Posted on January 23,2023 in Personal Injury

In 2018, the news broke that a company in the Chicago suburbs had been releasing ethylene oxide, a toxic gas, into the community, potentially putting residents at risk. Sterigenics, which operated a medical device sterilization facility located in Willowbrook, was accused of failing to take the proper measures to protect public safety, and it has faced a large number of personal injury lawsuits by people who claimed that they contracted cancer or other conditions after living or working near the facility. Recently, Sotera Health, the parent company of Sterigenics, reached a settlement agreement that would allow it to resolve nearly all of these lawsuits.

What Is Ethylene Oxide?

Ethylene oxide is a colorless gas that has been used for decades as a sterilizing and fumigation agent in a variety of industries. It is used in the medical device industry to sterilize single-use instruments, surgical gowns and drapes, endoscopes, and other medical items. While ethylene oxide can be an effective sterilization agent, it is also highly toxic. Some studies have found that ethylene oxide can cause cancer and other serious health conditions if people are exposed to it over long periods of time. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared that ethylene oxide is a hazardous air pollutant.

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 Posted on January 12,2023 in Personal Injury

In the 1980s and 90s, the primary safety messages for drivers were aimed at lowering the number of people killed by drunk drivers. In today’s world, drinking and driving is still something we educate drivers about, but another danger that may not be as obvious lurks in the shadows: distracted driving. According to federal estimates, more than 3,000 motorists and passengers are killed in distracted driving accidents in average year in the United States. If you have been injured in an accident involving a distracted driver, understanding what caused the accident may help you obtain compensation.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

When you think of a driving distraction, your mind likely jumps to a cell phone or other electronic device. While these are some of the most common distractions for drivers, there are many different types of distractions that a variety of things can cause. For example, things both inside and outside of the vehicle can pose as distractions.

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 Posted on January 06,2023 in Personal Injury

Construction workers have incredibly important and incredibly dangerous jobs. Building and repairing structures and roads often requires workers to use dangerous equipment, climb to great heights, or work in deep trenches. Safety precautions can prevent most accidents, but construction site injuries and deaths can still occur. In fact, about 20 percent of worker fatalities in the United States occur in the construction industry.  

If you were injured while working in construction, it is important to understand your rights. You may be entitled to compensation for your lost income and medical bills. Depending on the circumstances of the injury, you may also be able to pursue a third-party claim and seek further damages.

Injuries From Construction Accidents

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 Posted on December 22,2022 in Personal Injury

If you have an abnormal heart rhythm you may need a pacemaker to maintain a consistent heart rate. You trust that the device implanted into your body is safe and efficient. However, if a pacemaker is not properly manufactured or tested, it can cause serious injuries or even death. At Schwartz Injury Law we represent the interests of our clients who have suffered injuries due to a defective medical device.

Defective Medical Products Can Cause Irreparable Damage

Doctors will implant pacemakers near the heart so that they deliver electrical shocks and impulses. This is designed to maintain a normal heart rate. Despite strict regulations by the Food and Drug Administration, time pressures and tight budgets can force a manufacturer to rush a device to market before it is thoroughly tested.

Unfortunately, it usually takes several reports of injuries or harmful effects before a recall is issued. That can lead a defective medical product to injure hundreds or thousands of people before something is done to address the problem.

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 Posted on November 18,2022 in Personal Injury

The birth of a child is a time of joy and hope. It is hard to imagine that the leading cause of illness and death for newborns is their inability to breathe when they first come into this world. This health problem occurs when the baby’s first stool or meconium passes into the amniotic fluid during labor and delivery. Unfortunately, meconium aspiration birth injuries occur in about five to ten percent of all births.

Detecting the Problem  

Meconium is the stool passed by a newborn after birth before they begin feeding. Sometimes, the baby passes meconium while inside the womb. When the baby inhales or aspirates this fluid into the lungs it makes breathing very difficult. It is known as meconium aspiration syndrome. The meconium can block the infant's airways because the baby’s lungs swell up. Low-birth babies or those delivered past their term face the greatest risk. The birth and delivery team should also know that if the mother has diabetes or high blood pressure the risk factors are even greater. Here are some ways medical staff can look for meconium aspiration: 

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 Posted on August 31,2022 in Personal Injury

Earlier this month, United States Armed Forces servicemembers and activists celebrated a major milestone: Legislation was finally signed into law that will help veterans exposed to different kinds of toxic substances during their service recover damages for their injuries. An important part of this legislation aims to help servicemembers, their families, and employees who were living at Camp Lejeune from 1953 through 1987, when leaking toxic substances from a nearby dry cleaning factory tainted the drinking water with dangerous chemicals. Exposure to these chemicals resulted in many long-term and even fatal illnesses for many people and now, thanks to this legislation, they can now pursue compensation for their injuries. 

How Can I Prove I Lived at Camp Lejeune? 

Unfortunately, getting benefits for injuries sustained at Camp Lejeune is not an instant guarantee. Victims of Camp Lejeune water contamination will need to prove that they were at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1953 and December 1987. They will also need to show evidence that they were injured by the water at Camp Lejeune. 

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 Posted on August 24,2022 in Car Accidents

Texting while driving is illegal in Illinois, but thousands of people still do it every day. In 2020, distracted driving lead to nearly 200 people losing their lives in car accidents in Illinois alone. Even more financial and physical damage was caused by the many distracted driving accidents that were not fatal. 

The primary cause of distracted driving accidents is the use of cell phones while driving. While eating, talking, and adjusting the radio can all cause accidents as well, it is the ubiquitous need to be constantly checking text messages and app notifications that causes the most distracted driving traffic fatalities. 

How Do Distracted Driving Accidents Happen? 

When someone is talking on the phone or texting, they are unable to pay attention or respond quickly to the flow of traffic or changing road conditions. Distracted driving accidents can occur when a driver: 

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 Posted on August 19,2022 in Personal Injury

On August 10th, President Joe Biden signed a bill called the PACT Act, making it law. The PACT Act, or The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxic Act, expands benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during their military service. This includes burn pit victims from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, veterans harmed by Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, and servicemembers, their families, and employees of Camp Lejeune who were seriously harmed by the toxic drinking water that was present there for several decades. 

Camp Lejeune Water Contaminated by Dry Cleaning Chemicals

Located in Jacksonville Carolina, Camp Lejeune is a Marine Corps base camp that was established in 1942. In 1982, Camp Lejeune realized that volatile organic compounds existed in the potable water from two of the base’s eight water treatment plants that exceeded the maximum safe levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency. These chemicals came from a nearby dry cleaning facility that was improperly disposing of waste chemicals. Despite the discovery happening in 1982, the contaminated sources of water were not shut down for another three years. 

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 Posted on August 04,2022 in Personal Injury

Most of us take our vision for granted. Without giving it a second thought, we drive, work, and spend time with our loved ones, never dreaming of how full or partial vision loss would meaningfully change our lives forever. But when an accident or someone else’s negligent or malicious behavior causes eye damage, a victim’s future can be changed in a split second. If you have suffered from a serious eye injury, seek advice from a personal injury attorney before you agree to a settlement or compensation from an individual, business, or insurance company.  

Vision Loss From Accidents or Attacks

Eye injuries and vision loss often happen when people are being careless, negligent, or malicious. Frequent accidents that involve vision loss include, but are not limited to: 

• Vehicle accidents

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 Posted on July 28,2022 in Personal Injury

The birth of a new baby is an exciting, if not unnerving, experience to go through. Every parent hopes that their baby will be born healthy. Sadly, many parents are devastated to learn that their baby suffered a birth injury before, during, or shortly after delivery. The devastation is compounded when a baby’s injury is preventable.

Brain damage during pregnancy, labor, or delivery is almost always caused by reduced oxygen to the baby’s brain. The causes of infant brain damage are nearly countless, so determining exactly what happened can be a long, complex process. If your baby suffered brain damage due to a birth injury, contact a medical malpractice lawyer experienced in infant injuries and deaths for help taking the next steps.

Oxygen Deprivation During Labor and Delivery

When a baby transitions from life inside the womb to the outside world, he or she takes his or her first breath of air. Any delay or disruption in the birth process can lead to oxygen deprivation. Brain tissue that does not receive enough oxygen begins to die within a few minutes. Consequently, brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation is often permanent.

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