News from 2015
Railway employee blames Norfolk Southern for injuries
A Cook County railway employee is suing his company, alleging negligence for severe injuries he suffered on the job.
Would-be redeveloper of Pittsfield building says sellers misled about the property's size, zoning
A development group with plans to convert a vintage Loop building into a hotel, is suing the sellers, alleging they tried to pull a fast one by misleading them about the structure’s square footage and zoning status.
Stericycle settles with 12 states for $26.75 million for overcharges; Illinois governments to get $3 million back
A Lake Forest-based medical waste disposal company and the 12 states it allegedly overcharged for service have reached a $26.75 million settlement. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office announced the settlement with Stericycle, Inc.
Patient's post-surgery wound leads to suit against health care providers
A Cook County patient is suing a hospital and medical personnel, alleging medical malpractice.
Daughter blames nursing home, physician, hospital for mother's death
A Cook County woman is suing an Evergreen Park nursing home and other health care providers, alleging wrongful death in her mother’s passing.
Estate blames Regency Rehabilitation Center for elderly woman's death
A Cook County man is suing a Niles nursing home and three staff members, alleging negligence in the death of an elderly woman.
Estate administrator alleges doctor, hospital caused patient's death
A Cook County woman is suing a doctor and a Chicago hospital, alleging delayed treatment brought on a patient’s death.
Judge tosses California businessman's $6 million suit vs lawyer alleged to help partner in India freeze him out
A Chicago federal judge has put an end to a California man’s $6 million lawsuit against a lawyer the man alleges helped a former business associate in India remotely freeze him out of the business’ accounts.
Cook County hires vendor for $30 million upgrade of online property tax systems
Cook County’s online property tax information system is getting a $30 million upgrade. Plano, Texas-based Tyler Technologies, the company awarded the contract, will create a system to replace the 40-year-old technology currently in place, improving tax collection and public access to property tax-related information, county officials said.
Legal tussle continues over who should be responsible for sunken haunted barge at Navy Pier
Who should be responsible for the sinking of a haunted barge at Navy Pier last year remains an unsolved riddle, after a federal judge dowsed some counts of a lawsuit surrounding the incident, but gave the plaintiff time to address the issues and file an amended complaint. The barge, a haunted house-style Halloween attraction, sank on Halloween 2014 while it was docked at Navy Pier in a storm.
Sanctions sought vs asbestos trial lawyers for using John Crane Inc. as 'shill' to keep cases in Cook County
Attorneys for defendants in a Cook County asbestos case have brought an action against the opposing counsel in the case, asking the court to punish the plaintiff’s attorneys and the counsel for John Crane Inc., one of the other defendants named in the case, for their alleged use of Crane as a "shill" to prevent defendants from transferring the case and others like it out of Cook County Circuit Court.
State Supreme Court disbars five lawyers, including attorney accused of sexually harassing seven women
The Illinois State Supreme Court has disbarred a Highland Park attorney who a state lawyer discipline panel found had sexually harassed five female former employees, a neighbor and a woman he did not know who was walking down the street. On Nov. 17, the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission announced it had disbarred Paul M. Weiss and four other attorneys, while suspending 13 others.
State Supreme Court declares engineering firms have rights under law to slap liens for unpaid bills
The Supreme Court of Illinois has determined a Rosemont-based engineering firm had a right to file a mechanics lien for unpaid services, contrary to the findings of lower courts, because its work was done with the intent of improving a tract of land downstate.
Judge OKs $11 million Walgreen TCPA class action settlement; lawyers get 36 percent
A federal judge has signed off on an $11 million settlement offered by Walgreen Co. to end a class action lawsuit over the company’s practice of sending prescription reminders to customers’ cell phones - even though more than a third of the settlement award will go to the plaintiffs’ attorneys.
Chicago pedestrian alleges driver caused injuries
A Chicago man is suing a Park Ridge driver, alleging negligence for striking him in a walkway.
Patrons accuse Chicago bar of lax security in assault case
A Cook County man and woman are suing a fellow bar patron, alleging he assaulted them at a Chicago bar that kept inadequate security.
Cook Circuit Clerk improperly collects fees on motions that aren't 'final,' class action lawsuit says
The Cook County Circuit Clerk’s office has been hit with a potential class action lawsuit, brought by litigants who claim the office has improperly collected fees for interlocutory motions filed over various questions arising while cases are still in process in Cook County Circuit Court. Midwest Medical Records Association filed the class-action complaint Nov. 19, naming Cook County Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown, as well as co-defendants Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappasand the county itself.
Tilted Kilt says area franchise developer misled franchisees to expect big paydays
Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery restaurants has filed suit against a company that develops Tilted Kilt franchises in northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana, claiming the developer misled potential franchise operators, opening Tilted Kilt to liability and a damaged reputation.
Former business partners bring dispute over CTA telecom project to Cook County court
Former business partners are at odds over the spoils of a Chicago Transit Authority telecommunications technology project. In a complaint filed Nov. 16 in Cook County Circuit Court, HCK Group, doing business as Informity Systems, brought 10 counts against Informity Network and its president Edita Arambulo, as well as former HCK employee Cynthia Chappell.
Jordan settles with Jewel, Dominick's in trademark dispute over ads congratulating Jordan's Hall of Fame induction
Michael Jordan, Chicago’s greatest basketball player, and two of the region’s iconic grocery brands appear to have settled a legal fight over the allegedly unauthorized use of imagery connected to the basketball legend in advertisements designed to honor Jordan’s induction into the basketball Hall of Fame six years ago.