According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the daily number of calls to poison centers increased sharply at the beginning of March for exposures to cleaners and disinfectants (well before the President’s televised comments on April 23, 2020).  A large percentage of the calls included exposures among children. Data from the IPC shows increases of exposure in children, adolescents, and adults when compared with 2019 data. It is incumbent on consumers to be careful with the purchase, storage, and use of all products brought into the home. This includes products used in the yard, those used for motor vehicles as well as common household cleaners. One type of product which has gained a lot of recent attention is the dishwasher and/or laundry detergent “pods”, which often look like a toy or may even appear edible to children.  Even prescriptions and over the counter medications can also be abused […]

The Illinois Department of Transportation notes that there were 165 pedestrian fatalities in 2018. Over the course of this year, even with a statewide lockdown as a result of Covid-19 through May 17, 2020, 46 folks have been killed as pedestrians on the roadways. The numbers are much, much higher when omitting deaths and only counting injuries. Illinois laws governing the rights of pedestrians are contained in statutes and developed further through lawsuits that have been ruled upon by judges in the Courts of the State of Illinois. These laws help determine our responsibilities as we walk to and from our car, to the store or to our friend’s house. Pedestrians should always cross streets in a marked crosswalk or where a crosswalk would logically exist (corner to corner). We should always look both ways before stepping into a street and of course, follow the commands of traffic signals. When […]

Here in Illinois, there are approximately 12,720,000 residents (2018) with 4,477,763 registered automobiles, or one automobile for every 2.8 residents, including children! That means there are a lot of cars being driven by a lot of people, every hour of every day. The State of Illinois requires that to lawfully operate a motor vehicle, you must have auto liability insurance. “Liability insurance” refers to insurance to protect you in case you cause injury or property damage to another person. Although there are various coverages and amounts of coverage available, many people choose to purchase insurance policies with smaller amounts of coverage in order to pay lower premiums. Some people even still drive without any coverage, in violation of the law. In Illinois, the law requires that drivers maintain liability coverage of at least $25,000.00 per person/$50,000.00 per occurrence. This can be most easily understood as follows: an insured driver with $25,000/$50,000.00 […]

To our valued clients, friends and colleagues: Although we are all experiencing difficulties and challenges as a result of the Coronavirus and the necessary safety measures, please know that Cohen and Bodo will continue to aggressively advance the interests of our clients. We understand that you may have questions about the effects the current restrictions may have on pending cases. As to those claims which are not filed in court, we expect to continue to prosecute these cases with the insurance companies online and by telephone. Although we have no control over the manner in which insurance carriers handle their staffing during this crisis, negotiations should proceed without significant delay in the short term and our attorneys continue to work diligently in an effort to resolve these cases expeditiously. We will of course continue to keep you up to date on an individual basis.   As to those cases already […]

Over the past four years, our attorneys have helped hundreds of injured men, women and children and their family members through some very difficult times. Over that same period, our firm has recovered in excess of $2,000,000.00 on behalf of our injured clients. We have proved successful in negotiating the majority of our cases without the need for litigation, but in those cases where litigation was required, we have also enjoyed success – our attorneys even won an appeal, which reversed a lower court’s earlier dismissal of the client’s case and ultimately led to a six-figure settlement. We are proud of the fact that we continue to receive many case referrals from former clients, as well as from legal and medical professionals with whom we have worked over the years. We are grateful for the support of our community, our clients and our families.

Teen driving continues to be the number one cause of death of teens. Are graduated licenses and distracted driving laws cutting down on teen accidents and deaths? The latest detailed data is from 2014. Teens accounted for 7% of deaths caused by car accidents, and 9% of all serious injuries. Any injury that prevents the victim from performing their day to day activities are considered serious injuries. These include things like severe cuts, concussions, internal injuries, and broken bones. Deaths There were 67 teen fatalities caused by car accidents in the state of Illinois in 2014. Nearly half, 30, were driving at the time of the accident. 29 were occupants of vehicles, and seven of the deaths were pedestrians. Over half of the teens killed as passengers were riding with another teen, and teens contribute to about 17% of all passenger car accident fatalities. Injuries 622 teen drivers were injured in car crashes […]

Motorcycles represent only three percent of U.S. vehicle registrations, but motorcycle fatalities make up more than 16 percent of all vehicle fatalities in the country. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 80 percent of motorcycle accidents result in serious injuries or death. Illinois Motorcycle Accident Statistics In 2014, Illinois motorcycle accidents accounted for 1.2 percent of total crashes, 13.7 percent of fatal crashes, and 4.0 percent of injury crashes. According to statistics, half of motorcycle rider fatalities occurred in crashes that did not involve another vehicle. In crashes with other vehicles, 40 percent of motorcycle drivers tested positive for alcohol and needed a Chicago accident attorney for personal injuries. In an effort to reduce motorcycle injuries and fatalities, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association (IMDA) have joined together to promote motorcycle safety. Riders are urged to attend free motorcycle training classes to brush up on […]

When a patient goes in for surgery, they are literally putting their life in the hands of the surgeons. Unfortunately, there are many instances of surgeons operating on the wrong side of the body. The consequences of these mistakes can be devastating. Deborah Craven went in for surgery to have a rib removed. When it was discovered that the surgeons had removed the wrong rib and left surgical coils in her body, they lied to cover up their mistake. They told Mrs. Craven she needed another surgery because they failed to remove all of the rib in the first surgery. She is currently engaged in filing a lawsuit with the help of a medical malpractice lawyer. Mrs. Craven had to undergo an unnecessary surgery due to the mistake, but many victims have much worse consequences. Regina Turner went into surgery for a left side craniotomy bypass, because she was suffering […]

A recent study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that 85,000 children under the age of five are unintentionally poisoned every year. More than three-quarters of these poisonings occur in the home from common medications or cleaning products that are used in the home. Most Common Products Responsible for Poisonings The CPSC study identified the top ten products associated based on emergency room-treated unintentional pediatric poisonings: Blood pressure medications Acetaminophen Anti-depressants Bleach Narcotic medications Laundry packets Ibuprofen Unknown Diphenhydramine Sedatives and anti-anxiety medications Poison Prevention Poisoning Act In 1972, Congress passed the Poison Prevention Poisoning Act (PPPA). This legislation required that 30 categories of hazardous products be packaged in special packaging to prevent access by children. Child-resistant caps that are used on medicines and cleaning product bottles originated from this legislation. Before PPPA was implemented, child fatalities dropped to 32 a year from 216 from unintentional poisonings. Newest Unintentional […]

It’s a bright, sunny day, but there’s one drawback: it’s very cold. The road looks normal, perhaps just a bit wet or shiny in places. But that’s not the case. The deceivingly wet-looking road surface is actually hiding something far more sinister. It is known as black ice. Ordinarily, when a roadway looks slick, it’s a pretty safe bet that it is just that. With black ice, this is one of Winter’s worst hazards. This ice is transparent, making it difficult to gauge if the road is slippery until the vehicle moves over it. Black ice FAQs Black ice develops when warm air comes into contact with a frozen roadway whose air temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less at its surface. The cold surface causes any precipitation to freeze, thereby creating the ice. It also occurs when snow refreezes, rain freezes in the atmosphere, or if sleet falls onto the road’s surface. When […]