Riding on public transportation is part of one’s daily life, particularly for people who live in cities. But buses, trains, and other vehicles have to be operated with care, since the people who depend on public transportation are forced to put their lives in the hands of these transportation operators. Often,…
Illinois Injury and Mass Tort Lawyer Blog
Man Sues City for Failing to Prevent Tree from Blocking Stop Sign
In a recent case, a plaintiff brought a claim against a city after he was hit by another driver. The man was hit after a woman failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into his car. The man filed a lawsuit against the woman for negligence, alleging she was…
Punitive Damages Permit Plaintiffs to Recover Greater Awards and Punish Bad Behavior
In civil claims, when a jury finds in favor of the plaintiff, the plaintiff is generally awarded damages to compensate for the injuries or damages incurred. Compensatory damages are often awarded to compensate the plaintiff for medical expenses, lost wages, mental distress, and other losses. Punitive damages can also be…
Chrysler Hit with $40 Million Verdict Due to Exploding Gas Tank in Jeep Grand Cherokee
In a recent case, Chrysler challenged a $40 million verdict against it after a tragic accident involving one of its Jeep vehicles. Evidently, a four-year-old was killed in a collision when a pickup truck hit the back of a 1999 Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee. When the pickup truck hit the Jeep,…
Federal Court Allows Shareholder Lawsuit Against Medtronic Alleging Fraud Regarding Infuse Product to Go Forward
In the final days of 2016, a federal appellate court revived a lawsuit brought by a group of shareholders accusing Medtronic, a major medical device and technology company, of concealing information about the negative impacts of its bone growth protein product, Infuse, for over 10 years. According to the United States…
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Involving Exposure to Mislabeled Toxic Chemicals Highlights Importance of Workplace Safety for Illinois Workers
In a recently filed lawsuit, Williams v. Deterex Corporation, the plaintiff alleges that her husband lost his life as a result of a company’s failure to appropriately label a load of hydrogen sulfide as hazardous. On April 26, 2016, the decedent was transporting a load of materials for the defendant chemical company to another…
Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Tesla Model X Self-Driving Cars are Subject to Sudden Unintended Acceleration, Posing Serious Danger to Illinois Motorists
We live in a digital age, in which new technological inventions seem to be announced every single day. One of the most discussed technological inventions of 2016 and something that is sure to stay in the spotlight during 2017 is driverless cars. These machines offer consumers the convenience of a personal…
Court Applies Government Immunity in Pedestrian Accident Case
Earlier this month, a California appellate court issued an opinion in a pedestrian accident case, reversing a lower court decision that had declined to apply governmental design immunity. In the case, Gonzales v. City of Atwater, the appellate court found that all three elements of governmental design immunity were met…
Federal Judge Reduces $1 Billion Verdict Against DePuy for Pinnacle Hip Implants by Nearly Half
A federal judge in Texas recently entered an order reducing a jury verdict against Johnson & Johnson regarding its DePuy metal-on-metal hip implant device. Marketed under the brand name Pinnacle, thousands of plaintiffs have sued DePuy, alleging that the metal-on-metal hip implant was defective, was unreasonably dangerous, and failed to include…
Hospitals in Illinois and Around the Nation Warn Patients of Dangerous Infection Linked to Contaminated Medical Device Used in Open-Heart Surgery
Open-heart surgery is a very serious procedure that poses substantial risks on its own. Recently, a number of hospitals in Illinois and around the nation have warned patients who underwent open-heart surgery that they could be at risk for contracting a dangerous infection due to contaminated medical equipment. Patients who may…