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Firm News

September 2024 – Policy Limit Settlement for Crash in Intersection

• The office recently represented a driver who was struck by a vehicle making a left turn in an intersection. Initially the at-fault driver’s insurer tried to place the blame on our client by alleging she ran a red light. This contention was easily rebutted through the physical evidence at the scene and witness statements. After being provided with evidence refuted this defense the at-fault driver’s insurer promptly tendered its policy limits to resolve the claim.

June 2024 – Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Settlement

• Our office was contacted by a delivery driver who suffered a foot injury and ultimately developed complex regional pain syndrome. His employer disputed the extent of his injuries. Before coming to Grauer & Kriegel the client was not receiving medical treatment and was not receiving temporary total disability benefits, despite being unable to work He was previously represented by a firm that recommend a he accept a settlement of under $10,000.

After an initial meeting, it was clear these were serious injuries and the recommended settlement was grossly inadequate. Our firm took over representation of the client. We were able to reinstate his temporary total disability benefits. We also were able to obtain authorization of our client’s much needed medical treatment. We ultimately secured our client a lump-sum settlement of $292,500.

January 2024 – Appellate Court Victory

• The firm represented an injured worker who sustained a rotator cuff tear while working his job at a large meat packing plant. The Respondent denied the case claiming the employer’s shoulder condition was preexisting and degenerative. Our client’s doctor had recommended surgery.


• After a hearing before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission it was determined that our client suffered a work related injury and he was awarded the reasonable and necessary medical treatment his doctor recommended. The case did not end there.


• The employer reviewed the decision in the Circuit Court of Kane County. There the judge reversed the Commission’s decision. Our office knew this court’s denial of our client’s injury was wrong. We immediately appealed the decision to the Second District Appellate Court. After hearing oral arguments, the Second District Appellate Court reinstated the Commission’s decision in favor of our client finding he suffered a work related injury and awarding him the medical treatment recommended by his treating orthopedic surgeon.


• If an insurance company denies your case you should seek counsel from an injury attorney right away. A denial from the insurance company does not always mean that you have no case. In our experience many compensable cases are initially denied. Please call our office to discuss your rights if an insurance company has denied your worker’s compensation benefits or refused to pay for your medical treatment following a work injury.

December 2023 – Occupational Disease

• The firm recently represented the family of a welder who passed as a result of lung disease caused by occupational exposure. His work as a welder exposed him to toxins, which resulted in severe lung dysfunction and ultimately his passing.

The employer initially disputed the condition was related to the work exposure. However, after consulting with experts, we were able to convince the employer the condition and passing were related to the occupational exposure and secure a recovery.

November 2023 – Truck Crash Settlement

• The firm recently settled a case for an injured worker who suffered bilateral shoulder and neck injuries following a truck crash . Our client, a driver for a large delivery company, was involved in a single vehicle crash when his commercial truck flipped over due to high winds. Following the crash our client was unable to work. He underwent shoulder surgery, cervical injections and a course of physical therapy before he was able to return to work.

We were able to insure our client received his medical treatment and temporary total disability benefits during the period he was restricted from work. Following our client’s return to full duty work, our office was able to obtain a settlement of $180,000.

October 2023 – Repetitive Injury Settlement

• The firm recently settled a case for a custodial worker with a knee injury caused by repetitive work vacuuming. Our client, a custodial worker of nearly twenty years claimed a knee injury from her repetitive work. Our client ultimately required a knee replacement. The employer initially refused to accept the injury, in part, based on a history of previous knee replacement.

The firm was able to help our client navigate the workers’ compensation system and obtain her surgery and treatment. After obtaining an opinion from our client’s doctor causally relating the need for her knee replacement to her job duties we were able to reach a settlement in this case. Our client received a considerable settlement award and her medical bills were all resolved.

September 2023 Update

• The firm recently represented a nursing home employee who was exposed to COVID at work. Our client suffered permanent injuries and was unable to return to his previous job. During the pendency of the case, we ensured our client received weekly disability benefits. In addition to ensuring our client’s medical bills were paid by the insurer, eventually our firm was able to resolve this case for $210,000 plus a fund to cover our client’s future medical needs.

August 2023 Settlements

• The firm recently settled a case for our client who suffered non-surgical injuries to his back and neck when a driver failed to yield while making a left-hand turn and crashed into our client’s vehicle. The case settled for the $100,000 insurance policy limits.
• The firm recently represented UPS worker who suffered a hip injury moving packages in the warehouse. The injury was severe and required arthroscopic hip surgery. The insurer initially denied the injury claiming the need for surgery was the result of pre-existing avascular necrosis and not the result of the work injury. Based on this denial, the insurer refused to pay any disability benefits or medical bills.
  We were able to obtain an opinion from our client’s doctor that the work injury aggravated the pre-existing avascular necrosis and resulted in the need for surgery. After obtaining this opinion the firm was able to obtain a settlement which included payment of all unpaid TTD benefits, payment of all medical bills, in addition to a lump-sum payment for the permanent injury.

July 2023 - Recent Victory in CRPS Trial

Our firm recently prevailed at trial on behalf of an injured client who developed complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) following a slicing injury to the thumb. The initial injury seemed innocuous. However, the symptoms continued to worsen and became debilitating. The injured worker was eventually diagnosed with CRPS by her treating doctors. She was unable to return to her prior line of work due to her injury.

The employer fought this case from the start. The nature and extent of our client’s injuries were disputed. The employer hired a medical expert to opine the injury did not result in CRPS. Based on the opinions of the retained medical expert, the employer refused to pay our client’s disability benefits and medical treatment.

Our firm did not stand for this denial and took the case to trial. A thorough cross-examination of the employer’s medical expert resulted in the court discounting his opinions and finding in favor of our client. The court awarded payment of disability benefits, payment of over $100,000 in past medical bills and ordered the employer to authorize and pay for the medical treatment recommended by our client’s treating doctors.