Chicago Personal Injury Blog

4 reasons to contest a will

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. on Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

If you don't agree with a loved one's will, you cannot challenge simply because you disagree with it. To bring a legitimate challenge to court, there must be a legal reason why the court should declare it invalid. Unfortunately, this is often very hard to do because probate courts in Chicago and across the country consider a last will and testament to be the decedent's final wishes. However, it is still possible to prove that a will is invalid.

In general, there are four legal reasons to contest a will. If one of these applies to your loved one's last will and testament, you might be able to successfully contest it in court.

Falls: When are they negligence or abuse?

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. on Tuesday, August 6, 2019.

With a loved one in a nursing home, every day can be a challenge. You know that their health is declining and that they need more support to do the things they would have been able to do on their own in the past.

Slip-and-fall accidents in nursing homes can cause serious injury

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Premises Liability on Friday, July 26, 2019.

If there is one thing that is dangerous, it's having slick floors in a nursing home. The elderly already have difficulty walking in some cases, and they may use canes or walkers to help them get around. With slick floors, it's easy for those helpful medical devices to slip out from under them, leaving them injured on the ground.

When an elder falls in a nursing home, there is a potential to have the nursing home held liable for the conditions that led to the injuries. For example, if a nurse spills a patient's water on the ground and does not mark the spill before running off to get something to clean it up with, then someone may walk across it or slip on the wet area. Blocking off the area or leaving a sign are some of the best ways to prevent falls based on slick areas.

Do you know the signs of bedsores?

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. on Monday, July 22, 2019.

Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, are a result of pressure being placed on an area of the skin for a prolonged period of time. When the skin is constantly under pressure, blood and nutrients can't reach the area. That results in cell death, which can lead to a bedsore.

In a nursing home environment, bedsores are most common among patients who are paralyzed, bedridden or unable to move themselves well. Those who are unconscious, unable to feel pain or immobile are most likely to go without realizing that they're developing an ulcer, or they may be unable to move to relieve the pressure they feel on that area of their body.

What are signs of nursing home abuse or neglect?

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Friday, July 19, 2019.

Nursing home abuse is one of the types of abuse that most people don't expect. After all, the people working in a nursing home knew that they'd be working with the elderly and should have been prepared for the hard work it entails.

Sadly, many nursing homes are understaffed and ill-prepared to look after the elderly. This can lead to serious concerns as accidents and injuries begin to add up.

What should you do to minimize the impact of a crash?

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Serious injuries and wrongful death on Thursday, July 11, 2019.

Motor vehicle accidents can be so serious that they quickly lead to permanent injuries and fatalities. Among the most dangerous are T-bone accidents and head-on collisions. Why are they so dangerous?

In a head-on collision, both vehicles may be traveling at the speed limit before hitting. This doubles the force of the accident compared to if the vehicles were heading the same direction. In a T-bone accident, there is less framework between the passengers and the person who is hitting the vehicle, which could mean a direct hit to someone inside.

Tired drivers are a threat to others on the roads

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. on Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

Out of everything that a driver could do wrong, being tired behind the wheel is one of the most obvious. When a driver can hardly keep their eyes open, they're not able to maneuver when needed. They're barely able to do what they need to do to stay on the road. In some cases, they can't even do that.

Drowsiness and exhaustion can both lead to serious crashes. Any time you're tired or aren't as alert as you should be, don't drive. If you do, you could fall asleep or make mistakes that put your life in danger.

Know what to do if you're hit while in Chicago

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Motor vehicle accidents on Thursday, July 4, 2019.

Chicago is known for having poor traffic conditions. With busy roads that have pedestrians, bikers and more, it's easy to see why collisions are likely to happen.

If you're driving in Chicago, there are ways to avoid getting into a crash. For example, you can follow the speed limit, stay off your cellphone and pay attention to the road.

Nursing home abuse: Call 911 if your loved one is in danger

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Thursday, June 27, 2019.

Nursing home abuse is a shock to many families who never thought that their loved ones were in danger. In some cases, they cut back on visits after seeing how well their loved one was cared for. Then, weeks or months later, the unexpected happened, and their loved one was hurt as a result of neglect or abuse.

If this sounds like what happened to your family, it's important that you know what you can do to help your loved one. If you discover they were injured as a result of neglect or because of abuse, call 911 and a nurse immediately so that their treatment can begin. The ambulance will take them to the nearest hospital or hospital of your choice, so they can get the medical care they need.

Pay attention to your nursing home's staff ratio

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. on Tuesday, June 25, 2019.

When you choose a nursing home in Illinois for a loved one, you spend time making sure it's the right fit. You might think that you can rest easy once you choose, but the truth is that you should never stop reviewing the nursing home's services.

Nursing homes have an obligation to take care of their patients well and to make sure that they receive their medications on time, get to the restroom when needed, eat regularly and drink enough water. They're obligated to take care of your loved one's mental and physical needs.