Dan Churney News
Appeals court says no proof Chicago cops blocked exit door in deadly 2003 E2 nightclub stampede
An Illinois appeals panel has upheld a Cook County judge's ruling, which cleared Chicago police of causing the deaths of patrons by preventing them from leaving the E2 nightclub in Chicago during a stampede there in 2003 that took 21 lives and injured more than 50.
Sheriff seeks to throw out officers' Cook County court suit over Merit Board's makeup, says Board is now legit
Even as he seeks to dismiss a similar case in Chicago's federal court, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is also aiming to pop a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court in which seven sheriff's officers have asked for their disciplinary cases to be tossed because the sheriff's disciplinary board was improperly seated. The sheriff contends the board is now properly constituted and at any rate, the previously improper panel never disciplined the officers, much less even heard the officer's cases, he has asserted.
Verdict much lower, but AbbVie wants $3.2M award tossed in second testosterone class action test trial
North Chicago-based drugmaker AbbVie is resisting what it is calling a jury's “confused and inconsistent” $3.2 million verdict, after the company lost a second trial in Chicago federal court – one in which it was ordered to pay $147 million less than the first trial – over a man’s claims AbbVie allegedly failed to warn its product AndroGel could bring on a heart attack.
Borrowers claim M&T Bank, Stearns Lending improperly collected 'hundreds of millions' in interest
A pair of putative class actions now pending in Cook County courts accuse M&T Bank and Stearns Lending of improperly soaking up hundreds of millions of dollars in mortgage interest after principals were paid, by substituting their own “misleading” notice forms for the required federally-approved versions.
Cook County says suit vs Facebook on behalf of entire state of IL, so suit belongs in Cook courts
Cook County wants its lawsuit accusing Facebook of allowing user data to be mined by data firm Cambridge Analytica to aid President Donald Trump's election campaign, returned to Cook County court from federal court, where Facebook transferred it, arguing state court is the proper venue, because the suit is not just on behalf of the county, but everyone in Illinois.
Ex-Cook County administrator again sues county, Preckwinkle and Silvestri, alleging retaliatory firing
A former Cook County staffer, who last month lost a federal suit in which he alleged he was fired in retaliation for exposing corruption in Elmwood Park and then running for the county board seat held by Elmwood Park's onetime Village President Peter Silvestri, is now attempting to press the same claims in Cook County Circuit Court.
Palatine condo owners allege association low balled condos price, shorting owners amid forced sale
A group of “shocked” suburban Palatine condominium owners are trying to prevent their association board from allegedly under-selling the condo development for $49 million, allegedly for the board's personal gain, claiming the price would short owners of what they could get if they independently sold their units by more than $25 million.
Yellow Cab bankruptcy trustee alleges company officials tried to foil suit judgment; officials vehemently deny
The attorney for the Chicago taxi company that succeeded Yellow Cab is accusing a federal bankruptcy trustee of falsely claiming company officials set up the company as a “sham vehicle to suck cash” from Yellow Cab and so keep the money from the plaintiff in a potentially expensive lawsuit against Yellow Cab.
Judge orders IL state agencies to move quicker on applications for long-term Medicaid benefits
The Illinois Department of Human Services has 90 days from when basic Medicaid recipients apply to determine if they are eligible for long-term Medicaid, or they will be automatically eligible for the long-term benefits, a federal judge has ruled, brushing aside concerns from state officials the time limit will encourage applicants who may otherwise be ineligible to game the sytem.
Class action suit accuses Rauner's campaign of unlawful robocalls soliciting votes
An Illinois man has brought a class action lawsuit against Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's reelection campaign committee, alleging the committee violated federal telephone consumer protection law by making “pernicious” and unsolicited robocalls to state residents' cellular phones, urging them to vote for Rauner.
Patent holder of amusement ride brake claims attorneys negligent, cost company $1.4 million
The holder of a patent for a brake for amusement park rides is claiming in Cook County Circuit Court that its lawyers from the then-Niro firm need to pay, as they, while representing the company in a federal patent infringement suit, didn't clue the company in on opposing counsel’s warning the company might have to cover defendants' legal costs to the tune of $1.4 million.
Judge OKs $30M deal to end class action vs Monster over A/V cable claims; objector to be sanctioned
A Cook County judge has given a preliminary nod to a class action settlement, which could make audio-video cable manufacturer Monster pay around $30 million to buyers of one of its cable products, after determining a man who had filed a separate lawsuit against Monster made misrepresentations while objecting to the proposed settlement.
Life after the Chicago Bears: Ex-players have collected $12.8M in Workers' Comp since 2000
Former Bears running back Matt Forte racked up $43 million in pay before retiring after the 2017-18 season at age 32 because of knee injuries. Now, Forte is trying to get money for those injuries through the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act.
Chicago appeals court yanks $14 million award v. ISMIE, says insurer deserved 12 jurors, not six
A Chicago appeals panel has pulled a $14.4 million jury award from the parents of a toddler, who died through medical malpractice, saying the obstetricians' insurer – Illinois' No. 1 malpractice provider – deserved 12 rather than six jurors, in a trial over accusations the insurer allegedly misled the doctors into going to trial in the underlying malpractice suit, instead of settling for the amount of their coverage, which left the doctors personally on the hook for more than $1 million.
Appeals panel: 'Harsh' law forced state to yank nurse's license over 1975 'forcible felony' conviction
An Illinois appellate panel has refused to overturn the state's decision to retroactively revoke a Cook County man's nursing license, because of a 40-year-old attempted murder conviction which pre-dates his nursing career, saying a 2012 law clearly, if “harshly,” demands revocation.
Judge lets malpractice suit vs LeClair Ryan continue, says could be on hook for client's $9M settlement
A Chicago federal judge has refused to toss a legal malpractice suit lodged by the owner of a suburban electronics company against a Virginia law firm, saying the company has plausibly claimed the lawyers’ alleged missteps caused the company to pay out a $9 million settlement.
IL Supreme Court calls for fix of rules apportioning blame in multi-car crashes; could leave defendants 'holding bag'
Illinois’ highest state court has upheld a Chicago appeals panel and a Cook County judge's rulings that a defendant in a car crash suit had no basis to contest his codefendant's settlement with the plaintiff under Illinois law, because there was no evidence of fraud, despite concerns the ruling could leave less culpable co-defendants “holding the bag” at trial.
Appeals court: DesPlaines cop who hurt knee checking overweight truck OK for lifetime city health insurance
In a 2-1 decision, a state appeals panel upheld a Cook County judge's decision a former DesPlaines police officer, disabled on the job while inspecting an illegally overweight truck, deserves city health insurance for life because he was injured as the “result of an unlawful act” – the overweight truck.
Split appeals court says disabled Evanston H.S. runner can't expect lower IHSA standards
In a 2-1 decision, a Chicago federal appeals panel upheld a lower court's finding that a physically disabled Evanston High School athlete can’t use federal disability law to force the Illinois High School Association to lower standards for track and cross-country events.
Judge erases much of Chicago porn video infringement suit vs Vidster, says substance lacking
A Chicago federal judge has come down hard on a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by an online pornographer against a video sharing website, saying parts of the pornographer's suit were “woefully deficient,” but nevertheless allowing the suit to limp along.