News from February 2016
Walgreens shopper accuses store of negligence over slippery sidewalk
CHICAGO — A Cook County woman says she suffered injuries from slipping on a snowy sidewalk at a Chicago Walgreens store, allegedly due to the store’s failure to clear the walkway for customer safety.
Husband blames Loyola University Health System for wife’s death by aneurysm
CHICAGO—A Cook County man claims his wife died as a result of a misdiagnosed brain aneurysm.
Former UIC Greek studies professor says colleagues torpedoed tenure application, demands $4 million
A fight over the future of Greek studies instruction at the University of Illinois at Chicago has spilled into a local courtroom, where a professor who was denied tenure and lost his position at the university has alleged three of his former colleagues owe him at least $4 million for allegedly sabotaging his tenure application in a bid to redirect donor money to them and save their own jobs.
Judge poised to OK $10 million deal ending asst managers' class actions vs Dick's Sporting Goods; attorneys to get one third
A federal judge in Boston has signaled he will sign off on a $10 million settlement agreement to end class action lawsuits against Dick’s Sporting Goods, including one brought in Chicago federal court, alleging the retailer cheated employees out of overtime pay by labeling them assistant managers. Attorneys for the plaintiffs are poised to receive one-third of the settlement amount.
Business owner accuses former employer of assault
CHICAGO — A Cook County man says his former employer assaulted him, allegedly in retaliation for starting a competitor trucking business.
Hip replacement patient sues over blood contamination
CHICAGO — A Cook County woman is suing the manufacturer and distributor of an alleged faulty artificial hip replacement device, claiming defects in design.
Tug crewman sues companies over alleged permanent injuries
CHICAGO — A tugboat crew member working for the City of Chicago says he suffered serious, permanent injuries in a 2014 accident at work.
US Supreme Court's move to freeze Obama Clean Power Plan win for 30 states fighting new carbon regulations
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with nearly 30 states in granting a stay of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan.
Ex-wife of convicted former Cook board member Moreno sues lawyers for letting feds seize Moreno's pension
The ex-wife of convicted former Cook County Commissioner Joseph Moreno, who is now serving 11 years in prison for his role in bribery and kickback schemes, has sued her former lawyers, saying legal missteps cost her Moreno’s pension, which instead was seized by the U.S.
Man sues nursing home after father's death
CHICAGO — A Cook County man claims that caregivers at the Provena Villa Franciscan nursing home in Joliet were negligent in caring for his father, ultimately leading to the older man's death.
Chicago man alleges wrongful death against Des Plaines man
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has filed suit, claiming his aunt died as a result of actions by a Des Plaines man.
Class action alleges GroupOn uses Instagram photos without permission to promote deals
An Instagram user has brought a class action against Groupon, arguing Chicago-based e-commerce deal provider has been wrongly using photos posted to Instagram to promote deals crafted by Groupon for restaurants and other businesses.
With legal battle over gambling machine tax ended, casino owes Cook County $3 million
After the Illinois Supreme Court refused to hear the casino owners' appeal, Cook County now has the green light to collect $3 million in unpaid taxes from Midwest Gaming, owner and operator of Des Plaines’ Rivers Casino.
Wineries put cork in qui tam lawsuits over wine shipping charges, sales tax
A group of more than two dozen California wineries who ship wine to Illinois customers have scored a legal win, as a Cook County judge granted the request of Illinois Attorney Gen. Lisa Madigan to dismiss numerous lawsuits alleging the wineries had shorted the state's treasury by not paying sales taxes on shipping and handling fees they charged consumers.
Online lawyer directory Avvo hit with class action for allegedly wrongly profiting from lawyers' 'professional ID'
A Chicago attorney has filed a class-action lawsuit against Avvo, an online directory that allows consumers to search for attorneys by city, name or area of practice, claiming the website is making money from her information and that of other lawyers without permission.
Label company accuses ex-worker of stealing proprietary information
CHICAGO — An Illinois firm is suing an ex-employee for allegedly breaking a confidentiality agreement after he left the company to launch a competitor.
Daughter brings wrongful death suit against mother’s nursing home
CHICAGO — A Cook County woman says her 69-year-old mother developed serious injuries while a resident of the Manor Care nursing home in Kankakee that contributed to her death.
Patient accuses surgeon of several errors
CHICAGO — A Cook County woman claims a surgeon who operated on her to repair a broken shoulder made several errors during the procedure.
Woman accuses caregivers of negligence over mother’s broken hip
CHICAGO — A Cook County woman says staff at Brentwood Nursing Home failed to properly supervise her mother, allowing her to break her hip.
Chicago to pay $3 million to settle claims it discriminated vs cop candidates who lived in U.S. less than 10 years
The city of Chicago has quickly assented to the U.S. Department of Justice’s contentions it discriminated against foreign-born police applicants by requiring applicants to have lived in the U.S. for 5-10 years before applying.
As part of a settlement agreement announced in Chicago federal court, the city has agreed to pay $3.1 million in the class action brought by the Justice Department on behalf of 47 onetime police officer applicants.