News about legal settlements and our Chicago injury law firm

Spring 2011

• Medical Errors Ten Times More Common Than Thought

  According to a new study, one-third of hospital admissions result in medical errors and adverse events. This figure is as much as ten times more than previously estimated.
  Read more at healthaffairs.org

Fall 2010

• Physicians' Fear of Malpractice Lawsuits Are Not Assauged By Tort Reforms (External Link)

Summer 2010

• New Politics of Judicial Elections - Is Justice For Sale?

  "The New Politics of Judicial Elections, 2000-2009: Decade of Change" is the first comprehensive study of spending in judicial elections over the past decade. It documents an explosion of money, and the growing dominance of special interests in choosing state Supreme Court justices. (Article on Justice at Stake)

  Read about Judicial Elections

• Summer 2010 Newsletter

  Learn about the real meaning of caps, another frivolous defense ("Responsible for his own death") and whether physicians and medical technicians have a legal and ethical duty to provide emergency medical services outside of an ER.

  Download the newsletter in English (PDF)

• The Real Meaning of Caps

  Let's talk about what caps really mean, with a real case - and a real person. In most cases, caps simply mean immunity for negligent doctors and hospitals. Because of caps, those doctors and hospitals that commit medical malpractice often escape liability, except in cases where large economic damages exist.

  Read more about the Real Meaning of Medical Caps
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  Attorney Brian Lewis with President Obama

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  Attorney Brian Lewis with Representative Karen May

Spring 2010

• Medical Malpractice Found to Be One of the Leading Causes of Death in the United States

  April 2010. The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association reports on the startling number of deaths each year attributed to medical malpractice. Read the PDF fact sheet.

• $1.28 million jury verdict against doctor who failed to transfer patient

  February 2010. A Cook County jury returned a verdict for $1.28 million against a doctor who failed to timely transfer a patient in need of surgery. The patient died as a result.

• The Whole Truth - Illinois Medical Malpractice Insurance Pay-Outs Have Remained Flat For Over A Decade

  The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association examined, in a recent edition of their white paper The Whole Truth, that medical malpratice payouts and settlements have remained stable and flat for more than a decade. You can read the entire paper here.

• Illinois Supreme Court Finds Med Malpractice Caps On Pain And Suffering Unconstitutional

  On February 4, 2010, the Illinois Supreme Court struck down a 2005 law that capped non-economic medical malpractice damages for plaintiffs at $500,000 for doctors and $1 million for hospitals. The court held that caps impede juries' constitutional powers to award settlements in civil cases. For more information, you can read a PDF on the case at: Lebron, a Minor v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital.

• Chicago Lawyer ranks Baizer, Kolar & Lewis 4th in 2009 Settlement Survey

  With a $17.3 million settlement, BKL is recognized as one of the Chicago area's elite personal injury firms.

  Read more about the Chicago Lawyer Ranking

Winter 2010

• The Myth of Defensive Medicine

  "Defensive medicine" is a term made up by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to promote the agenda of insurance companies and powerful corporations at the expense of consumers whose only recourse to justice is our jury system. Apparently, as goes the myth, doctors routinely order tests, knowing they are unnecessary, for the sole purpose of protecting themselves from frivolous malpractice suits.

  Read more about the myth of defensive medicine

• Winter 2010 Newsletter

  Learn about frivolous defenses, our "hypocrite of the year," and information on health care reform. This PDF newsletter is also available in Spanish for our Spanish-speaking clients and consumers.

  Download the newsletter in English (PDF)
  Download the newsletter in Español. (PDF)

Summer 2009

• Tales from the Trenches: Deceptive Insurance Company Tactics

  We discredit a highly paid professional witness for insurance companies and a jury awards our client $2.4 million in a shoulder dystocia birth injury case.

  Read about this birth injury case

• Summer 2009 Newsletter

  Read details on attacks on civil justice across America, our hypocrite of the year award, and important consumer information cases and bills to keep your eye on.

  Download the Summer 2009 newsletter (PDF)

• Texting While Driving Increases Crash Risk By 20 times

  A recent study shows that texting while driving increases your chances of crashing by 20 times. Even using your phone in a hands-free mode is dangerous since it's a "cognitive distraction" which may decrease driving performance. Not using your phone, or pulling over to the side of the road in those cases where you must text or call, is the safest plan.

  Read more about the study

• Baizer Kolar & Lewis 2009-2010 Scholarship Given to local Illinois Student

  We've selected a local Highland Park youth as the 2009-2010 recipient of Baizer Kolar and Lewis' annual college scholarship.

  Read more about our scholarship recepient

Fall 2008

• Baizer Kolar & Lewis represent Rape Victim in Suing Attacker and Radio Station

  Our client, a victim of rape after winning a NextMedia WXLC radio station contest to win a "Date With the Bachelor", is suing her attacker and the radio station after the attacker pled guilty to criminal sexual abuse in Lake County.

  The radio station was negligent in not checking the assailants record, which reveals a criminal history of domestic violence.

  "Why did they say he was such a nice guy, such a good guy?" said the plaintiff's attorney Bob Baizer. "They couldn't have done much to check him out."

• $17.3 million dollar case settled for client hit by school bus

  A Chicago-area woman who spent her life helping less fortunate families has received the justice and compensation she deserves after being hit by a school bus and suffering life threatening injuries.

• Insurance Industry Reports Reveal Underhanded Tactics

  A consumer must read! Two in-depth investigative reports show the insurance industry's "Tricks of the Trade" to confuse consumers and deny claims, as well as details on the 10 Worst Insurance Companies in America.

  Read more about claim denials and other insurance company tactics

• Bob Baizer re-elected to AAJ Board of Governors

  Firm founder Bob Baizer has been reelected to his 3rd term of the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice.

  Read more about Bob's AAJ reelection

• Robert Baizer nominated to board of Public Justice

  Chicago law firm founder Robert Baizer of Baizer Kolar & Lewis, P.C. was recently nominated to the board of Public Justice.

• Brian Lewis named partner at Chicago Law Firm Baizer Kolar & Lewis

  Lawyer Brian Lewis was invited to become a partner at Baizer Kolar & Lewis, P.C., where he will specialize in catastrophic injury cases and provide clients with continued personalized, high-level service.

  Read more about Brian's partnership at Baizer Kolar & Lewis, P.C.