News
TOYOTA RECALL
Goldberg Weisman Cairo announced today that it would be dedicating resources towards the investigation of the Toyota Recalls. GWC has received multiple calls from victims of faulty vehicles, and is dedicated to help them recover for the harm caused.
GWC has collected more than one billion dollars for its injured clients and is one of the few Illinois law firms that has the necessary resources to invest in order to prevail in a major piece of litigation like this.
Call 312-464-1200 to speak to an attorney about protecting your rights if you or a family member has been affected by a faulty Toyota. We are also happy to give you a free consultation about any other legal matters you may have. Feel free to ask us about work accidents, auto accidents, personal injury claims, DUI and criminal cases.
— Feb. 19, 2010
— July 15, 2009
GOLDBERG WEISMAN CAIRO SPEAKS AT OPERATION PUSH IN CHICAGO REGARDING BURR OAK CEMETERY SCANDAL
Goldberg Weisman Cairo is proud to announce that it addressed more than 1,000 members at Operation Push Headquarters on the invitation of Rev. Jesse Jackson. Goldberg Weisman Cairo has a long-standing history and commitment to serving the needs of the African American community in Chicago. This fact was recognized by the Rev. Jesse Jackson when he invited Goldberg Weisman Cairo to Operation Push Headquarters to help his congregants deal with the tragic situation that has unfolded at Burr Oak Cemetery.
Goldberg Weisman Cairo is the largest personal injury and worker’s compensation firm in Illinois dedicated to helping those who have been injured or wronged by the actions of others. Showing the force of its 30 attorney law firm, Goldberg Weisman Cairo dedicated 16 of its attorneys, including the 3 named partners of the firm, to attend this most important meeting where they helped hundreds of confused and angry people. Goldberg Weisman Cairo is representing more than 500 people to seek justice for those responsible for this terrible action.
Please contact our firm at (312) 464-1200 or WWW.GWCLAW.COM for additional information in becoming a part of our lawsuit.
— July 15, 2009
BURR OAK SCANDAL GROWS
Goldberg Weisman Cairo announced today that it would be dedicating all of its resources towards the investigation of the growing scandal affecting the thousands of people whose loved ones were buried at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. GWC is the largest and arguably most powerful personal injury law firm in Illinois. GWC is also the largest workers compensation law firm in Illinois and is known for its aggressive representation of, and compassion on behalf of, its injured clients.
GWC has collected more than one billion dollars for its injured clients and is one of the few Illinois law firms that has the necessary resources to invest in order to prevail in a major piece of litigation like this. Attorney Louis Cairo stated, “We are putting the full force and resources of our entire law firm into helping the hundreds of clients we are representing against the Alsip cemetery. The fact that the section of the cemetery known as Babyland may have been desecrated intensifies our efforts to seek justice for those families who have endured this terrible tragedy.”
GWC, with its 30 attorneys and large support staff, is the law firm best suited to represent the thousands of individuals who are considering filing a lawsuit or are seeking information about loved ones in the Burr Oak Cemetery investigation.
On Friday, July 10, 2009, GWC filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of a number of families whose loved ones’ remains are missing. The lawsuit was filed against the cemetery’s owners, including corporate owner Perpetua – Burr Oak Holdings of Illinois, L.L.C., d/b/a Burr Oak Cemetery, L.L.C. We have fielded hundreds of inquiries from families as well as inquiries from attorneys who want us to proceed against the owners of the cemetery on their behalf. We anticipate adding many more families to our class action lawsuit as we seek justice and fair compensation for our clients.
Call 312-464-1200 to speak to an attorney about protecting your rights in the Burr Oak Cemetery scandal. We are also happy to give you a free consultation about any other legal matters you may have. Feel free to ask us about work accidents, auto accidents, personal injury claims, DUI and criminal cases.
— July 13, 2009
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TO BE FILED TODAY RELATED TO BURR OAK CEMETERY TRAGEDY
A lawsuit is expected to be filed today on behalf of numerous families who have just learned that the sanctity of their loved ones’ gravesites have been violated. This shocking news has spread across the country and the rights of these families will be brought before the judicial system right here in the County where the unconscionable conduct occurred. The family is being represented by Louis C. Cairo of Goldberg, Weisman & Cairo, Ltd. in Chicago, Illinois.
“This case has reached National attention given the deplorable circumstances surrounding this ordeal. It is very disturbing to our clients that the final resting place of their loved ones has been violated. However, the mere thought that the actual remains of a parent, grandparent, sibling or relative have been disturbed, lost or destroyed …. is simply unimaginable. We intend to seek justice for all families who have been traumatized by the conduct of these employees of the Burr Oak Cemetery. While this conduct may have been performed according to a conspiracy that was devised and run by four people [as far as we know thus far], there is no question that the total failure of the management and owners of the cemetery to adequately hire, train and supervise its employees is the only way that such a devilish scheme could ever be perpetrated and succeed.” Comments by Louis Cairo, lead counsel.
One of the firm’s clients went to visit her mother, Alma Stewart, who was buried in the Burr Oak Cemetery in February of 1980. After being unable to find her mother’s burial plot and stone, she went to the office and was told that they had no record of her mother being buried at their cemetery. The gravesite was covered with fresh dirt and mulch and a different gravestone. The shock and despair that the 49-year-old daughter experienced cannot even be imagined.
At this time, the firm represents families who know that their loved ones have, in fact, been effected, as well as families who have been denied access and information which would answer the questions that have tormented them since news of this situation became public. It is anticipated that additional families will be contacting GWC to determine if their loved ones are involved and, if so, to protect their legal interests.
The firm intends to hold a Press Conference at their downtown law firm Saturday, July 11, 2009, at approximately 11:00am. It is our intention to have family representatives present that will be available for comments to the media. If you intend on being present at the press conference, please notify GWC by phone or email at the numbers/email below.
Goldberg, Weisman & Cairo, Ltd. concentrates it's
practice on representing severely injured construction workers in both
civil matters and worker compensation claims.
The firm has 31 lawyers and a staff of over 90 employees working
exclusively on behalf of injured parties and their families.
For more information relative to this filing, contact Louis C. Cairo at work 312/464-1200, or at lcairo@gwclaw.com.
— July 10, 2009
"Nursing Home Report - Five Star Farce"
In a
nursing home without a sprinkler system, it doesn't take long for a
cigarette in a trash can to ignite some nearby curtains and then spread to
a resident's bed and eventually to the entire room.
But as
simulated burn situations demonstrate, when sprinklers are in place,
there's much less damage and risk to human life. Tom Lia is with the Fire
Sprinkler Advisory Board.
He
claims: "Fire protections in nursing homes are very important because
those are the people that are least able to move or get themselves out of
the room."
That's
exactly why some nursing home experts are shocked that the government's
brand new five-star rating system does not consider fire safety when
ranking nursing homes.
Terry
Sullivan with the Health Care Council of Illinois says: "You do want
to know how well they are keeping up in protecting their residents and
that's not even here."
The
five-star rating system is supposed to help you handle one of the most
difficult decisions you'll ever face. choosing a nursing home for a loved
one. Five stars is much above average, one star is well below average.
The
formula for ranking nursing homes includes data on health and staffing
comparisons, but does NOT include so-called "life safety code"
violations, including fire code violations.
Reporter
Larry Yellen asked: "So even if they had seven or eight violations of
their life safety code, it would not affect their five star rating?"
Ellen
Greif with Medicare answered: "It would not affect their five-star
rating because right now, life safety code is not factored in to the
calculation." Greif says the life safety information is available on Medicare's
website, but wasn't considered crucial for consumers. "We
felt that the actual hands-on care, and the results of inspections on
hands on care as well as staffing would make for a useful tool."
As a
result, there are nursing homes like this one, The Grove at Lincoln Park,
which has a five-star rating even though an inspection last December found
seven fire-related violations including sprinklers that were not
"...maintained in working order."
A
spokesman for the Grove declined to go on camera, but in a statement told
us, the violations "...do not affect our residents' safety and well
being. Those violations were also addressed immediately."
The
Arbour Health Care Center also received a five-star rating, even though an
inspection last year turned up four fire deficiencies.
The
nursing home's attorney, Fran Meehan, says none of the deficiencies
impacted on safety, but even she agrees the five-star system is not
working for consumers.
She
added: "After I spoke to you the other day , I looked at the list of
homes in Chicago, and I was really shocked at some of them that got high
ratings."
Medicare
officials emphasize that a nursing home's rating should be one factor in
choosing a nursing home. But critics say it is too often the most
important factor.
Attorney
Louis Cairo represents the family of Igor Shteyn, a sixty-seven year old
man who died last year in a fire at the Hampton Plaza Nursing home.
He says:
" What's better than a five-star rating? Nothing! This five-star
rating means nothing when it comes to the overall rating and safety of the
building."
Medicare
officials say there have been other complaints about the ratings system.
Especially the failure to include data on customer satisfaction.
Greif says: "Is the website perfect? no. Do we have plans to improve is? Yes.".
— July 1, 2009
"Goldberg Weisman Cairo To Represent Three Members Of A Crestwood Family"
Goldberg Weisman Cairo to represent 3 members of a
Crestwood family who died from drinking contaminated water.
All 3 family members who died had the type of cancer consistent with exposure to the types of toxic chemicals found in the Village’s drinking water. The Tribune has reported that Crestwood leaders were aware of the toxic chemicals found in the town’s drinking water coming from a particular well and knowingly chose to continue using that water for more than 2 decades. Although the Village advised the EPA that the affected well was shut down, it continued to use the well until December 2007. The residents were led to believe that village officials closed this well. Our clients have asked to remain anonymous until we have identified all of the defendants and filed our wrongful death lawsuit.
Goldberg Weisman Cairo is the largest workers' compensation/personal injury law firm in Illinois dedicated to representing the interests of people who have been injured or killed on the job or by negligence of others. Any questions about the Crestwood, Illinois contaminated well water wrongful death lawsuit should be directed to Colin J. O'Malley or Louis Cairo at (312) 464-1200.
— May 15, 2009
“GWC Filed A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT On Behalf Of The Family Of Nursing Home Resident Found Frozen To Death In Itasca”
A lawsuit was filed on February 11, 2009, on behalf of the Estate of Sarah Wentworth, a nursing home resident found frozen to death outside of the Arbor of Itasca, the nursing home where she resided. The family is being represented by Louis C. Cairo and Christopher P. Hughes of GWC. The lawsuit alleges that the nursing home failed to take adequate steps to insure the safety of Ms. Wentworth who was entrusted to their care. This tragic incident has sparked multiple investigations that have resulted in criminal and civil proceedings. GWC has retained a professional consultant on nursing home regulations and standards to assist the family’s attorneys in this litigation. As a result of methodical investigation by the Itasca police, an apparent “cover-up” has been discovered which has resulted in a grand jury proceeding wherein criminal charges are anticipated to be filed against at least one of the nursing home aides working in the early morning hours when Sarah Wentworth wandered outside into the frigid cold courtyard on that frigid cold February morning and ultimately was left to freeze to death in her pajamas.
GWC lawyers, Cairo and Hughes, attended a court-ordered inspection of the facility on February 20, 2009 and videotaped the facility, tested the alarm system and photographed the areas involved in this fatality. This video, along with interviews with attorneys, Cairo and Hughes, on nation news programs can be viewed by clicking on the following links:
"The family is still in shock over the fact that their mother was able to leave the security of the nursing home, go outside in her nightgown and bare feet and pass away from exposure to the subfreezing temperatures, without being detected by any of the nursing home staff. There is a very real issue here of whether this nursing home and its staff were prepared to deal with elderly patients suffering from dementia, who often wander. When a loved one is placed in the care of a licensed nursing home, their family should feel secure that their loved one will be safe from harm, which was obviously not the case here.” According to Louis C. Cairo, lead counsel for the Wentworth Estate.
Thus far, their investigation indicates that a young nursing aide heard the early morning alarm that was set off when Sarah Wentworth exited the building into the outdoor courtyard. She promptly disabled the alarm, and rather than immediately checking the courtyard to determine if one of the dementia patients inadvertently walked outside and had the door lock behind them, she proceeded to return to the TV room, 15 feet from her nursing station to watch a program that she had been watching. This individual’s criminal fate is in the hands of the grand jury as of February 26, 2009.
Additional information will be provided in this site as it develops. For information about GWC's nursing home practice, click on PRACTICE AREAS and then on NURSING HOME LIABILITY.
— February 26, 2009
“Fire Victim's Family To File Wrongful Death Lawsuit”
A lawsuit was filed on Monday morning, May 19, 2008, on behalf of the Estate of Igor Shteyn, one of the two nursing home residents killed in a tragic fire at the Hampton Plaza Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Niles on Wednesday of this week. The family is being represented by Louis C. Cairo of Goldberg, Weisman & Cairo, Ltd. in Chicago, Illinois. The lawsuit alleges that the nursing home failed to take adequate steps to insure that a safe or adequate emergency response system was in place at the time of the deadly fire. While the investigation has just begun with the municipal authorities, the family wants to retain its own forensic fire experts to analyze the damaged areas and determine precisely what the cause of the fire was. In the meantime, the family’s trial lawyers are investigating what type of protective devices were actually installed, such as fire suppression systems, fire alarms, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, etc., as well as the training of the nursing home personnel.
“There is a very real issue here of whether this nursing home and its staff were prepared to deal with this type of a casualty. Fires occur in numerous situations, but in a nursing home that houses elderly people, it is incredibly important that they be properly equipped, properly trained and properly prepared. We will be seriously investigating whether this nursing home was adequately trained and prepared to deal with these types of emergent matters. Because if there had been an adequate fire suppression system, fire alarms, smoke detectors and personnel in place who were trained to deal with a fire, then we should not be talking about casualties because Igor and Mr. Berdichevsky would not have lost their lives in this fire,” according to Louis C. Cairo, lead counsel for the Shteyn Estate.
Mr. Shteyn is survived by two adult children, both living in the Chicago Metropolitan area. Mr. Shteyn migrated from the country of Kiev and has made his home in Illinois for several years prior to his death.
This suit will be filed so promptly in order to ensure that the Estate had a presence at this site through its legal representatives, forensic experts and other safety experts. “We firmly believe that the Niles Fire Department will do a thorough job investigating the cause of this fire, however, it is incumbent upon our firm to make sure that every possible contributing cause of this fire is determined and we look forward to cooperating with the township authorities and hopefully assisting them in their investigation,” stated Cairo. Moreover, the insurance companies who provide liability insurance to the nursing home have obviously started their investigation to “defend” the claims on behalf of the estates that are inevitable.
For more information relative to this filing, contact Louis C. Cairo at 312-245-2103.
— May 16, 2008
“Record Week For Two Goldberg Weisman Cairo Hispanic Clients”
GWC partner, Lawrence Ruder, secured a $2,000,000 Will County settlement for a 20 year old that lost his arm in an automobile crash. Gomez v. Comar Drilling Company, et. al. The crash, which occurred in July 2005, caused Jose Alfredo Gomez to lose his left arm when a truck driven by an employee of Comar Drilling Company from the Joliet area crossed into his lane and hit his van head-on. Mr. Gomez was driving from his painting job in rural Yorkville to his home in Waukegan at the time. This is the highest reported settlement for an injury of this type in the history of Will County (Confirmed by the Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter).
The result is remarkable for two reasons. First, it is a record settlement for the traumatic loss of an arm [specifically, a non-dominant arm]. Most importantly, however, is that a successful result was attained despite the initial conclusions concerning the liability picture originally painted by investigators with the Yorkville Police Department. The Yorkville Police Department conducted an accident reconstruction analysis immediately after the crash and concluded Mr. Gomez was 100% responsible. After only a brief investigation of this collision — which obviously involved very serious injuries to this fine young man — the police department's accident reconstruction expert concluded the collision occurred because Mr. Gomez had illegally passed a vehicle just before the crash. Again, the police placed the blame squarely on Mr. Gomez and it appeared no case could be made for him.
However, Mr. Gomez came to GWC because of his insistence that the Yorkville Police Department's findings and conclusions were totally false. GWC immediately commenced the discovery and investigation process. It was only after countless depositions of parties and witnesses and a thorough investigation and analysis of scene evidence by our own accident reconstruction expert that GWC was able to establish the truth about how this collision occurred; which required proving that the findings and conclusions of the police department's reconstruction expert were 100% wrong! Our legal team was able to prove that the collision had actually occurred in Mr. Gomez's lane and it was the defendant that had been illegally passing another vehicle at a high rate of speed before the crash. It was the defendant's actions that caused the crash and caused Mr. Gomez to lose his arm, and not the opposite as concluded by the local police department. The attorneys for the defendant agreed to pay the $2,000,000 to Mr. Gomez after it became clear that the police department had improperly engaged in a “rush to judgment” against Mr. Gomez.
The second record was confirmed yesterday when a Lake County judge approved a $2,000,000 distribution to the Estate of Wilson Alexander Lopez-Ochoa by the City of Waukegan. The payment was made after GWC partners, Louis Cairo and Lawrence Ruder, won a verdict for over $2 million dollar for the family of 21 year old Alex Lopez-Ochoa who was killed when his car was struck by a Waukegan police squad car on Super Bowl Sunday, 2005. This verdict is the largest ever reported in the history of Lake County for a case of this kind (Confirmed by the Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter).
This victory is especially gratifying because the Waukegan Police Department — like the Yorkville Police Department in the Gomez matter — blamed Alex for this crash and refused to take any responsibility for the actions of its officer. The department’s Chief of Police and other city officials went to the media and community immediately after the crash and claimed the department's investigation proved Alex was solely responsible for the crash. They claimed that the evidence, which they gathered, proved that Alex negligently pulled into the street directly into the path of a police squad. Officials took great pains to point out that Alex was an undocumented Honduran immigrant and was in the country without proper papers. Outraged, Alex's family came to GWC for help.
Depositions were taken of every police officer involved in the investigation. GWC’s accident reconstruction experts analyzed the data contained in the squad’s “black box”. This is a mini-computer that documents the speed of a vehicle in the moments before a crash. Our team proved the officer had been speeding 10 mph over the limit at the time of the crash, that he did not have his mars lights on and that his siren was off. Investigation also showed the officer was not responding to an emergency of any kind at the time and was operating his squad the night of the crash in direct violation of department policy. Further, GWC investigators went into the community and discovered that two people had actually witnessed the entire crash; two women who had been ignored by the police at the scene and who had previously been afraid to come forward for fear of retribution by the Waukegan Police Department. They testified during the trial entirely in Spanish and told the jury that they had seen the officer violating red lights and making an illegal u-turn just prior to the crash. Most of the testimony heard by the jury was in Spanish through the use of interpreters.
It took the jury less than three hours to determine that Alex was completely blameless and that the police officer was 100% responsible for the crash.
In both the Lopez and Gomez cases, GWC proved that “official” police department conclusions were 100% false. Said Lawrence Ruder: “It is incredibly gratifying to know that through our investigation and the legal process we have been able to ensure that justice was served for both Mr. Gomez and for the Lopez family. Helping people like the Lopez family and Mr. Gomez in tough situations like these is exactly why I became a lawyer!”
The law firm of Goldberg, Weisman & Cairo, Ltd. of Chicago, Illinois, concentrates its practice on representing the catastrophically injured and wrongful death cases. The firm represents many members of the Hispanic Community in Lake and Cook County.
— November 24, 2007
“Immigrant's family awarded $2.03 million. Jurors put crash blame on Waukegan policeman”
By Art Peterson for the Lake County News-Sun
A Lake County jury deliberated for less than three hours Wednesday afternoon before awarding $2.03 million to the family of an immigrant in a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Waukegan.
Wilson “Alex” Lopez-Ochoa was 21 when his car was struck by a Waukegan police squad car driven by officer Michael Newman on Super Bowl Sunday 2005. The Honduran man died hours later.
Jurors indicated they held Lopez-Ochoa 100 percent blameless in the accident. The total amount awarded by the jury was $2,032,992. That includes $2 million for loss of a family member, $20,000 for funeral and burial expenses, and $12,992 for medical expenses.
In closing arguments Wednesday, the family's lawyers urged jurors to award “millions of dollars” in damages from the city of Waukegan.
Deliberations began in the early afternoon, capping the week-and-a-half-long civil trial in the courtroom of Judge Mary Schostok.
Key decision for jurors was whether Newman, who had been on the force for more than three years at the time of the accident, was at least 51 percent responsible. If so, they would then determine damages to be paid to Lopez-Ochoa family members.
“Had Officer Newman simply followed the law, we would not be here,” said Lawrence Ruder, attorney for the family, “Alex did not have to die. The Lopez family will have to live with this loss for the rest of their lives; there will be an empty seat at the dinner table.”
Family attorney Louis Cairo urged jurors “put the Lopez family under your arms” and “return a verdict for several millions of dollars” for the lost love, caring, guidance and companionship from the death of “Alex.”
— May 24, 2007
“ ‘We are tired of so much harassment’ Angry Hispanics protest mistreatment by police.”
By Nicholas P. Alajakis
In 2005, Meza moved his family from Waukegan to Round Lake, citing mistreatment by the city's police because of the color of his skin. He returned on Monday to speak out against that treatment at a rally honoring a 21-year-old friend who was killed two years ago this month when his car was struck by a Waukegan police squad car.
“I think this is important for everyone, because if we don't stop (the mistreatment), things are going to keep happening,” Meza said. Meza was one of about two dozen protesters in downtown Waukegan Monday. They gathered to honor Wilson "Alex" Lopez-Ochoa, a former Waukegan resident of Honduran descent who died Feb. 7, 2005.
Lopez-Ochoa, was struck by the squad car of Waukegan Officer Michael Newman as he exited a laundromat parking lot in the 1800 block of Grand Avenue. Organizers of the protest are angered that Newman was never charged in the accident, despite the fact that he was traveling 10 miles over the speed limit and without his lights or sirens.
But Monday's gathering was more than a complaint about a traffic accident. It was a chance for residents to voice concern about what they say is continued mistreatment by Waukegan police. They are concerned with constantly being pulled over, and not being treated with respect by police. “We are tired of so much harassment (toward) the Hispanic community,” said Waukegan resident Wilber Matute, who was Lopez-Ochoa's soccer coach. “(Police) are being unfair.” Matute, a fellow Honduran, held a megaphone at the protest and led chants of “justice for all” and “justice for Alex.”
The protestors hoped to hold Waukegan police and Mayor Richard Hyde accountable for mistreatment of Hispanics, Meza said.
“Alex was a guy with no problems. Alex was a human being,” Matute said. “You need to have more respect for a human being.” A trial is scheduled to begin next month in the wrongful-death suit brought by Lopez-Ochoa's family against Newman and the city.
— February 27, 2007
“Cop in bar brawl faces 14 new felony charges”
“Prosecutors announced 14 additional felony charges Friday against a Chicago police officer whose videotaped beating of a female bartender made international headlines.
Anthony Abbate, a 12-year department veteran, was charged with seven counts of official misconduct, one count of communicating with a witness, three counts of intimidation and three counts of conspiracy, Cook County State's Attorney’s office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said...”
— February 27, 2007
Police brutality is one of the most serious and unsettling breaches of trust between the government and the citizens in our cities, states and country. At GWC, we know that the vast majority of law enforcement professionals are dedicated to serving all the people with justice and compassion. That makes brutal betrayals of trust such as the recently publicized cases involving police officers so outrageous and incomprehensible. And when a citizen is injured or killed as a result of the unacceptable abuse of power by an officer who is paid to serve and protect the people, justice must be swift, uncompromising and complete.
