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Recent Blog Posts
Dog Bite Injuries Can Come With Serious Ramifications
In the state of Illinois, one in every three households owns a dog. While dogs are known as our loyal friends, they actually can be quite dangerous. In 2016 alone, 31 Americans were killed by dog bites. While the amount of fatal dog attacks remains fairly low, dog bite injuries are quite common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 800,000 Americans are hospitalized for dog bites each year. If you or are a family member are bitten by a dog, it is important to contact medical personnel as quickly as possible.
The True Impact of a Dog Bite
While the vast majority of dog bite wounds heal within a matter of weeks, some injuries can be incredibly severe and even fatal.
Injuries to Children: Due to their small stature and inability to recognize behavioral cues, small children face increased risk of severe injury in dog attacks. Approximately 42% of all Americans killed by dog bites in 2016 were children nine years of age or younger. Additionally, infants between the ages of three and six days old made up 31% of all fatal dog bite victims. If your young children are in the presence of a dog, it is crucial to keep a watchful eye.
Receiving Workers’ Compensation Payments for On the Job Injuries
Every year, thousands of American workers suffer serious injuries while at work. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), approximately 5,190 American workers lost their lives in on-the-job accidents in 2016 alone. The vast majority of workplace injuries are non-fatal, but they can come with monumental financial implications, including chronic pain or disabilities that impact one’s ability to continue working and earning an income.
Fortunately, with the help of a quality legal team, people that suffer injuries or contract illnesses while at work can receive benefits in the form of workers’ compensation. Below, we discuss some common workplace injuries, some of the nation’s most dangerous fields, and facts about workers’ compensation in the state of Illinois.
The Long-Term Implications of Emotional Abuse Among the Elderly
To this day, elder abuse continues to be one of the greatest medical catastrophes throughout the United States. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), as many as one in every 10 people in the U.S. over the age of 65 face some type of elder abuse, while roughly five million elderly Americans are abused each year.
Elder abuse is defined as any form of physical, sexual, or emotional harm conducted against an elderly person. The most common perpetrators of elder abuse include assisted-living facility workers, medical personnel, and family members. Despite the extensive research conducted on the impacts of elder abuse, we still have a limited understanding of the long-term impacts of emotional abuse against an elderly person.
Emotional abuse is defined as abuse coming in the form of verbal attacks, harassment, or threats of future physical attacks. While emotional abuse does not come with the easily noticeable symptoms of physical abuse, such as skin lacerations or bruising, substantial changes in behavior can be a sign that this type of abuse has occurred. If you believe that an elderly family member is facing abuse, it may be time to seek out legal representation.
Preventing Depression and Abuse Among Your Elderly Loved Ones
After recent studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical experts found that elderly Americans are at an increased risk of depression when compared to other age demographics. For many older people, depression symptoms may be a sign of something more: elder abuse. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), roughly one in every ten Americans over the age of sixty have faced some form of elder abuse.
Elder abuse can range from physical harm, financial exploitation, or emotional abuse, to even sexual misconduct. If your elderly loved one lives in an assisted-living facility, they may be facing an increased risk of suffering nursing home abuse. Maintaining a strong relationship with your elderly loved one can help you identify common symptoms of elder abuse.
Fall Injuries Are Among the Biggest Concerns for Elderly Americans
Every eleven seconds, an elderly American is hospitalized due to a fall injury, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA). Fall injuries are now the sole leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among Americans over the age of sixty five. Throughout American hospitals, an average of 2.8 million people are treated after suffering severe injuries due to falls on an annual basis. Equally concerning is the fact that fall injuries alone account for an average of more than 27,000 deaths each year.
While fall injuries are concerning for all Americans, elderly men and women are among those who face a higher risk of suffering severe injuries due to falling. Recent studies concluded that falls account for roughly 87% of all bone fractures among those over the age of sixty five. If you or a loved one suffer a fall injury, contacting a competent personal injury attorney can be critical in receiving the help and legal guidance you deserve.
Elder Abuse Could Be on the Rise Nationwide
When families elect to place their elderly loved ones in the care of medical professionals at a nursing home facility, they are putting their trust in the hands of the caretakers, doctors, and staff at the facility. Unfortunately, elder abuse is far more common nationwide than most Americans would like to assume. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), as many as five million elderly Americans face some form of abuse each year.
The NCOA defines elder abuse as any form of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse inflicted upon an older adult. Elder abuse continues to be a problem throughout the United States, in large part due to the fact that many of the cases go unnoticed by family members and are never taken to the proper authorities. In fact, one study estimated that less than 10% of all nursing home abuse cases are reported to police. If a member of your family has been abused by medical personnel, contacting a knowledgeable elderly abuse attorney can help your family find the answers and justice you deserve.
Drunk Driving Accidents Are a Continual Concern Across the U.S.
Early this June, a Chicago area rideshare passenger was fatally injured when the vehicle he was traveling in was struck by a drunk driver. The crash was caused when the impaired driver drifted into the other lane and collided head-on with the rideshare vehicle. In all, three victims suffered severe injuries, and one victim ultimately did not survive. The accident is yet another reminder of the on-going dangers of drunk driving.
Throughout the United States, roughly 29 people die in motor vehicle collisions involving alcohol impairment every single day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 10,497 Americans died in alcohol related motor vehicle collisions in 2016 alone. If you or a member of your family is injured by a drunk driver in a motor vehicle collision, you should be sure to understand your options for recovering compensation from the person who caused your injuries.
Recognizing and Preventing Elder Abuse
Roughly one in ten Americans over the age of 60 face regular forms of abuse. Elder abuse, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), can come in forms of overt physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, but also in the form of neglect. Elderly Americans are frequently victims of abuse due to their unique living situations. At senior living facilities, victims often suffer from social isolation, and they can also be more susceptible to abuse due to dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other health issues.
What Can You Do?
In many cases, nursing home abuse can be hard to detect, especially if a senior is afraid to talk about mistreatment by a staff member. Still, there are a few things you can do to help limit the likelihood of your loved one facing elder abuse:
Recovering Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries
This May, a North Chicago woman suffered a traumatic and violent injury when she was bitten by a neighbor’s dog. The attack happened rapidly according to the victim, who was quickly rushed to the emergency room in the aftermath of the incident. The injuries were severe, as the dog jumped up to bite the woman’s face. The victim suffered serious injuries to her face and mouth requiring stitches and emergency medical attention, and she lost a substantial amount of her lip in the incident.
The victim is now stable and healthy, but the ramifications of her injury could be lifelong. She now faces medical bills, loss of work hours, and emotional trauma, which is all too common in the aftermath of dog bite injuries.
Dog Bites Throughout the United States
Severe Hip Injuries Continue to Impact Senior Citizens
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 300,000 Americans over the age of 65 are hospitalized due to a severe hip injury each year. As one reaches an advanced age, the severity of a hip injury increases exponentially. Even a standard hip fracture can bring on serious and even life-threatening complications to those over the age of 65. In almost all cases, hip fractures require surgery and months of laborious physical therapy.
For senior citizens, hip fractures can occur anywhere, but they are almost always brought on by a fall. The CDC estimates that more than 95% of all hip fracture injuries to those above the age of 65 occur due to falling. In many cases, these falls can occur because of negligence, such as icy or wet sidewalks outside an establishment or neglect by a nursing home staff member.
From our office in Plainfield, Illinois, we serve clients in Will County, DuPage County, Kendall County, Kane County, Joliet, Naperville, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Aurora, Lemont, Crest Hill, Shorewood, Lockport, Woodridge, Wheaton, Oswego, Yorkville, Homer Glen, Lisle, and surrounding communities.
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