A state appeals panel has upheld a $7.1 million verdict for a woman who said she suffered injuries from an exploding can of Swell brand cooking spray oil. On Nov. 1, a Cook County Circuit Court jury decided in favor of Tammy Reese, who said the injury happened while she was cooking in a club in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, in 2017….
Two bills that would affect workers compensation presumptions for firefighters and emergency medical professionals are being considered in Illinois. H.B. 1292, introduced Monday, would create a rebuttable presumption that post-traumatic stress disorder arose out of the work conducted by firefighters, all levels of emergency medical technicians, and paramedics. The change would amend state workers comp law that already provides such…
A northwest Indiana man who was severely injured in a construction zone crash will receive more than $37 million in a pretrial personal injury settlement. The crash occurred on Aug. 26, 2020 on U.S. 30 in Valparaiso. Brad Detert, 37, sued those responsible for the road construction work, alleging they failed to comply with state and federal signage and safety…
A harrowing incident involving a family being towed in their car while still inside has led to a federal lawsuit. Ayana Brown, representing herself and her minor children, filed a complaint on December 23, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Cameron Skaja, Philip Ayala, and Jorge Pineda. The case revolves around an…
U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle correctly ruled that Shawn Montgomery of Missouri can’t sue C.H. Robinson Company of Minnesota for arranging the trip of a truck that hit his truck, Seventh Circuit appellate judges ruled on Jan. 2. The appeals court found Yandle correctly followed their court’s precedent from 2023 that a freight broker acts as contractor rather than agent….
A Chicago plastic surgeon has been ordered to pay nearly $66 million, under a verdict ending a trial in a case accusing the surgeon and his associates of allegedly allowing a 39-year-old mother of four children to bleed to death following an ordinarily routine liposuction and “tummy tuck” procedure. The verdict against Dr. Ayoub Sayeg was delivered by a jury…
A class action lawsuit has been filed against a major cosmetics company, accusing it of selling hair care products that allegedly cause hair loss and other injuries. On December 12, 2024, Stephanie Williams, Georgina Gomes, and Krista Gillette lodged the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Mielle Organics LLC and The Procter…
U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn dismissed a claim that Zachary Langley of Caseyville contributed to a highway crash without moving. On Dec. 12 he found Kariah Buckmire of St. Clair County improperly sued Langley to defeat federal jurisdiction over a suit against Energy Transport Solutions and driver Billy Dollison. He denied Buckmire’s motion to remand the suit to St. Clair…
Lindsey Cordes and John Cortes of St. Louis settled a claim that Vios fertility clinic and Advagenix genetic laboratory caused Lindsey to give birth to a daughter with physical anomalies. The parties filed a stipulation on Dec. 10 advising U.S. Magistrate Mark Beatty that John and Lindsey would dismiss the claim. Beatty had planned to hold trial in November but…
Workplace heat-related illnesses increase by at least sevenfold on days when temperatures exceed 90°F compared with days with temperatures between 75°F and 80°F, according to research published Wednesday by the Workers Compensation Research Institute. The Waltham, Massachusetts-based WCRI used 2013 to 2022 workers compensation claim data from insurers, state funds and self-insured employers across 31 U.S. states, accounting for 80%…
