Back when I was a law clerk at Lane & Lane, I learned a lesson that will last throughout my career: There is no aspect about our clients’ cases that is more important than our clients’ own needs.
People who’ve been injured, or whose loved ones have been harmed, often face a new reality that they must confront in all aspects of their everyday lives. When those injuries have been caused by someone else, whether through a car accident, poor medical care or otherwise, the injured parties and their families rarely have the knowledge or experience to know how to get through the maze of issues they’ve never had to address before.
Some of the first questions most injured people ask is whether they should talk to the other side’s insurance company or even their own insurance representatives. Should they consult with an attorney? What do they tell their doctors, and what type of medical care should they seek? How will their bills get paid? How long will their case take to resolve?
At Lane & Lane, we have both the knowledge and experience to help guide those whose lives have been turned upside down through their new reality. The first step is gaining an understanding of their needs. We work together with every client, often involving their families, to make sure we have a handle on all of the issues they’re facing throughout their case. Some injury cases, because of the nature, extent and severity of the injuries and the medical care required, as well as the complexity of the case, go on longer than others. For the injured parties and their families, this can be very confusing and stressful. We work hard to help our clients and their families understand the issues they now face. We provide the guidance clients need to obtain the best medical care for their injuries, achieve as complete a physical recovery as possible, and obtain the settlement or verdict they deserve. Ultimately, we want clients to have the financial means to pay for whatever services they need to have their lives restored as much as possible.
We never know when injuries will arise, but if they do, with Lane & Lane by your side, you can rest assured that we’ll investigate what happened and determine how you can best be helped. We pride ourselves on the relationships and bonds we form with our clients, and will be available to you on a 24/7 basis, no matter what your problems are. And if we can’t help you ourselves, we try to find you the resources who can.
This month we’re highlighting:
- The long-term impact of a distracted driving case
- How to properly dispose of medications you no longer need
- Whether a flu shot is right for you
- Upcoming events
As always, we welcome your feedback about our emails. And if there is anything our team can do to help you, your family, friends or colleagues, please call or email us.
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Kevin A. Griffin
Associate Attorney
312-332-1400 - office
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Lane & Lane, LLC, was recently recognized as a 2019 10 Best Personal Injury Law Firm for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys (AIPIA). The AIPIA is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Personal Injury attorneys in each state. To earn this achievement, you must pass a rigorous selection process based on client and/or peer nominations, research, and the Institute's independent evaluation. One of the most significant aspects of the selection process involves attorneys' relationships and reputation among their clients. Congratulations to the entire Lane & Lane team!
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Last month Lane & Lane founder Fred Lane and Partner Scott Lane attended Loyola University Chicago's Law School 2019 Reunion & Alumni Awards celebration held at the Palmer House Hilton along with their wives. Fred earned his J.D. at the university's law school in 1950. Scott earned his J.D. from the university in 1988.
Pictured left to right: Scott Lane, Nancy Lane, Corky Lane and Fred Lane.
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After the Distracted Driving Case:
The Long-term Impact
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Several years ago, a couple was driving along East River Road on Chicago's Northwest Side when their car stalled. They were in the process of pushing their disabled vehicle to the side of the road when the woman -- who was pushing from the rear of the car -- was hit by another car. She died at the scene and her husband of 38 years was injured. The cause of the collision was distracted driving; the driver was texting while driving. Partner Scott Lane handled the case, ultimately negotiating a substantial settlement for the family.
A short time later, Scott was contacted by the founders of End Distracted Driving (
EndDD.org) and asked to join their speakers group. The organization was established by a personal injury attorney and his wife after their 21-year-old daughter was killed by a distracted driver. She was crossing the street in a crosswalk governed by four-way stop signs when the driver hit her. He was looking away from the road, reaching for an item in his car.
Scott didn't hesitate to get involved. He had handled far too many cases where lives were lost or families were forever changed due to distracted drivers' recklessness. Plus, his son would soon be driving, followed by his daughter, so he also felt compelled on a personal level to help address the problem.
Along with becoming a speaker for EndDD.org, Scott began seeking out opportunities to speak about distracted driving throughout the Chicago area. Over the years he's spoken to numerous groups, from teen drivers education classes and parents of high school students to law school students and members of various bar associations.
"I tell every group and class I speak to not to confuse being a lucky driver with being a safe driver. Just because someone who drives distracted -- i.e., while texting, etc. -- hasn't been in an accident, it doesn't mean they are a safe driver. It just means they have been lucky," says Scott. "Each time you drive you should ask yourself if it's worth the risk of killing yourself or someone else to send a text, take a sip, change the radio station, check the weather, or scroll through Facebook or Instagram. Of course, the answer is no. Wait until you reach your destination. If you can't wait, pull over to the side of the road, or into a parking lot, before you focus on something other than driving."
Are you involved in a group, school or organization that would benefit from a presentation on how to help solve the problem of distracted driving?
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It's Not Only Texting:
The 3 Types of Distracted Driving
Here are examples of some of the most common types of distracted driving.
Manual distraction - when drivers take their hands off the steering wheel to reach for an item, eat, adjust the radio, or pet the dog.
Visual distraction - when drivers take their eyes off the road to look at an accident, glance at a text message, or look at kids in the back seat
Cognitive distraction - when drivers take their mind off the act of driving to think about a problem at work, phone calls to make, or groceries to buy.
To ensure your safety and the safety of others, if you don't have a passenger in the car who can make or receive calls or texts for you while you're driving, make the choice to turn your phone off before you start driving.
The tips above are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and National Safety Council.
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Should you get a flu shot?
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Flu shots are available everywhere — you can walk into a nearby grocery or drug store to get one. But should you? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all people six-months-old and older are recommended for annual vaccination though there are exceptions.
Different flu shots are approved for people of different ages, so make sure you’re getting the vaccine that’s appropriate for your age. The recombinant influenza vaccine is for people 18-years-old and older, and the adjuvanted and high-dose inactivated vaccines are for people 65-years-old and older. Flu shots are recommended for pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions.
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People with severe, life-threatening allergies to the flu vaccine or any ingredient (gelatin, antibiotics, etc.) in it should not get a flu shot. If you have an egg allergy, a flu shot may not be right for you. So make sure you know your health history before getting a flu shot from someone other than your primary doctor.
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If you ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), you should consult with your doctor. Some people with a history of GBS should not get flu shots. Talk to your doctor about your GBS history before getting a flu shot. Finally, if you are already feeling under the weather, talk to your doctor about your symptoms before you get a flu shot.
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How to dispose of expired medications
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Is your medicine cabinet filled with old over-the-counter or prescription medications you need to get rid of? Don’t toss them in the trash! It's true medicines can lose their effectiveness over time, but they can still be deadly to the environment. Here's what you need to know about properly disposing them.
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Never flush medications down the toilet or wash them down the sink. They’ll end up in rivers (via sewage treatment plants) or leach into the groundwater from septic systems. Either way, this means they'll eventually make their way to the main water supply.
If there are
specific disposal instructions on the medication’s label or in the patient information that accompanies the medicine, follow them. If you have questions, your local pharmacist can guide you on how to properly dispose of your unused medications.
If no disposal instructions are provided,
check with your local police department or community household hazardous waste, trash, or recycling departments to see if they have a medication collection program.
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No clear instructions on what to do with your leftover medication?
Follow these steps.
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1)
Remove all personal identification, including the prescription number, from prescription bottles by covering it with a marker or scratching it off.
2)
Mix all medications — liquids, pills, and capsules — with coffee grounds, kitty litter, dirt, or some other undesirable substance and place it in a sealed container.
3)
Put that container in the trash and put the empty medicine containers in the recycling bin.
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Haunted Halloween Ball at the Congress Plaza Hotel for 21+. Costume contest, entertainment, and zombies run the "abandoned hotel." October 26.
Spooky Zoo at Lincoln Park Zoo. Kids can trick-or-treat, make crafts, visit the corn maze and haunted house. Costumes optional. October 26.
Halloween Masquerade includes live music, dancing, open bar with appetizers. Costumes or formal attire with a mask required. Civic Opera House. October 26.
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Chicago's Taste of the Nation features gourmet food and drink from 30+ top chefs, wineries and mixologists with live music. Revel Fulton Market. For 21+. November 8.
Chicago Powwow features songs, dancing, drumming, arts and crafts and native foods. November 9-10.
Paragon at Otherworld Theatre features 40 short science-fiction and fantasy-based themes. November 9-10.
After Dark party featuring Andy Warhol at the Art Institute for 21+. Dance, food and drinks, see exhibits. November 15.
Wine & Food Experience provides cooking demonstrations and unlimited sampling of creations from the best local restaurants. In the United Club at Soldier Field. November 16.
Lycée French Market features vendors of fine and decorative arts, French foods and a French bistro. November 16-17.
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If you or someone you care about has been injured by someone else's negligence or fault,
and you're ready to take action to obtain justice - the full, fair and complete compensation you deserve - please contact our Chicago-based personal injury law firm today.
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Questions? Call us at 312-332-1400 or
contact us
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