The Supreme Court eliminated the public duty rule in the case of Coleman vs East Joliet Fire Protection District. The common-law public duty rule provided that governmental entities, such as fire and police entities, were immune from liability for things like responding to calls. In Coleman the court got rid of the immunity and substituted willful and wanton misconduct as the test for governmental liability. In Coleman plaintiff resided with her husband in an unincorporated area of Will County. She called 911 indicating that her husband could not breathe and needed an ambulance. She asked the person on the 911 line to hurry Read more…
Category: Contingent Fees
Zofran (ondansetron) is an antinausea drug. It is intended for significant nausea issues caused by things like chemotherapy. However, Glaxo SmithKline also marketed it for use with pregnant women. The problem was that Glaxo SmithKline had failed to do any testing of the drug with pregnant women. In 2006, prior to its becoming available in a generic form, Zofran was among the top selling drugs in the United States. The FDA estimated that number nearly a quarter of Zofran prescriptions were given to pregnant women. As early as 2006, in a study published in Hong Kong, concerns were raised about Read more…
I spoke at the Illinois Trial Lawyers seminar in September 2014. I gave an update on tort law. Below is a breakdown of the cases that I discussed. There were a few already on this blog that I did not include. Enjoy. Feel free to contact me at Ackerman Law Office if you have questions or want to hire me. 217-789-1977. Sharbono v Hilborn In Sharborno v Hilborn a woman went in for a mammogram in November 2004. The defendant Dr. concluded that the lesion was benign. He did not order a biopsy. Two years later she went to her family doctor complaining of cramping her Read more…
The Center for Justice and Democracy released a study discussing the contingency fee system in the United States of America. It is titled “Courthouse Cornerstone: Contingency Fees and Their Importance for Everyday Americans.” The report discussed the contingency fee system. Contingency fees are frequently used by lawyers in order to help their clients. They are especially useful for people who cannot afford to pay high lawyer fees associated with litigation. The study concluded that contingency fees are helpful to attorneys and clients. Contingency fee lawyers take large risks associated with a claim. They invest a great deal of time and Read more…