Resources

The Chicago personal injury law firm of Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC is pleased to provide the following resources for people seeking information and assistance in the areas of nursing home negligence, medical malpractice and birth injuries, motor vehicle accidents, products liability, construction accidents, and workers' compensation. We hope that this information is helpful to you in answering your questions. If you have other questions or need legal assistance in a personal injury or wrongful death matter, please contact Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC for a free consultation.

Illinois Legal Resources

• Illinois Courts
• United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
• United States District Court, Central District of Illinois
• United States District Court, Southern District of Illinois
• United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

Nursing Home Negligence Resources

• The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is one of several agencies responsible for licensing, regulating, and inspecting nursing homes in Illinois. The IDPH's Bureau of Long-term Care is responsible for making sure nursing homes comply with the provisions of the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act.
• You can file a complaint against a long-term care facility by calling the Nursing Home Hotline 24 hours a day at (800) 252-4343. The TTY number is (800) 547-0466. You can also call the Senior HelpLine during business hours at (800) 252-8966.

Medical Malpractice and Birth Injury Resources

• The American Medical Association works at promoting and reforming the health care system in several areas, including access to care and quality of care.
• At the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation, you can look up the license of medical doctors and various health care professionals, including records of disciplinary actions.

Motor Vehicle Accident Resources

• The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is responsible for planning, construction and maintenance of Illinois' entire transportation network, including highways and bridges, public transit and passenger rail.
• Start Seeing Motorcycles is a program of the Illinois Department of Transportation designed to increase motorcycle safety through rider safety training and raising public awareness of motorcycles on the road
• IDOT provides bicycling information to help cyclists with trip planning, safety tips, and links to other state agencies involved in bicycling issues.
• Cyberdrive Illinois provides information on texting while driving, teen driver safety, rules of the road, and other important information, as well as being the place to title and register your vehicle, renew your license plate, etc.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration directs many highway safety and consumer programs.
• The Bureau of Transportation Studies at the United States Department of Transportation publishes safety information and research-based statistics on accidents.
• The citizen services section of the United States Department of Transportation's website provides information on roads and bridges and vehicle safety.
• The Kelley Blue Book can help you determine the value of your car for use in negotiations with the insurance company.

Truck Accident Resources

• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates many aspects of the trucking industry related to highway and traffic safety, including hours of service for drivers, required safety equipment, and inspection and maintenance of trucks.

Motorcycle Accident Resources

• The Motorcycle Safety Foundation provides a library of safety booklets and tip sheets for riders. The Motorcycle Industry Council is dedicated to promoting and preserving the motorcycle industry. The American Motorcyclist Association provides a summary of motorcycle laws by state. Click here for Illinois.

Bicycle Accident Resources

• Yield to Life is a non-profit organization providing safety tips and accident advice for bicyclists and motorcyclists. Illinois bicycle laws and rules of the road can be found here.

Products Liability Resources

• The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products, from toys and cribs to power tools and household chemicals. Find recall and safety information on hundreds of products here.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates food and drug safety, as well as medical devices, cosmetics, products that emit radiation, and tobacco. Find important information on drug safety here, including which drugs are the subject of safety concerns and must include "black box warnings" on their packaging.
• www.Recalls.gov attempts to collect all product recalls from six different federal agencies in one place - a "one stop shop" for U.S. Government recalls. Find information here on consumer products, motor vehicles, boats, food, medicine, cosmetic products, and environmental products.

Construction Accident Resources

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets standards in all areas of construction and implements those standards through inspection and enforcement regimes.
• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a world leader in preventing workplace illnesses and injuries.
• Based in Hillside, Illinois, the Construction Safety Council provides tips on excavation safety and hazard alerts, and includes a resource center and online safety store with training programs, publications and videos.
• The International Code Council is a member-focused association dedicated to helping the building safety community and construction industry provide safe, sustainable and affordable construction.
• Utilize the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation to check on licenses of contractors and construction firms and lodge complaints.

Workers' Compensation Resources

• The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission operates the state court system for worker's compensation cases, from trial before an arbitrator to review by a panel of commissioners. Find links here to benefit rates, frequently asked questions, a workers' compensation handbook, the workers' compensation act, and more.