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Etzler Lawhead Legal Group, PC

Worker death results in $2.8M in proposed fines against pizza maker

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

An Illinois specialty frozen pizza manufacturer has been issued $2.8 million in proposed fines by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration after a worker died while cleaning company machinery. OSHA on Thursday announced it cited Gurnee-based Miracapo Pizza Co. for 16 willful egregious violations, one willful violation and 12 serious violations after a temporary worker died during a December…

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Metrolink Bistate Development sued after train collides with truck

By Personal Injury No Comments

A woman claims she was injured while riding on a Metrolink train when the train conductor ran into a truck. Plaintiff Brenetta Raychelle Long filed the lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against the Metrolink Bistate Development Agency. According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff was a passenger on a train owned and operated by the defendant on Sept….

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Metro train conductor claims motorist caused collision at East St. Louis railroad crossing

By Personal Injury No Comments

The conductor of a Metro Train has filed a negligence lawsuit after a motorist collided with the train when he ran a railroad crossing. Plaintiff Georgedella Haynes-Lane filed the lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Timothy Wells and Curtis McCall, citing negligence. According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff was the operator of a Metro Train and approaching…

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Illinois roofer faces new citations, fines over fall hazards

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

An Illinois roofing contractor who still owes $31,163 in outstanding workplace safety penalties has again been cited and hit with additional fines after the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says its inspectors found the company continues to expose workers to fall hazards. OSHA announced Tuesday that it cited Fairmont City-based JZ Exteriors and Repairs LLC for five repeat violations,…

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Compensable injuries among food workers decrease: AmTrust

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

The total number of compensable work injuries in the U.S. food manufacturing sector decreased post-pandemic, with a 13% decline in workers compensation claims from pre-COVID-19 levels, according to a report released Wednesday by AmTrust Financial Services Inc. The specialty insurer examined 15,000 comp claims in food manufacturing between 2018 and 2022, finding that general workplace injuries were down in 2020,…

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Illinois plumbing contractor cited after fatal trench cave-in

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited an Illinois plumbing contractor after a worker died in a trench cave-in last December. OSHA announced Thursday that it cited Burr Ridge-based Rooter Solutions Inc. for one willful violation and one serious violation in connection with the incident that occurred during work on a damaged residential water line. The agency fined the…

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Man misses court hearing, seeks to vacate order enforcing settlement in collision suit

By Personal Injury No Comments

Shane Richard of Louisiana claims heavy traffic kept him from attending a hearing to explain why he didn’t sign a release for a $400,000 injury settlement. His failure to appear in court on May 4 caused Madison County Circuit Judge Ron Foster to grant a motion for enforcement of the settlement. He arrived later that day and wrote a motion…

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Construction worker allegedly crushed by concrete pipe after wire rope snapped

By Personal Injury No Comments

A construction worker has filed a lawsuit against The John Sakach Company of St. Louis claiming that one of the company’s wire ropes snapped during use and caused him to be crushed by a concrete pipe. Plaintiffs Zachary T. Cowger and Leslie R. Cowger filed the lawsuit in the Madison County Circuit Court against The John Sakach Company of St….

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Woman files negligence suit against Cahokia Heights after falling into water meter hole

By Personal Injury No Comments

A woman has filed a lawsuit against the City of Cahokia Heights, alleging she fell in a meter hole because the cover wasn’t securely placed. Plaintiff Nicole Chapman filed the lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against the City of Cahokia Heights, doing business as the Village of Cahokia Water and Sewer Department, citing negligence. According to the…

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Injured skydiving pilot ineligible for comp

By Personal Injury No Comments

An Illinois appeals court, reversing a lower-court decision, ruled that a woman injured while piloting a skydiving plane was ineligible to collect workers compensation benefits because she was flying on a volunteer basis at the time to get flight time experience. The Appellate Court of Illinois, Fourth District, Workers’ Compensation Commission Division, on Monday overturned a Henry County Circuit Court…

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