135 S. LaSalle St., Ste. 2200 Chicago, IL 60603
3550 Hobson Rd., Ste. 403 Woodridge, IL 60517
312-663-7016 | www.shannonlawgroup.com Text: 312-847-2428 SEPTEMBER 2020
HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SLG
I wanted to give you an update on our team at SLG. Since March, everyone quickly adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since our clients are deprived of their right to a jury trial right now, our goal has been to make sure our cases are fine-tuned and ready to present to a jury. First, Pat Cummings continues to advocate for our clients throughout Chicagoland. Pat is also heavily involved in the Monsanto Roundup litigation in St. Louis, Missouri. Pat, his wife Caitlin, and their two dogs have handled remote working with grace. Pat is becoming a leader in cases involving catastrophic injuries … and he doesn’t keep his knowledge to himself. Check out the volume of his work on our blog. By the way, Pat published a book called “Avoiding a Trucking Nightmare: What You NEED to Know After a Truck-Related Injury.” (Want a copy? Email Brittany at BPeterson@shannonlawgroup.com.) Jon Svitak has been busier than ever. In addition to managing our nationwide vaccine injury practice, Jon continues to represent seriously injured folks in Chicagoland. Jon and his wife, Sam, have worked remotely and in the office. He’s also written numerous articles on our website and published a book entitled “Vaccine Injuries: Understanding the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.” (Reach out to Brittany if you’d like a copy.) Pat Anderson has been with us for six months. Since then, he’s made a huge difference continuing to represent catastrophically injured clients. Pat has published numerous articles on our blog. Pat is also our expert on Bad Faith Insurance. Working remotely for now, Pat can spend more time with his wife, Karli, and their son, Oliver. Jack Cannon, who is Of Counsel at our firm, has distinguished himself as one of the top workers’ compensation advocates and trial attorneys in Illinois. He works tirelessly to achieve amazing outcomes for his clients.
and folks like you. She’s constantly improving our digital footprint so our clients are always in the loop on the latest developments. In the past few months, she helped our attorneys publish over 100 blogs and grow our national vaccine injury practice. Ashleigh Zurek started with our firm a year ago, and she decided to enter law school. She continues to work with us. Ashleigh helped Sidney Bottino run “The Opening Statement With Joe Shannon” podcast during the last four months. Always a client advocate, Ashleigh wants to make sure folks know the “inside baseball” of the court system. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ashleigh and I publish a book soon to help clients. Sarah Anderson started working with us in April. She assists our workers’ compensation clients and helps them navigate their claims so they can get the benefits they need. Sarah also enjoys spending time with her brother, Pat, and his family, who live just down the street from her residence. Sidney Bottino also started law school in Boston. Sidney was the original producer of the podcast. She did a tremendous job, and we wish her well in Boston. Katie and Lauren Remmes (Team Remmes) worked tirelessly this summer to make sure our cases were constantly moving forward. Katie (an ISU senior) and Lauren (a Creighton sophomore) have been with us for multiple summers. As for me, I continue to work with these fabulous team members to push your cases to trial. We hope the courts will allow for jury trials in the near future. We want to make sure you get your day in court. Michelle and I still have a high schooler and a grade schooler at home. We enjoy attending tennis matches, baseball games, and basketball events when we can. We are grateful for your trust!
– Joseph Shannon
Brittany Peterson has been working with us for almost three years. Brittany makes sure we stay continually connected with our clients
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WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I GET HURT AT WORK?
1. Tell your employer about your injury as soon as possible. You must notify your employer within 45 days of your injury (or last exposure) to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. 2. Seek treatment for your work-related injury or illness. Above all else, focus on your health and recovery. Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, injured workers are allowed to see two doctors of their own choosing. 3. Contact and meet with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer. Navigating your workers’ compensation claim can be stressful. That’s why we recommend that you contact and meet with a workers’ compensation lawyer next. There are strict rules and procedures you must follow in order to receive the benefits you deserve. On top of that, your employer’s insurance carrier may not give you enough benefits to cover your medical bills or your time off work.
Over a hundred years ago, the Illinois government provided a safety net for injured workers through the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act (IWCA). Under the act, you can receive benefits for your time off, medical bills, and a lump sum settlement at the end of your case. Sometimes, another company or person besides your employer or coworker may have contributed to your work injury. In this situation, you may pursue a civil lawsuit for damages against these parties on top of receiving workers’ compensation benefits. We’re often asked, “What should I do if I am injured on the job?” Here are three steps you should take if you find yourself in this situation:
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our office. We’ll point you in the right direction.
– Pat Anderson
NHTSA RELEASES PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON 2020 Q1 TRAFFIC DEATHS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation that creates and maintains a tremendous amount of highway safety data for the federal government. Recently the NHTSA released its preliminary first-quarter 2020 traffic crash fatality projections. Americans are driving less, but traffic fatalities have increased. Their early estimate report indicated that there were approximately 70 fewer traffic fatalities in the first quarter of 2020 than in the first quarter of 2019 — which is less than a 1% difference. However, the NHTSA has projected a massive decrease in overall vehicle miles traveled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent stay-at-home orders. Americans drove an estimated 40 billion miles less in the first quarter of this year versus last year — a 5.4% difference. The amount of crash-related fatalities has decreased, but the fatality rate has gone up . While it’s not clear what significance these early estimates have, as a possible factor contributing to increased fatality rates, the NHTSA has cited a higher percentage of speeding and reckless driving on open roads. In Minnesota, one state highway safety official estimated that the state had half the traffic but double the fatalities from an average year.
This NHTSA report also follows their findings from earlier this year that showed a significant decrease in 2019 traffic fatalities when compared against 2018. However, deaths involving commercial trucks saw an increase over that same period. What does this mean? It will be interesting to see how useful data from the pandemic period will be. The fact is that fewer people are on the road, and those who are driving are traveling far fewer miles. Memorial Day is the typical start of the summer holiday driving season. According to some estimates, America’s gas consumption during Memorial Day weekend was down by as much as 30% from the year before.
Highway safety advocates are continually monitoring highway collision and fatality data, particularly those studies involving commercial truck traffic. We are hopeful that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s rollback of several safety regulations (in light of the COVID-19 pandemic) does not negatively impact these crash statistics when they are released this time next year.
– Pat Cummings
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HHS ADVANCES TO REMOVE SIRVA FROM VACCINE INJURY TABLE
In April, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) began the process of removing a type of reaction called shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). Since then, the Advisory Committee on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV), which makes recommendations on proposed rule-making to HHS on issues related to the VICP, came out in strong opposition to HHS’s proposal. Despite the ACCV’s formal recommendation against removal, the secretary went ahead and published the Notice of Proposed Rule- making in the Federal Register on July 20, 2020. The rule-making process for the Code of Federal Regulations works like this: Once a notice of proposed rule-making is published, a deadline is set for any public comments to be made regarding the proposal. In this case, the public has until Jan. 12, 2021, to submit comments in support of or in opposition to the proposal.
of comments received for or against its proposal. Ultimately, its decision must be based on a combination of its own findings and the record, including the public comments, scientific data, and expert opinions. After hearing public comments, the secretary will publish the final rule in the federal register. A final rule must include an “effective date,” so that we know when it will go into effect for future cases. The effective date usually can be no less than 30 days following the publication of the final rule. We will be prepared for Jan. 12, 2021, and thereafter. In the meantime, our vaccine injury law firm will be doing everything we can to oppose the proposed rule from going into effect. For now, any current cases in the VICP alleging a SIRVA injury will continue to be covered by the Vaccine Injury Table. That is also true for any case filed before the effective date, if the rule becomes final. Many things can change between now and January. We will be closely monitoring the situation. Regardless, we will be prepared for either scenario come Jan. 12, 2021.
Although public comments are one factor that HHS must consider in its decision, it will not base its decision entirely on the number
If you believe that you have suffered a side effect or injury like SIRVA as a result of a vaccine, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact us for more information.
– Jonathan Svitak
SUDOKU
SLG TRAVEL MUG GIVEAWAY: ENTER NOW! Thank you for reading our newsletter and staying in touch with our firm. To show our appreciation to readers like you, we’re giving away a custom Shannon Law Group Yeti Travel Mug. You’ll want this tumbler in your cabinet as the days grow colder. For a
chance to win, text “YETI” to (312) 847-2428 by Oct. 17.
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Phone: 312-663-7016 Text: 312-847-2428 www.shannonlawgroup.com
135 S. LASALLE ST., STE. 2200 CHICAGO, IL 60603
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
page 1
Here’s What’s Happening at SLG
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What Should I Do if I Get Hurt at Work? NHTSA Releases Preliminary Findings on 2020 Q1 Traffic Deaths HHS Pushes to Remove SIRVA From Vaccine Injury Table
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NOW AVAILABLE: UNDERSTANDING THE VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION PROGRAM
QUESTIONS? Text me at my personal number: 312-847-2428.
We’re excited to announce a new Shannon Law Group publication by Jonathan Svitak is available now! To get your free copy, text us at (312) 847-2428.
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