This case is about an adult that placed an 8-years old uncommunicative child in a tub of scalping hot water, causing injuries that resulted in the child’s death. On March 25, 2015 defendant, U., was assigned by her employer to provide in-home care services to A., an eight-year old child. A. could not talk or communicate verbally because of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, a genetic disorder, from which he suffered since birth.
U. was in our client’s home and ran hot water into the bathtub in order to give the child a bath. U. placed the child in the bathtub and turned her attention to other matters while A. sat in the tub of scalding hot water. When U. returned her attention to the child, she saw the bath water was burning A. and pulled him out of the tub. A. had severe burns that resulted in his death on April 20, 2015.
Negligence Case
Settlement: $3,000,000.00
Initial Defendant’s Offer: $500,000.00
Names would not be disclosed for privacy reasons.
Client O.V.
Inadequate security blamed for nightclub patron’s eye loss.
Verdict: $2,000,000.00
On the night of Sept. 8, 2012, our client was a customer at club/restaurant when a fight broke out between two female customers inside the club sometime after 2:30 am. Our client contended two bouncers stood by during the fight and did nothing, causing the fight to continue for several minutes and escalate. Meanwhile, another customer sitting at the bar, who had refused to give up his glass when the fight started, subsequently hurled the glass toward the crowd. The glass struck the right side of our client’s face and shattered. Our client suffered lacerations over his right eyelids and right eye – cutting the eye in half, rupturing the eye globe, and expelling the internal contents. As a result, he underwent enucleation to remove the eye and now wears an ocular prosthesis.
Defendant’s offer: $200,000.00
Fernando M. Bustamante of The Romaker Law Firm got a verdict for $2,000,000.00
Client F.B.
Negligence Case
Settlement: $475,000.00
Initial Defendant’s Offer: $75,000.00
On January 21, 2014 at about 10:00 a.m., our client F.B. was operating a lavatory pick-up truck for his employer, on the ramp near gate G18 of Terminal 3 in the O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. F.B. was assigned to service aircraft that arrived on Concourse G from Gates G2 to G20. F.B. was driving in a southerly direction on the ramp, when he stopped his vehicle to check whether there was an aircraft at gate G20 that he had to service. As he was stopped, another worker, who was operating a tug pulling one baggage cart turned in a northbound direction toward F.B.’s stopped vehicle. The ramp was wet and slippery with snow and ice and glycol, a de-icing agent used by American Eagle to remove ice from its aircraft. As Roland turned and proceeded in a northerly direction, the baggage cart he was towing swung toward F.B.’s truck and crashed into the lower part of his truck just behind the driver’s door. The impact threw F.B.’s left shoulder and head into the driver’s door and window, then back toward the passenger side of the truck and finally back into the back rest of his seat. As a result, our client sustained a cerebral concussion, and injuries to the left shoulder and lower back.
Client J.L.
Truck Accident
Settlement: $450,000.00
Initial Defendant’s Offer: $0
This matter arises from a motor vehicle collision that took place on January 18, 2012 at or about 11:30 a.m. in Chicago, Illinois. Our client J.L. was driving a 2008 Hino Conventional flatbed tow truck southbound on Interstate 94 near Milwaukee Avenue when he came to a complete stop due to backed up traffic in front of his vehicle. The defendant was driving a 2001 Mack Ch Series semi-tractor trailer. He was on his way to Pontiac, Illinois with a load of refuse that he was going to deliver to the Livingston Landfill when he entered southbound I-94 at Division Street and proceeded to merge into the far right lane of traffic without slowing down.
Although the traffic in the lane immediately to the left of the lane from which the defendant was merging into I-94 was at a standstill ahead of his semi-tractor trailer, he was travelling at 30 mph. When he entered the right lane of traffic and started to slow down he was 50 to 60 feet away from J.L.’s vehicle and travelling too fast to be able to bring his truck to a complete stop before colliding with our client’s vehicle. As a result, the defendants’ semi-tractor trailer rear ended J.L.’s tow truck at or about 30 mph. The force of the impact violently pushed J.L.’s tow truck forward into the rear of the box truck in front of him which was also stopped in traffic.
As a result of the collision, J.L. suffered severe injuries to the lumbar spine and developed left leg radiculopathy which later required a lumbar laminectomy and subsequent surgery to clear an infection that developed in the surgical wound.
Client D.A.
Construction Negligence
Settlement: $435,000.00
Initial Defendant’s Offer: $200,000.00
This case arises from a fall off scaffolding that was assembled in order to install thin brick on an exterior wall. The plaintiff sustained bi-lateral patellar fractures requiring open reductions and internal fixations. He also sustained a transverse fracture of C-1 and a compression fracture of T-3 requiring that he be fitted with a halo brace and vest.
Client R.O.
Settlement: $350,000.00
Workers’ Compensation
Lumbar spine injury by lifting at work
There were two 50 gallon barrels, which were filled half way with copper lugs. Each barrel weighed approximately around 300- 400 lb. The owner wanted to lift a barrel to empty out another one. Thus, our client went to lift the barrel instead, with another employee. When they went to lift the barrel from the bottom, Our client felt pressure on his back. The next day the client was in a lot of pain, when trying to stand up he was unable to because of the pain and began walking around hunched over.
Client M.R.
Settlement: $275,000.00
Workers’ Compensation
Slip and fall at work
M.R., a 55-years old female that works in the custodial services through Aramark at the Q Center in Sta. Charles fir 14 years, got injured at work on July 21, 2013. When she was vacuuming, a cord got wrapped around her and fell on the ground. She was taken to Delnor Hospital where they saw a bruise and her nerves were crooked. She also injured her left shoulder.
Client M.D.
Workers’ Compensation
Settlement: $250,000.00
Client sustained a work related injury to her low back and head on April 20, 2015. She slipped on oil during food preparation process landing flat on her back causing low back pain. She was taken to by ambulance to Community First Medical center, who diagnosed M.D. with a low back injury.
Client M.
Settlement: $175,000.00
Nursing Home Neglect
The Estate of M. has brought a multi-count complaint against the nursing home he was staying at based upon nursing home neglect and abuse. At the time of his initial admission to the nursing home on November 3, 2008, our client did not have any decubitus (pressure) ulcers; and further did not suffer from any of the following conditions: dehydration; malnutrition; pneumonia; respiratory failure; renal failure; cellulitis; urinary tract infections; renal failure or sepsis.
Our client rapidly deteriorated while a resident at the nursing home in 2008, 2009 and 2010. During this time, while a resident of the defendant’s facility, he suffered from the following: multiple falls (3 separate falls); multiple contusions; multiple decubitus (pressure) ulcers covering his body, with multiple areas of eschar and necrotic tissue, along with infectious and parasitic diseases requiring debridement; cellulitis; renal failure; severe dehydration; urinary tract infections; pneumonia; acute respiratory failure; respiratory distress; cellulitis of the penile area; pernicious anemia; malnutrition.
The records from the nursing home demonstrate that our client did not receive proper treatment to prevent decubitus ulcers, and to promote the healing of decubitus ulcers. He did not receive proper hydration and nutrition as evidenced by the fact that he suffered from severe dehydration and malnutrition. His foley catheter and genital area weren’t kept clean as evidenced by the fact that he developed multiple decubitus ulcers on his scrotum and penis along with excoriation of the scrotum.
Client S.G.
Workers’ compensation
Settlement: $150,000.00
Back, right shoulder injury caused by lifting.
The client suffered injuries to his back and right shoulder by lifting heavy concrete pieces – Weighing more than 100 lbs. S.G. and his coworkers had to cut out trenches for new pipes in floor of school in Northlake. They cut it out and had to lift the pieces onto a cart to move them. As a result, our client injured his low back and right shoulder lifting a large piece of concrete to put it on the cart.
Client D.M.
Slip and Fall
Settlement: $120,000.00
Initial Defendant’s Offer: $25,000.00
This case arises from a fall that took place at the front entrance/exit to the defendant’s building at 15 Spinning Wheel Road in Hinsdale, Illinois. The client sustained a non-displaced fracture of the left fibula and a deranged left knee. The fractured left fibula was casted and healed without complications. Thereafter, the plaintiff underwent arthroscopic surgery in the left knee to correct a medial meniscal tear.
Client B.G.
Bicycle Accident
Settlement: $60,000.00
Initial Defendant’s Offer: $15,000.00
This case arises from a bicyclist/motor vehicle collision that took place in the early morning hours of December 6, 2012. The client was riding his bicycle eastbound on the south sidewalk of Walton Street near its intersection with Michigan Avenue. He was headed to work at the Hilton Suites and was on his way to the hotel’s employee entrance located on East Walton Place. As B.G. approached Michigan Avenue, the light for northbound and southbound traffic on Michigan Avenue was green so he stopped on the sidewalk before entering the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Walton Street and waited for the light to change. The intersection of Michigan Avenue and Walton Street was well lit, the roadway was dry and had no defects. When the light for Michigan Avenue traffic turned to red and the light for westbound Walton Street traffic turned to green, B.G. started to cross Michigan Avenue riding his bicycle in the pedestrian crosswalk and with the walk light on. At the same time, the defendant who was driving a 2010 Toyota Camry taxicab westbound on Walton Street was going to make a left turn onto southbound Michigan Avenue. B.G. was about half-way across the southbound lanes of Michigan Avenue when the defendant failed to yield the right of way to a bicyclist on the crosswalk and struck plaintiff on the left leg and hip knocking him down to the pavement and onto the right side of his body.