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Who Has The Power To Enforce Laws?

 

When the United States established our institution of government through the Constitution the jury system was enshrined in that document. The 6th and 7th amendment were later added to the Constitution and protected the right to juries in criminal and civil cases.

But still more was needed to enforce this cherished right. African-Americans under federal law were given the right to serve on juries in 1875, but in practice many were openly and routinely removed from juries based on race until a US Supreme Court case in 1986 declared that conduct was prohibited by the constitution. Watch the video to learn more.

As late as 1942, only 28 states had laws that allowed women to serve as jurors, but these states also gave them the right to claim exemption based on their sex. The Civil Rights Act of 1957 gave women the right to serve on federal juries, but not until 1973 could women serve on juries in all fifty states.

The right to serve on jury is something people fought for and died for because this right is so important to the fabric of our laws. The primary purposes of civil tort law in America and here in Illinois as described by the Illinois Supreme Court is when someone has been wrongly injured by the acts of another the law is to:

  • to compensate the victims;
  • to reduce future wrong acts; and
  • to encourage careful conduct in the future to protect all of our citizens.

The jury enforces these laws through their collective verdict. By serving on juries, you are able to voice your opinion and influence the collective verdict. If you do not show up, you are allowing someone else to decide how the laws should be enforced. Therefore, someone else will have the power to determine the type of community you will live in. So remember, the juries’ verdict is how you enforce the laws of your community. That is why it’s so important to serve.

If you have questions about trial or your own serious injury, contact the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. at 312-384-1920 or by email. Our Chicago personal injury attorneys are known for their expertise and tough litigation. Schedule a free consultation with one of our personal injury trial lawyers practicing throughout Illinois.

What is a Day In The Life Video?

 

In personal injury lawsuits for severely injured victims, a Day-in-the-Life Video is shown to the jury during trial to offer a visual account of the injured victim’s day-to-day challenges. It captures footage from  the moment the injured person wakes up to the time they go to bed. It crunches what an entire day is for an injured person to a 15-30 min time frame that can be shown in court.

The Day-in-the-Life Video may show how the injured person gets out of bed. Is he or she able to do it alone? Does an assisted living professional need to be present? Can the person go to the bathroom or shower self-sufficiently? From the Day-in-the-Life Video the jury will be able to see the full extent of the victim’s injuries. They will see the injured person’s face, read their facial expressions, and hear their voice. This lets the jury know firsthand the emotional and physical challenges the victim is facing. Watch the video to learn more.

The Day-in-the-Life Video also captures footage of the injured person in their home, in what used to be a comfortable setting. In the aftermath of an injury, the setting of the home may have become extremely difficult to maneuver around in. A video can show how challenging it is to get to the kitchen. How long does it take to climb a set of stairs?

A Day-in-the-Life Video can also show the injured victim’s interactions with loved one. Has the quality of family life changed? Is the injured victim able to spend time with his kids or spouse. Answers to these questions can also be captured on tape and shown to the jury.

Remember, the jurors are everyday people from our community that are selected to uphold our justice system. A Day-in-the-Life Video is able to grab their attention and move them in ways that expert testimony or documents alone aren’t able to.

It requires a skilled and well-experienced personal injury lawyer to create a Day-in-the-Life video that’s accepted as admissible evidence in the courtroom.  Without being admissible in court, the jury isn’t able to see the client’s Day in the Life Video. This can be a significant blow to the recovery amount the jury decides.

At the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., we have created many Day-in-the-Life Videos for severely injured clients and taken them to trial for successful verdicts. If you or your loved one is suffering from the fault of others, count on us to help. With over 60 years of combined experience, our Chicago personal injury attorneys are known for their expertise and tough litigation. Contact us by email or call us at 312-384-1920 to schedule a consultation with one of our personal injury trial attorneys practicing law throughout Illinois.

 

What Is A Life Care Plan?

 

For the severely injured, a Life Care Plan is a detailed assessment of the severely injured victim’s needs. It should take into account:

Current and future medical needs: Things like cost of medication, specialized furniture, assisted living professionals, rehabilitation expenses should be included in the life care plan.

Transportation needs: Would the injured victim need to have special equipment for traveling? Recreational opportunities also need to be factored into a life care plan.

Construction modifications to the home: Specialized medical equipment may require changes to the layout of the home. Perhaps an elevator lift is needed. These very large expenses need to be looked at very thoroughly to create a proper life care plan.

In an injury lawsuit for a severely injured victim, the Life Care Plan is instrumental in building your case. It can show to the jury the extent of a victim’s injuries, and the long-term cost of living with such life-changing injuries.  When a Life Care Plan is led by a personal injury lawyer who is well-experienced in litigation and trial, the recovery results could ensure that the injured victim is able to live with dignity and financially independence. Watch the video to learn more.

At the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., when our Chicago personal injury lawyers consult with a Life Care Planner, we collaborate with an entire team of medical and financial experts and ensure assessments by doctors, psychologists, counselors, and economists are all taken into account and factored into the Life Care Plan. We do this to ensure all of the injured victim’s needs are considered. This means including present and anticipated future needs into the life care plan. Is future medication included in the plan? Will the medication be supported across providers? The Life Care Plan needs to be a complete and comprehensive document.

Once created, the Life Care Plan is given to the jury so that the jury can fully understand you or your loved one’s needs and recognize your compensation claim as genuine. A skilled and well-experienced personal injury lawyer will help the life care planner get the testimony and documentation from the entire team of medical and financial experts that’s admissible in the court so that the jury may hear all parts of the life care plan.

Many personal injury lawyers don’t understand how important it is to be fully involved in the creation of the Life Care Plan, and as a result, your recovery suffers.

At the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., we pay close attention to the life care plan and present our clients’ complete needs in court. We have been thoroughly involved in many very complex life care plans and have advocated for our clients’ complete needs successfully. With over 60 years of combined experience, our Chicago personal injury attorneys are known for their expertise and tough litigation. Contact us by email or call us at 312-384-1920 to schedule a consultation with one of our personal injury trial attorneys practicing law throughout Illinois.

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