The 141 lawyers who were selected practice law across a wide range of practice areas. They serve as mentors for other women in their firms and bring their expertise to their communities and nonprofits.
Carla represents clients in complex medical negligence and birth injury cases in both the trial and appellate courts. In its story, Crain’s wrote that Colaianni currently represents children injured by unsafe baby formulas and birth trauma. She was part of a legal team that recently resolved over 800 cases for victims of ethylene oxide exposure in Willowbrook. She mentors Allyson Cox, an associate lawyer at the firm, and they work together on cases as well as on projects as members of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.
After receiving her law degree from DePaul University College of Law, Cum Laude, in 2007, she spent several years practicing in her home state of New York at a leading plaintiff’s law firm where she handled complex birth injury cases and most of the firm’s child sexual abuse cases. She returned to Chicago in 2021 to join Smith LaCien.
Smith LaCien LLP concentrates in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, trucking litigation, birth injuries and mass torts. The firm has a lengthy track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2.5 billion in verdicts and settlements, and over 100 cases with results of at least $1 million each.
]]> A surge in large medical malpractice awards targeting physicians and hospitals is part of new data released on February 2, 2024, by the global reinsurance company TransRe.
In 2023, a record number of 57 medical malpractice verdicts of $10 million or more were recorded in U.S. Of these, slightly over half reached $25 million or more. This surpasses the range of verdicts from $10 million or more from 2012 to 2022, which ranged from 34 in 2013 to 52 in 2022.
The statistics “blew away every record previously set among high medical malpractice verdicts,” according to Richard Henderson, an officer at TransRe, who was quoted in Medscape Medical News. “If we look at the 50 largest verdicts in 2023 and average them out, we have a higher monetary amount than any other year.”
The data also highlights a shift in high-dollar verdicts from traditionally affected states like New York, Illinois and Florida to unexpected states like Utah and Georgia. A rollback of tort reforms across the country is one contributor, he said. For example, Georgia’s cap on noneconomic has been ruled unconstitutional by courts. Utah’s cap on noneconomic damages still stands, but the limit was deemed unconstitutional in wrongful death cases
Theories attempting to explain the surge in high-dollar verdicts include the possibility that plaintiff attorneys were forced to hold back trying cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a wave of claims when courts returned to normal.
Another theory is that public anger directed toward the healthcare system has contributed to the increase in liability suits, according to Bill Burns, vice president of research for the Medical Professional Liability Association. “Hospital and medical group consolidation also reduces the personal connection juries may have with healthcare providers,” he added.
While the large awards are often reduced on appeal, they have lasting effects on the industry, impacting settlement demands and increasing the costs to resolve claims.
Higher medical malpractice premiums are another consequence of massive awards. Premium rates are associated with how much insurers pay on average for cases and how frequently they are making payouts. From 2019 to 2023, average premium rates for physicians increased between 1.1% and 3% each year. However, increases vary widely by region.
]]>LaCien has been recognized as a Super Lawyer every year since 2016 and was a Super Lawyer Rising Star from 2011 to 2015. Super Lawyers evaluates lawyers in every state, using criteria such as peer nominations, independent research and peer evaluations. Eligible nominees from more than 70 practice areas are considered.
LaCien has served in a leadership capacity in several national, regional and local law associations. He was selected by the Board of Managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) to serve on the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Board of Governors. In 2023, he was appointed to four AAJ committees, including the Evergreen Advisory Board, National Finance Council, Membership Oversight and Public Affairs. He continues to serve as a member of its Section & Litigation Group Coordination Committee.
Smith LaCien LLP concentrates in serious personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, trucking litigation, birth injuries and mass torts. The firm has a lengthy track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2.5 billion in verdicts and settlements, and over 100 cases with results of at least $1 million each.
]]>Smith has been on the Illinois Super Lawyers list since its inception in 2005 and is regularly ranked in the Top 10. Super Lawyers evaluates lawyers in each state, using criteria such as peer nominations, independent research and peer evaluations by Illinois lawyers. Eligible nominees from more than 70 practice areas are considered.
A founding partner of Power Rogers & Smith, P.C., in 1993, he left the firm to start Smith LaCien LLP with Brian LaCien in March 2020. His extensive leadership includes serving as president of several bar associations, such as the American Association for Justice and the Illinois State Bar Association. He has won numerous awards for his success, professionalism and altruism. Todd has been featured in national, local, and legal publications, including the New York Times, USA Today, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
Smith LaCien concentrates on Chicago personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, trucking accidents, traumatic birth injuries and mass torts. The firm has a lengthy track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2.5 billion in verdicts and settlements, and over 100 cases with results of at least $1 million each.
]]>The new law makes Illinois the 35th state to allow the recovery of punitive damages in wrongful death actions. The legislation will significantly affect wrongful death cases statewide by enabling those who lost a loved one to receive financial help beyond the basic compensatory damages.
Damages refer to the compensation received when a plaintiff wins or settles a lawsuit. You can recover damages for anything the decedent would have contributed while they lived – both tangible and intangible.
Compensatory damages are awarded to compensate the plaintiff for their injuries, but punitive damages are designed to punish the defendant and prevent them from committing the same conduct again. Illinois now allows plaintiffs in a wrongful death suit to pursue punitive damages in cases of gross negligence. For example, if a drunk driver injures another driver, the plaintiff can sue for gross negligence that goes far beyond what would be considered ordinary negligence.
Not all legal systems allow for punitive damages, and their limitations can differ. Also, the court may consider factors such as the defendant’s financial situation when determining the amount.
To prove negligence, a plaintiff must establish that the person died due to an egregious negligent action by the defendant.
Calculating the expenses associated with a wrongful death claim typically requires the counsel of an experienced personal injury in Chicago attorney who can help you recover damages such as your medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced quality of life. While there is no specific formula, the calculation of damages is usually determined based on the actual expenses of the victim and compensation for their pain and suffering.
A wrongful death attorney in Chicago can help you decide if you have a case, and then navigate the civil litigation process on your behalf to make an informed, cogent argument against the defendant. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
]]>The Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are still considering whether new big rigs should be required to have automatic emergency braking systems and devices that limit how fast trucks can go.
A proposed rule introduced in June 2023 would require automatic emergency braking systems in trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds. NHTSA estimated that the proposed rule would prevent more than 19,000 crashes, save 155 lives, and prevent 8,814 injuries every year.
Most deaths occur when the posted speed limit is 65 mph or higher.
The American Trucking Association favors the rules change while the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is opposed, questioning how foolproof the technology is.
A lot is riding on what happens in an industry that employs 3.5 million drivers, carries 11.5 billion tons of freight, and reported $940.8 billion in revenue in 2022. “We cannot and must not accept that roadway fatalities are somehow an inevitable part of life in America,” the Transportation Department said in a statement.
The Transportation Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, which was released in January 2022, called for speed limiters and breaking technology as well as new standards for rear underguards to prevent cars from being wedged underneath trailers.
The rule on speed limiters could be announced this month, followed by automatic emergency braking in 2024. But if the rules are delayed and a new administration takes office in January 2025, proponents of the new safety technologies could find themselves starting over. Meanwhile, a busy holiday travel season with blowing snow and ice could mean another perilous winter for both truckers and motorists alike. If you have been injured in a truck-related accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Chicago truck accident attorney today.
]]>The 2024 honorees were selected based on their legal experience and success, as well as their work to advance other women in the profession. Colaianni represents clients in complex medical negligence and birth injury cases in both the trial and appellate courts.
Colaianni has cultivated relationships with leading female experts in the medical and scientific fields to bring a diverse voice to expert testimony in complex malpractice cases. She also mentors Allyson Cox, an associate lawyer at the firm, and they work together on cases as well as volunteer projects for the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.
After receiving an undergraduate degree, Colaianni worked as a vocational training instructor at a Chicago-based refugee resettlement agency. The injustices which her students had experienced inspired her to become a lawyer. She received her law degree from DePaul University College of Law, Cum Laude, in 2007, and initially worked full-time alongside a solo practitioner injury lawyer in Chicago.
Colaianni spent several years practicing in her home state of New York at a leading plaintiff’s law firm where she handled complex birth injury cases and took charge of most of the firm’s child sexual abuse cases which poured in when the state enacted the Child Victims Act. The law extended the Statute of Limitations that finally allowed victims of sexual abuse to fight for justice. She returned to Chicago in 2021 to join Smith LaCien.
“We are very proud of Carla for receiving this award,” said Todd A. Smith, a founding partner. “She has proven to be a strategic, creative and caring trial lawyer for those who have suffered catastrophic injuries. In the process, she has become recognized as a beacon of light for those who sought to triumph over adversity.”
Smith LaCien LLP concentrates in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, trucking litigation, birth injuries and mass torts. The firm has a lengthy track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2.5 billion in verdicts and settlements, and over 100 cases with results of at least $1 million each.
]]>The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has deemed it a public health crisis, and the Biden administration has announced a call to action to improve parental and infant health outcomes.
Among the barriers to quality care are inadequate access to clinical care, health facilities with limited experience with obstetric emergencies, and the lack of education about the warning signs or need to seek care.
Other barriers are the lack of free affordable healthcare, worker shortages and limited appointment times. These barriers affect newborns as well, leading to birth defects that can require treatment for a lifetime.
Patient education is imperative for prospective parents to understand their options at every stage of pregnancy and feel prepared to advocate for themselves and their infants.
Prospective parents must have access to high-quality prenatal care, which is critical for successful outcomes. Babies born to mothers who do not receive quality care are more likely to suffer from preterm birth and low weight, or even die.
Postpartum care is another crucial component that is often downplayed or overlooked. Up to 70,000 women annually experience severe postpartum issues, including cardiac and cerebrovascular challenges, leading to future fatalities. More than half of deaths from pregnancy complications occurred during the postpartum period.
In some cases, birth injuries occur due to medical errors or negligence during labor and delivery. These include errors in medication administration, miscommunication among healthcare providers, delays in emergency interventions, and the failure to recognize signs of distress in either the mother or child.
Whatever the cause, women and their partners need to be aware of potential medical mistakes. If you believe you may be the victim of inadequate care or a medical error, find out more about your legal options by contacting an experienced Chicago birth injury lawyer.
]]>Smith LaCien LLP concentrates in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, trucking litigation, birth injuries, and mass torts. The firm has a lengthy track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2.5 billion in verdicts and settlements, and over 100 cases with results of at least $1 million.
]]>The rankings can be found at www.bestlawfirms.com.
The firms in Best Law Firms are recognized for their professional excellence with consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking indicates a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.
Smith LaCien LLP is a Chicago personal injury law firm with focuses on catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, truck accidents, birth injuries, and mass torts. The firm has a lengthy track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2.5 billion in verdicts and settlements, and over 100 cases with results of at least $1 million each.
]]>