Precedents Verdicts & Settlements

Featured Cases

• Trial verdict for $2.2 million on behalf of Fortune 500 client arising from crane accident at plant in South Milwaukee. (Subrogation)
• Four homeowners sued developers for fraud due to ground settlement of homes of over 10 inches resulting in widespread damage. At trial, Plaintiff was awarded in excess of $2,000,000; including compensatory damages, Attorney fees and punitive damages. Note from jury received 10 minutes after deliberations started, asking if they could award Attorney fees and punitive damages. Case was affirmed on appeal. Linhart v. Bridgview Creek Dev., Inc., 391 Ill. App. 3d 630, 909 N.E.2d 865 (Ill. App. Ct. 2009) appeal denied, 223 Ill. 2d 561, 919 N.E.2d 353 (2009). (Real Estate and Transaction)
• Defended a Director of an elder care facility against allegations of national origin and religious discrimination. Also prosecuted a counterclaim for defamation resulting in the dismissal of the claims for discrimination and the recovery of compensatory damages and attorney’s fees for the defamation counterclaim. (Defamation and Trade Disparagement)

Learn More

Insurance (First and Third Party Cases)

Featured Cases

• Established only precedent in United States at the time awarding attorney’s fees and costs to successful plaintiff-client who sued federal government, which had issued flood insurance policy and had handled claim unreasonably. Kolner v. Federal Emergency Management Agency, 547 F.Supp. 828 (N.D. I11. 1982).
• Established precedent for enforcing one-year limitation provision in insurance policy and creating theories of estoppels and waiver under property policy. Florsheim v. Travelers Indem. Co. of Illinois, 393 N.E.2d 1223 (1st I11.App. 1979).
• Established precedent allowing plaintiff to raise issue of waiver of defenses in property insurance cases where insurer makes an unrestricted offer to pay claims. Thompson v. Green Garden Ins. Co., 633 N.E.2d 1327 (1994).

Insurance Fraud and Property

Featured Cases

• Established precedent for creating defense of fraud as a matter of law in Illinois fire cases. Folk v. National Ben Franklin Ins. Co.,350 N.E.2d 1056 (1976).
• Established precedent allowing innocent insured to recover under property insurance policy, despite fraud of co-insured. Miceli v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 518 N.E. 2d 357 (1987).
• Established precedent for finding insured involvement in arson and fraud based upon circumstantial evidence. Moore v. Farmers Ins. Exchange, 444 N.E.2d 220 (1982).

Surety

Featured Cases

• Defended surety against claim for $23 million in damages due to misfeasance of insurance agent; settled for cost of defense.
• Coordinated settlement for surety client involving over 40 subcontractors arising from default on performance bond; resulted in zero payment by surety and either payment or bar of all contractors’ claims.

Learn More

Featured Cases

• Represented foreign subsidiaries of Fortune 500 Company seeking damages resulting from fire to canning plant in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Also represented state owned insurance company to recover damages for product defect which caused the fire that was manufactured in Illinois. First Subrogation recovery in South America on behalf of an insurance carrier.
• Trial verdict for $2.2 million on behalf of Fortune 500 client arising from crane accident at plant in South Milwaukee.
• $850,000. Settlement on behalf of St. Louis public utility arising from methane gas explosion.

Learn More

Personal Injury

Featured Cases

• At the time, record-setting 3.3 million verdict against doctor for medical malpractice in delivery of baby that resulted in paralyzed arm.
• Trial verdict in favor of plaintiff severely burned in fire; awarded 1.9 million.
• Prosecuted successful million dollar claim in chemical plant explosion.

Medical Negligence

Featured Cases

• Established precedent extending the statute of limitations for minors in filing wrongful death suits arising from medical malpractice. Dachs v. Weiss Memorial Hospital, 509 N.E. 2d 489 (1st I11.App. 1987).
• Represented two minor plaintiff’s injured birth in separate medical malpractice cases which resulted in $2.8 million and $1.8 million structured settlements.
• Established precedent establishing standards in medical negligence cases for naming respondents in discovery and defendants. Shanklin v. Hutzler et al., 294 N.E.2d (1st I11. App.1997).

Wrongful Death

Featured Cases

• Recently settled a wrongful death medical negligence case for $1,000,000. against a local hospital and physician in a case involving a neo-natal
• Established precedent which for the first time, allows plaintiffs in medical negligence case to sue fictitious John Doe, where identity of named defendant is unknown. Bogseth v. Emanuel, 655 N.E. 2d 888 (1995).
• Established precedent extending the statute of limitations for minors in filing wrongful death suits arising from medical malpractice. Dachs v. Weiss Memorial Hospital, 509 N.E. 2d 489 (1st I11.App. 1987).

Professional Liability

Featured Cases

• Trial verdict in favor of plaintiff-client against former attorney for legal malpractice.
• Represented plaintiff in legal malpractice claim. Shanley v. Barnett, 523 N.E.2d 60 (1st I11.App. 1988).
• Represented plaintiffs in securities fraud case against broker. McNichols v. Loeb Rhoades & Co., Inc., 35 Fed.R.Serv.2d 1407 (N.D. I11. 1982).

Premises Liability

Featured Cases

• Established legal standards for evaluating liability for open and obvious conditions under Illinois Premises Liability Act. Menouch v. Woodfield Gardens, 694 N.E.2d 1038 (1st I11. App. 1997).
• Successfully defended landlord accused of negligently maintaining stairwell from which plaintiff-toddler fell and suffered traumatic brain injuries. Plaintiff asked jury for 5.8 million; verdict in favor of landlord.

Learn More

Featured Cases

• Successfully represented African-American factory worker discharged because of his race and won largest individual award of compensatory and punitive damages for race discrimination in Illinois at that time. Hunter v. Allis-Chalmers, 797 F.2d 1417 (7th Cir. 1986).

Discrimination and Defamation

Featured Cases

• Successfully represented African-American factory worker discharged because of his race and won largest individual award of compensatory and punitive damages for race discrimination in Illinois at that time. Hunter v. Allis-Chalmers, 797 F.2d 1417 (7th Cir. 1986).
• Defended a Director of an elder care facility against allegations of national origin and religious discrimination. Also prosecuted a counterclaim for defamation resulting in the dismissal of the claims for discrimination and the recovery of compensatory damages and attorney’s fees for the defamation counterclaim.
• Represented University of Illinois in successful trial and appellate decision involving claims of age discrimination by rejected medical school applicant. Cannon v. The University of Health Sciences, 710 F.2d 351 (7th Cir. 1986).

Learn More

Featured Cases

• Established precedent extending the statute of limitations for minors in filing wrongful death suits arising from medical malpractice. Dachs v. Weiss Memorial Hospital, 509 N.E. 2d 489 (1st I11.App. 1987).
• Represented Captain of tug-boat who complained to Coast Guard about safety violations on the boat and who was then fired by his employer. Case was appealed and Appellate Court held the Cause of Action existed. Case settled after remand. Zucculo v. Hanna Marine.
• Four homeowners sued developers for fraud due to ground settlement of homes of over 10 inches resulting in widespread damage. At trial, Plaintiff was awarded in excess of $2,000,000; including compensatory damages, Attorney fees and punitive damages. Note from jury received 10 minutes after deliberations started, asking if they could award Attorney fees and punitive damages. Case was affirmed on appeal. Linhart v. Bridgview Creek Dev., Inc., 391 Ill. App. 3d 630, 909 N.E.2d 865 (Ill. App. Ct. 2009) appeal denied, 223 Ill. 2d 561, 919 N.E.2d 353 (2009).

Learn More

Featured Cases

• Four homeowners sued developers for fraud due to ground settlement of homes of over 10 inches resulting in widespread damage. At trial, Plaintiff was awarded in excess of $2,000,000; including compensatory damages, Attorney fees and punitive damages. Note from jury received 10 minutes after deliberations started, asking if they could award Attorney fees and punitive damages. Case was affirmed on appeal. Linhart v. Bridgview Creek Dev., Inc., 391 Ill. App. 3d 630, 909 N.E.2d 865 (Ill. App. Ct. 2009) appeal denied, 223 Ill. 2d 561, 919 N.E.2d 353 (2009).
• Represented Seller of Real Estate in multimillion dollar real estate transaction dispute with Buyer. Trial verdict affirmed on Appeal. Awarded compensatory damages and attorney’s fees.

Learn More

Featured Cases

• Four homeowners sued developers for fraud due to ground settlement of homes of over 10 inches resulting in widespread damage. At trial, Plaintiff was awarded in excess of $2,000,000; including compensatory damages, Attorney fees and punitive damages. Note from jury received 10 minutes after deliberations started, asking if they could award Attorney fees and punitive damages. Case was affirmed on appeal. Linhart v. Bridgview Creek Dev., Inc., 391 Ill. App. 3d 630, 909 N.E.2d 865 (Ill. App. Ct. 2009) appeal denied, 223 Ill. 2d 561, 919 N.E.2d 353 (2009).
• Represented Seller of Real Estate in multimillion dollar real estate transaction dispute with Buyer. Trial verdict affirmed on Appeal. Awarded compensatory damages and attorney’s fees.

Learn More

Featured Cases

• Represented Beneficiary who challenged Trustee expenditures which were proven to be stolen from the estate.
• Heirs claimed items of personal property which should have been part of the estate were taken without authority. (Case Pending)
• Former business partner of decedent claimed entitlement to certain assets, which the estate (wife of decedent) contested. Represented decedents wife and case was settled.

Learn More

Featured Cases

• Represented Attorney (now, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County) in precedent-setting ruling by Illinois Supreme Court which established ethical guidelines for lawyers making gifts or loans to judges. In re Corboy, et al., 528 N.E.2d 694 (1988).
• Trial verdict awarded over $300,000. on behalf of oil terminal located in Detroit whose river dock was destroyed by a barge which struck the dock after dark.
• Represented retired School District individuals. Individuals were promised low-cost Life Insurance at their expense. Individuals elected the coverage and paid premiums. One individual then died, and the insurance company denied that the policy existed because the School District had failed to activate coverage, despite receiving the premiums for over 3 years. Case settled for $250,000. as to claimant who died, and another case remains pending.

Learn More