Posts by Regina P. Etherton & Associates, LLC

Carjackings in Chicago significantly increased after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. There were more than 1,400 carjackings in 2020 alone. A study found that between 2017-2021, the Chicago Police Department recovered less than one in five carjacked cars. Beginning in 2023, lawmakers approved a bill that states that “a person shall now be liable…

Have you ever ridden or seen someone ride on a Divvy scooter?  Scootering is a fantastic way to explore the area and experience an adrenaline rush. Although a fun and eco-friendly way to get around, it’s important to practice safe scootering to avoid accidents and injuries. It is essential to wear a helmet while riding…

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin’s mid-game cardiac arrest has led to increased attention to sports safety and injuries. Sports injuries are injuries of any kind sustained by a participant in a sporting event. Sports injuries can be complicated because they not only involve tort law—like other personal injury claims—but also labor law, in the case…

The Illinois Supreme Court recently upheld an injured man’s right to bring a personal injury suit despite his unintentional failure to disclose the lawsuit in his separate, personal bankruptcy proceeding. Bankruptcy filers are required by law to report pending lawsuits in their bankruptcy petition. The plaintiff, who was injured at work in an industrial accident,…

Last June, the Supreme Court ruled in Gallardo v. Marstiller that states providing care to a Medicaid patient may seek reimbursement from personal injury settlements allocated for the patient’s future medical expenses. Previously, it was believed that states could only make such a recovery from jury verdicts or settlements related to past medical expenses. Some…

The train derailment that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio resulted in the release of toxic chemicals such as vinyl chloride that has been linked to liver cancer. While the breadth of the environmental and health concerns is still unknown, one toxicologist interviewed urged individuals living near the site to document their health and monitor for…

If you are an Illinois resident,  you’ve probably received an email, text, or online advertisement asking you to join Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) class action litigation. Under BIPA, companies may not capture, store, or profit from an individual’s biometric data without written consent. BIPA contains statutory damages against violators, resulting in many large…

Staying safe on the road should be a priority for all road-travelers, but those who ride a bicycle or motorcycle have to take extra steps to ensure that they get from point A to point B without injury. Namely, bicyclists and motorcyclists need to wear a helmet when on the road. Illinois is one of…

As a new semester starts at universities and colleges across the country, college students should keep the “buddy system” in the back of their minds for their safety. The buddy system is simple: you and another person work together to make sure the other is safe. While young adults out on their own for the…

A recent investigation has revealed that more than 8 million Illinoisians get their drinking water from a water utility in which concerning levels of toxic chemicals have been detected. In 2020, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency began testing the state’s water facilities for PFAS, a group of toxic chemicals commonly referred to as “forever chemicals”…