Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

A tragic blaze left seven people dead on Sunday morning in Cicero, IL. The Chicago fire damaged several houses located on the 3000 block of 48th Court leaving more than 20 people homeless. The fire claimed the lives of 20 year-old Byron Reed, 19 year-old Sallie Gist, and their sons Rayshawn Reed and Byron Reed. The inferno also took the lives of Gist’s brother Elijah Gist, sister Elisha Gist, and family friend Tiera Davidson. The relatives had reportedly congregated at the Cicero, IL, residence to celebrate the birthday of a family member. The building, located at 3034 48th Court, contains two two-bedroom apartments and two three-bedroom apartments

Five of the deceased, including the three children, were found in the attic of the residence according to Cicero Assistant Fire Marhall Ron Opalecky. It remains unclear whether or not anyone was living in the attic when the fire started. The total number of individuals that were in the building when the fire started is still unknown. The City of Cicero took 23 persons who were in the building and surrounding areas to a public safety facility. The town promises to investigate occupancy regulations in the coming days.

The victims of the deadly fire should pursue an investigation into the blaze as soon as possible in order to preserve evidence. An experienced Chicago injury lawyer can help investigate the fire and protect your rights. If you wish to speak to a Chicago personal injury lawyer, please click here.

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Posted In: Wrongful Death

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A Chicago car accident along Interstate 80 resulted in one death on Sunday night. The accident occurred about three miles east of the convergence of I-80 and I-355 in the Chicago suburb of Mokena, IL. The Chicago area car crash claimed the life of a 57 year-old University Park man. According to reports, a man driving a 2004 Chrysler vehicle was westbound on 1-80 when he lost control of his vehicle and flipped over the median wall. His vehicle landed on top of an eastbound 2000 Chevy Impala. The man driving the Impala was killed as a result of the car crash. The Illinois State Police have not released the name of the man that was killed in the accident..

The accident also involved a 2003 Honda Civic driven by a 23 year old Downers Grove man and a 1996 Chevy Tahoe operated by a 50 year old Tinley Park man. The driver of the Civic was taken to Silver Cross Hospital and the driver of the Tahoe drove himself to Palos Community Hospital. The fatal Chicago car accident is still under investigation.

If you or anyone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident or would like to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney, please click here.

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An off-duty Lockport, IL, police officer was involved in a three vehicle accident that left one dead on Chicago’s Stevenson Expressway last night. The crash occurred around 9:35 p.m. near the Cicero Avenue exit. According to reports, all three vehicles were travelling north on the busy Chicago expressway when the vehicle in the far left lane, which was being operated by the off duty officer, lost control and spun to face the middle lane. Man Wong, a 29 year old resident of the 2000 block of S. Wentworth in Chicago was operating his vehicle in the middle lane when he hit the officer head on. Wong was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital at 10:16 p.m. last night according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The City of Lockport has confirmed on its website that one of their officers was involved in the car crash. At least one source has identified the officer as Edward Stapinski. It is unclear whether or not alcohol played a role in the fatal Chicago car accident. The Illinois State Police are investigating the accident along with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The crash held up traffic for six hours on the busy Chicago expressway. No traffic citations have been issued to this point.

Expressway car accidents often occur at very high speeds. As such, these Chicago car crashes are some of the most deadly. If you have been involved in an expressway car accident or would otherwise like to speak with an attorney, please click here.

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Debris from an unexpected explosion at a Belvidere, IL, factory killed a truck driver yesterday at a roadside oasis nearly a quarter mile away from the facility. Ronald Greenfield, a 63 year old driver from Chesterton, IN, was fatally wounded when an explosion at a crystal manufacturing facility sent exterior panels flying through the air. The explosion occurred at the NDK America plant which manufactures crystals used in liquid crystal displays. The facility was constructed with special exterior panels designed to break away during an explosion. The panels did exactly that as one flew nearly a quarter mile before striking the accident victim.

Belvidere Fire Chief David Worrell reports that the blast occurred around 2:30 p.m. in a highly pressurized chamber where crystals are made. The breakaway design of the factory sent one piece of exterior panel spanning several feet through the air before it struck Mr. Greenfield. Witnesses of the explosion claim that the blast felt similar to an earthquake. One factory worker that was inside the building escaped the workplace accident unharmed. The explosion is still under investigation by the Belvidere Police Department, the Boone County Sheriff, and the State Fire Marshall.

The family of the explosion victim may have a claim against the crystal manufacturing outfit for the loss that they have suffered. If you have any questions about fatal workplace accidents or would otherwise like to speak to an attorney, please click here.

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A Southwest side man has been charged with DUI following a Thanksgiving day car crash that left one pedestrian dead. Anthony Morales, a 31 year-old resident of the 5500 block of South Homan Avenue in Chicago has been charged with felony driving under the influence after he was involved in a car accident that claimed the life of 21 year-old Elias Nunez. Prosecutors report that Morales’s blood alcohol content was .33 at the time of the crash, nearly four times the legal limit. Morales has also been ticketed with failure to avoid an accident, following too closely and leaving the scene of an accident arising out of the first car crash.

According to Chicago police, Morales was driving north on Cicero avenue early Thanksgiving morning when he swerved into the southbound lanes. Morales collided with a southbound car as a result of his erratic driving and then attempted to flee the scene of the accident. Morales subsequently struck and killed Nunez who was standing outside of his vehicle about three blocks north of the site of the original accident. Nunez was reportedly dragged under the vehicle for about three blocks after he was hit. He suffered from massive internal bleeding and severe brain injuries as a result of the Chicago car accident.

DUI car accidents often have devastating consequences for both intoxicated drivers and victims. The family of the car accident victim may have a claim against the DUI driver. If you have any questions regarding DUI car accidents or would otherwise like to speak to an attorney, please click here.

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A Park Forest, IL, woman died last Sunday when she was hit by a vehicle near the corner of 209th St. and Western Avenue in Chicago Heights, IL. The accident claimed the life of Ruby Matthews of the 128 Ash St. in Park Forest, IL. According to an Olympia Fields Police Department spokesperson, Matthews was involved in a minor car accident with a Chevrolet Cavalier while she was driving a Chevrolet Trailblazer in the southbound lanes of Western Avenue. Matthews and the unidentified teenage driver of the other vehicle were examining the damage to the two cars in the northbound lanes of Western Ave. when they were hit by another car. The teenage driver suffered a broken leg as a result of the collision.

Matthews was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, IL, where she was pronounced dead around 10 p.m. The South Suburban Major Accident Reconstruction Team is still investigating the fatal accident. Charges have not yet been filed in the matter.

The family of the deceased car accident victim may have a wrongful death claim against the driver that caused her death. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in a Chicago car accident and would like to speak to an Illinois attorney, please click here.

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A truck driver was killed early this morning while attempting to place warning triangles around his broken down semi. The fatal accident occurred on Chicago’s Tri-State expressway (I-294) near the Cermak road exit. The truck accident claimed the life of 41 year-old Kenneth A. Brown of Crest Hill, IL. According to Illinois State Police Tollway District Master Sgt. John Creedon, the tragedy occurred when the semi-truck trailer became separated from the cab around 1:07 a.m. on Thursday morning. The trailer and the cab were separated by about ten feet when the breaks on the truck locked. The truck was stopped in a lane of traffic when the accident occurred.

According to reports, the Kenneth Brown exited his vehicle and attempted to place triangular markers along the Chicago expressway to warn other drivers of his predicament. While he was placing the markers, Brown was reportedly hit and killed by a southbound Chevrolet van. The van clipped the rear of the immobile truck before it hit the trucker. The injured trucker was taken to Adventist Hinsdale Hospital around 1:30 a.m. The DuPage County Coroner’s office confirmed the death but refused to release any further details. The driver of the van reportedly suffered no injuries. The accident is being investigated by accident reconstruction specialists.

The family of the deceased trucker may have both personal injury and workers’ compensation claims following the tragedy. If you have any questions about personal injury or workers’ compensation law, please click here.

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A Chicago man was killed yesterday after he fell through an elevator shaft in Downtown Chicago’s Cabrini Green apartment complex. Clarence Walker, a 61 year-old resident of the Cabrini building at the 360 block of West Oak St, fell through the shaft around 9:30 p.m. The cause of the fall remains unclear according to Chicago Police News Affair Officer Ron Gaines. The Chicago Fire Department reports that no one was transferred to the hospital from the accident site following the fatal fall. The investigation is being handled by the Chicago Police Department.

An unidentified resident reported that a male fell from the seventh floor of the elevator shaft. Another resident, 54 year-old Dorothy Jackson, said that police were not allowing residents to enter or leave the building as of 11:10 p.m. on the day of the tragic accident. The area around the accident site was categorized as a crime scene. An autopsy of the body has been scheduled for Tuesday July 28th. Belmont area detectives are investigating the fatal Chicago accident.

The family of the victim may have a wrongful death claim pending an investigation of the tragic fall. If you have any questions or would otherwise like to contact a lawyer, please click here.

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Tragedy struck Minee Subee Day Care in suburban Lincolnshire, IL, earlier this month when 16 month-old Benjamin Kingan died suddenly from a serious head injury. What authorities initially believed to be the result of either a seizure or something congenital is now being treated as a homicide. Melissa Calusinski, of Carpentersville, IL, has been charged with first degree murder and is now held on $5 million dollar bond for her alleged role in the death of the toddler. She is accused of throwing the young boy to the floor because he would not remain quiet. According to Lincolnshire Police, the boy then crawled to his favorite bouncer seat before he became unresponsive and died. Calusinski reportedly admitted to throwing the boy to the ground in a videotaped statement. There were seven other children and one other adult in the room at the time of the incident. The other worker in the room claims to have not seen Calunski throw the child. Day care staff attempted CPR and called 911 at approximately 3:51 p.m – almost a half hour after the incident. The boy was pronounced dead at Condell Medical Center in Libertyville an hour later.

Calusinski, who has been placed on administrative leave by Minee Subee, plans to plead not guilty to the murder charges. The day care facility is licensed to care for up to 145 children between the ages of 6 to 12 years old. A subsequent investigation of the incident has revealed that Minee Sublee had received several complaints regarding Calusinski as a caretaker in the past.

Continue reading "Lincolnshire Day Care Worker Charged with Murder of Toddler" »

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A Cook County wrongful death lawsuit has been filed following a tragic helicopter accident that left four dead. The accident occurred on October 15, 2008, when an Air Angel medical helicopter struck a radio tower cable in Aurora, IL. The helicopter was carrying 14 month-old Kristin Blockinger of Leland, IL, from Valley West Hospital in Sandwich, IL, to Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL. Also aboard the aircraft were Air Angels crew members Ron Battalo and William Mann. All three passengers were killed in the accident along with 69 year-old pilot Del Waugh. The suit names Waugh as a defendant claiming that the accident was a result of negligent and careless operation by the pilot. More specifically, the suit alleges that Waugh’s advanced age, multiple in-flight responsibilities, and recent divorce related stress contributed to the fatal aviation crash.

The suit also named Air Angels and parent company Reach Medical as defendants claiming that the entities failed to follow federal recommendations for medical helicopter flights. The suit alleges that the flight was not equipped with a terrain warning and awareness system, a risk assessment program, or a two pilot team at the controls. The plaintiffs argue that each of these provisions would have helped prevent the tragic crash. The West Chicago and Bolingbrook based Air Angels recently ceased operations for two months while it conducted its own investigation. The outfit has since resumed operation finding nothing to prevent the resumption of service. A preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board “NTSB” offers no immediate explanation for the cause of the crash. The NTSB hopes to conclude its investigation of the incident in time for a February hearing on medical helicopter safety.

Continue reading "Aurora, IL, Helicopter Accident Leads to Wrongful Death Lawsuit" »

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Posted In: Airplane Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A DuPage County strip club has lost its bid to be excluded from a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a deadly drunk driving accident. The State Appellate Court ruled last Wednesday that the owners of the West Chicago area Diamond’s Strip Club must remain as co-defendants in a wrongful death suit filed against John Homatas. Homatas, a 26 year-old Wayne resident, is currently serving a 12-year sentence following a jury trial in which he was convicted of reckless homicide and aggravated drunken driving. Homatas plead not guilty to those crimes in June 2007 following a head-on collision that killed two adults and one unborn child. The car accident occurred on January 4, 2006, on Illinois Highway 25 between Kenyon Rd. and U.S. Highway 20. After leaving the club, Homatas steered his northbound Jeep across the center line and struck a Chevy Tahoe driven by 27 year-old April Simmons of Yorkville, IL, killing her and her unborn child. John Chiarello, the passenger in Homatas’s car, was also killed in the collision.

The owners of Diamonds claimed that they had no part in the tragic DUI car accident because the strip club does not serve alcohol. The Appellate Court rejected this contention finding that the strip club owed a duty to the deceased plaintiffs when it ejected Homatas from the club and placed him in his vehicle knowing he was intoxicated. While the club does not serve alcohol, it does allow patrons to bring alcoholic beverages onto the premises for personal consumption. The wrongful death lawsuit claims that Diamonds employees started Homatas’s car and watched him drive away after ejecting him from the bar for vomiting in the bathroom. Police reports indicate that Homatas had alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine in his system at the time of the accident. Diamonds owner Ari Pomerantz has vowed to continue to fight the suit.

Continue reading "Illinois State Appellate Court: DuPage Strip Club Must Remain as Co-Defendant in Wrongful Death Case" »

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Posted In: Car Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A deadly car accident left two teens dead and four more injured in South Suburban Worth, IL, on Monday night. The crash occurred on the 6600 block of West 107th Street around 9:30 p.m. According to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, the accident killed the driver, 18 year-old Arthur Cepulcha of 8326 Nashville Ave. in Burbank, IL, and 18 year-old Adam Skora of 5554 W. 85th in Burbank, IL. Four other teen passengers suffered critical injuries in the crash. The injured teen passengers were taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL, and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, IL. All six of the teens had to be extricated from the severely damaged white four-door vehicle. The extrication took about forty minutes.

Accident investigations have been undertaken by both the Worth Police Department and the Chicago Ridge Police Department. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the deadly automobile accident however published reports speculate that icy roads may have been the culprit. The white four-door car was found wrapped around a tree on its driver side. Regarding the damage, Worth Fire Chief Gary Swiercz reported, “There was not much of a car left.” It is unclear whether alcohol or excessive speed may have contributed to the accident. The accident serves as a sobering reminder of the potentially deadly effect of winter weather on Chicago roadways.

Continue reading "Worth, IL, Car Accident Kills Two Teens, Injures Four More" »

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Stephanie Buzek, a 27 year-old resident of Hoffman Estates, faces criminal charges following a fatal drunk driving accident on Chicago’s Northwest Side. The accident occurred at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Devon Avenue at about 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 14th. Buzek was allegedly speeding north on Milwaukee when her vehicle collided with the rear end of a stopped car. The victim, 35 year-old Sergio Correa of 3141 N. Hamlin Ave. in Chicago, had stopped for a red light at the intersection. The collision broke Correa’s neck despite the fact that he was wearing his seatbelt. Advocate Lutheran General Hospital pronounced Correa dead at 2:57 a.m. on Sunday according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Bond was set at $100,000 on Monday for Buzek, who remains hospitalized following the car accident. According to police News Affairs Officer John Henry, Buzek has been charged with driving under the influence, aggravated driving under the influence, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and negligent driving. The Cook County State’s Attorney Office alleges that Buzek and a friend had dinner and at least three beers on the night of the accident. Buzek remains hospitalized at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL, having suffered a broken leg as a result of the collision. Her injuries are not believed to be serious. Buzek’s preliminary hearing for the criminal charges is scheduled for December 30th.

Continue reading "Hoffman Estates, IL, Woman Charged with DUI Following Deadly Chicago Car Accident" »

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Tragedy struck North Lawndale College Preparatory High School on Chicago’s West Side last Friday November 14th as the school lost three of its most promising students. The young men were attending a school-sponsored eight-day retreat at suburban Camp Algonquin in Algonquin, IL. According to reports, the teens launched several paddleboats into the nearby Fox River in the middle of the night. The boats had been winterized and therefore each was missing a cork-sized bottom plug necessary for proper flotation. One of the boats was quick to take on water and capsize. Reports indicate that two boys on the shore attempted rescue and went missing soon thereafter. Ultimately, three boys drowned in the river.

According to the director of the camp, the thirty-one students on the retreat were accompanied by four adult chaperones from the school. The chaperones were asleep when a group of the boys launched six boats into the river. In his investigation of the incident, Sgt. Brett Scroggins of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources reports that the paddleboats had not been securely stored away, but rather left on the ground near the cabins. Fire Department Officials found all six boats along the banks of the river and are still investigating the total number of students that were involved in the tragedy.

The drowning victims, 18 year-old Jimmie Avant, 17 year-old Melvin Choice III, and 16 year-old Adrian Jones, have been described as successful students who planned to attend college. The teens were active in a high school group called Minority Men consisting of about thirty scholastically inclined students who help each other with academic work, travel to visit colleges together, and attend leadership events such as the Algonquin retreat. The successes of these young men is, in part, a reflection of North Lawndale Prep High – a small west side charter school boasting a nearly 100 percent graduation rate. The school has been described as a model of success for charter schools in the City of Chicago. The retreat was run by Vision quest, a national organization devoted to working with teens.

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Gerardo Castillo of Chicago was killed by fumes that were released when some substance was mixed into the chocolate. OSHA and the Chicago Fire Department are investigating the cause of his death and trying to determine the source of the fumes. The investigation may take several weeks

I would encourage the family of Mr. Castillo to retain a knowledgable experienced lawyer to help preserve any evidence. While OSHA may do a thorough job of investigating, because of cut backs they may not have the resources to develop all of the evidence necessary to prosecute a wrongful death claim should some third party company be responsible for the fumes. It might benefit the family if they had their own attorney help look out for their interests.They should retain someone who has more than just workers compensation experience as there my be others that are liable for the injuries that caused his death.

Continue reading "A Chicago worker was exposed to toxic fumes which resulted in his death at a Chicago chocolate factory" »

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The unexpected death of a loved one is a very difficult loss to deal with, and the thought of calling a personal injury attorney during this sorrowful time can seem very distasteful. Most wrongful death cases, however, can be lost or won depending on how soon after the death of your loved one that an investigation into the deadly accident took place.

Chicago Wrongful Death Attorney Joseph G. Klest has represented clients in wrongful death cases for more than 25 years in Chicago and in other cities throughout Illinois. He usually can determine after a brief phone call whether an investigation is warranted immediately or can wait.

The term "wrongful death" is used to describe the death of person who died because another person or party was negligent, careless, or reckless. For example:

* A car, truck, or motorcycle driver was careless on the road and a pedestrian or another motorcycle driver was killed.
* A toddler died after swallowing a magnet that wasn't properly attached to her toy.
* A construction worker dies because the tractor he was driving malfunctioned.
* A mother died during childbirth because the doctor failed to properly monitor her heart.
* An elderly woman died after being brutally beaten by a nurse at an elder care facility.

Damages in Wrongful Death Cases
The death of your loved one can leave surviving family members heartbroken, and while suing the liable party for money can never make up for your loss, your compensation can help you gain some relief and compensation to help you cover your financial costs—especially if the decedent is someone that your family depended on for financial support.

The kinds of wrongful death damages you can claim will depend on your relationship to the decedent. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, husbands, and wives can file wrongful death claims in Illinois, where damages sought can include medical costs and suffering related to your loved one's injuries that led to the wrongful death, loss of financial support, loss of emotional support, loss of companionship, mental trauma, burial/cremation/funeral costs, and punitive damages meant to punish the liable party.

Sometimes, a dispute can arise among surviving family members regarding who is in charge of a wrongful death claim because of estate issues. Mr. Klest has helped resolve this kind of dispute before for many clients in the Chicago area.

At Joseph Klest, Attorney at Law, we provide zealous and personalized representation to all our personal injury clients. Mr. Klest will personally handle your wrongful death case. Not only is he someone that you can talk to, but he will handle your case properly so that you can maximize your return on your settlement.

Mr. Klest has successfully handled many wrongful death lawsuits. He is a Chicago native, and he understands the local jury cultures in Will County, DuPage County, Lake County, and Cook County. He and his team of experts and expert witnesses will work hard to obtain the best outcome possible for you.

To schedule your free consultation with Joseph Klest, Attorney at Law, call us at (630) 529-7848, (312) 527-2779, (847) 969-9510, or contact us online.

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