About GWC

Very often people who contact us after being injured are skeptical.  “Surely,” they ask, “you wouldn’t handle a case like this?”

Chances are, we do.  At GWC, we have fought vigorously on behalf of clients who have been the victims of virtually every type of injury claim.  This may be your first case, but it is certainly not ours, and it is highly likely that our experienced injury attorneys have achieved positive outcomes in cases very similar to your own.  Of the many thousands of personal injury matters that GWC has brought to a successful resolution, some of the most common types of cases include:

Car Accidents – Car accidents are among the leading causes of injury in the United States, with about six million collisions leaving an estimated three million Americans hurt each year, two million of them permanently.

Truck Accidents – At forty or more times the size of the average vehicle on the road, large trucks can inflict devastating injuries even at low speeds, forcing victims to cope with physical and economic disruptions in their daily lives as they face the prospect of extensive, ongoing treatment.

Motorcycle Accidents – With no metal frame surrounding them, as in cars and trucks, motorcyclists are exposed to direct contact with other vehicles, obstacles, and the road itself, making them more likely to be seriously injured in a collision.

Work Injuries – Workplace accidents can happen when you least expect them, leaving you overwhelmed and possibly even unable to make ends meet as you attempt to obtain the benefits to which you are entitled and full and fair compensation for any permanent injuries, if applicable.

Construction Accidents – Construction accident cases are legally and factually complex, demanding comprehensive knowledge not only of the applicable law but also of the construction industry and its operations in order to obtain fair compensation for what are often very serious injuries.

Wrongful Death – The sudden death of a loved one is an incomparable loss, particularly when that person is killed as a result of the misconduct of others, leaving the surviving family members emotionally devastated and financially insecure.

Medical Malpractice – Medical malpractice claims are some of the most challenging in personal injury litigation.  They require familiarity with complicated legal details, the ability to marshal the testimony of expert witnesses, and extensive resources to overcome the aggressive defense approach taken by insurance carriers when medical professionals injure patients by deviating from the standard of care, whether through surgical errors, failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis, medication errors, or in some other way.

Nursing Home Abuse – While we trust nursing facilities to care for our seniors when they are at their most vulnerable, far too often they are neglected, mistreated, or even emotionally or physically abused, turning their golden years into a living nightmare.

Birth Injuries – Seeing your infant child suffer severe personal injuries, illness, or even death during the birthing process is one of the most traumatic events any parent can experience.  The trauma that can be made so much worse when it is the result of preventable medical errors, including Caesarean section (C-section) delivery mistakes, umbilical cord compression, Erb’s palsy, uterine rupture, cerebral palsy, shoulder dystocia, vacuum extraction, infant brain trauma, hypoxia/anoxia, and improper fetal monitoring.

Dog Bites – When improperly secured dogs attack without warning, they can inflict serious bodily harm and permanent disfigurement.

Slip-and-Fall Accidents – If you slip, trip, or fall on somebody else’s property, it may not just be a matter of personal clumsiness, but a serious breach of duty on the part of the property owner, one that could entitle you to financial compensation if you sustain injury.

Defective Product Injuries – Far too often, manufacturers choose the bottom line over consumer safety, sometimes with tragic results, as a product that was purchased to improve one’s life makes it incomparably worse.

Intoxication/Dram Shop – Bars, clubs, restaurants, or commercial vendors who overserve their patrons alcohol to the point of intoxication may be held financially liable for their actions if they harm others.

Mesothelioma – Those who have lived and worked in Illinois for a number of years may have been exposed to asbestos, which can cause serious illnesses, including mesothelioma, a rare, incurable form of cancer.

While these are some of the most frequent types of injury cases we handle, this is by no means an exhaustive list.  At GWC, we are willing to take on all valid personal injury cases.  And what constitutes a valid personal injury case?  In Illinois, it comes down to two main factors: Negligence and Damages.

Negligence is based on the idea that people have a duty to exercise reasonable care in their actions by taking account of the potential harm that they might foreseeably cause to others.  The negligent party in a personal injury case is someone who breached this duty and inflicted damages on somebody else.  If you believe that you have incurred damages as a result of another person’s negligence, the attorneys at GWC are available for a free consultation to determine whether you have a case.

Very often, people are worried about the cost of hiring an attorney, a concern that is only heightened when they are injured and confronted with astronomical medical bills, all at a time when they may be unable to work.

This is not a concern at GWC. Our injury attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis. When a client retains our firm, we will cover all of the upfront costs necessary to pursue a claim and file and sustain a lawsuit, if necessary. Only when the claim or suit is successfully resolved will the client use the proceeds to pay us for expenses and attorney fees, usually in the form of a percentage of the settlement or verdict.

We don’t get paid unless you get paid, and the more you get paid, the more we get paid as a fee. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement that helps remove the initial worries and stress and incentivizes us to maximize the value of your personal injury case.

GWC’s clients come from all professions and walks of life, but we have maintained a particularly close relationship with unions since the firm’s founding.  Over the years, GWC has represented members of virtually every organized labor union in Chicago and the state of Illinois, including:

• Amalgamated Transit Union
• American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
• American Federation of Teachers
• Chicago Teachers Union
• Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union
• Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
• International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers
• International Association of Fire Fighters
• International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers
• International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters
• International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
• International Union of Elevator Constructors
• International Union of Operating Engineers
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades of the United States and Canada
• International Union of Police Associations
• Laborers’ International Union of North America
• Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association of the United States and Canada
• Railroad Unions
• Service Employees International Union
• Sheet Metal Workers International Association
• Transportation Communications International Union
• UNITEHERE!
• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada
• United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America International Union
• United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial & Service Workers International Union
• United Transportation Union
• United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers
• United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
• United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America

Many of our attorneys come from families with strong union ties, so we have seen firsthand the difference they can make in workers’ lives.  In turn, these unions often turn to GWC first whenever one of their members is injured because they know we get results.  Organized labor has always been the bedrock of our firm, and we will continue to stand with unions as long as our doors remain open.

Our firm has been awarded many official union designations and recommendations, and we are active contributors to the community. With our success on behalf of our clients comes a responsibility to give back to those in need and to various other worthy causes. The personal injury attorneys at GWC understand and live by this concept and are regularly involved in charitable events and organizations which have nothing to do with the law. We are proud to be able to support various charitable causes and to provide an annual scholarship to ambitious students.