Posted on July 17, 2025 in Personal Injury

Recreational boating is common on Lake Michigan and other waterways near Chicago, and a boating accident can lead to significant injuries, property damage, and financial losses. Our Chicago, IL boat accident lawyers often handle cases where the person responsible for an accident is a friend of the injured party. While it can feel uncomfortable to consider legal action against someone you know, you should understand your rights when you have been harmed due to another person’s negligence.

How Is Liability Determined in Illinois Boating Accidents?

Liability in boating accidents depends on whether someone failed to operate their vessel with reasonable care. Illinois law imposes specific duties on a boat operator to prevent bodily harm. For example, the Illinois Boat Registration and Safety Act, under 625 ILCS 45/5-2, prohibits operating a boat recklessly and endangering others on the water. Excessive speeding, creating hazardous wakes near other vessels, or ignoring navigational rules can establish negligence.

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 Posted on June 17, 2025 in Car Accidents

A shocking number of people are the victims of hit-and-run accidents in Chicago every year, and Illinois law offers a route to hold the at-fault drivers responsible for their negligence. For bicycle accidents, the potential damages are often more severe, given the vulnerability of cyclists who share the road with motor vehicles. If you were struck by a car while riding your bike, understanding what to do after is critical for your claim, even if the driver ran. A Chicago, IL hit-and-run car accident attorney can help.

Steps To Take Immediately After a Bicycle Hit-and-Run Crash in Illinois

Most people know what to do in the immediate aftermath of an auto accident, but what you should do after getting hit by a hit-and-run driver is not always clear. Steps you can take if you are physically able include:

• File a police report: Remain calm and call the police right away. Having a police report on file is a strong piece of evidence for your personal injury claim.

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 Posted on May 18, 2025 in Aviation Litigation

In Illinois, landlords are legally obligated to maintain their property in reasonably safe conditions for renters. When failing to do so results in a tenant’s injury, the state premises liability law requires the landlord to pay for damages. If you suffered severe injuries due to your landlord’s negligence regarding security, a Chicago, IL premises liability attorney will investigate your case to look for proof of fault and all recoverable damages.

Understanding Negligent Security Under Illinois Law

A landlord’s security efforts can be considered negligent when tenants and anyone on the property are at risk of injury. Poor lighting, insufficient surveillance systems, broken locks, ineffective alarm systems, and inadequately trained security personnel could all result in a negligent security claim. For example, an apartment complex lacking sufficient lighting can attract criminal activity because it allows offenders to commit crimes in an environment where they are less likely to be caught.

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 Posted on April 20, 2025 in Aviation Litigation

After a serious car accident, navigating a lawsuit for compensation can be overwhelming. However, with the guidance of experienced Illinois car accident attorneys at Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, LLC, you can be assured that you have a team of experienced, aggressive attorneys who take your case seriously and have the professional tools and resources to pursue the compensation you deserve for both economic and noneconomic damages.

Determining Car Accident Fault 

In Illinois, fault in a car accident is a critical factor in determining liability for damages. Fault is established by proving negligence in a series of steps: 

• Duty of care: Another party had a duty of care to you. For example, a car driver has a duty of care to drive at a legal speed and stop at red lights and stop signs.

• Breach: That driver breached the duty of care by, for instance, running a red light and rear-ending your car.

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 Posted on March 13, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

Anesthesia is a crucial part of medicine, allowing patients to undergo surgeries and medical procedures without pain. However, when anesthesiologists make critical errors, the consequences can be severe — even life-threatening. If you or a loved one suffered an anesthesia-related injury due to medical negligence, you may have legal options to seek compensation for your losses.

At Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, LLC, our Illinois personal injury lawyers have a proven track record of winning outstanding settlements and verdicts for our clients. If you have a strong case, we will fight for your rights and ensure you receive maximum compensation.

What Are Common Anesthesia Errors?

Administering anesthesia is a complex process that requires careful monitoring of a patient’s vital signs, dosage levels, and overall condition. Even a small mistake can lead to catastrophic injuries. Some of the most serious anesthesiology errors include:

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 Posted on February 13, 2025 in Car Accidents

Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft offer riders an easy way to move around Chicago. However, when these vehicles are involved in serious accidents, passengers can suffer devastating injuries.

Major crashes on expressways such as the Dan Ryan, Kennedy, or Eisenhower, or at dangerous intersections like Milwaukee, Damen, and North, can lead to life-changing consequences. If your Uber or cab driver crashes and you suffer serious injuries, you may have legal options to pursue compensation.

An experienced Illinois personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights and seek the financial recovery you deserve.

Is the Uber Driver Responsible in an Uber Crash?

In a serious accident involving a rideshare or taxi, multiple parties could be responsible, including:

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 Posted on January 15, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

The birth of a child should be one of the happiest times in a person’s life, but when something goes wrong during labor and delivery, the results can be devastating. Birth injuries can have long-term effects on a baby’s health and development, as well as a family’s emotional and financial well-being. 

Understanding the causes of serious birth injuries can help parents recognize when medical mistakes may have played a role. If you believe your child’s birth injury could have been prevented, a Chicago, IL birth injury lawyer can help you explore your legal options and seek compensation for your family.

Prolonged or Delayed Labor

Prolonged or delayed labor occurs when the process of childbirth takes too long, putting unnecessary stress on the baby and the mother. When labor stalls, doctors and nurses must monitor the baby closely for signs of distress and take appropriate action. Failing to intervene when labor has gone on for too long can lead to complications such as oxygen deprivation, brain damage, or physical trauma to the baby.

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 Posted on December 19, 2024 in Personal Injury

Public transportation is a vital part of daily life for many Chicago residents, but accidents can and do happen on systems like the Metra and CTA’s L trains. If you have been injured on public transit in Chicago or elsewhere in Illinois, you might wonder if you can sue the government for your injuries and suffering.

Filing a lawsuit against a government entity is more difficult than suing a private party, but it is possible under specific circumstances. An experienced Chicago, IL personal injury attorney can help you go through the process and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Can I Sue the CTA or Metra for My Injury?

Yes, you can sue the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) or Metra for injuries sustained on their trains, buses, or stations if negligence contributed to your injury. The CTA operates L trains and buses throughout the city, while Metra manages commuter rail lines across the greater Chicago area and northern Illinois. These government agencies have a duty to maintain safe vehicles, tracks, and stations. If they fail in this duty, they can be held liable under the Illinois Tort Immunity Act.

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 Posted on November 25, 2024 in General

Artificial Intelligence ("AI") is no longer science fiction. In the past few years, AI technology has infiltrated TV screens and cell phones, gradually making its way into the workplace. The possibility of having an always-available research assistant has sparked interest in the legal community, but it has also raised considerable ethical questions about how the technology would be integrated into legal practice. Federal courts have since made it clear that AI technology can be used as a tool, not a replacement for research.

In 2023, Two New York lawyers, Steven Schwartz and Peter LoDuca, filed a legal document citing six non-existent cases in Federal Court; the lawyers only realized the cases were fake when representatives from the other side of the case informed the court of their inability to locate the cited sources. When both parties appeared before the court, Schwartz admitted to using ChatGPT and unknowingly including false citations. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel found that the lawyers acted in bad faith and made misleading statements to the court. He ordered the lawyers to pay a $5,000 fine.

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 Posted on December 06, 2023 in Personal Injury

By Daniel M. Kotin

In October 2005, Stephen Colbert essentially invented the word truthiness on his TV show. Since then, his made-up word has earned an official place in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

truth-i-ness (noun): A truthful or seemingly truthful quality that is claimed for something not because of supporting facts or evidence but because of the feeling that it is true or the desire for it to be true.

Also, in the 18 years since that satirical Colbert Report aired, several studies and articles in peer-reviewed journals have drilled down on this concept and identified a phenomenon known as the "truthiness effect." Research shows that if any claim is accompanied by a neutral, generic photograph of the subject of that claim, most unknowing people will be biased into believing that claim is true. This is a bit scary.

Let’s look at a couple of examples. Psychologists Eryn J. Newman and Lynn Zhang wrote about research subjects being presented with this statement and asked if it is true or false:

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