It’s important to choose car insurance that fits your state’s laws and your needs. To do that, you need to know the basics of insurance policies and what they cover.

Basics of Car Insurance

Most states require vehicle owners to have liability insurance, often requiring a minimum amount of coverage. Failure to carry insurance has serious consequences. Driving without insurance can result in a fine up to $1,000.00. Additionally, driving without insurance will cause the Secretary of State to suspend a person’s driver’s license. In Illinois, every driver must have liability coverage of $25,000.00 per person for bodily injury as a result of a collision. It is easy to see how a serious collision could cause damages in excess of $25,000.00. If you are at fault for the collision and the damages exceed $25,000.00, you are personally responsible for the damages that exceed $25,000.00. Therefore, it is important to consult with an insurance professional to determine the proper amount of insurance for your particular situation.

How Much Insurance Do You Need?

The above examples discuss covering an individual that is injured due to your fault. In a situation where you are injured due to the fault of others, it is important to have coverage that protects you from uninsured and underinsured motorists. Unisured and underinsured motorist coverage will pay for damages, if the at-fault driver does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to compensate you for your damages. Collision coverage is another option to consider. If your vehicle is damaged, as a result of a collision, collision coverage will pay for the repairs to the vehicle.

Shopping for Car Insurance

You can purchase insurance from an insurance broker or an independent agent. A broker can shop a number of different insurance companies to find the best insurance that meets your needs. An independent agent sells insurance on behalf of just one company, i.e. Allstate, State Farm, etc. Generally speaking, an insurance broker’s loyalty is to you, while an independent agent’s loyalty is to the company it represents. It is highly recommended to stay away from “sub-standard insurers.”

Questions? Contact Our Automobile Collision Injury Lawyers

If you’ve recently been in a car accident and have questions about your insurance coverage or injuries, contact Theisen & Roche. Our Chicagoland attorneys have decades of experience in personal injury cases and want to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call 24/7 at (888) 845-7241, or get a free case evaluation through our online form.

Nursing home abuse and neglect are not uncommon, and personal injury lawyers like Theisen & Roche are committed to fighting it and finding justice for the victims. However, sometimes the evidence is dismissed or suppressed in an abuse claim, as is the case with the evidence gathered by John Chiurato to help his elderly father.

Obtaining Evidence with Video Surveillance

When Chiurato’s 88-year-old father, Francesco, began complaining about a new employee at his home of Pleasant View Luther Nursing Home, the younger Chiurato knew action had to be taken. In order to substantiate his father’s claims about the employee, Chiurato set up a surveillance camera in the room. The footage revealed a pattern of disturbing abuse and neglectful behavior toward the nursing home resident.

Once the video was turned into the local police department, detectives charged the employee, Doris Burke, with felony aggravated battery to a person older than 60 and felony abuse of a long-term health care facility resident. Burke pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Illinois Nursing Home Law Violation

Burke’s attorney argued that the video evidence captured by Chiurato should be suppressed due to its violation of the Illinois Authorized Electronic Monitoring in Long-Term Care Facilities Act. The act went into effect in January 2016 and requires that a resident in a long-term care facility must notify the facility in writing before installing a recording device. Chiurato stated that he was unaware of the stipulations presented in the act.

The Pleasant View Luther Nursing Home in Ottawa, Illinois, has been fined $13,750 by the state’s Department of Health for “failing to protect residents from verbal and physical abuse by staff.” LaSalle County’s State’s Attorney took over the case for Chiurato and hopes to bring closure to him and his family, as well as prevent other certified nursing aides & long-term care facility employees from committing similar crimes.

Contact Theisen & Roche

At Theisen & Roche, Ltd., we know the law in Illinois and we can help you avoid situations like this so that we can work together to seek justice for your loved ones. If you suspect or know that a loved one is being abused or neglected in a long-term care facility, contact our law firm for a free case evaluation. We proudly serve the Chicagoland area, including Aurora, Naperville, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Downers Grove and Elmhurst. Call us 24/7 at (888) 845-7241 or email us for a consultation today.

Despite the growing awareness and deepening concern for the issues and problems created by medical malpractice, recent statistics indicate that healthcare claims stemming from diagnostic and medication errors, as well as instances of surgical malpractice, continue to be on the rise. Any issues or complications that may interfere with the effective treatment and care of patients may have serious and long-lasting repercussions. Recent trends pertaining to medical malpractice should be cause for concern among patients and care providers alike.

Misdiagnosis

According to a 2014 study, as many as 12 million Americans are incorrectly diagnosed each year. While a misdiagnosis may seem like a fairly minor error, especially when compared to mistakes made during treatment or even surgeries, being unable to accurately identify a disease or medical condition may delay effective treatment or result in patients undergoing a treatment process or procedure which may even be harmful. Ensuring that all patients are able to receive an accurate diagnosis is absolutely essential for ensuring that proper care is provided. Misdiagnosis commonly stems from a communication or documentation error but may also be the result of human error during the patient assessment process.

Medication Errors

By some reports, medical errors may result in as many as 1.3 million injuries each year. A very common and widespread form of malpractice, medication errors occur when patients are prescribed the wrong dose of a medication, combinations of medications that may produce harmful effects or even the wrong medication entirely. These errors typically stem from ineffective communication, but may also be the result of confusing medication names, poor handling or dispensing practices or medical records that may be incorrect or incomplete.

Surgical Malpractice

Even seemingly minor mistakes and errors made during a surgical procedure have the potential to cause very serious, long-lasting or even life-threatening consequences. Despite the potential severity of such mistakes, there may be as many as 4,000 instances of surgical malpractice that occur each year. Preventable mistakes made during surgery have the potential to cause significant harm to patients, even those who are undergoing minor procedures. Among the most severe dangers of surgical malpractice is the increased risk of infection, which may place patients at greater risk as well as requiring additional care to treat and manage.

Utilizing New Methods, Processes and Technology to Reduce Malpractice

New technology and a better understanding of how malpractice occurs are providing healthcare professionals with the means to reduce instances of medical errors by designing processes and procedures that may be completed more safely and accurately. From automated methods that ensure safer handing handling, monitoring and administration of medications to communications resources that make it easier for care providers and facilities to share patient records and information, there are several resources with the potential to improve accuracy and enhance the overall level of patient care.

Contact Theisen & Roche for Medical Malpractice Cases

Have you or a loved one been affected by one of the above forms of medical malpractice? For help in Chicago, Wheaton and surrounding areas in Illinois, contact the medical malpractice attorneys of Theisen & Roche Law Firm. We will fight to make sure you get the compensation you deserve. Call us 24/7 at (888) 845-7241 or fill out our online form for a free consultation.

Explosions and Recall of Galaxy Note 7

The recall of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7s has been in headlines after reports of the phones exploding or catching fire. After hearing of the reports, Samsung released an official statement saying, “In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note 7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.” In the same statement Samsung noted that they would stop sales of the phablet (phone/tablet hybrid). The official recall began on September 15, 2016. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Samsung highly encourage those with the phone to stop using the phone, turn it off, and participate in the exchange program that’s been set up. The phone has also been placed on the “no-fly” list by the Federal Aviation Administration and others.

Out of the 1 million phablets sold in the US, there have only been 92 incident reports – 55 reporting property damage and 26 reporting burns to their person. While the percentage of the Galaxy Note 7 that have caught fire is low, the incidents themselves cause more damage than simply losing a brand new phone to a fire or explosion. Among the Galaxy Note 7 incidents in the US, a Jeep and a garage were destroyed by the phone’s battery. Unfortunately, these are not the worst incidents. One phone exploded in the hands of a 6-year-old boy in Brooklyn, leaving him with burned hands and a fear of electronics. Another user in Florida, Jonathan Strobel, is suing Samsung after the device exploded in his pocket on September 9 (before the recall), leaving him with “severe burns” on his upper thigh and “in shock and extreme pain.”

Suing Samsung Over an Injury or Property Damage

Many US consumers, unlike Jonathan Strobel, may be unaware that they can file a lawsuit against companies after experiencing events such as these. A high or low number of reported incidents should not deter someone from seeking rightful compensation after a fire and/or explosion caused by a faulty product, especially if there are any emotional or financial setbacks. While Samsung has been actively dealing with the fallout of their explosive Galaxy Note 7s, other distributors of other harmful products may hold themselves less accountable.

Federal law also prohibits any person or company to continue the sale of a publicly-announced voluntary recall ordered by the CPSC. If you have purchased a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 after the recall on September 15th but prior to the corrected phone expected to release on September 21st, you may report that person or point of sale.

Contact Theisen & Roche For Fire and Explosion Cases in Illinois

Theisen & Roche, LTD. highly encourages Galaxy Note 7 owners to participate in Samsung’s Battery Safety Recall and Exchange Program. Since 97% of the phone sold in the US contain the faulty battery, you should participate even if you have not experienced an issue, to remove any threat of injury or damages. You may choose between a full refund, a downgrade to another Samsung phone with a refund on the price difference between phones, or a replacement of the Note 7 with a CPSC-approved battery. If you have experienced an incident because of the Galaxy Note 7, we encourage you to report the incident to CPSC and contact us here at Theisen & Roche.

Remember that US consumers have rights. Theisen & Roche aims to protect consumers from negligent parties and hold those parties accountable. Feel free to contact us at (630) 871-9003 or online in the case of any fire and/or explosion cases.

Cell phones may have added convenience to the lives of those living in Illinois and elsewhere, but they haven’t necessarily made the roads safer. For this reason, Illinois has adopted certain cell phone usage laws to help make the roads less dangerous. These laws went into effect January 1, 2014.

Cell Phones Are Distracting To Illinois Drivers

While cell phones have made it easy for on the go Illinois residents to keep in touch with friends, family and coworkers, these devices can be a major distraction when driving a car. When a person is focused more on their phone than on driving, accidents can easily occur. Whether a driver is simply talking on the phone or attempting the difficult maneuver of texting while driving, a cell phone can take attention away from driving in a detrimental way. In order to keep the roads safer for all Illinois drivers, Illinois has enacted laws against cell phone usage while driving.

The Laws On Cell Phone Usage And Driving

1. No Texting And Driving. In Illinois, it is illegal to text and drive. Texting and driving is extremely impairing to a driver, and it is for this reason that texting and driving is totally against the law in Illinois. There are exceptions to this rule, though. If a driver is reporting an emergency situation, then it is okay to text. It is also okay to text if a driver is parked on the side of the road, or parked in neutral due to a traffic obstruction.

2. Drivers Must Use A Hands-Free Device. In Illinois, all drivers must use a hands-free device if they want to talk on the phone while driving. Hands-free devices that are permitted include Bluetooth, speakerphones and headsets. In addition, cell phones cannot be used by new drivers, or in school or construction zones.

The Consequences for Breaking Cell Phone Laws

In Illinois, violation of cell phone usage laws is considered a primary offense. What this means is that a law enforcement officer can pull a driver over simply because the officer witnessed the driver using a cell phone. Along with a citation, drivers committing this offense will have to pay a fine that starts at $75. Depending on the area in which the offense takes place, this fine can be much higher. If a driver is caught using a cell phone in a construction area or a school zone, the offender can expect to pay a fine that can cost hundreds of dollars.

If you need legal assistance, please contact us immediately for a complimentary case evaluation.

[button color=”#ffffff” background=”#fb7502″ size=”large” target=”_blank” src=”/contact-us/”]Schedule A Free Case Review[/button]