Chicago Train Accident Attorney | Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer | Illinois Chicago

Szynalik v. CTA, et al. Settlement: $5.55 Million Cavanagh Law Group obtained a $5.55 million settlement for the family of a woman killed in Chicago on December 31, 2007. Ludwika Szynalik was a passenger on Chicago Transit Authority bus No. 152 traveling west on Addison Street near its intersection with Natchez Avenue. When the bus stopped, Ludwika exited the bus and went to retrieve her bicycle that she had previously placed on the bus' front bicycle rack. As Ludwika attempted to remove her bicycle, the CTA's bus driver accelerated, ran her over and dragged her approximately 100 feet down the street. Ludwika passed away a few hours later. Cameras installed on the CTA bus caught the horrible incident. The video, produced pursuant to court order, clearly shows Szynalik walking in front of the stopped bus to remove her bicycle. The video then goes on to show the bus accelerating and running over Szynalik while she is in clear view of the bus driver. The CTA Board approved a $5.45 million settlement on November 14, 2012. The case had previously settled with the other involved parties for an additional $100,000.00. Egbert v. Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet, et al. Settlement: $1.9 Million On October 8, 2012, Cavanagh Law Group partners Tim Cavanagh and Matt Rundio obtained a $1.9 million settlement for a 38-year-old man injured in a car crash in Romeoville, Illinois. On November 5, 2006, Bill Egbert was on his motorcycle stopped at a red light when he was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Fr. Raymond Garbin. The impact threw Bill onto the hood of Garbin's car and his motorcycle was catapulted down the road. The car's windshield was shattered by Bill's motorcycle helmet and Bill sustained multiple injuries, including a closed head injury. The matter was on trial at the time of the settlement in the Circuit Court of Will County. Kuk v. Metra Settlement: $1.8 Million On Sunday, October 12, 2003, Kathryn Kuk, Steven Kuk and Megan Kuk were passengers on a Metra train that was transporting passengers from Chicago to Joliet, Illinois. As the Metra train approached the intersection of Federal Street and 47th Street in Chicago, the train's engineer missed a red stop light. The train derailed at a speed of 68 mph, where the maximum speed was 10 mph. As a result of the derailment, Kathryn Kuk sustained an aggravation of a preexisting spinal cord condition, Grade II Spondylolisthesis. Kathryn required two fusion surgeries and also had a permanent spinal cord pain stimulator implanted. Steven and Megan sustained minor injuries and were treated and released. While Metra admitted liability it contested the nature and extent of Kathryn Kuk's injuries. After a jury was selected, Kuk's attorneys presented numerous doctors who testified about Kathryn's injuries, surgeries and preexisting condition. On the 5th day of trial the parties settled for $1.8 million. Czapski v. Maher Verdict: $13,720,007.98 Offer: $1.9 million On April 20, 2009, Tim Cavanagh obtained a $13.7 million verdict on behalf of the Estate of Roger Czapski against Christopher Maher arising from a deadly automobile crash. After a two week long trial and 3 hours of deliberation, the jury returned the verdict finding Maher was 98% responsible for the wrongful death of Czapski. On August 4, 2004, Czapski, age 22, was a salesman for Motor Werks of Barrington, Inc. That afternoon, Maher, a 20 year old from Inverness, Illinois, took a BMW 530i on a test drive, with Czapski riding as the front seat passenger and Maher's two friends seated in the back seat. The BMW violently collided with a left turning vehicle at the intersection of Algonquin Road and Willow Creek Church Drive. The BMW then ricocheted into a light post and exploded on impact. At trial, witnesses to the collision, including the two back seat passengers in the BMW, testified that the BMW was traveling at 95 mph at the time of impact. The posted speed limit on Algonquin Road is 45 mph. Czapski was pronounced dead at the scene. Santillana v. City of Chicago and Jesus Gomez Verdict: $2,005,798 Offer: None On December 12, 2003, Cook County Circuit Court Jury awarded Elizabeth Santillana $2 million in a hotly disputed wrongful death case. The case arose out of a "police pursuit" on July 18, 2000 that resulted in Dalia Santillana's death when her vehicle was struck by a car driven by a man fleeing a Chicago Police Department squad car engaged in a "police pursuit." Evidence was presented that the police officers "rammed" the Gomez vehicle causing it to lose control and cross the center line. City of Chicago rules on "police pursuits" outlined in General Order 97-3 specifically prohibit "ramming" by squad cars. A Cook County jury rejected the City of Chicago's position that it was not engaged in the pursuit at the time of the fatal collision. Because the City was found 25% at fault, it is responsible for the entire verdict amount. The City declined to make a settlement offer prior to trial. News Article Available Velarde v. Illinois Central Railroad Co., et. al. Verdict: $21,310,406 Offer: $ 3,000,000 On February 8, 2002, Cook County Circuit Court Jury awarded Fidel and Francisca Velarde a total of $21,310,406.65 for injuries suffered in a January 9, 2001 car train collision. Fidel, age 73, and Francisca, age 73, were passengers of an SUV struck by an 8 million pound train at 50 miles per hour. The crossing gates and lights were not working and the dispatcher erroneously told the train crew that the crossing was protected. The plaintiffs suffered traumatic brain injuries in the collision. The total award to the Velardes and their daughter, who was the driver of the car, totaled over $54 million--a state record in Illinois for a railroad crossing collision case. Police Officer v. Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency Award: $5,758,495 Offer: $2,000,000 A twenty-eight year old female Mundelein police officer was pinned between a limousine and her squad car when a limousine driver rear-ended plaintiff's squad car. Plaintiff suffered a near traumatic amputation of her right leg above the knee, multiple fractures of her left leg and the loss of her unborn fetus weeks later. The award is the highest reported uninsured motorist award in Illinois history. News Article Available Webb v. Dikcis Cab Company Verdict: $586,000 Offer: None The case arose from a two vehicle collision in which an uninsured drunk driver ran a red light and struck a cab in which the plaintiff was a passenger. Webb suffered a spinal cord injury resulting in his death. Webb, who had AIDS, had only months to live. The jury found the cab company twenty-five percent responsible for its driver's decision to pull into the intersection without observing the approaching speeding car. The jury verdict resulted in joint and several liability against the cab company Coglianese v. Cardiovascular Renal Consultants Verdict: $600,000 Offer: None Medical Malpractice - Adult female patient died at Blue Island Hospital from sepsis after doctors failed to detect a perforated colon despite a history of a recent colonoscopy and x-ray films that demonstrated free air. Case settled pre-trial for $2,000,000.00 against the radiologist. Catala v. City of Chicago Verdict: $310,000 Offer: None Premises Liability - Adult female fell due to a sinkhole in the crosswalk at the intersection of Belmont and Western Avenues, sustaining a spiral fracture of her femur requiring several surgeries. The City of Chicago which owned and maintained the crosswalk and street denied that it had any notice of the sinkhole.