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Every year on May 1, Americans celebrate Law Day – a national occasion dedicated to honoring the rule of law and the foundational principles that sustain our democracy. Established by President Eisenhower and observed since 1961, Law Day is more than a tradition; it’s a powerful reminder that justice, equality and liberty depend on a legal system…

Every state has a system for injury victims to navigate a car accident claim after a crash. There are a handful of no-fault states, like Florida and New Jersey, where car accident victims must file claims against their own automobile personal injury protection (PIP) insurance regardless of who caused the accident. In these states, the…

Criticisms of a teleradiologist’s short time spent reading CT images helped plaintiff attorneys produce a $15.5 million malpractice verdict.  An article about the verdict in Radiology Business showed that the teleradiologist read two of the CTs in about five minutes. Medical literature presented during the trial showed that it takes the average radiologist in New…

On March 27, 2025, the Smith LaCien trial team of Brian LaCien and Allyson Cox obtained a $1,929,036.75 verdict with prejudgment interest of nearly $200,000.00. The case arose out of a motor vehicle collision where State Farm insured the Defendant.  The Plaintiff, then age 21, was in a passenger in a car driven by his grandmother, when it crashed into a wall while in a…

Recently, Southwest Airlines Flight 2504 landed safely at Midway International Airport after the flight crew performed a go-around to prevent a potential collision with a smaller Flexjet plane.  It was the latest in a string of highly-publicized “near misses” that continue to raise concerns about air travel safety following the January 29 deadly midair crash outside Washington National Airport when 67 people were killed.  Experts Emphasize Safety The Federal Aviation Administration has revealed…

Andrew Mason, a founding associate lawyer, and Allyson Cox, an associate lawyer at Smith LaCien LLP – Trial Lawyers, have been named by Super Lawyers for the third consecutive year as Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars. They were first selected in 2023. Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multiphase selection process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on…

Carla A. Colaianni, a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney at Smith LaCien LLP – Trial Lawyers, has been named a 2025 Illinois Super Lawyer. The selection is based on an evaluation of 12 indicators, including peer recognition and professional achievements. Only the top 5 percent of Illinois lawyers are named to the Super Lawyers list each…

Chicago trial lawyer Brian LaCien, a founding partner with Todd A. Smith of Smith LaCien LLP, has been named by Super Lawyers for the 4th consecutive year as a Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyer. The state has nearly 97,000 licensed attorneys. LaCien has been on the Illinois Super Lawyers list since 2011. Super Lawyers evaluates lawyers in each state, using criteria…