Dinizulu Law Group | Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd

Determining the Recovery Value of Truck Accident Injuries

January 27, 2017/in Blog, Trucking accident injury law/by Yao Dinizulu

Have you been involved in a semi-truck accident? Were you significantly injured as a part of that accident? Are you wondering how to determine the monetary value of your injuries?

Let’s start with a very important point: Semi-truck accidents are handled completely differently than passenger vehicle accidents. You may have commercial policies that apply to your case. Semi-truck policies are mandated and regulated by the federal government. The federal government requires that semi-truck policies carry an amount in the millions because they need larger minimum policies.

How do we come up with a total value for your case? We have several factors that we look at. We will look at total medical bills, lost wages, injury severity, loss of companionship, and pain and suffering. These can give us a clue as to what your total value may be, but you have to note that it is impossible to give you an exact amount until your case has been fully investigated.

A last note, don’t go for the quick settlement that the insurance company will try to offer you. They want to pay you off quickly because they don’t lose as much money that way. If you wait, others factors may come to light that can benefit you and get you the bigger settlement you deserve. You’ll want to have an experienced legal team on your side when facing a case like this. Watch the video to learn more.

If you have questions about semi-truck accident injures, please fill out our contact form 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 videos and media content from the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. on our media page.

What Are the Physical and Psychological Effects of Nursing Home Abuse?

January 24, 2017/in Blog, Elder abuse/by Yao Dinizulu

Physical, sexual and emotional abuse can all occur in a nursing home setting, and such abuse is a very real problem in the United States. According to the National Council on Aging, as many as 5 million seniors experience some kind of elder abuse annually.

Personal Injury Paralysis From a Truck Accident

January 13, 2017/in Blog, Car accident injury law, Personal injury claim, Personal injury law, Trucking accident injury law/by Yao Dinizulu

Every single time you drive, you risk being seriously injured or even paralyzed. And yes, this could happen to even the most careful driver. In Illinois, paralysis is among the most common personal injury when a car collides with a truck. As a result of these accidents, more serious injuries are often found on the occupants of cars rather than on truck drivers. In Chicago and throughout Illinois, injured victims face significant medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. Additionally, their family members suffer economic loss, mental anguish and the loss of companionship.

Building a Truck Accident Lawsuit

If you have suffered a life-altering injury, such as paralysis, the various provisions that must be made for your care can be much more expansive than you thought. You may not be able to handle this on your own. A life care planner and an experienced truck accident lawyer is needed to present your personal injury lawsuit to the courts.

At the Dinizulu Law Group, when we consult a life care planner, we ensure that all your anticipated needs will be taken into account. Our personal injury attorneys will confirm that the current and future medical needs are analyzed and supported across all providers. We help ensure the life care planner gets admissible evidence from medical doctors, psychologists and the entire team of experts to ensure that a judge will allow the jury to hear all parts of the Life Care Plan. The plan must include future medication, adaptive furniture, assisted living professionals, rehabilitation, transportation needs, recreational opportunities and construction modifications to the home to accommodate new realities like the need for wheel chair access, an elevator lift, and specialized bathing areas for the seriously injured.

We know if you or a loved one experiences a serious injury that you want the best personal injury lawyer on your case. We at Dinzulu Law Group, Ltd are Chicago accident lawyers with extensive experience in truck accident lawsuits and presenting complicated and individualized life plans to the courts. If you have been injured, contact us today so that we can help you navigate the complex legal processes.

Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois

You should also visit The Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois if you suffer from paralysis and live in Illinois. This is a non-profit information and support resource for individuals paralyzed by spinal cord injury and their families. You can also learn about the health care and related professionals that serve the paralysis community. Though this resource is located in LaGrange, IL, a suburb of Chicago, it serves the entire state of Illinois. Furthermore, for many additional resources, such as support groups, centers for independent living, state disability resources, and more, please visit the United Spinal Association website.

Exposing Nursing Home Lies Makes Family Financially Secure

January 6, 2017/in Blog, Elder abuse, nursing home neglect/by Yao Dinizulu

Do you have a loved one that is residing in a nursing home? Do you trust that the facility is taking the utmost of care with your loved one? What happens when they break that trust? How can you expose what you believe to be untruths? Let’s take a look at the steps involved.

When you search for a nursing facility for your loved one, you are looking for a home that you trust will follow through with their promises of care. This is usually one of the statements that nursing administrators promise when you tour their facilities. They promise that they will take special care to meet all of your loved one’s medical and dietary needs. When they don’t deliver on the promise, it is a cause for action.

Let’s look at a previous case of mine. I had a woman come to me whose father had been staying in a nursing facility. She had found a home that she liked, and had moved her father to that home. She alerted the staff that he was at a higher risk for developing bed sores, and they assured her that they would take all of the precautions necessary. Within three weeks, he had developed bed sores.

The first thing that I did was to investigate his medical records. When searching through his files, I noticed that there was a lack of re-positioning notes. A re-positioning note is one that states the date and time a resident is re-positioned. This is important because if a resident is not re-positioned frequently, they are likely to develop bed sores. These are caused by too much pressure being put on the bony extrusions of the body. The client’s father developed bed sores that developed into sepsis, a blood infection.

After noting that there were no re-positioning notes, we took sworn statements from the nurses and staff. The nurse in charge of the patient’s care assured us that she did re-position him and that she didn’t make any errors. We took that statement, along with the lack of re-positioning records, to the nursing home administrator. We also took a look at the nurse’s files and saw that she had previously been reprimanded for not re-positioning patients. With all of this information at her feet, the nursing home administrator knew she was at an impasse. She had been caught lying, and she decided to settle the case. Watch the video to learn more.

If you have questions about what to do when you suspect a nursing home of neglecting your loved one or lying about the care they have been given, please contact us at 1-312-384-1920 or 1-800-693-1LAW. Our experienced Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers are here for you. You may also find more videos about nursing home neglect laws on our media page.

Rules For Ensuring Trucking Companies Properly Secure Their Cargo

January 6, 2017/in Blog, Personal injury law, Trucking accident injury law, Uncategorized/by Yao Dinizulu

Many different parties are responsible for securing cargo on a semi truck, and 7% of all serious semi truck accidents are caused by loose cargo. If you happen to be the person driving behind the semi who is hit with flying debris, you’re going to want to know who is responsible for the damage and injuries you incurred as a result of lack of adequate securement.

The initial shipping company is responsible for ensuring that all cargo is properly loaded into the semi truck following OSHA safety standards. They can’t take any shortcuts, or else they risk violating OSHA standards, which can have serious consequences for them. The trucking companies must also make sure that their drivers are properly trained in how to secure loads. The seller or manufacturer of the securement devices also holds responsibility for properly secured loads. If their device is faulty, then there is a chance that a load won’t be properly secured. The manufacturer of the cargo itself also holds responsibility. They need to make sure that all of the cargo is properly bundled before shipping.

In short, there are multiple companies that are responsible for secure loads in semi trucks. You need to know which party’s negligence led to the load not remaining secured. That’s where the help of a truck accident attorney comes in. Watch the video to learn more.

If you have questions about trucking accidents and determining the responsibility for securing a load, we want you to contact the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. Our phone number is 1-312-384-1920 and 1-800-693-1LAW. We are a Chicago personal injury law firm with experienced truck accident lawyers who are here for you.

You may also find more videos about truck accident injuries and our law our firm on our media page.

How to Report Nursing Home Abuse in Illinois

January 5, 2017/in Blog, Elder abuse/by Yao Dinizulu

If you are looking for a nursing home for your elderly loved one, it is critical that you conduct thorough research. Nursing home abuse and neglect are deplorably common in Illinois.

Electronic Logging Devices Hold Truck Drivers Accountable for Negligence, Recklessness, and Breaking the Law

December 30, 2016/in Blog, Car accident injury law, Personal injury claim, Personal injury law, Trucking accident injury law/by Yao Dinizulu

It’s winter weather and holiday driving can be hazardous on icy roads and skid-prone conditions. Add trucks and semitrailers to the mix and an accident is much more severe when a large vehicle loses control on the road.

When a truck collides which a smaller passenger vehicle, a disastrous injury occurs more often to the occupants of the other smaller vehicle. To protect all drivers, in 2014, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposed and adopted a rule requiring Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) to be utilized in large trucks. ELDs are akin to those black boxes you hear about in planes, which help investigators understand how and why an accident happened. Similarly, ELDs in commercial trucks electronically record data from a vehicle’s sensors which can be subsequently downloaded.

Currently, much of a truck driver’s accountability stems from his or her own written records, but the ELDs will ensure that the truck driver can not cheat the system or inadvertently make a mistake. ELDs record speed, when the truck is in motion and other significant pieces of data.

The Trucking Industry Must Utilize ELDs by December 16, 2019

Although the ELD rule was adopted in 2014, the FMCSA understands that changes do not happen overnight. Accordingly, the trucking industry was given a grace period to incorporate the rule into practice and during that period, records could be kept through paper logs, logging software, automatic onboard recording devices or appropriately registered ELDs. The grace period ends December 16, 2019 and on that date, all drivers subject to the rule must use certified and registered ELDs.

While there are exceptions to the rule, in general if the truck driver was originally required to provide logs showing their hours of service then they are subject to the ELD requirement. While some drivers have met this new requirement with skepticism, the FMCSA maintains that ELDs will reduce risk of accidents and will also allow for a more streamlined collection of data.

ELDs can Help Answer Questions About Liability in a Trucking Accident

The ELDs will play an important role in the legal arena, as well. If you or a loved one is injured in a trucking accident, then you will have to prove that the truck driver acted wrongfully in some way. Maybe they were driving too fast, or perhaps they were drowsy. Truck drivers, their employers and their insurance companies oftentimes have a team of lawyers helping them avoid liability and so it is imperative that you also obtain a personal injury attorney right away.

Obtaining evidence from an opposing party can be difficult and is often subject to strict court rules. During a time when you are already reeling from a terrible accident, it is advised that you seek professional legal help. You will need an accident attorney who not only understands the litigation process, but also acts as your advocate during a time when you need it most.

Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. always provides a free initial case evaluation and will help you pursue the necessary legal action if you have been involved in a truck wreck accident. Our experienced Illinois truck accident attorneys understand the importance of monetary justice when a victim is facing current and future medical bills in addition to being unable to work. A personal injury accident happens in an instant, but the effects can last a lifetime. Please contact us today to find out how we can help you.

5 Documents Every Nursing Home Should Be Able to Provide

December 27, 2016/in Blog, Elder abuse, nursing home neglect/by Yao Dinizulu

Chicago nursing homes have been making headlines lately – and for all the wrong reasons.

3 Ways to Ensure Your Loved One Is Safe in a Nursing Home

December 20, 2016/in Blog, nursing home neglect/by Yao Dinizulu

Many senior citizens dread the thought of entering nursing homes. A quick look at nursing home abuse and neglect statistics reveals that their concerns are certainly justified.

Mom Unexpectedly Dies From Allergic Reaction & Medical Malpractice

December 19, 2016/in Blog, Medical malpractice, Medical negligence, Uncategorized/by Yao Dinizulu

Doctors can make mistakes, and these mistakes can cost the lives of your loved ones. If you have suspect medical malpractice occurred when your loved one needed care, I want you to call us at 1-800-693-1LAW or 1-312-384-1920 with your questions. I am a medical malpractice attorney that is here for you. You may also contact us by email. Visit our firm’s media page, where you can view more videos and learn more about your rights.

In this case, the patient was rushed to the ER because she had an allergic reaction to seafood. The hospital staff enacted the ABC’s of medicine, which stands for airways, breathing, and circulation. The first step was to make sure that her airway was not blocked. They did this by inserting an endotracheal tube down her throat to establish her airway. They made a mistake and inserted the tube too far down her right bronchial tube. This in and of itself is not negligence, but not fixing the tube into the proper position is negligence. Because the tube was improperly inserted, air was only going to the right lung, which resulted in the collapse of the left lung.

At this point the ER doctor had several steps that he could have taken to prevent the patient’s death. Instead of ordering a CT scan, which required transport that could jostle the tube, the doctor could have ordered an x-ray to ensure that the tube was properly placed.

Because the doctor ordered a CT scan instead of an x-ray, the patient was transported to the CT room, which resulted in the jostling of the E.T. tube. During the CT, the patient was required to be unrestrained. Because the doctor did not adequately sedate the patient and insisted on a contrast scan, the patient woke up, vomiting. In the process, she pulled the tube out of her throat because she was not restrained, and this permanently collapsed her airway. The scene was described as chaotic by medical staff, and she did not survive. Had her medical staff ordered an x-ray instead of CT scan, she may have survived. This case was settled confidentially and resulted in the client being awarded 7 figures. Watch the video to learn more.