Malman Law Injury Blog | Chicago Personal Injury Attorney & Accident Lawyer Services

Police Brutality in North Chicago

Friday, February 24, 2012

According to a February 2012 report by WGN.com, a man who allegedly received a beating in June of 2010 while in custody of the North Chicago police department is joining 18 others who are coming forward, alleging that he was a victim of police brutality. The apparent beating was captured by the North Chicago department’s own surveillance cameras in a police interview room. Additionally, the Chcago Tribune reports that since 2005, “at least 10 lawsuits and six other complaints of excessive police force have been filed against North Chicago, including a fatal shooting that prompted the city to pay a settlement of about $1 million.” This wave of police misconduct has lead to the paid suspension of North Chicago police Chief Mike Newsome.

The Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates is astounded by the level of brutality exercised by many police officers while arresting individuals or dealing with the public. Although the majority of police officers are immensely valuable to our society and do a great job keeping us safe, there are always a few police officers who abuse their duty through unjustifiably violent actions.

Police brutality can include excessive physical force, physical assault, verbal abuse, violent threats, false arrests, sexual abuse or assault, intimidation, racial profiling, or other kinds of discrimination by police officers, prison guards, and law enforcement officers or officials. The psychological and emotional trauma that comes from this type of brutality can be severe, especially as law enforcement officers are entrusted with protecting people, not violating or abusing them.

Not only is any kind of violence inflicted by any person wrongful and illegal--but police brutality is a violation of Section 1983 of the Federal Civil Rights Act. Section 1983 allows individuals to sue state actors in state or federal courts for such civil rights violations.

There is no excuse for police brutality or civil rights violations. It is a violation of a person's civil rights. If you feel you have been subjected to police brutality, contact a Chicago personal injury attorney today.

DISCLAIMER:All information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as legal advice. The Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates shall not be liable for any errors or inaccuracies contained herein, or any actions taken in reliance thereon. For more information read our full disclaimer.

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City Council Approves $1.75M Settlement for Malman Law Client

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

It has been a decade since 13 year old Arielle Starks passed away as a result of city paramedics who allegedly botched her emergency care during an asthma attack.

The Chicago Tribune reports, "Paramedics in July 2002 incorrectly inserted a tube meant to help Arielle Starks breathe, said Jeffrey Levine, deputy corporation counsel.

The trip to Advocate Trinity Hospital was delayed for 16 minutes by a crash when another car tried to beat the ambulance through an intersection at 87th Street and Langley Avenue, Levine said. During that period, the girl suffered a heart attack, he added."

After the car accident, Arielle had to be transferred into another ambulance to transport her to the hospital as the ambulance involved in the traffic altercation was not allowed to leave the scene of the accident.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Arielle was declared dead and a doctor discovered that there was en error with the intubation.

Malman Law assembled a team of lawyers that has been working with Arielle Starks' family for several years to help them receive the justice they deserve for their daughter. While no amount of money is able to bring back Arielle or lessen the grief her family feels over their loss, the Malman Law team knows it is important to hold the city accountable for her wrongful death.

Arielle would be 23 this year.

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Railroad Accidents and Injuries Due to Negligence

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

On September 7th, 1893 in a small town near Chicago, twelve lives were lost, and a score of other individuals were seriously injured due to a significant railroad accident. The cause of this catastrophe? Negligence in the workplace. In this situation, a dispatcher gave both a milk train and a passenger train the right of way on a single track at the same time. A New York Times article commented that the baggage car was driven through the smoker “like a bullet through a gun.” This especially dramatic event shows that railroad accidents have been occurring due to negligence for a very long time!

However, although some Chicago railroad injuries can certainly occur in a flash and result in immediate devastation, not all do. Many rail workers develop injuries slowly, over the course of years of service. Strained backs, ligament and soft tissue damage, and exposure to industrial toxins, solvents, and particulate matter can all result in debilitating injuries that can knock even the most experienced workers off the tracks and lead to the accumulation of endless medical bills, suffering and ultimately even death.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration’s Office of Safety Analysis, over the last three years, 1063 accidents have occurred in Chicago to on-duty railroad employees. That is almost one per day, and many of these cases may stem from some form of negligence. In order to ensure that you have the best chance to receive adequate compensation for your suffering from accidents and injuries, it is critical to come forward and begin the legal process as soon as possible after a work injury.

The Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates have tackled a number of cases involving injuries to railroad workers and have worked over 6,000 cases of Illinois personal injury and worker’s compensation since our launch 1994. If you’ve been hurt on the job due to malfunctioning equipment or the carelessness or negligence of fellow workers or foremen, contact one of our railroad accident attorneys, and you may be able to receive money to pay for rehabilitation, lost wages, pain and suffering, and even psychological therapy.

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Illinois Lax on Background Check of Medical Licensing

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Despite the high levels of competency most physicians have, and the high esteem we may have for them, there is a spectrum of quality to consider in the medical profession. Inevitably, some physicians fall on the lower end of this spectrum. To guard against those who are dangerously incompetent, states have regulatory agencies and watchdog groups that monitor physician’s medical licencing and related activities.

However, unlike officials in many states, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation does not regularly check the databank for information about actions taken against the state's physicians according to a recent Chicago Tribune article. The National Practitioner Data Bank, established by federal law, collects it to help identify "problem doctors" and prevent them from moving from state to state.

The article informs us that, “According to the databank, about 215 doctors who have been licensed in Illinois had their clinical privileges revoked or restricted by their hospitals or managed care organizations over a roughly 20-year period, with no apparent action taken by Illinois' licensing authority.”

This lack of diligence clearly poses an immediate threat to the health and safety of Illinois patients.

In fact, the report notes that Illinois' ranking among the states for its rate of serious disciplinary actions taken against physicians has been sliding in recent years, from 12th place in 2006 and 2007 to 20th in 2010, according to a May report by Public Citizen's Health Research Group based on an analysis of data from the Federation of State Medical Boards.

Ohio, on the other hand, has consistently been among the top 10 states in taking serious disciplinary actions against physicians, as the average rate of such actions per 1,000 physicians by the Ohio board has been almost twice that of Illinois' over the last 15 years. This shows that the diligence of regulatory procedures can play a critical role in the health and safety of malpractice victims.

There are clearly a number of physicians with questionable medical licensing operating in Illinois. If you or a loved one have been a victim of Illinois medical malpractice, it is important that you speak with a Chicago medical malpractice attorney right away. Our team has experience dealing with many types of Illinois medical malpractice.

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Medical Error in Cerebral Palsy

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

One of the most devastating experiences that can happen to a child is to suffer from cerebral palsy. Although a child's condition can improve with treatment, there is no cure for cerebral palsy. While some children develop cerebral palsy naturally, there are cases where cerebral palsy is directly caused by the medical error of the physician or another delivery team member during the birth process. When this happens, we at The Law Offices of Steven E. Malman & Associates, P.C. believe that the physician or other medical provider needs to be held accountable for the errors that led to this heartbreaking injury.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a permanent condition that affects a child or infant's central nervous system, negatively affecting muscle coordination and movement. This results in a number of coordination problems, such as ataxia (the inability to perform voluntary movements because of insufficient muscle coordination), spasticity (exaggerated reflexes and tight or stiff muscles), a crouched gait, the dragging of one leg or foot while walking, walking on one's toes, and muscle tone that is too soft or too hard. Symptoms can range from mild to severe.

The following are a few of the mistakes made during delivery that have caused children to be born with cerebral palsy:

Leaving the child in the birth canal too long causing a lack of oxygen to the brain
Failure to recognize and treat seizures following delivery
Failure to detect a prolapsed cord (the umbilical cord can wrap around the child's neck, cutting off oxygen to the brain)
Excessive use of vacuum extraction
Improper use of forceps
Failure to perform a cesarean section in the presence of fetaldistress
Not responding to changes in the fetal heart rate
Failure to plan a C-section (a high birth weight infant could compromise normal, spontaneous, vaginal delivery)
Failure to respond to the mothers changing conditions, such as high blood pressure or toxemia
Failure to timely diagnose and treat jaundice
Failure to timely diagnose and treat meningitis

Proving that a medical error or negligence caused your child's cerebral palsy can be very challenging. However, at the Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates, P.C. our medical malpractice lawyers have the tools, resources, and experience to thoroughly investigate and prove your claim. Our cerebral palsy lawyers’ main goal is that all victims of medical malpractice at birth should be compensated for their injuries.

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Personalized Representation For Wrongful Death Claims

Friday, February 03, 2012

The Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates, P.C. provide wrongful death attorneys in Chicago to help you handle a wrongful death situation as easily as possible.

If you or your family have lost a loved one to wrongful death, it is important to know that The Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates possess highly competent and skilled lawyers capable of helping victims of wrongful death. We have a team of attorneys who are experienced Chicago wrongful death attorneys dedicated in various legal issues. Malman Law is a premier law firm based in Chicago, IL founded in 1994 and headed by Steven J. Malman. Our team of attorneys focuses on providing exceptional legal representation and customer service. Our firm has a strong track record handling wrongful death cases, personal injury cases such as auto accidents, slip and fall accidents, dog bite cases, medical malpractice and more.

Experiencing a death in the family is difficult and can be unnerving. If it was caused by negligence or foul play, it adds an additional level of stress and grief. The Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates fully understands and sympathizes with the family members of the victim. Our well- trained Chicago injury lawyers work hard to give our clients the best chance of receiving the maximum possible benefit. A wrongful death suit is generally brought to the court by close family members of the one who was lost. If the defending party has a stronger representation than the accusing party, it is possible for the accused to walk away without any type of punishment. At The Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates, our Chicago wrongful death attorneys are educated and know the law well enough to provide strong representation of the victim in court and make sure that justice is done.

At The Law Offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates, our personal injury and wrongful death attorneys will do everything to assist you in making your financial future secure. If they are unable to negotiate a compensation for you, their experienced Chicago personal injury attorneys team is bold enough to file a wrongful death suit and prove to a jury why you deserve to be compensated for your loved one's death. In addition to wrongful death cases the law offices of Steven J. Malman & Associates also provides workers compensation lawyer, slip and fall attorneys, railroad accident lawyers, etc.

If you, a loved one or friend have lost someone to wrongful death and are looking for a wrongful death attorney call now at 1-888-625-6265 for a free legal consultation or contact us here.

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