Chicago Medical Malpractice Law Blog

Imagine going to the emergency room to receive treatment for a serious condition, such as diabetes or chest pain. After the health care provider sees you, you feel groggy and disoriented, and may not have the mental capacity to give the doctor a phone number for a relative to pick you up. Despite being obviously unable to function on your own yet, hospital staff deems you ready for discharge and calls a taxi or walks you to the bus station. This nightmare situation sounds like something out of a dystopian movie, but unfortunately can occur to patients in Illinois and elsewhere.

The practice of discharging patients before they have fully recovered, or sending them into an uncertain or unsafe situation, is called “patient dumping,” according to Healthcare Dive. Unfortunately, patient dumping occurs more often than you would think. Hospitals are most likely to transport patients who are homeless, low-income or uninsured to shelters or pass them off to other hospitals – often, when the individuals are unable to make decisions for themselves or safely manage without assistance.

As a construction worker, you take pride in your job and accomplishments. Working in construction is not easy, but it is commendable and fulfilling. Unfortunately, the construction industry is highly dangerous. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that there were 1,034 construction fatalities in 2016.

You face unique hazards as a construction employee. Here are some of the most common accidents that lead to injuries and deaths at construction sites. 

Bruce R. Pfaff of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd., has again been named one of the Top 10 lawyers in Illinois by Super Lawyers. Bruce has been honored to be one of the Top Ten lawyers in Illinois twice in the past 8 years (2011). This is an incredible honor considering there are over 94,000 Illinois licensed lawyers.