Recent Verdicts & Settlements Part 2

$98,500. Will County, Illinois. Car accident. Settlement was obtained on behalf of a Plainfield man who suffered lumbar spine injuries due to an accident caused by a heavy impact rear-end collision. The client underwent extensive physical therapy to avoid a lumbar fusion surgery, which had been recommended by the plaintiff’s orthopedic surgeon, as an alternative therapy.

$92,500. Will County, Illinois. Automobile Accident. Settlement in intersection accident was obtained for our client who suffered a broken clavicle, requiring surgery with hardware. The investigation revealed that the at-fault motorist ran through a red light striking the man, claiming that the traffic signal was partially covered in snow.

$90,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Vehicle crash, underinsured motorist claim. Settlement obtained for a client who suffered back injuries as a result of a motor vehicle accident. The driver who caused the accident was inadequately insured to cover the clients injury claim seeking monetary damages; therefore, an underinsured motorist claim was brought and settled by DuPage County personal injury lawyer, John Malm, on the client's behalf. The claim sought lost wages for the client who experienced lost time from work.

$90,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Common Law Fraud. A settlement was reached by Naperville trial attorney, John J. Malm, in a fraud case brought against a notary public. The lawsuit against the notary was filed in a DuPage County Law Division Court after a successful trial in a DuPage County Chancery Court, overturning two fraudulently executed deeds that had surfaced in a Probate Estate. The notary testified that she witnessed the signing of the deeds and then placed her seal on the instruments. But clear and convincing evidence offered by attorney Malm disproved the elaborate story given by the notary and others surrounding the ceremony of execution, including questions surrounding the decedent's whereabouts and the fact that the notary seal used on one of the deeds had not been issued at the time the deeds were purportedly signed. The lawsuit sought the recovery of damages, including attorney's fees, incurred by Mr. Malm's clients, who were to receive the decedent's Palm Desert, California property through a Last Will & Testament. The settlement was reached in the civil case after the notary was tried and found guilty of perjury in a DuPage County Criminal Court.

$90,000. Kane County, Illinois. Automobile accident, negligence. A settlement reached in a rear-end automobile accident. The Plaintiff, a woman, suffered an entrapped ulnar nerve in her arm, requiring surgery, which left her with a disfiguring scar on her arm. The insurance company for the at-fault motorist paid $25,000; the woman’s own underinsured motorist coverage paid an arbitration award of an additional $65,000 after a hearing on the evidence.

$87,120.00. Will County, Illinois. Automobile Accident. Settlement was obtained for a client who suffered a shoulder injury in a rear-end motor vehicle accident. The man, who was leaning against the dashboard at the time of the incident, suffered injuries to his labrum and required surgery. Through discovery depositions, Mr. Malm was able to show that a labrum tear can result from traumatic injury, including an automobile accident.

$83,500. Kane County, Illinois. Tavern-keeper liability, premises liability. Settlement was reached before trial in a multi-count complaint against a local tavern. Client, who operated a family-owned floor cleaning service, suffered a knee injury and fractured pelvis. An intoxicated bar patron initiated a physical altercation at closing time, from which a scuffle ensued, causing someone to fall onto the man, injuring him. Based on evidence obtained through depositions, including testimony from the owners of the bar, it was alleged that bar personnel were careless in contributing to the ongoing altercation. The tavern owner and bar tender denied liability.

$80,000. Cook County, Illinois. Settlement was reached on behalf of a physician who suffered broken ribs and a head injury as a result of a hit-and-run accident in Chicago, Illinois. The claim was successfully presented as an uninsured motorist claim against the man’s automobile insurance company, pursuant to the terms of the policy. The at-fault motorist fled the scene of the accident and was not identified by police. According to Illinois uninsured motorist laws, an uninsured motorist coverage claim may be sought after accidents in which the responsible party cannot be identified, or is uninsured for the accident.

$78,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Automobile accident. Settlement was reached by Naperville attorney, John J. Malm, on behalf of two men who suffered soft tissue neck and back injuries and lost wages as a result of a rear-end collision Interstate 55 north of Weber Road, DuPage Township, Illinois The clients underwent physical therapy.

$75,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Strict products liability. A settlement was reached on behalf of a man who suffered hand laceration injuries, resulting in nerve and tendon damage to his hand when an ornamental glass “ship in a bottle” suddenly broke in his hand. The man’s injuries to his hand necessitated surgery to repair a severed tendon and restore function. The Chinese-made bottle contained a design defect, making the product unreasonably dangerous to consumers. The settlement with a national retailer and distributor was reached without filing a lawsuit.

$75,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Car Accident, personal Injury. Settlement obtained for a client who suffered neck and back injuries as a result of an intersection collision. Naperville car accident lawyer John Malm filed a lawsuit on behalf of the client. The case was settled shortly following a settlement mediation.

$75,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Slip and Fall/Premises Liability. Settlement obtained on behalf of a client who suffered a broken ankle necessitating surgery as a result of a fall down on an icy sidewalk at a retail mall. A defective hose bib located nearby had been leaking, resulting in a large plume of ice across the sidewalk and onto the parking lot. The commercial property owner quickly removed the leaking hose bib and replaced it after Attorney John J. Malm filed a lawsuit on behalf of his client. The physical evidence was reportedly discarded by the property owner before any inspection could be completed.

$60,000. Cook County, Illinois. Vehicle crash, personal Injury. Settlement obtained for a client who suffered a shoulder injury and a rib protrusion, as well as back injuries as a result of a motor vehicle accident that occurred when a car suddenly swerved into her lane. Car accident lawyer, John Malm, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the client. The case was settled after completion of discovery depositions and several pre-trial settlement conferences before the court.

$50,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Automobile Accident. A policy limits settlement was obtained for a client who suffered a shoulder injury involving the AC joint as the result of the heavy impact rear-end motor vehicle accident. She underwent arthroscopic surgery (distal clavicle resection and subacromial decompression).

$50,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Motor vehicle accident. A policy limits settlement was reached on behalf of a Naperville man who suffered back injuries due to a rear-end collision with heavy impact. The client, a commercial airline pilot, suffered injuries and was unable to attend to his employment responsibilities, including scheduling of longer trips, due to persistent pain, which interfered with his ability to sit in the cockpit for long periods of time. An additional further claim for underinsured motorist coverage with the client’s automobile insurance carrier is pending.

$50,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Slip and Fall/Premises Liability. Settlement obtained on behalf of a client who suffered a broken wrist (distal radial fracture) as a result of a fall down at a retail facility.

$48,500. Grundy County, Illinois. Car Accident. Settlement obtained for a client who suffered shoulder injuries necessitating extensive physical therapy as a result of an intersection collision. Naperville car accident lawyer John Malm was able to obtain settlement for the client without filing a lawsuit.

$42,500. DuPage County, Illinois. Automobile accident. Settlement was reached by Naperville personal injury lawyer, John Malm, with driver’s insurance carrier on behalf of a female passenger who suffered broken teeth in a single car accident at an Illinois toll booth.

$40,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Car accident. Settlement obtained for a client who suffered neck and back injuries as a result of an intersection collision. Naperville car crash lawyer John Malm settled the case without filing a lawsuit.

$40,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Automobile accident, intersection collision. A settlement was reached for a client in a side impact, intersection collision that occurred at Washington Street and Diehl Road in Naperville, Illinois. The accident was caused when the the driver of the striking vehicle failed to stop at a red light, charging through the intersection and hitting the front end of the client's vehicle. The client suffered neck, back and shoulder injuries as a result of the collision.

Confidential. Will County, Illinois. Settlement on behalf of a young woman was reached with the owner and operator of a tanning salon after the heavy top of the tanning bed suddenly fell upon the young woman, pinning her inside the tanning bed. The woman suffered ligament injuries to her arm and shoulder as she struggled in vain to free herself from the tanning bed. An investigation revealed that a safety mechanism failed, allowing the heavy top of the bed to suddenly close.

$23,000. DuPage County, Illinois. Pedestrian accident. Settlement was reached on behalf of an injured pedestrian.

$21,672. Will County, Illinois. Automobile accident. Settlement was reached on behalf of a female passenger who suffered soft tissue-type injuries in a rear-end automobile accident.