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OSHA Fines Railroad $923K For Firing Workers

A major railroad company was recently fined over $932,000 for illegally terminating two workers who were injured on the job. Investigators from The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that Norfolk Southern Railway Co. illegally terminated the workers for reporting their workplace injuries. "Firing workers for reporting an injury is not only illegal, it endangers other workers," said David Michaels, OSHA's Assistant Secretary of Labor. "When workers are discouraged from reporting injuries, no investigation into the...

Rat Experiments Give Hope To Spinal Injury Victims

Spinal damage is typically considered to be one of the most severe types of injuries that a Chicago resident can sustain. There are a variety of ways that spinal damage occurs, including car accidents, slip and falls, and blunt force trauma to the back. Spinal injuries often result in paralyzation which is typically irreversible, although extensive research is being done to determine how the impacts of spinal damage can be remedied. A recent breakthrough came from researchers at Switzerland's ?cole...

Methadone Deaths Raise Concerns

Health officials are worried about a large increase in deaths linked to the dangerous pharmaceuticalmethadone. Methadone only accounts for around two percent of all painkiller prescriptions but this drug is responsible for a third of U.S. painkiller overdose deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although widely known as a heroin addiction treatment drug, the majority of the people who die of methadone overdoses are not drug addicts. Methadone is routinely prescribed to patients for...

Human & Pet Food Recalled Due To Salmonella Concerns

Concerns over bacteria contamination have prompted recent recalls for both human and pet products. Contaminated food is one of the primary causes of illness in Illinois and sometimes sparks product liability litigation against manufacturers. Salmonella and listeria are the most common causes of food product recalls because they can cause serious illnesses. The manufacturer MKG Provisions announced that it was recalling its Atlantic Smoked Salmon because of a potential listeria contamination. The short shelf-life of salmon products means that many...

Soccer Player Head Injuries

The controversy over concussions and their impact on current and former NFL players continues to build. Alongside the issues facing professional athletes are the brain injuries suffered by children and teenagers in a wide range of sporting events. One activity that may soon face increased pressure is soccer. As the popularity of the sport rises in the United States, parents need to be aware of the dangers their children face on the field. According to one expert, the chances of...

Settlement Obtained for Minor Injured by Unanchored Soccer Goal

GWC attorney, Janine M. Rosana, obtained a $102,000 settlement for a seven-year-old boy who sustained injuries when an unanchored soccer goal fell on top of him. Unanchored soccer goals have caused serious injuries and even deaths throughout the United States. Recently Illinois passed regulations pertaining to movable soccer goals. Illinois Public Act 097-0234 was passed in August 2011 and provides that under: Section 10. Soccer goal safety and education policy. Movable soccer goals present a serious threat to the safety...

Victims Of Brain Injuries Can Suffer Lifelong Issues

In our last post we discussed a form of traumatic brain injury called a concussion. Concussions are the most common types of brain injuries and often occur in athletes and car accident victims. More serious forms of traumatic brain injury have been extensively studied in veteran populations. One recent study presented at the American Headache Society indicates that a traumatic brain injury can create longstanding problems that do not decrease in severity for years. Common problems associated with traumatic brain...

Study Reveals Disparity In Workers Compensation Claims

A recent study into Illinois workers' compensation awards found that white non-Hispanic construction workers tended to receive more benefits than Hispanic or black construction workers. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health who compared state workers' compensation data and public health records from 2000 to 2005. The common types of workers' compensation injuries for construction workers included open wounds, internal injuries and bone fractures. The study found that white workers...

Surgical Mesh Issue Prompts Increase In Product Liability Claims

Thousands of women in Chicago and across the country are filing product liability lawsuits after being harmed by surgical mesh implants. Mesh implants are used to treat a condition known as organ prolapse, which occurs when weakened tissues allow muscles to slip in a woman's pelvis. For years, surgeons used surgical mesh to replace these weakened muscles, but it appears that many forms of surgical mesh are defective medical devices. The manufacturers of surgical mesh implants failed to adequately test...