The Illinois Personal Injury Weblog of Schaeffer & Lamere P.C.

Mysterious Staphs

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Staph cases spread," by Deborah Shelton--

Cases of a virulent form of staph infection are not only skyrocketing in the St. Louis region and elsewhere, but some local doctors are allowing its spread by misdiagnosing the bacterial infection as spider bites.

The superbug is called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. It can be dangerous because it doesn't respond to some of the standard antibiotic treatments.

--Posted by Illinois personal injury lawyer T. Evan Schaeffer of the Illinois personal injury firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Strike Ends

From the Alton Telegraph: "Workers glad to get back to jobs," by Sanford J. Schmidt and Bethany Forsythe--

Madison County employees said they were happy to be back at work Tuesday, and county officials were happy to greet them.

The employees had little to say as they were leaving work for the day, perhaps because they were busy catching up.

"It went fast," one worker said.

--Posted by Illinois personal injury lawyer T. Evan Schaeffer of the Illinois personal injury firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

The Arch Is 40

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "At 40, shining Arch still is beacon to visitors," by Mary Delach Leonard--

Granted, St. Louis’ 630-foot stainless-steel monument to the can-do spirit of America’s pioneers gets its gleam from the inspired design of architect Eero Saarinen. So, in an obvious and very large way our riverfront marvel is Saarinen’s Arch.

But the Arch also belongs to the math and engineering wizards who figured out how to build the one-of-a-kind structure.

--Posted by Edwardsville Illinois personal injury attorney T. Evan Schaeffer of the Madison County Illinois personal injury law firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Madison County Strike to End?

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Votes today could end strike in Madison County," by Adam Jadhav--

Leaders of the Madison County employees who walked off the job last week said Thursday that their membership would vote on a "strike settlement framework" today, while the County Board is scheduled to consider the union's latest proposal.

Both sides stopped short of claiming that a tentative agreement had been reached.

--Posted by Illinois Bextra attorney T. Evan Schaeffer of the Illinois personal injury firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Pilot Lucky to Be Alive

From the Alton Telegraph: "Pilot unhurt after plane crash," by John Krupa--

An Arkansas man is lucky to be alive after crashing his brand-new propeller plane in a field near Alhambra after it ran out of fuel. Illinois State Police Master Sgt.

Joe Leach said that pilot William D. Dodgen of Maumelle, Ark., bought a single-engine propeller plane in Rockford Monday morning.

Dodgen left the Rockford airport with what he thought was four hours’ worth of fuel on his way home to Maumelle. Two hours later, at about 1:25 p.m. and just southeast of Alhambra, Dodgen’s new plane ran out of gas.

--Posted by Illinois Bextra attorney T. Evan Schaeffer of theIllinois personal injury firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

A St. Louis Hero: Albert Pujols

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Pujols' homer keeps Cardinals alive," by Joe Strauss--

Down to their last strike, their last chance, their final prayer, the Cardinals were rescued Monday night by a 412-foot bolt that ricocheted off Minute Maid Park's left-field railroad trestle and breathed at least another two days' life into the condemned stadium awaiting their return.

Where the National League Championship Series will ultimately take the Cardinals is unknown.

--Posted by Illinois Bextra attorney T. Evan Schaeffer of theIllinois personal injury firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Americans Using Credit Cards for Necessities

From Reuters: "Study says US consumers use credit for basic costs"--

Low- and middle-income Americans rely on credit cards to pay for basic living expenses, car repairs and medical care, not frivolous material goods, according to a report on Wednesday from a group calling for tougher regulation of credit card companies.

DEMOS, a New York-based public policy group that studies economic opportunity issues, and the Center for Responsible Lending, a Washington policy group focused on predatory lending, said low- and middle-income families fall into credit card debt to cope with income declines or unexpected costs.

--Posted by Illinois personal injury lawyer T. Evan Schaeffer of theIllinois personal injury firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

Letters from State Farm

Form the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Letters from State Farm: ‘Your car’s a total wreck’," by Michael D. Sorkin--

"I'm getting a great vehicle," Sarah Smith thought. It was a used black Jeep Grand Cherokee that the salesman had described as a trade-in on a new model. The car looked solid - and, most importantly for Smith, appeared safe to drive with her baby, now 18 months old.

That all changed last month when Smith opened a letter signed by Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon. It disclosed that an insurance company had declared her Jeep a total wreck before she bought it. The company, State Farm, then resold the car as salvage - but without getting the salvage title required by state law.

--Posted by Illinois personal injury lawyer T. Evan Schaeffer of the Illinois personal injury firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

An Update on Maag's Defamation Lawsuit

From the Associated Press via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Ex-judge on Ill. high court files defamation suit"--

A former state Supreme Court candidate whose $110 million lawsuit over an allegedly defamatory campaign flier was dismissed by a state judge has taken the matter to federal court.

Gordon Maag filed the lawsuit last week in U.S. District Court here, adding the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to business groups he accuses of playing a role in questionable fliers about him during last November's election season.

--Posted by Illinois personal injury lawyer T. Evan Schaeffer of the Illinois personal injury firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.

New Supreme Court Pick: Harriet Miers

From the Associated Press via the San Jose Mercury News: "Analysis: Bush gambles on Miers," by Ron Fournier--

Some liberals call it cronyism. Some conservatives call it a betrayal. President Bush is gambling that it will prove smart and safe - choosing a little-known loyalist with no judicial experience to fill a second Supreme Court vacancy.

Harriet Miers seems destined for confirmation. Despite howls from the fringes of both parties, Democratic and Republican strategists expect her to take a seat alongside newly minted Chief Justice John Roberts barring a surprise development.

--Posted by Alton Illinois workers compensation attorney T. Evan Schaeffer of the Madison County Illinois workers compensation law firm of Schaeffer & Lamere, P.C.