Indiana Supreme Court justices heard oral argument Thursday in a minor fender bender case that resulted in a $1.3 million verdict, considering whether questions regarding a medical expert witness’ disciplinary history and competence should have been admitted. The case began when Levetta Tunstall struck the bumper of Dawn Manning’s vehicle, leaving Manning with permanent and chronic pain from injuries sustained…
A bill introduced Thursday in the Illinois Senate would amend the state’s current Workers Compensation Act to begin compensation almost immediately for seriously injured volunteer, paid-on-call or part-time firefighters, emergency medical technicians or paramedics. S.B. 1219, introduced by Illinois state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Moline, would amend the current law to allow for coverage of total temporary incapacity to commence the…
An autopsy found that a FedEx worker found dead outside in western Illinois amid record low temperatures died of a traumatic head injury. Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson says 69-year-old William L. Murphy’s death was due to a fall. Police say a colleague found the Moline man’s body between two semitrailers at the delivery company’s East Moline facility Thursday…
A man injured while waiting for his taco lunch lost his appeal that he was owed a duty of care from a salvage yard, with a majority of an Indiana Court of Appeals panel finding a food truck explosion at the salvage yard was not reasonably foreseeable. While waiting in line at a taco food truck, German Linares was in…
An insurer is suing a man who allegedly resisted arrest in Northlake, as the insurer seeks to collect reimbursement of workers’ compensation benefits paid to an officer who was injured in the incident. The Illinois Public Risk Fund, through the Northlake Police Department, filed a complaint on Feb. 1 in Cook County Circuit Court against John A. Cottone, alleging the…
A man is suing Glenview Terrace Nursing Center and Advocate Medical Group, alleging negligence and wrongful death. John F. Wagner filed a complaint on Jan. 16 in Cook County Circuit Court against the defendants over the treatment of Helen T. Wagner. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges in August 2017, Helen Wagner was admitted to defendants’ long-term care facility…
A woman alleges she broke her ankle in a fall at a Chicago shopping mall because of snow and ice in the lot. Pauline Owens filed a complaint on Jan. 8 in Cook County Circuit Court against Semmer Landscape LLC, and others, alleging negligence and other counts. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges on April 4, 2018, she fell…
Justices of the Indiana Supreme Court decided in a 3-2 vote last week to let stand a ruling that an insurance company owes no duty to victims of a truck crash in which the driver knowingly operated the vehicle with faulty brakes. Justices Steven David and Christopher Goff were in the minority of justices who would have granted transfer and…
A couple is seeking damages from a ride-hailing company and the city of Chicago over a collision earlier this month. Jaclyn McKee and James Sakhleh filed a complaint on Dec. 14 in Cook County Circuit Court against Lyft Inc. and the city of Chicago alleging negligence and other counts. According to the complaint, on Dec. 13, McKee was a passenger…
The Chicago City Council voted Wednesday to give up control of the city's troubled, $100 million-a-year workers' compensation program. The Council's Finance Committee, which for years had controlled the compensation program under the watch of Chairman Ed Burke, voted Tuesday to restructure the program under the Finance Department in the executive branch, and bring more accountability and transparency to it. On…
