Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

A California judge recently ordered the Boy Scouts of America to hand over confidential files detailing allegations of sexual abuse by Scout leaders as part of a lawsuit brought by the family of a boy molested by his troop leader.

According to a CBS/AP report, the documents sought are known as “ineligible volunteer files,” which are intended to keep those accused of sexual misconduct out of the Boy Scouts. Boy Scouts officials have fought the release of these files by arguing that it will violate victims’ privacy rights and that many files are based on unproven allegations. Furthermore, the Boy Scouts are asserting that these files have not been used to conceal sexual abuse.

The victim’s parents in this case were told not to call the police by an official because the Boy Scouts perform their own internal investigation of sexual abuse allegations. Based the widespread sexual abuse that has occurred in this organization throughout the country, these so-called “internal investigations” clearly are either completely ineffective or nonexistent.

As an experienced Chicago trial lawyer, I feel that the Boy Scouts of America resisted releasing the “ineligible volunteer files” because the contents of the files will expose the organization’s extensive concealment of sexual abuse claims over the past decades. The Boy Scouts of America owed to each boy who participates in the organization a duty to protect them from pedophiles. Unfortunately, this organization has fallen woefully short of satisfying this duty.

The discovery of higher concentrations of inorganic arsenic found in certain infant formulas, cereal bars and high energy foods has prompted Dartmouth College researchers to call for regulatory limits on arsenic levels in foods.

Based on the Dartmouth College study, high levels of arsenic may be found in food products which list organic brown rice syrup as an ingredient. Organic brown rice syrup is used as an alternative to high fructose corn syrup. Rice can be a major source of inorganic arsenic.

Additionally, a report last year found that arsenic levels in certain fruit juices exceeded the federal limits set for arsenic levels in drinking water.

As a products liability attorney in Chicago, I advise consumers, particularly parents purchasing infant formulas, to avoid products with organic brown rice syrup until health officials and researchers can fully address these concerns related to arsenic levels.

Swiss drug maker Roche is warning doctors, hospitals, and patient groups that a counterfeit version of its widely used cancer drug, Avastin, has been found in the U.S.

Tests of counterfeit vitals indicated that they did not contain the active ingredient used in the cancer drug. At this point, it is not clear how much of the counterfeit product was distributed in the U.S. or whether it has caused any harm. The FDA has not received any reports of side effects linked to the counterfeit product, but has sent letters warning medical practices that might have purchased counterfeit Avastin.

As a personal injury lawyer, I feel this incident highlights the growing danger of counterfeit and mislabeled medications in the U.S. Many Americans are unaware that any drug, whether prescription or over-the-counter, is susceptible to be either counterfeited or mislabeled, which could lead to various hazardous results. For instance, when a drug is counterfeited or mislabeled, a patient with a severe allergy to a particular ingredient could unknowingly ingest that ingredient if it is contained in the counterfeit or mislabeled drug.

In light of these concerns, I urge everyone to exercise caution when it comes to all medications and contact a medical professional immediately upon any unexpected or adverse reactions.

The Chicago law firm of Hurley, McKenna & Mertz P.C. has filed a lawsuit against the County of Cook on behalf of the family of a woman whose body lay unidentified in the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office for over fourteen [14] months.

The suit alleges that 47 year-old Carmelita Johnson went missing in Chicago in January of 2010. On April 10, 2010, Chicago Police Department officers discovered the body of Ms. Johnson on the Lake Michigan shore south of Rainbow Beach. Chicago Police transported Ms. Johnson’s body the same day to the morgue of the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Ms. Johnson’s family contacted the Cook County Medical examiner’s office weekly between January of 2010 and June of 2011, seeking information regarding their missing family member. However, employees of the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office repeatedly told Ms. Johnson’s family over a fourteen month period that they did not have her body, even though her body was at the morgue. Further, morgue employees refused to allow the family to view the remains of unidentified bodies in the morgue, despite the fact that a body matching Ms. Johnson’s description was in the morgue but unidentified. Ultimately, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office did nothing to identify Ms. Johnson’s remains until June of 2011, despite the family’s willingness to supply the office with dental records and tissue samples throughout that fourteen month period.

The Johnson family’s plight is highlighted by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s recent admission that she was "disturbed and disappointed and discouraged," because the Cook County Medical Examiner's office has allowed hundreds of unidentified bodies to stack up in a crowded cooler.

"The manner in which the Cook County morgue and medical examiner’s office treated Ms. Johnson’s family raises serious questions about the County’s oversight of that office. Ms. Johnson’s family is looking for answers,” according to Christopher Hurley, one of the attorneys for the Johnson family.

The case is entitled Leslie Jackson, et al. v. County of Cook, Cook County Circuit Court No. 2012 L 001477. Questions regarding the case can be directed to Christopher Hurley at (312) 553-4900. Requests for copies of the Complaint at Law may be sent to cthurley@hurley-law.com.

As a Chicago plaintiff’s attorney, I am pleased that a federal jury awarded $30,000 to a Chicago police officer who faced repeated religious and ethnic slurs from his superior.

The religious and ethnic slurs were directed at the police officer’s Jewish and German heritage. According to the Chicago Tribune story, witnesses testified at trial that the police officer’s superior, “repeatedly ridiculed [the officer] with anti-Semitic comments, calling him ‘Jew Boy’ or ‘stupid Jew’ and saluting him with ‘Heil Hitler.’” After an internal department investigation found the superior to be at fault, he retired instead of serving his suspension.

Individuals facing discrimination in the workplace, whether based on race, religion, ethnicity, or gender, suffer severe emotional distress. Particularly when the discrimination comes from a superior, individuals may be hesitant to report the discrimination for fear of retaliation or loss of job. Because of this, employers must stress to employees that any form of discrimination will not be tolerated and should be reported immediately.

Last year, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee filed for bankruptcy protection, stating that sexual abuse lawsuits against it could lead to debts that it could not afford. The bankruptcy court set February 1 as the deadline for claims to be filed against the Archdiocese. Before this deadline, approximately 550 clergy sex abuse claims were filed. In fact, one priest was accused of abusing around 200 boys at a suburban school for deaf students over a 24 year period.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has already paid more than $30 million to settle clergy sex abuse claims. Sadly, the number of victims and size of these settlements demonstrate the pervasiveness of the abuse and the crippling harm that it has caused so many people.

Although it is unfortunate that this deadline had to be set, I am glad to see that 550 victims had the courage to come forward. If you are a victim of sexual abuse or are inquiring on behalf of a friend or family member who has suffered a sexual assault, contact experienced trial lawyers immediately to confidentially discuss your claims.