News from October 2017
Lack of specifics dooms $25M racketeering lawsuit vs some defendants over hotel appraisal scheme
A Chicago federal judge has dismissed racketeering charges against a handful of defendants accused in a wide-ranging $25-million lawsuit of swindling commercial real estate investors by inflating the appraisals of hotel and motel properties, offering loans to investors based on the exaggerated appraisal, and, when the hotel or motel failed, seizing the property to sell at “extortionate prices.”
Advocate Christ Medical Center, others accused of negligently performing neurosurgery
A woman is suing Dr. Ryan Trombly, Dr. Hamad I. Farhat, Advocate Christ Medical Center, and Advocate Medical Group for alleged negligence.
Advocate Medical Group, doctor accused of negligently prescribing painkiller, causing child deformities
A woman is suing Dr. Ghanshyam Thakkar and Advocate Medical Group for allegedly taking insufficient measures to prevent injuries.
Chicago Park District, Lincoln Park Zoo accused of negligence after traffic barrier falls on woman
A woman is suing Chicago Park District and the Lincoln Park Zoological Society for alleged liability, and negligence.
Bria Health Services of Palos Hills allegedly failed to prevent patient from falling
A woman is suing Bria Health Services of Palos Hills for allegedly taking insufficient measures to prevent her relative's injuries.
America Auto Auction Chicago allegedly failed to act on sexual harassment allegations
A woman is suing America Auto Auction Chicago for alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress, sexual harassment, violation of civil rights and violation of federal law.
Employers win new flexibility, after appeals court finds ADA 'not a medical-leave entitlement'
Employers now may consider multiple-month medical leave requests under the Family and Medical Leave Act without analyzing Americans with Disabilities Act requirements after a federal court upheld a company's ADA win, a labor and employment attorney said.
Appeals panel: Chicago, Skokie OK to continue lawsuit vs Kankakee, Channahon over sales tax scheme
A state appeals panel has reversed a Cook County judge’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit in which Chicago and Skokie claimed Kankakee and Channahon ran schemes to divert into their treasuries tax revenue from out-of-state retailers.
Business groups: IL geolocations privacy bill ups lawsuit risk against 'businesses of all sizes'
Already facing a surge of lawsuits under a state technology privacy law, business groups have expressed relief at Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s decision to veto a new state technology privacy law regulating how and when smartphone apps and the businesses that develop and deploy them must notify users their physical locations are being logged – a law the business groups say will only offer the same trial lawyers another avenue to sue them.
Chicago sues Equifax, seeks millions in fines for failing to notify City Hall, residents of data breach
The city of Chicago has filed suit against Equifax in the wake of the credit monitoring company’s massive data breach.
Daniels Sharpsmart again jabs competitor Becton Dickinson with suit over 'debunked' infection study
A medical waste disposal container company is taking a second shot at asking a Chicago federal judge to stem the spread of a medical study on hospital bacterial infection rates, which the company has alleged is specious, yet is being used by a competitor to infect the reputation of the company’s products.
More class actions target Alden, other care facilities over use of employee fingerprints
Alden Management Services, which operates numerous nursing homes and other care facilities throughout the Chicago area and northern Illinois, has come in for legal examination, along with other operators of Chicago area care facilities, as attorneys for employees in these health care organizations have brought yet more class action lawsuits against their employers under an Illinois law designed to govern the collection of use of so-called “biometric” identifiers, such as fingerprints.