Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

A work zone car accident in Chicago left two Illinois Department of Transportation workers and another motorist injured earlier this week. According to officials, the accident happened in a work zone on I-290. The collision occurred shortly before 11:00 a.m. on the westbound lanes of the Eisenhower Expressway just west of Route 83 near Addison, according to the Chicago Tribune.

We've recently reported, on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, the importance of safe driving habits around road workers and in road work zones. This is especially important in the summer months because this is typically a time when we see and increase in both road traffic and construction projects.

The motorist who allegedly caused the I-290 accident was driving his minivan when he drifted on to the should of the road. Once traveling on the shoulder, the van hit an IDOT truck that was parked on the side of the road. The minivan spun off the first truck and collided with another IDOT truck that was parked in front of the first one.

The driver of the minivan was extricated from the vehicle. He was taken by helicopter to Loyola Hospital in Maywood. He remains hospitalized in serious condition.

One of the state workers was taken to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village with non-life threatening injuries. The other worker was treated at the scene.

The accident closed all of the lanes. Police are still investigating and citations are pending against the driver of the minivan.

"Every day, law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency response personnel, and highway workers place their lives in jeopardy to protect the citizens of the state of Illinois." said Illinois State Police (ISP) Director Larry G. Trent.

Road construction only increases during the summer months, providing another reason for motorists to practice extra cautious driving habits on our roadways. Construction is expected to increase soon as Governor Pat Quinn recently announced a $100 million capital investment to address local transportation needs. The $100 million funding will be distributed to local officials to repair municipal, township and county infrastructure, and improve public safety, reports the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“We are extremely proud to work with our communities so they can fix their roads and bridges and address other needed projects,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig said. “This local component of the Governor’s capital program will not only stimulate the economy and create jobs, but improve the quality of life of residents for years to come.”

To help keep these workers safe this summer and throughout the span of this project, motorists are asked to follow these safety tips:

-Slow down. Posted speed limits in work zones are not suggestions, but the law. They are there for the safety of everyone. The Illinois State Police have a zero tolerance policy against violations in work zones. In these areas, fines are doubled.

-Pay close attention. Since traffic patterns in these areas are always changing, sometimes many times a day, it is important to stay alert. Don't take anything for granted in work zones and expect the unexpected.

-Follow all signs. Signs, flaggers and arrowboards and not there to slow traffic, but they're there to make it flow more safely and efficiently. Always merge as soon as possible when approaching a work zone. Don't keep driving in the merge lane until the very last moment.

-Don't follow too closely. Crashes are likely to occur when a motorists follows another vehicle too closely. One of the most common types of accidents in these areas are rear-end collisions. Be sure there's at least two seconds of time between your vehicle and the one in front of you.

-Turn on your lights. Workers and motorists in these zones need to see your vehicle. Turn on your headlights in work zones.

We also discussed, on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, the importance of putting down your cell phone and other distractions while navigating through a work zone. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 40 percent of on-the-job fatalities are associated with motor vehicles. Drivers are asked to put down their cell phones while navigating through our state's work zones not only to protect your safety and the safety of our road workers, but because it's the law in Illinois.

Throughout the United States, there were nearly 700 fatalities resulting from car accidents in road construction zones in 2009. During that year, Illinois witnessed nearly 50 fatalities in work zones as a result of motor-vehicle accidents, according to The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse.

Under the direction of Governor Quinn, the Illinois Department of Transportation has already invested approximately $7 billion to repair or rebuild 4,800 miles of roads and more than 500 bridges in the last two years. This momentum is expected to continue with more than $2.5 billion in road construction projects already scheduled for 2011.

Continue reading "Two IDOT Workers Injured in Work Zone Car Accident in Chicago" »

Governor Pat Quinn signed a new law amending Illinois’s workers’ compensation law last Tuesday that he hopes will reduce employers’ insurance premiums and help Illinois retain and attract businesses concerned with the state’s insurance costs. Governor Quinn estimates that the changes will save employers at least $500 million on the estimated $3 billion in costs they pay each year the Chicago Tribune reports.

Illinois has some of the higher workers’ compensation premiums in the country. The new law aims to reduce these costs in order to attract new businesses and jobs to the state as well as retain those already here. “This overhaul is going to improve the strength of our state’s business climate and economy,” Governor Quinn said. “We’re going to be helping employers in Illinois, workers in Illinois, all of those who are committed to economic growth.”

However, much of these changes come at the expense of Illinois workers, and there is no guarantee that insurance companies will pass along these savings in the form of lower premiums.

One of the major changes is a 30% reduction in the current fee schedule for doctors and hospitals that treat employees under workers’ compensation. In theory, this change will make the cost of treating workers cheaper, and therefore lower business’s premiums. Nothing mandates the lowering of premiums, however, and the people of Illinois must trust insurance companies to pass these savings along as the quality of their healthcare potentially suffers. Good physicians are at a premium, and a 30% reduction in their fee may cause many of them to stop treating injured workers.

The fee reduction is in conjunction with the creation of employer PPO networks for injured workers. Currently, when a worker is injured, they are able to seek out two doctors of their choice. After the law goes into effect, employees of businesses who opt-in to the PPO plans will only be able to choose from two doctors within that network and seek a hearing to go out of network if they are not satisfied with their first two selections. Workers may also “opt-out” of the plan in writing, but they then only have one choice of doctor, according to the Beacon News. Under the old law, workers could choose two physicians. Once again, Illinois workers are being asked to sacrifice their quality of healthcare for the benefit of Illinois businesses in general.

Currently, when a worker is injured and forced to take a lower paying job because they cannot return to the old, the worker is entitled to two-thirds of the difference between the new and old wages for the rest of their life. After the changes go into effect, these wage differential cases will only pay workers this difference for 5 years after the incident or until they reach the age of 67, whichever is later. This is a significant disadvantage to older workers. Not all Illinois residents can retire on time or even at all in this economy.

The extent of permanent partial disabilities will now be judged according to the American Medical Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. Currently, the compensation is set by an arbitrator based on their own judgment, past precedent, and the testimony of the workers themselves. After September 1st, a physician will evaluate an injured worker based on the AMA’s guide to determine the measure of impairment and level of function lost due to the injury. This will then be submitted to the arbitrator. This policy is meant to increase the accuracy and fairness of disability assessments by moving to a more objective approach.

The arbitrators themselves will also change under the new law, according to the Illinois Government News Network. The current arbitrators’ terms end on July 1 and will be subject to strict evaluations in their consideration of re-appointment. Any new arbitrators must be licensed attorneys and all arbitrators will receive ongoing training in fraud, ethics, and medical practices.

Continue reading "New changes in Illinois’ workers’ compensation laws aim to save money, streamline system" »

A November 18, 2010 Chicago area work accident has resulted in a chemical production company getting hit with $63,000 in fines, according to NWI.com. This is due to the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration citing the business with one safety violation and five health violations. The company at issue is located in suburban Chicago Heights.

One health violation is being considered willful for not making sure that a confined space was safe to enter. A willful violation is defined as being done intentionally, knowingly or with voluntary disregard to the law, or with indifference to the safety and health of employees.

A government investigation took place after an employee sustained second and third-degree burns at the plant. A spokesman for the Department of Labor said that the company now has two weeks to respond to the alleged violations.

It was not reported if a Chicago work injury attorney is representing the injured employee or if a claim has been filed with the Illinois Industrial Commission.

A Chicago work injury attorney at Abels & Annes has settled a claim on behalf of a DuPage County resident.

The claimant was employed as a truck driver for company in the Western suburbs. In December, 2009, he lifted up some heavy boxes and put them on his right shoulder to carry them to his truck. After doing this, he started to experience right shoulder pain.

Over the coming weeks the pain remained so the driver started undergoing treatment with a medical doctor. An MRI scan was eventually ordered which showed he had sustained a tear. The claimant underwent surgery to repair the shoulder.

The case settled for just over $17,300, plus the worker received an additional $14,000 in disability pay while he was off work. Further, the work comp insurance carrier is paying for any medical care related to the on the job accident.

This the case was handled by Nicole Sommerfeld, Of Counsel to our office. Nicole's law practice is focused on handling Illinois work injury claims.

If you have been injured on the job, contact our office at 312-924-7575 for free consultation. There is no fee unless you win.

Illinois workers' compensation lawyers at Abels & Annes, working with co-counsel, have reached a $24,000 settlement on behalf of a machine operator that sustained injuries while working in Chicago. The claimant's injuries took place in June, 2008 and February, 2009.

The machinery that the plaintiff worked with was extremely loud. This caused stereocilia of the inner ears (a form of hearing loss). The claimant also developed tinnitus from repetitive motion.

If you've been injured on the job in Illinois, contact a Chicago work comp lawyer at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney now.

Chicago work comp attorneys at Abels & Annes recently signed up two work injury cases. Both claims are being handled by Nicole Sommerfeld, an attorney who concentrates in handling Illinois workers' compensation cases.

In the first claim, our client is a Chicago public school teacher. In February, 2011 while on school grounds she slipped and fell on ice. She injured her right knee in the fall.

After the accident she started treatment with an orthopedic doctor in the Western suburbs. Subsequently an MRI showed she had sustained a tear in her knee. She had to undergo surgery to repair the tear earlier this month.

In the second case, the claimant was working at a furniture store in the Western Suburbs cutting boards with the machine. The machinery was not level and unexpectedly moved, cutting his left thumb.

The injured Illinois worker was treated at Good Samaritan Hospital. The laceration was severe enough that the claimant had to undergo a skin graft, taking skin from the left leg and placing it on his left thumb.

In both of the above cases, our office will work to make sure the plaintiffs receive appropriate medical care, disability pay for time off work, and a fair bodily injury settlement at the end of the case.

If you've been injured on the job the State of Illinois, contact a Chicago work injury lawyer at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Contact us through our website or call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney now.

As we previous discussed on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The month hosted numerous events, put on by the National Safety Council (NCS) and FocusDriven, in attempt to help reduce the risks of a distracted driving car accident in Chicago and elsewhere in the U.S.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers hope that you take the message and practice safe, focused driving all year long. Distracted driving accidents can be prevented if drivers pledge to avoid distractions behind the wheel, which includes putting away their phones and avoiding distractions caused by GPS devices and other in-car systems.

With the advancements and the popularity of technological devices, many drivers find it convenient to multi task behind the wheel. Nearly 5,500 people were killed in 2009 in accidents that reportedly involved a distracted driver. While distracted driving is commonly thought to be related to cell phone use and texting behind the wheel, it also includes distractions like eating, drinking and playing with the radio while driving.

“If drivers can go one month without using their phones while driving, they will find out – as many of us have – work still gets done. Many drivers realize most of the calls they thought were so important, really aren’t. It is our hope drivers will decide to make the change permanently. Doing so will make our roadways safer for everyone,” said Jennifer Smith, FocusDriven president and founding board member.

These distracted driving facts illustrate just how prevalent distracted driving is on our roadways:

-Nearly 1,000 fatal accidents reportedly involved a driver using a cell phone behind the wheel last year.

-Nearly 500,000 people were injured last year in motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted driving.

-An estimated 20 percent of 1,517,000 injury accidents involved reports of distracted driving in 2009.

-Drivers that use hand held devices are four times more likely to be involved in an accident.

-Driving while using a cell phone gives you the same reaction time as a legally drunk driver with the blood alcohol content level of at least .08.

-Drivers under the age of 20 are most likely to be involved in fatal accidents caused by distracted driving than any other age group.

As Distracted Driving Awareness Month comes to a close, everyone is urged to continue to practice focused driving habits. Employers are urged to enforce a no cell phone policy at their business in an attempt to help keep employees safe. To help you get started, the National Safety Council offers employers a Cell Phone Policy Kit, which includes everything you need to help keep your workplace free of distracted driving accidents. Numerous corporations, including DuPont and Goodyear, have created and are enforcing rules banning the use of cell phones while driving.

Employers are urged to enforce a no cell phone policy in the workplace as motor vehicle-related incidents are consistently the leading cause of work-related fatalities in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nearly 40 percent of on-the-job fatalities are associated with motor vehicles. On-the-job roadway motor vehicle accidents affect millions of works each year. In 2008, nearly 4 million workers in the United States were classified as motor vehicle operators.

Continue reading "Chicago work accidents frequently caused by distracted driving" »

Illinois work injury lawyers and Chicago motor vehicle accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a truck driver that was injured on the job. The client will be pursuing both a worker's compensation claim and a third party claim.

In the course of his employment, the trucker was making a delivery in Chicago earlier this month. He was working on a loading dock when a forklift driver quickly turned a corner and struck him. The forklift was moving too fast for conditions on the loading dock.

Immediately after the collision the truck driver started experiencing back and neck pain. An ambulance was called and he was taken to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center.

Over the next several days the claimant's pain became so bad he could barely get out of bed. He has since started treatment with an orthopedic doctor in the Chicago area.

Due to the fact that the truck driver was injured during the course of his employment, we will be pursuing a work comp claim on his behalf. Further, because he was injured by the negligence of another party, we will be pursuing a claim against the forklift driver and his employer.

If you've been injured on the job, call the Chicago work accident lawyers at Abels & Annes at 312-924-7575 for free consultation. There is no attorney's fee unless we recover for you.

Illinois workers' compensation attorneys at Abels & Annes have recently signed on to represent an airline worker was injured on the job at a Chicago airport. The accident happened when the employee was walking outside a terminal building when he tripped and fell, fracturing his left knee.

After the accident, he was seen by airport doctors. Since the date of the accident he has been treating with his own physicians. The break in his knee was severe enough that doctors are now considering surgical options.

Chicago work comp attorneys at our firm will work to ensure he continues to receive needed medical care, obtains disability pay while off work, and we will fight for a good settlement on his behalf at the end of the claim.

In other job injury news at our firm, accident lawyers have agreed to take on a case for a worker who was injured while working at a metal products company. The claimant was hurt while lifting a heavy object.

Our client was seen an emergency room is now having follow-up treatment with his own physician. He's missed six weeks of work due to the accident, and he could miss more work in the future.

If you have been hurt on the job in Illinois, contact the Chicago work injury attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to a lawyer now.

An Illinois work comp attorney at Abels & Annes has agreed to represent a North Side resident who sustained back injuries while working at a large home goods store in July, 2010. The claimant sustaining injuries from lifting heavy objects on a repetitive basis.

After the client got hurt, she underwent treatment with her personal doctor. Over time her pain did not improve, so she also treated with an orthopedic physician in Chicago. An MRI was ordered which showed our client sustained two bulging discs due to the heavy lifting at work.

In a work injury case such as this one, our office will work to ensure that the claimant continues to receive medical treatment as needed, that she receives temporary total disability pay for time off work if warranted, and at the end of the case we will negotiate a bodily injury settlement on her behalf.

If you've been injured on the job in Illinois, contact a Chicago work accident lawyer at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Call 312-924-7575 and ask to speak to a lawyer now.

An Illinois workers' compensation attorney at Abels & Annes has reached a settlement on behalf of of an employee that was injured in January 2010. The claimant was working in an auto parts store in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago when he sustained back injuries while lifting heavy brake parts.

Shortly after the work injury was sustained, our client was seen at the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital emergency room for medical treatment.

Over the next several days, the claimant's pain increased. Soon he sought further medical care with an orthopedic physician in Chicago. After limited improvement in therapy, his doctor ordered an MRI scan which detected a protruding disc.

The case settled for just over $11,000, plus we recovered over $6,500 in disability pay for our client while he was off work. Further, the respondent paid for all of the claimant's medical care related to the work injury.

If you've been injured in an Illinois accident on the job, contact the Chicago work comp attorneys at Abels and Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an injury lawyer now.

Three separate Chicago area auto accidents resulted in three deaths late Thursday evening and early Friday morning, according to WGN TV. The crashes all occurred just hours apart.

The first accident occurred on Interstate 65 just South of Interstate 80 around 11:45 PM. A tow truck driver was changing a tire on a semi truck when a Land Rover rear-ended the tow truck. The tow truck driver was crushed between his truck and the semi truck.

The tow truck driver was a highway service worker employed by a service company that was called out by the driver of the semi truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his identity has not been released.

The at fault driver of the Land Rover was injured and taken to Methodist Hospital. The driver's injuries are reportedly non-life-threatening. The driver of the semi truck was not hurt.

The crash investigation was handled by the Indiana State Police.

The next two deadly Illinois crashes were both single vehicle accidents. The first occurred just after midnight on the Dan Ryan Expressway. A 34-year-old woman loss control of her Chrysler Pacifica in the northbound lanes around 26th Street and hit a concrete barrier head-on.

About an hour later a motorist heading northbound on Interstate 55 loss control of his car and struck a wall just before entering the Dan Ryan Expressway southbound ramp. The accident occurred around 1:15 AM. The driver was taken by ambulance to Stroger Hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later.

Read the story as reported by the Southtown Star here.

The Illinois State Police handled both single vehicle crash investigations.

Chicago work accident attorneys at Abels and Annes have agreed to represent a phone technician that was hurt in Lake County, Illinois. The worker was injured while doing repairs in August, 2010 on behalf of a nationwide telecommunications company.

The claimant was kneeling down while doing installation work for an extended period of time. At some point he heard a pop in his knee, and as he kept standing and squatting he started having a lot of pain.

The next day his pain was even worse so we went to medical care center in Vernon Hills, Illinois. An MRI was eventually taken at Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, IL. The scan showed the claimant had sustained a torn meniscus in his knee. He soon after had to undergo orthopedic surgery to repair the tear in his knee.

The meniscus is a disc that pads your knee. Each knee has two menisci, one on the inner edge of your knee, and one on the outer edge. They keep your knee steady and balanced, and a tear in the pad and stop your knee from working properly.

A meniscus tear is often caused twisting or turning motions while the knee is bent and the foot is planted. Tears are very common with workers lifting heavy objects.

Treatment for a torn meniscus can very depending on the severity of the injury, your age and the type of tear. It can be treated with physical therapy, surgical repairs and/or surgical removal of part of the meniscus.

If you've been hurt in an Illinois work accident, contact a Chicago work comp attorney at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Call 312-924-7575.

Abogados de compensación de trabajadores en el Condado de DuPage de Abels & Annes se han puesto de acuerdo en representar un hombre que resultó herido en el trabajo en los suburbios del oeste. El demandante, un residente de Chicago, fue herido mientras trabajaba en Woodridge Illinois por una empresa establecida en Bolingbrook.

Nuestro cliente resultó herido en junio de 2010 cuando se resbaló y se cayó al tratar de evitar ser golpeado por un montacargas. Desde entonces ha tratado en la oficina del médico en Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Debido al accidente, el demandante estuvo fuera del trabajo por un periodo de tiempo y en trabajos ligeros por varias semanas después de eso.

El ya no esta tratando con un médico para sus heridas en el trabajo. Los abogados en nuestra oficina darán un paso en negociar arreglos corporales de herida en su nombre.

Si usted ha estado involucrado en un accidente del trabajo en el Condado de DuPage, contacte un abogado de heridas personales en Abels & Annes para una evaluación gratis. Llame al 312-924-7575 para hablar directamente con un abogado.

Illinois work injury attorneys from Abels & Annes have agreed to represent employee that was injured at a large national department store chain. The worker was injured in early October 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.

The claimant hurt her low back while lifting a heavy object. She initially hoped her pain would go away, however the next day her low back pain was worse and she went to the emergency room at University of Chicago Hospital.

At the ER, physicians prescribed Vicodin for pain and ordered the employee off work, and light duty upon return to work.

After a couple of weeks with no relief from her pain she went to see her family physician. She also plans on following up with an orthopedic medical doctor for further care.

If you had sustained a work injury in the Chicago area, contact an Illinois work accident attorney at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. There is no attorney's fee unless a recovery is made. Call 312-924-7575.

Read more about low back injuries.

DuPage County workers' compensation lawyers at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a man that was hurt at work in the western suburbs. The claimant, a Chicago resident, was injured while working in Woodridge Illinois for an employer based in Bolingbrook.

Our client was hurt in June, 2010 when he slipped and fell while trying to avoid being hit by a forklift. He has since undergone medical care in the physician's office and Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Due to the accident, the claimant was off work for a period of time and on light duty for several weeks after that.

He is no longer treating with a physician for his on-the-job injuries. Attorneys at our firm will be stepping in to negotiate a bodily injury settlement on his behalf.

If you've been involved in a DuPage County work accident, contact an Illinois personal injury lawyer at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney.

Illinois workers' compensation attorneys at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent employee that was injured at work earlier this month.

The claimant was working as a stocker a large hardware store on the North side of Chicago. While she was lifting heavy boxes off a shelf, she started experiencing severe back pain. Over the next few days the pain became much worse and started shooting down her right leg.

The client has since started medical treatment with an orthopedic physician in Chicago. Due to her low back pain traveling into her lower extremities, it is likely that the treating doctor will order an MRI to rule out a herniated disc. Click here to read more about back and neck injuries.

In other Illinois work injury news our office, an attorney at Abels & Annes recently settle the case for a woman that was working at a Chicago area candy company. She sustained bilateral wrist injuries due to repetitive lifting on the job. In this case our client just sustained sprained wrists. Often when our office sees repetitive lifting injuries in the wrist area, the client ends up being diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can occur when the median nerve in your wrist is pinched due to swelling of the nerve or tendons. When this nerve is blocked, it can cause numbness, pain and tingling in your fingers and hand, and pain can radiate into your forearm. This condition is often caused by repetitive motion on the job.

Carpal tunnel can be treated by lifestyle changes (such as changing the way someone performs repetitive motion), immobilization, medication (anti-inflammatory drugs or steroid injections), or surgery when necessary.

If you've been injured on the job in the Chicago area, contact an Illinois work comp lawyer at our office to talk about your case. The consultation is free. Call 312-924-7575.

Abogados de accidente de trabajo en Abels & Annes han firmado un contrato para representar a una maestra de las escuelas públicas que fue herida en el trabajo. El accidente sucedió a finales de septiembre, 2010 cuando la maestra de colegio secundario en Chicago tropezó y se cayó aproximadamente 8-9 escaleras de concreta mientras que en el trabajo.

Después del accidente ella fue vista en la sala de emergencia de Advocate Christ Hospital. En la sala de emergencia ella fue examinada por enfermeras y médicos, y las radiografías fueron tomadas. Sostuvo heridas bilaterales del tobillo, heridas en la espalda, y hirió su muñeca derecha.

Durante los días siguientes del accidente su condición no mejoró. Desde entonces ha seguido con su médico primario en Chicago. Su médico la refirió a la terapia fisica en Accelerated Rehabilitation.

Abogados de la compensación de trabajadores de Chicago en nuestra oficina trabajarán para asegurarse de que su tratamiento médico que es relacionado al accidente este pagado, que reciba pago por incapacidad por perder tiempo del trabajo, y nosotros negociaremos un arreglo de herida en su beneficio una vez su tratamiento médico ha sido completado.

Si ha sido herido en el trabajo en el área de Chicago, contacte nuestra oficina para una evaluación de su caso gratís. Llame al 312-924-7575 para hablar directamente con un abogado de herida del trabajo en Illinois.

Chicago work accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have entered into an agreement to represent an Illinois public school teacher that was injured on the job. The accident happened at the end of September, 2010 when the Chicago high school teacher tripped and fell down approximately 8-9 concrete stairs while at work.

After the accident she was seen it the Advocate Christ Hospital emergency room. At the ER she was examined by nurses and physicians, and x-rays were taken. She sustained bilateral ankle injuries, back injuries, and injured her right wrist.

During the days following the accident her condition did not improve. She has since followed up with her primary care physician in Chicago. Her doctor referred her to physical therapy at Accelerated Rehabilitation.

Chicago workers compensation attorneys at our office are going to work to make sure that her medical treatment that is related to the accident is paid for, that she receives disability pay for time off work, and we will negotiate an injury settlement on her behalf once her medical treatment has been completed.

If you have been hurt at work in the Chicago area, contact our office for free case evaluation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an Illinois work injury lawyer.

An Illinois workers' compensation attorney at Abels & Annes has agreed to represent a construction worker that recently was hurt on the job. The claimant was working as a laborer for a Chicago area construction company. He was on a South Side job site in July, 2010 when he tripped and fell on some large rocks.

After he fell, he started experiencing severe low back and ankle pain. He was seen a short time later at the South Suburban Hospital emergency room. At the ER, he was examined by physicians and x-rays were taken.

Over the next several days his pain remained. He then went to follow-up treatment with both an orthopedic physician and a chiropractor.

After his condition did not improve, his doctor ordered an MRI. The scan showed the construction worker had sustained a herniated disc at L4-5. It has not been determined if his treatment will just consist of therapy, or if he will need injections and/or future surgery. Click here to read more about back and neck injuries.

A Chicago work injury attorney from our office will be filing a claim on his behalf at the Illinois Industrial Commission. We will work to make sure he receives any necessary medical treatment, disability pay while he is off work, and a bodily injury settlement at the end of the case.

If you have been hurt on the job in the State of Illinois, contact the Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free, no obligation consultation. Call 312-924-7575.

Un abogado de herida de trabajo en Chicago de Abels y Annes ha alcanzado un arreglo a favor de un ayudante de enfermera de Sauk, Illinois. La trabajadora fue herida el 25 de agosto de 2009. La CNA empujaba al paciente en una silla de ruedas cuando la silla dio vuelta en su pie derecho.

Ella sostuvo una fractura de avulsion en el pie y también tuvo dolor de espalda. Ella fue vista un poco después del accidente en la sala de emergencia en St. James Hospital. Ella también siguió tratamiento enIllinois Bone Joint & Institute y St. James Occupational Health.

Debido al accidente, la ayudante de las enfermeras perdió nueve semanas de trabajo. Ella recibió pagó de descapacidad mientras estuvo libre. Su empleador también pagó por su tratamiento médico.

Un ajustador de seguro en Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc. llegó a un arreglo con nuestra oficina por $6,513.40. Esta cantidad representó 3% del cuerpo y 10% de su pie derecho.

Abogados de herida en Illinois de nuestra oficina arreglaron otro caso de accidente de trabajo esta semana para una mujer de Rock Falls, Illinois. Nuestro cliente se laceró su pulgar izquierdo al trabajar en Sterling, Illinois. Sus cuentas médicas fueron pagadas, Ella recibió pagó de descapacidad por 2 1/2 semanas, y ella recibió un arreglo corporal de $2.736.

Si usted o un ser querido ha sido herido en el trabajo en el Estado de Illinois, contacte a un abogado de herida de trabajo en Chicago de Abels y Annes para una evaluación gratis en su caso. Llame al 312-924-7575. No hay honorario a menos que gane.

Un abogado de la compensación de trabajadores de Illinois en Abels & Annes va a presenter una demanda a favor de una mujer que fue herida en el trabajo en Joliet, Illinois. El accidente sucedió el 14 de julio de 2010, el demandante fue empleado como un consejero independiente para los Servicios de Trinity.

Nuestro cliente, que es de 54 años de edad y residente de Tinley Park, estaba haciendo un recorrido en un lugar de trabajo y perdió el equilibrio en las escaleras. En ese momento ella se torció el pie izquierdo y se lesionó la pierna izquierda en la caída.

El trabajador fue visto en el Silver Cross Hospital en la sala de emergencias. Allí, las radiografías fueron tomadas, se le prescribió medicamentos para el dolor, el tobillo fue envuelto y le dieron muletas. Ella también fue referida hacer una cita con un médico ortopédico. Desde la fecha del accidente ella ha estado tratando con un médico.

La demandante también tuvo que perder una cantidad significativa de tiempo del trabajo debido a sus heridas. Estuvo fuera de trabajo desde la fecha del accidente hasta el principio de septiembre. Durante ese tiempo libre ella recibió la paga de incapacidad temporal por portador de seguro de la compensación de los trabajadores.

Los abogados de compensación de trabajadores de Chicago en Abels & Annes inscribieron otro caso de herida de trabajo en Illinois esta semana para un hombre de Rolling Meadows, que se lesionó el 24 de junio de 2010. En aquel momento del accidente nuestro cliente empujaba un objeto grande y fue golpeado en la boca. Perdió dos dientes en el accidente, y cuatro dientes adicionales fueron golpeados flojos.

Si usted ha sido lastimado en el trabajo en Illinois, contacte a un abogado de herida de trabajo en Chicago de Abels & Annes para una evaluación gratís. Llámenos al 312-924-7575 para hablar directamente con un abogado.

An Illinois workers' compensation attorney from Abels & Annes will be filing a claim on behalf of a woman that was injured on the job in Joliet, Illinois. The accident happened on July 14, 2010 as the claimant was employed as an independent living counselor for Trinity Services.

Our client, who is a 54-year-old Tinley Park resident, was doing a walk-through at a work location and lost her balance on some stairs. At that time she twisted her left foot and injured her left leg in the fall.

The worker was seen at Silver Cross Hospital in the emergency room. There, x-rays were taken, she was prescribed pain medication, her ankle was wrapped, and she was given crutches. She was also referred for an appointment with an orthopedic physician. Since the date of the accident she is been treating with a medical doctor.

The claimant also had to miss a significant amount of time from work due to her injuries. She was off work from the date of the accident until the beginning of September. During that time off she received temporary total disability pay through her employers workers' compensation insurance carrier.

Chicago work comp lawyers at Abels & Annes signed up another Illinois work injury case this week for a man from Rolling Meadows who was hurt on June 24, 2010. At the time of the accident our client was pushing a large object and was struck in his mouth. He lost two teeth in the accident, and four additional teeth were knocked loose.

If you have been hurt on the job in Illinois, contact a Chicago work injury attorney at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Call us at 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney.

Illinois workers compensation lawyers at Abels & Annes have signed on to represent and injured hospice worker. The accident took place on July 9, 2010 when our client injured her shoulder and back while at work.

At the time of the accident, the claimant was giving the patient a bath. The patient started to fall out of bed and the worker reached out and caught him, injuring herself in the process.

Initially the claimant hoped her pain would resolve on its own and did not go to the emergency room. However, after her pain did not go away over the next three days her employer referred her to a physician at Concentra in downtown Chicago. The injured worker is also following up with her own orthopedic physician.

Our client has had ongoing medical treatment since July. She is had an MRI, and has had injections in her shoulder.

The worker had shoulder surgery in 2006 to repair a torn rotator cuff. She is now very concerned with her current condition, in that she is having similar pain that she had prior to her previous surgery. It is not yet been determined that she will need additional surgery due to the current accident.

Chicago work comp attorneys at our firm signed up another new case last week when a restaurant worker badly lacerated her hand on the job.

If you have been hurt while on the job, contact the Chicago work injury lawyers at Abels and Annes for a free consultation. There is no attorneys fee unless we recover for you. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney.

Illinois work accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a medical assistant that was injured on the job back in July this year. The accident happened when she slipped and fell on a wet floor in a workplace bathroom.

After the worker fell, she had immediate onset of pain in her right ankle and foot. Due to the severity of her pain, a Chicago fire Department ambulance was called to the scene. Ambulance took her to the ER at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago. At the hospital, she was examined and x-rays were taken.

Over the next several days her pain remained and her employer sent her for further medical treatment at Concentra in Morton Grove. As of today she is still having pain and swelling in her right ankle and foot. She had to take several days off work due to her injuries.

In an injury case such as this, Chicago work comp lawyers at our office make sure your rights are fully protected. We want to client to continue to get the appropriate medical treatment she needs, and at the end of her medical treatment we will attempt to negotiate the bodily injury settlement on her behalf.

If you've been hurt in an Illinois work accident, contact the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for free consultation. There is no fee unless we recover for you. Call 312-924-7575.

Illinois workers' compensation attorneys at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a Chicago woman who was injured while working for American Airlines.

The accident happened on August 29, 2010 when our client was working as a ramp agent in terminal four at O'Hare Airport. The claimant was positioned outside an airplane by a ramp when she was struck in the face by a baggage loading machine.

The plaintiff sustained facial lacerations, bruising, a shoulder injury and severe headaches. After the accident she was taken by ambulance to Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago. At the ER, her lacerations were stitched, and x-rays showed no fractures.

Over the next several days, her shoulder pain and headaches continued. She has since sought follow-up treatment with a medical doctor in Chicago.

An application for adjustment of claim is being filed with the Illinois Industrial Commission in downtown Chicago. Attorney Nicole Sommerfeld will be handling the claim. We will be seeking reasonable medical treatment for the client, disability pay while she is off work, and the bodily injury settlement at the end of the case.

If you've been injured on the job in the Chicago area, contact the Illinois work comp attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free, no obligation consultation. Call 312-924-7575 speak directly to a lawyer now.

An Illinois workers' compensation attorney at Abels & Annes has reached a $130,000 settlement on behalf of a South Side resident that was injured on the job. The accident occurred on May 9, 2006 in the City of Chicago. Our client was on the job Chicago Transit Authority. He was hit by a car while crossing the street. He had just exited a CTA bus and was walking in a marked crosswalk.

After the accident or client was rushed to Christ Medical Center by ambulance. There he was diagnosed with multiple pelvic fractures and had to undergo surgery. After spending several days in the hospital he was transferred to Manor Care in Chicago to undergo rehabilitation.

In addition to the $130,000 settlement, our client received disability pay while he was off of work due to his injuries, and all of his medical bills were paid for.

If you have been injured on the job, contact a Chicago work injury lawyer in our office for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575.

A 24-year-old Chicago woman was seriously injured in a work accident while employed as an extra on the movie "Transformers 3"

The Sun-Times reports the Little Village resident suffered a serious head injury in a stunt involving several cars during filming Wednesday night in Hammond, Indiana. The Indiana State Police reports an object struck her after it smashed through the windshield of her 2006 Toyota. She was flown to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.

Relatives said she remained hospitalized in stable condition after undergoing surgery. They said she was excited to be in a movie; her normal day job is working as a teller at Second Federal Savings in the Little Village.

In a case like this, a Chicago area work injury lawyer should be consulted to ensure that the injured worker's rights are protected and that she obtains the compensation she deserves for medical bills, injuries and lost wages.

The Chicago Tribune reported that the scene being filmed involved motorists traveling along a busy highway as explosions rocked the opposite lane. The paper said the incident happened about 7 p.m. and involved a metal object that crashed through the windshield and struck the woman in the head. Her car continued on, scraping along the concrete median barrier for about a mile before coming to a stop.

Police report a cable pulling vehicles snapped and may have resulted in the accident. She was one of about 100 extras on the scene of Wednesday's shoot. The extras were paid a minimum wage plus $25 a day for the use of their car.

Read the L.A. Times report here.

A Chicago personal injury and wrongful death law firm has been retained by the husband of the SeaWorld trainer who was killed by a whale in February, according to NBC2 in Orlando.

Dawn Brancheau was pulled into a pool and drown by a whale named Tilikum. Some media reports indicated the animal had a history of aggression.

Earlier this week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a $75,000 fine against SeaWorld in connection with the trainer's death. OSHA is the federal body charged with investigating serious and fatal work accidents. The government agency found SeaWorld committed a "willful" violation, meaning the company demonstrated indifference and intentional disregard for the safety of employees.

When a worker is injured, a Chicago injury attorney should always be consulted to ensure that your rights are protected.

The NBC station quoted an Orlando attorney as saying the case would be difficult to win because an employee can only sue for wrongful death in Florida if they fit into a narrow exception to the worker's compensation statute where they show that the employer knew there was virtual certainty of injury or death to an employee.

The question is whether working with this killer whale meets the exception under the law.

"SeaWorld recognized the inherent risk of allowing trainers to interact with potentially dangerous animals," said Cindy Coe, OSHA's regional administrator in Atlanta, Ga. "Nonetheless, it required its employees to work within the pool walls, on ledges and on shelves where they were subject to dangerous behavior by the animals."

OSHA found the animal in question was one of three killer whales previously involved in the death of an animal trainer in 1991 at Sea Land of the Pacific in Canada. SeaWorld had reportedly forbidden trainers from swimming with the whale because of its past behavior but still permitted park employees to touch the whale and remain in close proximity during training and live shows.

"All employers are obligated to assess potential risks to the safety and health of their employees and take actions to mitigate those risks," said Les Grove, OSHA's area director in Tampa, Fla. "In facilities that house wild animals, employers need to assess the animals under their care and to minimize human-animal interaction if there is no safe way to reliably predict animal behavior under all conditions."

O'Connor & Nakos is the Chicago personal injury law firm that was hired by the family.

Two employees were injured in a Chicago construction accident when their scaffold collapsed on Saturday, WGNTV reported.

The accident happened around 10 a.m. Saturday at 62nd and Sangamon Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood, where the men were working on a building that was converted to a woman's shelter. They were doing tuckpointing work when the scaffolding collapse occurred. Both men were taken to Stroger Hospital. The two men were in critical condition, according to the Breaking News Center.

The building is owned by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The Chicago Fire Department reported that the building could be unstable and the city's building department is being called in to assess its integrity.

The men were working on the two-story building when bricks crumbled off a portion of the structure that rises above the top floor. Yellow tape has secured the area from pedestrians out of concern over the stability of the structure. CBS 2 reported that the swing stage's anchor detached from the building, causing the scaffolding to crash to the ground. A concrete block then landed on the 28-year-old worker.

Chicago workers' compensation lawyers at Abels & Annes have recently settled several claims for our clients.

One client, an employee at Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital in LaGrange, Illinois required arthroscopic surgery on her left shoulder after she slipped and fell in a bathroom while at work. The employer made no financial offers to the claimant until she retained our firm.

The hospital has since paid the claimant disability for her time off work and they also paid her medical bills. Additionally, the worker received an $18,000 settlement.

In another case, an employee for Miller Products, Inc. suffered a lacerated pinky finger while at work in University Park, Illinois. His employer initially offered him no money for his injury. He has since received disability pay for his time off work and case settled for $7,322.96.

In a third settlement, our client injured his right thumb while changing a gear on a machine while working in Bensenville. His medical bills have been paid for and he just received a $5,300 settlement. He was employed by Grove Industries in Wheaton, Illinois. The employer was insured by Travelers.

This article was coauthored by Katie Manifold, a third year law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 6 to 10 and will include multiple public awareness efforts by Illinois Work Zone Safety Partners and the Illinois Department of Transportation.

In 2008, fatal Illinois road construction accidents claimed 31 lives and injured 1,985 people. A total of 7,813 traffic accidents were reported in Illinois construction zones. Last month, our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog reported about a fatal construction zone accident that occurred recently in northwest Indiana, about 30 minutes south of Chicago.

Scott's Law, named for a firefighter who was killed after being struck by a vehicle while responding to an accident on a Chicago expressway, requires vehicles to slow down and change lanes, whenever possible, for emergency, construction and maintenance vehicles displaying oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.

A violation of Scott's Law carries a mandatory court appearance, a fine of up to $10,000, driver's license suspension and, in cases of an accident causing property damage, injury or death, a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Illinois work zone traffic facts:

-Construction workers do not have to be present to receive a speeding ticket in a work zone.

-State law lowers speeds in construction zones from 65 mph to 55 mph or from 55 mph to 45 mph. Lower speed limits may be posted.

-Increased fines for speeding in work zones are set at a minimum of $375 for a first offense and a minimum of $1,000 for a second offense.

-Court appearance is mandatory for a work-zone speeding violation.

-A motorist who causes a fatal work zone accident may be charged with reckless homicide, which can carry a penalty of 3 to 14 years in prison.

-Photo enforcement may be used to increase work zone safety.

Continue reading "Work Zone Safety Awareness week aims to reduce Chicago car accidents, work injuries, in construction zones " »

A taxi driver was seriously injured Sunday morning in a Chicago car accident near O'Hare International Airport, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported.

The driver stepped out of his passenger van and was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 90 near the airport.

It was the third time in recent weeks that a motorist was struck outside a vehicle in the Chicago area. As we reported last month here at Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, one person was killed and another seriously injured while standing outside a disabled vehicle and, in a separate incident, a 36-year-old woman was struck and killed by a semi while pulled over to check for a flat tire.

In this accident, Illinois State Police were called shortly after 5 a.m. about a person hit in the eastbound lanes of I-90. Preliminary reports suggest the driver may have stepped outside the taxi to change a tire. He was struck by a Jeep SUV and thrown into a ditch 40 feet away from the vehicle.

Shortly after 5 a.m., Illinois State Police responded to a call of a person hit in the eastbound lanes of I-90 near the airport.

Chicago employees who are injured in a work accident may be entitled to compensation for a work injury. About 1 in 4 work injuries involve transportation accidents or employees who are driving for work, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Emergency personnel used rope and a stretcher to haul the man from the ditch. He was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

The taxi sustained moderate damage after being sideswiped by the Jeep. The woman who was driving the Jeep remained at the scene and was being questioned by police.

A worker was killed last week and another injured in a Chicago construction accident that occurred in the Loop, ABC 7 reported.

The victims are employees of People's Energy and were conducting an underground test at Jackson and Wacker Drive when the Chicago work accident occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday afternoon. They were testing a 20-inch main when a steel pipe slipped and struck both workers, who were in a construction hole across the street from the Willis Tower.

Three ambulances responded to the scene at 1:45 p.m. after reports of workers trapped following an explosion, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Initial reports of a gas explosion were countered by a Peoples Energy representative, who said the employees were using compressed air when the accident happened and that no natural gas was involved.

The Chicago fire department said both employees were critically injured and were transported to Cook County Hospital.

"The two employees were in the performance of their duties, they were testing a pipe and an accident occurred," Peoples Energy representative Bonnie Johnson told ABC7.

Witnesses at the scene said the fire department apparently extracted the surviving victim quickly but had to work feverishly to extract the worker who was fatally injured after being trapped in the hole.

The surviving victim remained in critical condition at Cook County Hospital.

An Illinois State Police trooper was nearly struck by a speeding car during a traffic stop on the Eisenhower Expressway last weekend, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and the Illinois work injury lawyers at Abels & Annes urge everyone to obey the law and move over for stopped emergency vehicles, as well as work vehicles at construction sites. Additionally, please remain extra cautious from the time you see flashing emergency lights; highway accidents often occur when motorists react unexpectedly to what's in front of them and emergency vehicles often signal problems in the road ahead.

In this case, a trooper had a motorist pulled over about 2:30 a.m. on the eastbound Eisenhower exit ramp at Sacramento Boulevard on Chicago's West Side. He had brought two occupants to the rear of his vehicle, with the back door open and the emergency lights flashing, when a maroon four-door sedan sped onto the ramp, hit the squad car's open door, and continued south.

The motorist reportedly ran the red light before continuing southbound on Sacramento. Investigators hope surveillance video from the damaged squad car will help locate the sedan.

Scott's Law, Illinois' "Move Over" law, carries a fine of up to $10,000 and provides for an aggravated offense if alcohol or drugs are involved, which can result in 90 day license suspension and up to two years in prison if an accident results in injury or death.

The law requires Illinois motorists approaching an emergency vehicle with flashing lights to yield the right-of-way by moving to an outside lane whenever possible. The law was named after Chicago Fire Department lieutenant Scott Glenn, who was struck and killed by a drunk driver while assisting at a crash scene on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

Continue reading "Obey Scott's Law to reduce the risk of Chicago car accidents " »

Chicago injury lawyers from Abels & Annes, working with Illinois work accident attorney Chris Johnson, have reached a $50,000 settlement for an Illinois resident who was injured on the job.

Our client was injured on November 11, 2007 while use a hoe to mix concrete. She was employed at Tyson Fresh Meats in Western Illinois.

After the accident she had severe neck pain. Our client starting treating with orthopaedic physicians in Moline, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. Due to her complaints, doctors ordered an MRI which revealed the petitioner sustained herniated discs in her cervical spine. She had to undergo surgery to relieve the pain.

The settlement agreement calls for the employer to pay for all of our client's medical bills that were incurred due to the injury. Further, our client also received disability pay while she was off of work due to the accident.

To learn more about work accident cases, please visit our Illinois Work Comp webpage, or contact our office for a free consultation. Call (866) 99-ABELS.

A total of 7,813 Chicago construction zone accidents and accidents in work zones throughout Illinois killed 31 people and injured 1,985, according to the release of the Illinois Department of Transportation's annual crash statistics report.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes want to remind motorists to use caution when traveling in work zones.

For Illinois construction workers injured on the job, a Chicago construction accident attorney or an Illinois workers' compensation attorney may also be able to assist in securing compensation for your injuries.

The state reported Illinois construction zone accidents occurred almost exclusively in urban areas, which accounted for 7,360 of the 7,813 accidents. The most accidents (3,827) occurred on the Interstate, followed by 1,511 on city streets and 1,217 on state routes.

IDOT's site for work zone safety reports an average of more than 7,000 crashes a year. Motorists face a minimum $375 fine for violating the 45mph speed limit in work zones. Hitting a construction worker carries a penalty of 14 years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

The state offers the following tips to motorists to avoid Illinois construction zone car accidents:

-Understand where a work zone begins and ends and reduce speed accordingly.
-Slow down whether or not workers are present. Speeding penalties apply whether or not workers are present.
-The law requires motorists to move over to the next available lane or slow down when approaching emergency or highway maintenance vehicles with flashing lights.
-Don't tailgate. One of the most common Illinois work zone accidents is a rear-end collision. Additionally, traffic in work zones frequently makes sudden stops.
-Expect the unexpected. Traffic patterns change frequently. Workers are often present. Lanes may be uneven or unmarked.

Continue reading "Nearly 8,000 Illinois construction zone accidents injured 1,985 and claimed 31 lives last year" »

Chicago injury attorneys from Abels & Annes have reached a workers' compensation settlement for a South Side woman who was injured at work in May of 2007. She is employed with the Anixster Center, a company that works with people with disabilities.

She was hurt while trying to help staff control an upset patient who has learning disabilities. After the incident she had pain in her neck and low back for several days. She sought treatment after the accident at St. Margaret Hospital in Hammond, Indiana.

After the ER, her pain did not resolve and she treated at the Orthopaedic & Occupational Rehabilitation Center and with a local orthopaedic medical doctor. An MRI was taken that showed she sustained injuries to both her cervical and lumbar spine. Our client underwent a regiment of physical therapy and her pain resolved over time. She did not undergo surgery.

The case has settled for $23,490.81, plus we recovered an additional $8,120 in disability pay while she was off work due to her injuries.

Amtrust insures the employer and is paying on the claim.

If you have been injured on the job in Illinois, contact our office for a free consultation. Call 312-399-8988 24/7 to speak to a lawyer directly.

A trucker more than a quarter mile from an Illinois factory explosion was killed by flying debris Monday afternoon.

The NDK America Plant, which manufactures crystals used in liquid-crystal displays, was designed to break apart during an explosion, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the explosion and whether other parts of the building could pose a danger following the fatal Illinois factory accident.

The Belvidere fire department reported that the blast occurred about 2:30 p.m., apparently in a highly pressurized vessel where the crystals were made.

The fire chief said the five-year-old, six-story factory was built with specially designed exterior panels meant to break away during the explosion. An employee inside the building during the blast was not injured.

However, a chunk of exterior panel struck a man standing outside his vehicle on the north side of the Belvidere Oasis on I-90, about a quarter mile away. The 63-year-old Chesterton, Indiana man was killed.

Debris from the explosion was scattered over several hundred feet and residents near the factory said the blast felt like an earthquake.

The USA Today attributed the explosion to a gas leak at the plant and said the victim was pumping gas into his vehicle along I-90 when he was hit by shrapnel from the explosion.

Belvidere police, the Boone County sheriff and the state fire marshal continue to investigate the Illinois factory accident.

Chicago personal injury lawyers from Abels & Annes, working with Illinois workers' compensation lawyer Chris Johnson, have reached a $195,000 settlement for a local resident who was injured on the job.

Our client was injured on May 27, 2008 while trying to stop a refrigerator from falling at work. He was employed as a semi-truck driver at a Chicago area company.

After the accident he have severe back pain with tingling in his right leg. Our client starting treating with an orthopaedic physician in Chicago. Due to his complaints, the doctor ordered an MRI which revealed the petitioner sustained a herniated disc in his lumbar spine with radiculopathy. He had to undergo 2 epidural injections to try to relieve the pain.

The settlement agreement calls for the employer's work comp insurance carrier to pay for all of our client's medical bills that were incurred due to the injury. Further, in addition to the $195,000, we also collected $25,800 in disability pay for him while he was off of work due to the accident.

Accident Fund Insurance is paying on the claim. The contract is expected to be approved shortly at the Illinois workers' Compensation Commission.

To learn more about work injury claims, please visit our Illinois Workers' Compensation webpage, or contact our office for a free consultation. Call (866) 99-ABELS.

The federal government reported this week that the smallest number of employees ever recorded died as a result of work injuries in 2008.

But that was not the case in Illinois -- where the number of employees killed on the job actually increased. The government acknowledged the numbers could be lower because of a poor economy, record unemployment, a change in record keeping (that records injuries per hours worked rather than per employee) and even delayed or under-recorded fatalities because of lower staffing levels at the various reporting agencies.

Employees are being asked to do more to keep their jobs in the present economy, to make up for laid off workers or eliminated positions. But companies and employers still have an obligation to provide a safe work environment. Chicago workers' compensation attorneys and work injury lawyers at Abels & Annes offer free appointments to discuss your rights if your or a loved one has been injured on the job.

Illinois joined just 14 states where the the number of workers who died on the job increased, from 185 in 2007 to 193 in 2008:
- Transportation accidents killed 62 employees
- 38 died as a result of assault or acts of violence
-34 died from contact with objects or equipment
-29 died in falls
-23 died from exposure to harmful substances or environments
-7 died as a result of fires or explosions on the job.

Last year's skyrocketing nationwide unemployment rate may have played a part in the reduced rate of fatal work accidents--the government reported significant drops in dangerous jobs like construction, which were also hit hard by the economic downturn.

A total of 5,071 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2008, down from a total
of 5,657 fatal work injuries reported for 2007. It is the smallest number recorded since current recording began in 1992.

The numbers indicate 3.6 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers, down from 4.0 in 2007.

Continue reading "Illinois fatal work injury accidents increase in 2008 -- nationwide, fatalities decrease " »

In Chicago, Illinois two construction workers were injured on the job Sunday after a trench collapsed.

Fire crews spent four hours digging the two men out of the trench after the sides collapsed, trapping them, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Chicago construction accident trapped the men up to their waist in dirt at the bottom of a six-foot-deep hole in an alley on North Dover Street after the sides collapsed about 2 p.m., according to a fire department spokesman.

A special collapse and rescue squad responded to the incident. One man was pulled from the trench at 4 p.m. and taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition, but his injuries were not life threatening, the fire department reported.

The second worker, a 28-year-old man, was pulled from the trench at about 6 p.m. and also taken to Illinois Masonic with serious-to-critical personal injuries.

The Chicago Tribune reported the work accident occurred at a condominium building. The Tribune reported one of the workers attempted to help support the wall to keep the other man from being buried until help arrived.

Firefighters first had to shore up the trench to ensure it wouldn't collapse on them before digging the trapped man out by hand after the first worker was rescued.

The workers were installing a sewage flood-control system for the building, according to the Tribune. The city's Department of Buildings and the Occupational Safety & Hazard Administration was called to the scene to investigate the incident.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates about 70 construction workers are killed in excavation cave-ins each year and more than 700 are injured. An OSHA approved course on trench safety is available at www.trenchsafety.org.

Five Chicago firefighters and two motorists were injured Saturday in a car accident on the city's South Side.

The Chicago Tribune reported that the fire truck was responding to a call just after 5 p.m. when it was struck by a passenger car.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said a woman in the car was "very critically injured," and the driver was in serious condition. He said four firefighters were treated and released Saturday evening, while one was being kept overnight for observation.

The fire truck was responding to a fire call when the accident happened at 67th Street and Jeffrey, ABC7 News reported. The two vehicles ended up crashing into a traffic light pole and knocking it over.

He said police were investigating the crash but few details were available. None of the victims' names has been released.

Regardless of who is determined to be at fault, a Chicago car accident lawyer could help determine the rights of the victims in this type of accident.

Earlier this month, we blogged about increased enforcement of the state law requiring motorists to move over or yield to emergency vehicles.

The Chicago fire department has almost 5000 employees and operates 129 Engine companies and 62 trucks. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as many as half of the more than 5,000 work-related fatalities each year are the result of an auto accident.

Police continue to investigate the shooting of a UPS driver Tuesday morning in Chicago's Englewood community on the South Side, according to the Sun-Times.

Detectives are interviewing witnesses and questioning a person of interest after two men approached the truck at about 9:50 a.m. Tuesday and told the UPS employee to drive away with them, according to a police statement.

The Chicago Breaking News Center is reporting police have taken one suspect into custody since the incident, which took place on the 6500 block of South Hermitage Avenue, according to Chicago Police Officer Gabrielle Lesniak, who said the driver is expected to recover.

Media accounts differ on what occurred. The Sun-Times is reporting that the 28-year-old driver refused, exited the truck and was shot in the back as he tried to run away. However, another report indicates that detectives have now determined the UPS worker drove away from the house before being stopped a short distance later and shot in the back during an attempted robbery.

The fire department reported the man was taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he had surgery and remains in critical condition. Police have been unable to speak with him.

In this type of situation a Chicago workers' compensation lawyer can assist the employee and his family with a work injury case which will compensate the driver for being injured on the job, including payment of medical expenses, lost wages, and a bodily injury settlement.

A Chicago area worker was injured when he fell 25-feet to the bottom of an empty tank at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant Tuesday afternoon, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The male worker was apparently sandblasting a section of tank when he fell into the empty tank. He was alert and conscious when rescued. Co-workers noticed the accident and called for help about 1:45 p.m., according to Stickney Fire Chief Larry Meyer.

A team of firefighters used ladders to rescue the worker from the tank and he was taken to Mount Sanai Hospital in Chicago with undisclosed injuries.

A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago had not responded to inquiries from the media.

Employees who are injured on the job are entitled to proper medical treatment, disability pay while off work, and a bodily injury settlement, depending on the extent of their injuries. Media reports do not indicate whether the victim was a municipal employee or employed by an outside contractor.

It has not been reported if this was simply an accident or if there were other contributing factors that caused him to fall two-and-a-half stories while on the job.

A Galeana man injured in a fall in a high school construction site accident has been awarded the highest jury verdict ever rendered in Jo Daviess County.

William Theiss, 52, was awarded $1.9 million after the two-week trial, which centered on the April 2003 accident at River Ridge High School in Hanover. Thiess was working as a painter when he toppled off a 15-foot-high lift -- he tripped on a chain serving as a substituted for the safety-mandated guardrails, according to a story in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald.

Theiss has undergone 16 surgeries after crushing his foot, ankle and heel. Doctors told him he can no longer stand for more than an hour at a time and confined him to light duty. He sued the construction management company, Hoffman Construction Company, and the drywall contractor, CIDAC Inc.

"I've worked on these kind of lifts all my life, so I just assumed it was safe," Theiss said. "I was just doing the job I'd been doing my whole life."

The jury found Theiss 30 percent at fault, which resulted in reducing his original $2.8 million award to $1.9 million. They awarded Theiss $777,660 for wage loss, $791,667 for pain and suffering, $625,000 for disability, $279,167 for disfigurement, $339,000 for medical bills and $27,000 for prescription orthotics for his heel.

"I wouldn't say that it makes me forget about the last few years, but at least now I'm not going to have to worry about paying my electric bill," he said. "But it's not going to be life on easy street for me. There are a lot of bills to pay."

The largest sum previously awarded for a personal injury in the county was $1.05 million after a man sustained serious brain injuries following a tractor-car collision.

Continue reading "Illinois painter awarded $1.9 millon for injuries in fall at construction site" »

Chicago Workers' Compensation Lawyers from Abels & Annes have resolved an on the job injury claim for a Waukegan resident. She was injured during the summer of 2007 at the Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, Illinois. She was employed there as a pastry chef.

The petitioner was diagnosed with epicondylitis in her right arm due to repetitive motion at work. She treated with several orthopaedic physicians, including Illinois Bone & Joint Institute in Gurnee, Illinois. In 2008, she underwent a surgical release to help her condition.

Our client received disability pay of just under $10,000 while she was off work, her medical bills have been paid, and our office obtained her a bodily injury settlement of just over $28,000. Travelers Insurance paid on the claim.

The client is using her settlement proceeds to open a bakery & cafe on the North Shore of Chicago.

If you have been injured on the job in Illinois, contact Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

In Chicago, Illinois a man died on Friday at a South Side recycling plant after he fell into a machine, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. Julio Flores-Garcia, 39, a Chicago resident, was killed in a paper-baling machine at 3301 W. 48th Place.

It is being reported that the autopsy is showing that the man died from multiple crushing injuries, and that the death was ruled an accident. Police were called Friday afternoon and were told that a man fell into a machined and died. The Chicago Police Department has detectives investigating the accident.

After a tragic accident like this one, it is likely that the family of the victim will retain a Chicago personal injury lawyer. That lawyer will investigate as to how the accident occurred and also whether there is a potential products liability case. The attorney is going to look into if there was something defective about the machine and if the accident could have been prevented.

It has not been reported if the victim was employed at the business. If he was, the family of Flores-Garcia will be able to collect under workers' compensation. If he was not employed at the plant, the attorney can investigate whether the company is liable for some type of negligence.

In Chicago, Illinois a truck and a CTA train collided this past Sunday afternoon, according to MSNBC. The train accident occurred at 4648 N. Kedzie Avenue when a truck tried to get around the crossing gates while a CTA brown line train was pulling out of the Kedzie station. The train hit the back end of the truck, and it did not derail.

Service was delayed for an hour as workers moved the train back and got the truck off the tracks. Normal service was going again by 2 pm. The truck driver was ticketed for causing the collision.

While no injuries have been reported at this time, if people involved in the crash were injured, here's what could happen: The passengers on the train have a claim against the truck driver and the trucking company that caused the accident. Typically, trucks carry larger commercial insurance policies, so unless there were catastrophic injuries (and none were reported here) there should be enough insurance to cover the loss.

The CTA employees involved in the crash actually can make two claims. They have a workers' compensation claim, as they were injured on the job, and they would also have a 3rd party claim against the truck driver and truck company.

Finally, the truck driver has a case. Even though he was at fault, if injured, he has a work injury case. Work comp. is a no fault system for injured employees to make a recovery in the State of Illinois.

If you have been injured in a train accident, truck accident, or have been injured on the job, call Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

Illinois workers' compensation attorneys from Abels & Annes have resolved an injury case for a client who was hurt during the course of his employment as a meter reader for Com Ed. His work responsibilities require him to walk about 15 miles per shift and due to the excessive walking he developed severe bunions on both of his feet.

His employer referred him to the health clinic at a Holy Family Hospital in Des Plaines, Illinois where he was diagnosed with a bunion deformity and left plantar fascitis. Our client followed up with a doctor at Foot First in Schaumburg, Illinois. He was diagnosed again with bunion deformity.

After several attempts to heal his feet with cortisone injections and therapy, the claimant underwent surgery to fix the bunion deformities on both feet. He missed over four months of work as a result of several surgeries that were performed on our client to repair both feet. Work comp paid for our client's medical bills, he received disability pay for his time off work, and we obtained a $27,680.25 bodily injury settlement for him.

Illinois Worker’s Compensation Act calls for an employee who misses work due to an injury sustained during the course of employment to receive two-thirds of his or her salary. Further, an employee will have his or her medical bills paid that were incurred as a result of the work related injury. An employee can also receive a settlement for bodily injuries sustained at work.

Chicago worker’s compensation lawyers from our firm handle all kinds of work related injury cases. If you have sustained an injury in the course of your employment, please contact Abels & Annes, P.C. for a free consultation.

In Chicago Heights, Illinois a man was killed by a crane accident at a steel plant, according to the Chicago Tribune. The victim, Heladio Ramirez, 32, a Calumet City resident, was operating a crane on Monday at Highway Steel Inc., when part of the crane fell and hit him. He was taken to St. James Hospital and Health Center in Chicago Heights, Illinois and he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The cause of the accident has not been reported. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

According to the United States Department of Labor, 5,488 workers were killed on the job last year throughout the country. 392 workers were killed in manufacturing jobs, and 20 of those workers were killed in primary metal manufacturing jobs, such as iron and steel mill occupations.

Further, according to CraneAccidents.com, there were 176 reported crane accident deaths in the United States in 2007, up from 109 deaths in 2006.

In Chicago, Illinois nine people were injured yesterday when two cars collided and then they both hit a Chicago Transit Authority Bus, according to the Chicago Tribune. The accident happened on the South Side at the intersection of 63rd and Artesian.

Chicago Fire Department officials stated that eight of the injured were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. The driver of the CTA bus was one of the persons injured.

It has not been reported which of the car drivers caused the accident. Once the Chicago Police Department determines who was at fault, the passengers on the bus will be able to pursue an injury claim against that person's insurance company.

The driver of the CTA bus actually has two cases. There is the case against the at fault party, and there is also a workers' compensation case, as the driver was injured on the job.

In Chicago, Illinois, a CTA employee is lucky to be alive after being electrocuted while working as a flagger on the elevated tracks near the Belmont platform. Kathy Cardenas, age 32, was electrocuted on July 24, 2008, after she made contact with the 3rd rail. Her left hand and arm, and her back side were badly burned. She was rushed to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for medical attention where she was hospitalized and underwent skin grafts.

Ms. Cardenas has retained Chicago accident lawyers from Abels & Annes, P.C. and Katz, Friedman, Eagle, Eisenstein, Johnson & Bareck, P.C. to jointly represent her in a workers' compensation claim against the Chicago Transit Authority.

In Joliet, Illinois work injury attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. have reached a settlement for a client who was injured on the job in December, 2006. She slipped and fell on a bathroom floor and fractured her right tibia. The client recovered well and did not undergo surgery. The bodily injury portion of our client's work injury case settled for just over $14,000. Our client also received disability pay of $8,000 and her medical bills have been paid for by the employer's insurance carrier. GAB Robins North America, Inc. paid on the claim for the employer.

In Chicago, Illinois workers' compensation attorneys from David Abels & Associates, P.C. have settled a case for a worker who injured himself on the job in April of 2006. He injured his low back carrying heavy buckets of chemicals up a flight of stairs. He had a herniated disc in his lumbar spine and had to undergo surgical intervention. AIG Insurance paid on the claim.

Continue reading "Chicago Work Injury Lawyers Reach Settlement" »

In Chicago, Illinois work comp attorneys from David Abels & Associates, P.C. have reached a settlement for a client who was injured at work in June, 2006. He knelt down on a floor at a job site and lacerated his knee on glass. The wound later became infected. The bodily injury portion of our client's work injury case settled for just over $13,300. Our client also received disability pay while off work and his medical bills have been paid for by the employer's insurance carrier. Allied Insurance Company paid on the claim for the employer.

Continue reading "Chicago Injury Attorneys Reach Workers' Compensation Settlement" »

En Chicago, abogados de la compensación de trabajadores de David Abels & Associates, P.C. han alcanzado un arreglo para un empleado del Chicago Trbune quien fue herida en el trabajo en Junio, 2004. Ella trabajaba como un operario de prensa y se golpeo cuando ella caminó en una caja con orillas agudas. Ella contrajo síndrome traumático de compartimiento con cirugías a la pierna izquierda, y otras heridas de pierna también. La porción corporal de la herida del trabajo se asentó para $105,000

In Chicago, Illinois workers' compensation attorneys from David Abels & Associates, P.C. have reached a settlement for an employee of the Chicago Tribune who was injured on the job in June, 2004. She was working as a press operator and hurt herself when she walked into a box with sharp edges. She incurred traumatic compartment syndrome with surgeries to her left leg, and other leg injuries as well. The bodily injury portion of her work injury case settled for $105,000.

Continue reading "Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Reach Work Comp Settlement" »

In LaSalle County, Illinois a construction worker flagging traffic was injured on Friday morning along an Illinois 351 construction site, according to the Bloomington Pantagraph. The flagger, Eliseo Escatel, 38, of Peru, Illinois was hit by a car and taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital.

Escatel reportedly attempted to jump out of the way of a Jeep Liberty that did not slow down in the contruction zone. The driver, a Peru resident, was charged with driving with a suspended license, failure to stop for a flagger, and reckless conduct.

The accident took place on the same day that workers in other parts of the state were handing out saftey information for National Work Zone Awareness Week. WJBC News Radio reports that "twenty-one people were killed in work-zone related crashes in Illinois last year".

The law firm of David Abels & Associates, P.C. currently represents a flagger who has been hit and injured twice over the past several years while flagging in Chicago area construction zones. The first case settled a few years ago, and the second case is currently pending in the Circuit Court of Cook County against an Allstate driver. The issue in court is not liability, but the amount of money our client is entitled to receive from the negligent driver.

A construction worker was killed on Monday at the Trump Soho in New York City when a wooden mold used to set concrete collapsed and he fell 42 floors to his death, according to the New York Times. The worker who died in the construction accident was decapitated in the fall and landed in an alley on the west side of the site. Another worker was thrown from the 42nd floor, but was caught by a safety net on the 40th floor.

The cause of the work accident is still under investigation. The New York City Buildings Department has issued a stop work order on the project until the General Contractor, Bovis Lend Lease, can show that work will continue in a safe manner. Bovis was issued four safety violations as a result of the accident. There have been 11 previous building code violations at the project site.

This accident happened just weeks before the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago is scheduled to open. Five floors of the hotel are scheduled to open on January 30, 2008, according to the Chicago Tribune. The hotel will occupy floors 14-27, and the remaining levels are supposed to gradually open through the spring.

What is interesting is that as the hotel operates, there will still be a large construction project going on overhead as crews work to complete the 92 story tower. You have to question if Chicagoans will feel safe entering the hotel in light of the N.Y.C. accident. The hotel was originally scheduled to open December 3, 2007 but Trump was delayed in obtaining a city occupancy permit due to still having to complete fire safety work.

Continue reading "Deadly Construction Accident at the Trump Soho in N.Y.C. - Should Chicago Be Nervous?" »

Los abogados personales de herida de David Abels & Associates, P.C. alcanzaron un arreglo para un residente de Chicago que esforzo su hombro derecho al llevar un objeto arriba una escalera en el trabajo. El trató en Alexian Brothers Medical Center y siguió en la Ortopedia de Westgate en Oak Park. Su caso se asentó para $6,000 y sus cuentas fueron pagadas. El acusado fue asegurado por Frankenmuth Insurance Company.

Los abogados de la Compensación de trabajadores de nuestra firma alcanzaron también un arreglo para otro residente de Chicago que fue herido en el trabajo cuando él tropezó y cayó en el trabajo. El sostuvo espalda suave de tejido y heridas de cuello. El trató en el Hospital de Westlake y Chicago los Socios Ortopédicos. Nuestro cliente recibió la paga de la incapacidad mientras él estuvo fuera de trabajo para más de 11 semanas, sus cuentas médicas fueron pagadas, y negociamos un $5,200 en arreglo de herida para él también. El acusado fue asegurado por AIG.

Personal injury lawyers from David Abels & Associates, P.C. have reached a settlement for a Chicago resident who strained his right shoulder while carrying an object up a latter at work. He treated at Alexian Brothers Medical Center and followed up at Westgate Orthopaedics in Oak Park. His case settled for $6,000 and his bills were paid for. The defendant was insured by Frankenmuth Insurance Company.

Work comp lawyers from our firm also reached a settlement for another Chicago resident who was injured at work when he tripped and fell at work. He sustained soft tissue back and neck injuries. He treated at Westlake Hospital and Chicago Orthopaedic Associates. Our client received disability pay while he was off work for over 11 weeks, his medical bills were paid, and we negotiated a $5,200 bodily injury settlement for him as well. The defendant was insured by AIG.

The two cases listed above are not big cases and do not involve the most serious of injuries, but we like to list results from big and small cases as all of our clients are important to us.

In Chicago, Illinois, auto accident attorneys from David Abels & Associates, P.C. have reached a car crash settlement for a local resident. He was involved in an accident at the intersection of Central and Augusta in Chicago and went to UIC Medical Center for back injuries. Liability was very contested in the case. It was a "he said, she said" red light case. Both parties claimed they had a green light. To further complicate the case, the Chicago Police Department interviewed 2 witnesses at the accident scene. One witness sided with the plaintiff, while the other sided with the defendant. The case settled for $10,000 the day before trial. The defendant was insured by United Automobile Insurance Company.

Workers' compensation lawyers from our firm had previously settled a work injury case for the plaintiff based on the same accident. Our client was on the job at the time of the crash. We were able to convince the work comp insurance carrier to reduce their lien by approximately 80% to enable the settlement. (We were only entitled to a 25% comp lien reduction by law).

Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers from David Abels & Associates, P.C. just settled a work injury case for an Oak Park resident who was injured while unloading a truck at work. He injured his right shoulder and received a settlement value for 30% of an arm. He has fully recovered and the case has been settled for just under $14,000. The settlement has already been approved by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. Wausau Insurance insured the defendant.

David Abels & Associates, P.C. is a personal injury law firm that represents injured workers from throughout the Chicago area and the entire State of Illinois. Many of his clients come from Cook County, Lake County, DuPage County, McHenry County, Kane County, and Will County, as well as nearby neighborhoods and towns such as Garfield Park, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Bucktown, Oak Park, Cicero, Maywood, Broadview, Westchester, Stone Park and Oakbrook.

Workers' compensation lawyers from his firm handle all types of job related injuries, including fractures, back and neck injuries, lacerations, and severe shoulder injuries.

A hit and run accident near Morton, Illinois caused a tractor-trailer roll over crash on Interstate 74 last Sunday, according to the Pekin Daily Times. A pick-up truck struck the larger truck, caused the driver of the truck to hit a guard rail and then flip over on it's side. The accident occurred during the ice storm that hit central Illinois this week.

Illinois State Police say the tractor-trailer was driven by Gregory Houston, 50, of Quincy. He was east-bound when a gray pick-up struck his vehicle. He also fell out of the truck when it rolled. The pick-up driver fled the scene after the collision.

The accident is still under investigation. The Morton Police Department and Morton Fire Department were also on the scene.

If injured, the driver of the truck can retain a personal injury lawyer and make two types of claims. He has a workers' compensation case because he was injured during the course of his employment. Under work comp the trucker would receive medical benefits, temporary total disability pay if he is off work because of the accident, and he will also be entitled to a bodily injury settlement. The claim would be filed with the Illinois Industrial Commission.

Continue reading "Illinois Roll Over Truck Accident Near Peoria" »

Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers from Abels & Assoc. just settled a workers' compensation case for a Chicago resident who was injured when a forklift rolled over and lacerated his right foot in the course of his employment. He has fully recovered and the case has been settled for just over $18,000. The settlement has already been approved by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.

Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers from Abels & Assoc. just settled a workers' compensation case for the Chicago Area lineman pictured below. When he is out and about in Chicago he is often approached by football fans who think he is either Chicago Bear Cedric Bensen, or former Chicago Bear Tank Johnson.

While he certainly looks like a pro football player (6'6" and 250+ lbs), he is actually Kankakee, Illinois resident Andrew Bradley, and he is not a lineman for the Bears, but rather a lineman for AT&T. He is one of the brave guys up on the telephone poles making needed repairs.

He injured his shoulder while lifting a heavy object at work. He suffered a small tear to his supraspinatus tendon that will not require surgery. His work comp. case just settled for $25,000.