For many people, the worst thing they can imagine is the death of a loved one. Even if a person dies of natural causes at the end of a long life, family members may struggle with grief and sorrow as they deal with this loss. However, an untimely death can be much worse, and in addition to dealing with the emotional fallout, family members may also experience significant financial difficulties. In cases where a person was killed because of someone else’s actions, their loved ones may pursue a wrongful death lawsuit, and they will need to understand the types of compensation that they may be able to receive.

Damages Available in Wrongful Death Claims

Under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, a person’s spouse and next of kin (which may include their children or other dependents who relied on the person for financial support) may pursue compensation from the person or party who was responsible for their loved one’s death. A wrongful death lawsuit may seek multiple types of damages, including:

• Lost income and benefits - If the deceased person was one of the primary income earners for a family, the loss of this income may cause significant difficulties for their spouse and children. The survivors may seek compensation for the income that the person would have been expected to earn throughout their natural lifetime, as well as any related benefits, such as health insurance or retirement savings.

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Residents of Illinois nursing homes have long faced challenges in getting the standard of care they are entitled to by law. High staff turnover, low pay, overcrowded rooms, inadequate staffing, and other cost-cutting measures put stress on staff and place residents at risk of nursing home abuse and neglect. Recently, some of these challenges have been explored by the Illinois Senate Health Committee, which last month weighed in on a new payment structure meant to incentivize better staffing and quality of care. 

Poor Payment Structure Leads to Adverse Outcomes

Many fear that Illinois’ current payment model continues to allow Medicaid dollars to essentially fund profits for facility owners while allowing low regulatory compliance and underpaid and overworked staff. In turn, this leads to lower standards of care for residents with serious consequences for their health and well-being. Although it remains to be seen whether Illinois will improve its payment models and successfully incentivize better standards of care, in the meantime, Illinois residents with loved ones in nursing homes should be familiar with common types of nursing home neglect and abuse. 

Injuries Caused by Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect in Illinois

It may be painful to think about a loved elder being abused or neglected, but being on the alert for signs of abuse or neglect can help stop it from happening and could even prevent it in the future. Some of the most common issues that affect nursing home residents include: 

People who are injured while on the job may experience multiple issues that affect their ability to continue working, as well as their overall health and well-being. Fortunately, workers’ compensation benefits are available for those who have suffered work-related injuries. While workers’ comp claims may be focused on disability benefits that address a person’s loss of income due to a work injury, an injured worker can also receive medical benefits. By understanding the types of coverage provided and the steps they should take following a work injury, a person can make sure they will be able to receive the proper medical care that will fully address the ways their injuries have affected them.

Workers’ Compensation Medical Benefits

An employer is responsible for paying for all medical treatment necessary to address a work-related injury and ensure that a worker can recover as much as possible. In addition to receiving first aid or emergency treatment following a workplace accident, an employee can also receive medical benefits that pay for ongoing treatment. This may include visits to doctors or specialists, surgery, physical therapy, medications, chiropractic treatment, and assistive devices such as prosthetics or wheelchairs.

Following a work injury, a person can protect their right to receive medical benefits for workers’ compensation by seeking medical care as soon as possible. By informing medical providers that an injury is work-related, this will ensure that the providers will bill the person’s employer for the care provided. An employee should also notify their employer of the date and circumstances of their injury and the name and address of the doctor or medical facility where they received treatment.

Even though fall accidents may seem like minor incidents, they can result in multiple types of serious injuries. A person who slips on a wet floor or trips over an obstacle can suffer bone fractures in the wrists, ankles, knees, or hips, traumatic brain injuries when they strike their head on the ground, spinal cord injuries, or dislocations in joints such as the shoulders or knees. When slip and fall accidents take place at a retail store, victims should be sure to understand when the store’s owner may be held liable for their injuries.

Property Owner Negligence and Premises Liability

Property owners must take reasonable steps to protect customers’ safety or anyone else who was invited to visit the property. This responsibility also extends to a tenant who is in control of property, including stores that lease space where they conduct business. An owner’s responsibility is known as a “duty of care,” and it requires them to correct any hazards that may endanger the safety of visitors or ensure that customers are warned about the potential risks that they may face due to these hazards.

There are multiple ways that a store owner may violate their duty of care, including:

While all types of motor vehicle collisions can be dangerous, those involving trains can be especially deadly. Due to the massive size and momentum of trains, any other vehicles involved in these types of collisions are likely to suffer extreme damage, and drivers and passengers may experience severe bodily harm or fatal injuries. Many train accidents occur at railroad crossings, and in these cases, those who have been struck by a train will need to understand who was responsible for their injuries and their options for pursuing compensation for their injuries.

Causes of Railroad Crossing Accidents

When a vehicle or pedestrian is struck by a train at a railroad crossing, multiple parties may be at fault, including:

• A railroad company - A collision may be caused by the negligence of a train operator, such as the failure to brake properly or use a horn to warn that a train is approaching a crossing. The company that employed the train operator may be held liable for the operator’s negligence. A railroad company may also be liable for accidents that occurred because it did not properly maintain equipment, such as the brakes or couplings on a train or the rails or switching equipment on a railroad. A railroad company is also responsible for maintaining safety equipment at railroad crossings, such as gates, lights, and signals, and a company may be liable for accidents that occurred because of faulty equipment.

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