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Anesi, Ozmon, Rodin, Novak & Kohen, Ltd. is a leader in the practice of personal injury and workers' compensation law.
That leadership is clear when you read about precedent-setting cases cited by courts and other attorneys, or when our attorneys are the authors of texts that become the standard guidelines for practice, or comments in news features and opinion pieces. Equally important is our protection of the state and federal legislation that protects the injured.
For 50 years, Anesi Ozmon remains Illinois' Center of Legal Excellence - and we share links to sites of interest for workplace safety, transportation, equipment innovations, and other news of interest.
We first point out these breaking developments from our firm.
Anesi Ozmon in the News
- Senior Partner, Bruce Kohen, was installed as the 54th President of the Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association in June 2007.
- In 2007, partners, Marc A. Taxman and Mark Novak, settled a medical negligence case for $18 Million involving the traumatic birth of a baby boy who was deprived of oxygen during labor and delivery.
- In 2007, Daniel V. O'Connor, a partner, settled a construction negligence case for $5 Million involving a carpenter who sustained a serious knee injury as a result of a fall.
- Ironworker Severely Injured by Falling Steel Beam. Verdict Search Illinois selected this case, in which Anesi Ozmon partners Dan O'Connor and Marc Taxman won a $20.9 million verdict, to be highlighted as a 'Verdict of the Month.'
- Law Bulletin Publishing Company's 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch. Mark Murnane was selected for this prestigious distinction accorded to fewer than 1% of the attorneys in Illinois.
- Law Bulletin Publishing Company's 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch. Telly Nakos was selected for this prestigious distinction accorded to fewer than 1% of the attorneys in Illinois.
- Law Bulletin Publishing Company's 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch. Dan O'Connor was selected for this prestigious distinction accorded to fewer than 1% of the attorneys in Illinois.
- Amicus Curious: November, 2001. The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin reports on two personal-injury cases won by Anesi Ozmon on the same day with a settlement and jury verdict awarding a combined $12 million for two ironworker clients.
- Jury Awards 'Record' $3 Million for Ankle Injury. The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin reports on a Cook County jury that returned a record verdict for an ankle injury, awarding $3.24 million to a construction laborer.
- Letter to Editor. The Chicago Sun-Times printed a letter to the editor from Mark Novak outlining the facts of the case involving a motorcyclist injured in Hanover Park, and for whom Anesi Ozmon won a $7.5 million jury award.
- General Personal Injury News
Newsletters, Publications, & Legal Updates
- Construction Negligence: The Past, Present and Future Application of Section 414 of the Restatement (Second) Torts in Illinois: Winter, 2005 This article, written and edited by Curt Rodin and Jeff Jordan provides an important summary of case law. It was published in Trial Journal of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.
- 2003 Illinois Civil Practice Volume I Opening The Case 'Limitations' Published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Curt Rodin wrote this Chapter for the 2003 Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Practice Handbook. It sets forth the problems and pitfalls for Illinois practitioners in the area of Statues of Limitations which is the time requirements for instituting a claim or lawsuit.
- 2003 Illinois Civil Practice Volume III Trying The Case 'The Opening Statement,' Published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Nat Ozmon and Telly Nakos updated this chapter for inclusion in the 2003 Illinois Civil Practice Handbook. The article was originally written in 1987 by Nat Ozmon. After more than fifteen years, this chapter remains freshly instructive and is lauded as the standard educational text on preparing for an opening statement in a personal injury trial. The 2003 edition received a National Award from the American Continuing Legal Education Association.
- 2003 Illinois Civil Discovery Practice 'Special Considerations in a Construction Injury Case' Published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Curt Rodin wrote this Chapter for the 2003 Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Civil Discovery Practice Handbook. Curt distills the firm's extensive experience in construction cases into a concise outline for conducting discovery and sets forth information necessary for gathering evidence in a construction case.
- 2002 Workers' Compensation Trial Notebook Published by the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Education Fund, Doug Colby wrote the vital chapter on the Employer / Employee Relationship.
- Injured on the Job? A Summary of the Rights and Benefits Available to Injured Workers Under Illinois Workers' Compensation Law. This short booklet is written in straightforward question-and-answer format and provides a fundamental introduction for injured workers.
- Anesi Ozmon Newsletter: Volume 1, Number 1. Read an earlier edition of the firm's newsletter that announces some key verdicts and settlements won by the firm, shares firm news, highlights new docket items, and introduces a 'You Should Know' column.
- Anesi Ozmon Newsletter: Volume 1, Number 2. Read an earlier edition of the firm's newsletter that announces some key verdicts and settlements won by the firm - including a record verdict for an ironworker, updates you on a decision that has expanded worker safety, and more.
Studies of Innovative and Precedent-Setting Cases
- Construction workers were deeply affected when the Illinois legislature repealed the Structural Work Act in 1995. In two cases recently litigated by Anesi Ozmon the protection now afforded workers under the doctrine of common law negligence was greatly clarified and expanded. We made new law in the State with the cases of Bokodi vs. Foster-Wheeler, First District MORE and Moorehead vs. Mustang Construction, Third District. In both cases ironworkers sustained injuries and the trial court initially dismissed their claims applying a narrow interpretation of the law. Undaunted by the rulings, in each case Anesi Ozmon appealed and the higher court delivered significant opinions outlining the scope of protection afforded to workers under the law by contractors in control of work. MORE For more information, contact
- Worker safety and safety of persons injured on dangerous property was expanded by an Illinois Supreme Court decision on a premises liability case brought by Anesi Ozmon. MORE
- In the case of Kirwan vs. Lincolnshire-Riverwoods a 25-year old woman suffered an allergic reaction to food and died. Paramedics were summoned and arrived. In the lawsuit brought by her family, it is alleged that paramedics arrived in sufficient time to save her life, but failed to properly treat the reaction. The trial court initially dismissed the case on grounds that the paramedics were immune from liability for their ordinary negligence. We appealed arguing that the conduct of the paramedics as pled in the Complaint amounted to more than ordinary negligence. The higher court agreed and reinstated the case. This case is a landmark decision on the standard for pleading a cause of action based on willful and wanton conduct. We also handled a case against the City of Chicago based on the delay in 911 response that resulted in the death of a 59 year old man. We proved that the City was willful and wanton in refusing to dispatch an ambulance and a jury awarded over $3 Million. MORE For more information, contact our offices.
- The law of premises liability is subject to pitfalls for the unwary. Generally, a landowner will not be responsible for injuries caused by 'natural accumulations' of snow and ice. Plowed mounds of snow and ice were at the center of a case Anesi Ozmon brought against the Village of Lake Villa in Russell vs. The Village of Lake Villa. The trial court initially dismissed the claim. However, the higher court reinstated the case and agreed that landowners could be responsible for injuries caused by ice created from plowed snow. The Appellate Court wrote an opinion holding that a plowed mound of snow is an unnatural accumulation and that ice from that mound (through melting and refreezing) is also unnatural. For more information, contact our offices.
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is a frequent issue for Illinois motorists involved in automobile collision injuries. MORE In the case of Smith vs. Allstate Insurance the Court decided in favor of our clients and allowed recovery of the full extent of their $1 million underinsured motorist coverage. Allstate tried to argue that since the vehicle that caused the damage had $2.3 million in coverage there should be no underinsured claim.
- An appellate decision in the case of Nevious vs. Bauer, helped clarify the law in Illinois regarding the liability of an owner for injuries caused by animals escaping their property. The case, involving a bull that escaped a property and wandered onto a two-lane highway. For more information, contact our offices.
Recent Cases & Filings
The attorneys of Anesi Ozmon have a track record of excellence that covers service offered to thousands of clients in the last fifty years. While our past success is exemplary, every day we continue to advocate for the rights of the catastrophically injured. Below are some examples of new and recently filed cases on which we are working with our clients.
- Premises liability and negligence lawsuit filed against Security Company for the sexual assault suffered by a female driver at a bus terminal that private security agency was supposed to protect.
- Federal Employee Liability Act (FELA) case against a railroad based on the failure of the railroad cars to properly couple resulting in the traumatic amputation of railroad workers leg.
- Cause of action against trucking firm arising from a collision with vehicle on Easter Sunday on the Dan Ryan Expressway resulting in a traumatic brain injury to passenger and fractured neck to driver of vehicle.
- Construction Negligence, Product Liability, and Negligence case involving a crane that contacted power lines during construction resulting in the death of one ironworker and severe injury to another. The inquiry into the occurrence and charges of negligence will focus on the failure to guard the lines, the failure to remove the lines, the design and warning systems of the crane, and the failure to properly coordinate and superintend the jobsite.
- Construction worker suffered career-ending injury when the owner of the site failed to adequately warn of incoming helicopter that toppled construction materials.
- The owner of the site was supposed to warn of incoming choppers and failed to timely do so.
- Ironworker severely injured in fall after being required to work on icy roof.
- A Blue Island police car crashes into the car of our client during a reckless chase causing horrific injuries.
- Wrongful death lawsuit pending against Municipality Paramedics for their failure to manage airway of 25-year-old woman when her throat closed from reaction produced by food allergy.
- Wrongful Death claim involving an Ironworker Apprentice that fell out of unguarded window in skybox during construction of stadium.
- Wrongful death claim against Trucking Firm and its driver who was pulling a tandem trailer and dropped the rear trailer in roadway causing collision and killing innocent driver.
- Roofer falls from unprotected edge suffering spinal fracture at T-8 resulting in parapelgia.
- Product Liability and negligence claim on behalf of Box-cutting machine operator who suffered crushed arm, resulting in an above-elbow amputation.
- Medical Malpractice claim against surgeon, anesthesiologist, and hospital due to the death of a 72-year old man caused by the failure to properly monitor his breathing following gall bladder surgery.
- Wrongful death claim on behalf of family of window washer who fell seven stories due to inadequate fall protection.
Other News
Access these links for source information on workplace safety, workers' compensation and other issues. Visit this site in the future as we will add information about product safety and other areas of interest.
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