Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal illness caused by the bacterium Legionella. These bacteria are often found in hot tubs, cooling towers, and air conditioning systems.
The Chicago Tribune reports on a heartwarming program that aims to protect long-term care residents from neglect and abuse. The government-funded advocacy program is drumming up support all over the country because of its effectiveness and ingenious simplicity.
According to ThinkProgress.org, the median age of parolees was 51 years old as of 2010, and inmates over the age of 65 are the fastest-growing demographic of the U.S. prison population. Additionally, researchers have determined that inmates are more likely to experience health problems such as hypertension, arthritis, asthma, and hepatitis, and studies have indicated that for many prisoners, their physiological age is more than a decade older than their chronological age.
Several parties can be held liable for a single truck accident. If you have been injured in a trucking accident, one of the first things you must do before bringing legal action against someone is ensure that you have identified all parties responsible for the accident. If you fail to sue the appropriate parties, then you may lose your right to bring an action against them forever. Although it may appear that the truck driver is ultimately responsible due to speeding or reckless driving, an experienced attorney will know to look at the truck and trailer’s owner, the company that the driver is working for and the manufacturer of the various truck parts, to name a few.
In addition, the accident could have been caused by someone improperly loading the cargo in the semi-truck. If a trailer is either overloaded or loaded in a way that throws the truck off balance, serious accidents are much more likely to occur and unfortunately, it is usually the other drivers on the road who see the most injuries.
Accidents in Illinois
Illinois is among a handful of states that account for more than half of all truck fatalities in the nation. There were nearly 600 fatalities involving large truck accidents in Illinois in the past five years alone.
In early August of last year, three people tragically lost their lives in a five-car pileup near Ottawa, Illinois. I-80 was closed for hours while crews worked to clear the scene. The wreck involved three tractor-trailers and two passenger vehicles. While one of the semi-truck drivers suffered fatal injuries, the other two people who died were riding in the smaller cars.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) collected data showing that from 1975 to 2014 over 200,000 people died in large truck accidents. Many more were injured.
Injuries from Truck Accidents
Injuries sustained in accidents involved with semi-trucks are often devastating. In this August accident, not only were victims subject to the crushing weight of the large trucks, but the trucks also caught fire. It is not uncommon to see individuals with burn injuries, spinal injuries, amputations and brain injuries when they have been involved in such accidents. For those of us fortunate enough not to have been affected by a serious truck accident injury, it is hard to grasp the true cost of these traumatic injuries.
Not only will you have immediate medical costs, but you will likely face costs associated with ongoing health needs and rehabilitation. Studies show that a mild head injury can cost a person $85,000 and a severe injury can cost a person $3 million over the course of their life. Additionally, if you are unable to work, you will lose your source of income.
Illinois Truck Accident Lawyers Are Key to a Successful Personal Injury Case
A skilled Chicago truck accident lawyer is vital to getting you every cent of compensation you deserve if you have been injured in a large truck accident. When you already have to deal with catastrophic injuries or worse, the insurance companies are more likely to lowball you in negotiations. At the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., our personal injury attorneys will not let that happen to you. Our personal injury law firm in Chicago has represented well over thousands of clients. With more than 20 years of experience, our truck accident attorneys know exactly how to help you and put your best case forward.
Alzheimer’s is a type of progressive dementia that typically develops gradually in older adults. It is the most common form of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are treatments available that can improve the quality of life of those who have it.
Nursing home residents have the right to receive a reasonable standard of care from qualified and licensed health care professionals. In addition to assessing a candidate’s licensing, prior experience, and bedside manner, nursing home administrators must also consider the applicant’s criminal history.
Sometimes our loved ones suffer as a result of a truck driver’s carelessness. Sometimes the truck driver denies their fault, and when that happens, their negligence must be proven. The following example illustrates what must be done in these unfortunate situations. Watch the video to learn more.
I had a client who had lost a loved one to a truck driver’s carelessness. Jason was a 19-year-old who was traveling home when he was involved in a collision involving four other drivers. Minutes from his initial impact, Jason was hit by a semi-truck and died. The semi-truck driver denied any fault in the collision, and his employer backed him up.
We had to prove that the driving conditions were hazardous and that the driver’s statements were false.
To do this, we got statements from the other drivers involved. One of the statements said that upon entering the road his speed was the posted 70 mph, but he quickly dropped to 35 mph and even lower to 15 mph before the accident. Others corroborated that statement. The truck driver’s speed, according to the on-board recording system, was 63 mph right before the collision, and this was due in part to the use of cruise control.
We also received sworn statements from local law enforcement that stated the road conditions were deemed hazardous, and that there were many other accidents that night. There is a federal law that mandates speed, and it states that speeds must drop in hazardous conditions. The defendant’s safety policy stated that cruise control is not to be used during hazardous conditions.
The driver also falsified trip records. Public law states that drivers may only drive 70 hours in one week. The data recorded showed the driver completing trips that would need speeds of 86 to 128 mph. His vehicle’s top speed was 63 mph, which meant he was driving when he wasn’t supposed to be. Because the driver and his employers were at risk of future prosecution, they agreed to settle for 7 figures before even going to trial. Watch the video to learn more.
If you have questions about truck driving accidents, please contact our personal injury lawyers by email or call us at 1-312-384-1920 or 1-800-693-1LAW. Our experienced Chicago-based truck accident lawyers are here for you. You may also find more educational videos and media content about truck and auto accident injuries from the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. on our media page.
The growth of the elderly population in the United States has coincided with an increase of reports related to nursing home abuse and neglect. As such, if you are looking for a long-term care facility for your aging loved one, it is critical that you conduct thorough research when comparing the options.
Mistakes, such as improper intubation, when made by medical care providers can mean serious, long term harm, even death for patients. If you or a loved one has been injured by a medical care provider, you or your loved one could be entitled to recover monetary compensation for your expenses, injuries, and suffering. The experienced and compassionate Chicago-based medical malpractice lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. will work with you to determine the best way to handle your medical malpractice claim. Contact us for a free consultation with one of our experienced medical negligence attorneys in Chicago, Illinois.
Intubation Procedure
If you have spent any time watching medical dramas on television you have probably seen a dramatization of a patient being intubated. Endotracheal intubation (ETI) is a medical procedure that places a tube in a patient’s throat to create an unobstructed pathway to allow breathing. This can be done to help a patient’s respiration during surgical procedures, or sometimes at the scene of a medical emergency when someone’s throat has been injured due to some form of trauma.
The process of performing an endotracheal intubation is relatively straightforward for properly trained and equipped medical personnel. First, the patient is placed with the neck flexed so that the throat is as straight as possible. Then the doctor or EMT uses a tool called a laryngoscope to hold open the mouth and move the tongue out of the way so that they have unobstructed access to the airway. They then raise the handle portion of the laryngoscope so that the patient’s vocal cords become visible.
Once the vocal cords are visible, the doctor or EMT inserts an endotracheal tube, a plastic tube with an inflatable cuff circling one end, down the throat until the inflatable cuff is just below the vocal cords. After the tube has been situated, the laryngoscope is removed and the cuff is inflated, preventing the tube from accidentally being dislodged from the patient.
In order to determine that the endotracheal tube has been placed correctly, the doctor or EMT will check to see that there appears to be movement of the chest, and that breathing sounds are detected from both lungs.
When Injuries Happen
While inserting an endotracheal tube would seem to be a fairly technically straightforward procedure, there are some potential issues that can arise, such as perforation of the vocal chords, larynx, or esophagus, and potential damage to the teeth and soft tissue of the mouth. The most serious complication, however, is if the endotracheal tube is accidentally inserted into the esophagus, which can result in the attending medical staff thinking the patient is getting sufficient air when they actually are not. This can lead to oxygen deprivation and brain damage if it is not caught quickly and corrected.
Because of this and other possible complications such as potential infections and delays in transporting patients to a hospital, there is a discussion in the medical community about whether or not endotracheal intubation should be performed by paramedics outside of a hospital setting. It should be pointed out, however, that no generally-accepted consensus has been reached on this matter, and endotracheal intubation remains a valid practice by emergency medical technicians in the field, particularly in patients who have had a heart attack or suffered burns to the airway.
Take Action
The Dinizulu Law Group,Ltd. is a personal injury firm in Chicago with a reputation for tough litigation and winning substantial compensation for clients. With over 60 years of combined experience, our medical malpractice and negligence attorneys have a strong record of getting medical care providers held accountable. We fight for the maximum compensation and get the injured the relief they need. Contact us for a free consultation.
By taking action, not only might you be able to recover compensation for yours or your loved one’s needs, but you will prevent bad medical care from harming other patients.
If you have a loved one in a nursing home, then you need to know what a care plan is. It can mean the difference between your loved one being neglected or receiving the care that they need. Watch the video to learn more.
A care plan is essentially an individualized road map of the care that your loved one will receive. It takes into account the resident’s diagnosis and individual needs. What kinds of therapies will they receive for their conditions? What kind of nutrition do they need? How about their daily schedule? Do they need daily exercise? Are they bedridden and require repositioning? These are all questions that will be discussed during their care plan conference. Any staff or doctors that will be in charge of your loved one’s care should be in attendance so that all parties can be on the same page.
Once the care plan is complete, it’s your job to ensure that the plan is being enacted. You have to make sure to stay in constant communication with staff and doctors so that they know you are serious about the care your loved one is receiving. If any changes occur with your loved one, you have to make sure that the care plan is updated and that all those are who are a part of the plan are on the same page. Watch the video to learn more.
If you suspect nursing home neglect abuse or is happening to your loved one it’s important to contact a well-experienced nursing home neglect attorney. At the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., with over 60 years of combined experience, we handle these type of cases all the time. If you have questions, please email or call us at 312-384-1920 or 1-800-693-1LAW. Our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers are here for you. You may also learn more about nursing home neglect and abuse through our media page where you will find more videos and content on this important issue.
With us, your case is all about you, not the ego of your attorney.
We’re refreshingly honest. We will always tell you the truth.
We are a firm with the right experience and resources to go toe-to-toe with insurance companies in the courtroom.
When others negligently cause harms and losses, we provide security and peace of mind.
The Dinizulu Law Group offers in-person meetings in our office or we can meet you where it’s convenient for you too!
The Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd, is a distinguished personal injury law firm in Chicago providing outstanding legal representation to its clients. They specialize in personal injury litigation, dedicating themselves to fighting for justice on behalf of individuals who have suffered serious and permanent injuries or wrongful death. With an unwavering commitment to personalized service, combined with exceptional knowledge, they deliver stellar results while providing steadfast support throughout every step of the legal process. Contact us today to schedule a Free consultation.
