Cook County Wrongful Death Law Blog

National Work Zone Awareness Week

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Work-Related Deaths on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

Illinois residents know that spring means the start of a busy road construction season. It can seem like every road around the state has some kind of construction going on with it. Drivers in Illinois need to understand the importance of driving safely as these construction workers have a dangerous job.

National Work Zone Awareness Week is upon us in Illinois. The Illinois State Patrol and construction workers are asking Illinois drivers to drive carefully in construction zones. They want drivers to drive like they work in the construction zones and picture themselves as the construction workers. Illinois State Patrol will be increasing patrols in construction zones and using speed vans with cameras to catch drivers who are breaking the law. Construction workers are also urging drivers to not engage in distracted driving.

Most wrong-way drivers in Illinois are impaired

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, April 11, 2019.

There are many families in the Cook County area that have been affected by a serious car accident. Many of these accidents could have been prevented and are due to a driver's negligence. Whether the driver is texting and driving, driving while intoxicated, speeding or engaging in other dangerous activity, these car accidents can have been prevented.

The Illinois Department of Transportation issued a statement saying that the majority of wrong-way crashes in Illinois are caused by impaired drivers. This past week an Illinois State Trooper was killed by a wrong-way driver who was believed to have been intoxicated. In 2018, there were 95 wrong-way crashes in Illinois, with 30 occurring in Cook County. Sixty percent of these accidents were caused by impaired drivers. A new state law that went into effect on January 1 made it a felony to drive drunk the wrong way on Illinois roads. In addition, the Department of Transportation is investing millions to improve safety on the roads, including adding reflective strips, signs and pavement markers.

Man killed in hit-and-run accident in the Dunning area

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

Many Cook County residents understand the importance of safe driving. Paying attention to their surroundings and not engaging in distracted driving are what most drivers do when they're out and about on our area roads. But, occasionally a serious car accident occurs because of another person's negligence.

A man was recently killed in the Northwest Side by a hit-and-run driver. The man was driving on North Oak Park Avenue when another driver went through a red light on Addison Street and hit his car. The victim was taken to Lutheran General Hospital and died a few days later. The driver who hit him left the scene by foot and no arrests have been made yet. Police are still investigating the crash.

Illinois lawmakers grapple with understaffed nursing homes

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Nursing Home Deaths on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is not an easy one for most Chicago residents. It can be stressful when a loved one is no longer able to care for themselves and needs to be in a facility that can help them. Family members can feel guilty about their decision and will want their loved one to go to the best possible place. Most of the time nursing homes are safe. But, occasionally these facilities can be understaffed, and unexpected injuries or even deaths can occur.

Lawmakers in Illinois are tackling the serious problem of understaffed nursing homes. Nursing homes are being forced to transfer patients to hospitals because the nursing homes are so understaffed. This has been referred to as "hospital dumping" and many times these patients would be fine in the nursing home if it were properly staffed. State House committee members have advanced a bill that would prevent nursing homes from operating without appropriate staff and involuntarily transferring their residents to a hospital.

Man charged in deadly Cook County car accident

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, March 21, 2019.

Most Cook County residents understand the importance of driving safely. Many believe it is unacceptable to drive negligently. Whether a driver engages in texting while driving, checking their social media account, driving drunk, or any other dangerous activity, it could lead to a serious car accident.

A recent accident in Oak Park has led to the death of a woman. A man driving an SUV ran a red light at Ridgeland Ave. and South Boulevard. He proceeded to hit another car. The driver of the car that was hit and her passenger were taken to Loyola University Medical Center. The driver was pronounced dead a short time later, while her passenger was listed in critical condition. The driver of the SUV was arrested and has been charged with reckless homicide and driving under the influence.

Factors to consider when choosing an in-home care provider

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Injuries on Monday, March 18, 2019.

Perhaps you're in need of daily living assistance because you're recovering from surgery or an injury and are not yet able to function independently. Maybe you're in excellent health but are concerned about an aging parent who is still capable of carrying out minor tasks but needs assistance for more complicated issues, such as preparing meals or going grocery shopping as well as keeping medications organized and correctly dispensed.

A person might need added support without needing full-out nursing home care. Thankfully, many quality in-home care providers in Illinois can fill the gap and offer much-needed assistance to those who are, for whatever reason, incapable of 100 percent independent living. There are pros and cons to in-home care, including a risk of worker negligence that places a patient at risk for injury.

Driver charged in fatal hit-and-run accident

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Car Accidents on Friday, March 15, 2019.

Cook County area residents understand that there can be hazards wherever they go. Sometimes these hazards are caused by other people's negligence. No one ever thinks they will be killed in an unexpected accident due to another person's negligence, but unfortunately these situations can sometimes not be avoided.

A Northlake man was recently killed in a hit-and-run crash. The man was outside when he was struck by a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead soon after. The driver of the Jeep drove off but police were able to locate him recently. He was arrested and charged with aggravated driving under the influence and reckless homicide.

St. Francis Hospital found guilty of medical malpractice

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Medical Malpractice on Thursday, March 7, 2019.

Most Cook County area residents will need to visit the hospital in their lifetime. A hospital is an important community institution, treating millions of sick and injured people each year. Most of the time a hospital helps their patients feel better, but occasionally a hospital causes unexpected serious injuries to a patient.

A woman's family recently won a lawsuit against OSF Healthcare St. Francis Hospital. The woman was a patient at the hospital where she was to undergo a surgery a surgery to remove her pacemaker. The family believed the new surgical procedure was rushed by the hospital and lead to her death. During the laser surgery, the woman's heart and blood vessels were perforated. She suffered extensive blood loss and died in the hospital. The family was awarded $2.5 million for their tremendous loss.

Teenager struck by car in Downers Grove dies

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, February 28, 2019.

Many people in the Cook County area walk to their destinations. There are many forms of transportation that Illinois area residents use, including walking to the train station, their home or other destination. Most of the time pedestrians are able to safely share the road with vehicles, but occasionally a serious accident occurs. A fatal accident recently occurred in Downers Grove.

A teenage girl who attended Downers Grove High School died after injuries she suffered from being hit by a car while she crossed Main Street in Downers Grove. The girl was struck in the Grant Street crosswalk by a car that drove through a red light and crossed into oncoming traffic lanes and struck the girl. She was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital where her family made the agonizing decision days later to remove her from life support. The driver has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI.

Common hospital medical mistakes

On behalf of Kent Lucaccioni of Kent M. Lucaccioni, Ltd. posted in Medical Malpractice on Thursday, February 21, 2019.

Most Cook County area residents will be admitted to the hospital in their lifetime. Hospitals are important places in order to help critically injured and sick patients feel better. Most of the time patients are able to get better while they are in the hospital. But, occasionally an unexpected hospital error occurs that leads to a patient suffering unexpected injuries or even death.

There are many common hospital injuries that can happen to a patient. Medication errors are one of the most common hospital errors. A prescription may be illegible and a patient may be given the wrong dosage or medication altogether. Or a patient may be given the wrong dosage or a medication that has an adverse reaction to other drugs they are taking. Another mistake that can happen in a hospital is not making the right medical diagnosis.