218 N. Jefferson, Ste. 202 Chicago, IL 60661
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
TK OC
TK OC
CH I CAGO TR I AL L A W Y E R S
TRIAL ATTORNEYS Chute O’Malley Knobloch & Turcy WHAT’S INSIDE llc
Chute O’Malley Knobloch & Turcy
llc
TRIAL ATTORNEYS
OCTOBER 2019
1 2
AWord From Our Founder, Tom Chute
THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN CALLED TO DO How I Found My Way in My Legal Career
(773) 906-4063
How to Keep Your Family Close in a Busy World
Grave Matters of the Law
ChuteLaw.com
3
While I always knew I wanted to go to law school, I originally thought I would practice corporate law and represent big companies. The fact of the matter is, once I got into it and started representing these big businesses, I found out it wasn’t very meaningful. Sure, I was living my dream of being a lawyer, but I didn’t find a lot of fulfillment in my work. I realized I wanted to help the little guy, and that’s what I’ve devoted the last 17 years of my practice to. When I was a partner at a big defense firm, I represented Fortune 500 companies. Although I did well, I didn’t feel any personal satisfaction from winning a case. Now, when I represent a person who needs my help or a family who’s in financial straits because their loved one died in a work incident, I am fulfilling what I set out to do when I got my law degree. When I’m representing someone whose case might change the law for the better for the entire state or country, I go home at the end of the day knowing I’ve helped someone. That’s rewarding. I find far more gratification in my work now than I ever have before. After growing up on the East Coast, I came to Chicago for law school, and I’ve been here ever since. It’s been 29 years now. My wife and I raised our three kids in the Chicagoland area and are proud to call it home. About 12 years ago, I went out on my own and started representing people who had been injured and needed my help. From construction negligence to trucking accidents or wrongful death, I began to work with people who needed good representation. Six years later, my current partner, Phil Turcy, joined me. Phil worked at the same large firm I did before I went out on my own, and he had felt the same calling to help people rather than corporations. Together, we
HowWe Find Resolution for Our Clients
Naperville Office 475 River Bend Road Suite 101 Naperville, IL 60540 Chicago Office 218 North Jefferson Suite 202 Chicago, IL 60661
Chocolate-Dipped Fruit
4
Events In and Around Chicago
strived to build something that was more personal, a firm that provides the individual attention our clients need in their trying times. Two springs ago, Colin O’Malley and Mike Knobloch left the same large firm Phil and I had been at and joined us as partners. They came for the same reasons Phil and I did: to build something meaningful. We want to help people who need our help and do it in a fashion that’s personalized and pays close attention to each client. At our firm, you’re not just a file number. You’re a person, and we know you’ve been through a lot. We are here to help. We’ve represented people who’ve gone through awful experiences due to the negligence of others, and we will fight for you to receive the compensation you deserve. I look forward to getting to know you through our newsletter. Each month, you’ll hear from one of our team members and get to know our firm better so you can understand the dedication and care each of us puts into our work. I’m excited to share that with you.
WHAT’S HAPPENING, CHICAGO?
Cubs, Bears, and Bulls, Oh My!
PERSONAL INJURY WORKERS’ COMPENSATION WRONGFUL DEATH
As we move further into fall, baseball season winds down just as football and basketball are ramping up. With our flourishing local athletics, there’s plenty of entertainment options through each of the respective sport’s seasons. The MLB playoffs begin in October and take us through the month. Post up in your favorite local pub or get your friends and neighbors in on the anticipation and host a party to watch all the excitement leading up to the big one. It’s sure to be a fun month. On Oct. 6, Football Frenzy makes the most of the Bears’ away game in England to set up a tailgate inside the Hyatt Regency Lisle in Lisle. There will be games and crafts for kids to keep them entertained while you cheer on the Bears. The event is also a fundraiser for Normal Moments, a Naperville-based nonprofit organization that provides support services to parents of critically ill and/or medically complex children. Be part of something bigger and join the event. Kicking off with the Bulls vs. the Bucks in early October, the basketball season promises all kinds of fast-paced fun. There’s the Bulls vs. the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 17, and they take on the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 26. On Nov. 1, catch the Bulls as they
take on the Detroit Pistons in United Center. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster, and of course, you can watch the games at just about any local spot where sports are shown. For a chance to rub shoulders with some old-school star power, former Chicago Bull Randy Brown will be signing autographs and posing for photo-ops on Monday, Oct. 28, from 6:30–8 p.m. at Dean’s Dugout in Naperville.
Until next time,
–Tom Chute
What will the season bring? We’ll just have to watch to find out.
4
1
Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy | ChuteLaw.com
STAYING CONNECTED How to Keep Your Family Close in a Busy World traditions, so why forgo the smaller rituals that bring families together? Whether it’s eating dinner at the same table each evening, watching a movie together every Thursday night, or going on a monthly getaway, make sure these traditions aren’t canceled. If your family doesn’t have many rituals, a great way to connect is to start some. Make Every Moment Count As cliche as it sounds, when you don’t have much time together, it’s crucial to be present for every minute of it. If you have a rare half-hour at home with one of your kids, make a point to spend it in the same room and try to start a conversation. If you squeeze in a romantic dinner with your spouse, turn off your phones before the food comes. Listening to each other without distractions will strengthen your relationship. Hug It Out Physical contact is vital for closeness. When you get the chance, hug your kids, hold hands with your spouse, and do physical activities as a family, like hiking, biking, or even playing group sports. It’s been scientifically proven that physical closeness leads to emotional closeness, so if you’re low on time, take advantage of that shortcut!
SOMEONE TO FIGHT FOR YOU
We Return Hope to Our Clients
In another case, Tom represented an individual who’d been working in road construction. While working near a crane that was lifting a steel beam, the hoist that should have held the beam in place failed. The client was pinned underneath the beam, instantly changing his life. He became an amputee below the knee. He would never be able to return to work as a tradesman. Through his efforts, Tom proved that the hoist was defective, showing negligence caused by a third party as they had failed to abide by their own safety policy. While each case is unique and we can never guarantee what type of compensation a client will get, we do everything we can to fight for you and ensure that you receive the compensation you are due. Each of the attorneys who works here came to us because they have the same values. If you have been injured through no fault of your own and are being pushed around by insurance companies trying to get you to settle, you need strong legal representation. You need a firm that will fight for you. You’ll find that in Tom Chute and his team at Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy LLC. Each of us is passionate and determined when it comes to representing people and their individual stories. Give us a call today and see how we can help you.
Throughout his impressive career, our founder, attorney Tom Chute, has been representing people who have been hurt through no fault of their own. From construction negligence to auto accidents and premises liability, he is versed in fighting for — and securing — what’s fair for our clients. We’ll Look Out for You In one case, Tom’s client was injured on a job site. He’d been pinned between a truck and a dumpster and sustained all types of injuries. He ultimately
A Grave Legal Matter If you feel like you’ve hardly seen your kids since the school year started, you’re not alone. Americans are way too busy — from childhood onward, we’re always running hither and thither, packing in as many after-school activities, work-related meetings, and social engagements as possible. It’s a problem so pervasive that it has a name: time scarcity. Families feel time scarcity keenly after school starts in September, when children’s schedules explode with engagements. But all hope for close ties isn’t lost; there are ways to stay connected with your spouse and kids, even in an increasingly busy world. Here are some ideas from counselors, teachers, and psychologists who claim to have mastered the art. Remember Your Rituals Rituals make up the backbone of individual families and society at large. Most people wouldn’t dream of abandoning their holiday We’ve all played a harmless trick or two, but sometimes, Halloween shenanigans get out of hand. They can lead to hurt feelings, outraged neighbors, and, in the case of Purtell v. Mason, a lawsuit. In the days leading up to Halloween, all was not quiet in the village of Bloomingdale. Previously parked in a storage unit, Jeff and Vicki Purtell’s 38-foot RV was now parked in front of their house. In protest, neighbors petitioned to town officials, wanting an ordinance put in place to prohibit RV parking on residential property. While the ordinance was under consideration, Jeff Purtell took matters into his own hands. He erected six wooden tombstones in his front yard. They seemed to be innocuous Halloween decorations, but these tombstones displayed a special message for the neighbors. Each headstone was inscribed with a sarcastic message and house number, implying the occupants’ death dates. These messages soon caught the neighbors’ attention.
lost sight in one of his eyes. Tom represented this individual and was there for him through his pain and suffering. Tom ultimately obtained a settlement on his behalf that ensured he would be all right financially, despite the suffering he endured. “It’s very rewarding when you can ensure that there’s compensation,” Tom says of the case.
HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS OR FIGHTING WORDS?
PUZZLE TIME!
CHOCOLATE-DIPPED FRUIT
Ingredients
Inspired by Food Network
•
1 package melting chocolate
• Assorted dried fruit, including apricots and mangoes
The Verdict Purtell sued Officer Mason on the grounds of violating his rights to free speech, and the case made it all the way to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Sykes ruled that the tombstones did not constitute fighting words and were protected under the First Amendment. However, she also ruled that Officer Mason was entitled to qualified immunity, as any reasonable officer would act the same under the circumstances. The bigger question might be how this case made it all the way to the U.S. Court of Appeals. As Judge Sykes wrote in her opinion, “Lawsuits like this one cast the legal profession in a bad light and contribute to the impression that Americans are an overlawyered and excessively litigious people.”
Directions 1. In a large saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a boil.
2. Place a large, heatproof mixing bowl on top of saucepan so that no steam can escape. Place melting chocolate in mixing bowl and double boil until melted.
“Bette wasn’t ready, but here she lies, ever since that night she died. Twelve feet deep in this trench, still wasn’t deep enough for that stench! 1690.”
3. Dip half of each piece of fruit in chocolate before transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet to rest.
Insulted and a little afraid, Purtell’s neighbors called the police to have the headstones removed. After a couple of visits, Officer Bruce Mason arrived and threatened to arrest Purtell if he didn’t take the tombstones down. Purtell obliged, but the matter wasn’t put to rest.
4. Let cool for 10 minutes until chocolate solidifies.
5. Place in school lunches, serve at parties, and indulge in a few for yourself.
2
3
Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy | ChuteLaw.com
Page 1 Page 2Made with FlippingBook Annual report