcycle crash can be overwhelming and confusing. If another person caused the accident, you might have legal options for recovering compensation and holding them accountable for their actions. Illinois follows an at-fault system for auto accidents, meaning that you can recover damages through the liable party’s insurance. A Chicago, IL motorcycle accident attorney can explain the laws that apply to these cases and ensure you identify every recoverable damage available to you.

How Do Detailed Records Benefit Your Personal Injury Claim?

As soon as you are able, you should write down or record the specifics of your crash while it is still as fresh as possible in your mind. You will need those details when you file your claim and hire your legal representation. Everything from your position on the road to the weather that day is relevant.

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 Posted on April 30, 2025 in Wrongful Death

Losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing is devastating. In addition to grief, surviving family members are often left facing financial hardship, from medical bills and funeral expenses to the sudden loss of income and support. In Illinois, families have the right to pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim, which is a civil lawsuit filed against the party responsible for the death.

If you are in Chicago and wondering whether a wrongful death claim is right for your family, our Illinois personal injury lawyers are here to help.

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?

A wrongful death claim is a lawsuit that arises when a person dies as a result of another party’s careless or intentional actions. These claims may involve car accidents, workplace incidents, medical malpractice, dangerous products, or criminal acts. In Illinois, wrongful death cases are governed by the Illinois Wrongful Death Act (740 ILCS 180/) and the Survival Act (755 ILCS 5/27-6).

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 Posted on April 25, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

Losing a spouse is always heartbreaking, but when their death could have been prevented, the grief is often compounded by anger, confusion, and a need for answers. If your wife or partner died because her breast cancer was not diagnosed in time, you may have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in Illinois.

When doctors fail to catch cancer early despite warning signs, their negligence can rob a family of precious time — or a life altogether. Illinois law allows surviving family members to pursue compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit if that failure meets the legal standard for malpractice. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers are here to help.

How Does a Failure to Diagnose Become Malpractice?

Not every missed diagnosis counts as negligence. To file a lawsuit, your attorney must show that a medical provider failed to meet the standard of care — that is, they did not act as a reasonably competent provider would under the same circumstances.

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 Posted on April 17, 2025 in Car Accidents

Chicago is a diverse city of around 2.6 million people. Such a large metropolis sees more than its share of auto accidents annually, many severe and sometimes fatal. Every car accident has unique circumstances, but most happen because of several types of human error. 

An experienced Illinois auto accident attorney at Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC can review your accident details to determine if another party’s negligence was the cause. If so, you could receive compensation for your economic and non-economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit. 

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is a severe problem in busy cities like Chicago. Any activity that takes a driver’s attention from the road, such as texting, talking on a phone, eating, drinking, or checking the GPS, can trigger a horrific auto accident. 

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 Posted on April 07, 2025 in Car Accidents

Another car rear-ends you at a red light in Chicago. Most likely, the fault lies with the rear driver, but did you know that more than one party or entity can be sued for damages in certain auto accidents? You may be able to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost earnings, and other losses from multiple parties, depending on the situation. An Illinois personal injury lawyer at Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC can explain your legal rights after a car accident and who may be responsible for compensating you for your damages. 

Illinois Is a Modified Comparative Negligence State

Illinois has a modified comparative negligence system, which means fault for an auto accident can be shared among several people or entities. Compensation is adjusted based on the degree of responsibility for each party. Parties who could be blamed for your auto accident injury, depending on the evidence and circumstances, include: 

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 Posted on March 31, 2025 in Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect

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.

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 Posted on March 25, 2025 in Premises Liability

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.

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 Posted on March 13, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

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.

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 Posted on March 10, 2025 in Car Accidents

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.

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