Blog

With more than 35 years of experience, the team at Hurley McKenna & Mertz has built a reputation for tackling some of the country’s most complex and emotionally challenging legal cases. Our attorneys and staff have worked together for decades, guided by trust, respect, and a shared commitment to the truth.

The HM&M Blog is where we share insights, resources, and updates across our core practice areas:

Medical Malpractice – Breaking down patient rights, hospital responsibilities, and the realities of pursuing claims against healthcare providers.
Sexual Abuse – Covering legal developments, survivor resources, and our fight to hold institutions accountable.
Vehicle Accidents – Offering guidance on navigating insurance, liability, and recovery after serious crashes.
Personal Injury – Helping victims understand their options for compensation when negligence causes harm.
Product Liability – Shedding light on unsafe products and the corporations that must be held responsible.
Nursing Home Abuse – Advocating for the safety and dignity of vulnerable elders facing neglect or mistreatment.

Through this blog, we aim to make the law more accessible, highlight important case updates, and provide information that empowers victims and families to take the next step toward justice.

All Posts

Your Guide to the Top News on the Boy Scouts Bankruptcy

Stay updated on the Boy Scouts bankruptcy and learn how survivors of abuse can pursue justice with experienced legal guidance.

Feb 20, 20203 min read

Boy Scout Victims Must Act Now or BSA’s Bankruptcy Filing Will Cost Victims their Right to Seek Justice

Abuse survivors still have time to file claims against the Boy Scouts. Learn how our attorneys help victims seek justice and compensation.

Feb 18, 20203 min read

Can I Take Legal Action Against a Hospital or Health Care Center for Medical Malpractice?

Did you know the leading cause of death in the U.S. is heart disease, followed by cancer? For most of us, this comes as no surprise, considering the majority of families face these diseases in some form or another. What may surprise you, however, is the third most common cause of death in the U.S. is from medical error, also known as medical malpractice . While some cases qualify as misdiagnosis, the truth is medical malpractice can take many forms. Unfortunately, it's diffi

Feb 14, 20203 min read

Electrical Accident Injuries

Contact with electricity can cause devastating personal injuries and often results in electrocution. There are many different ways that the mishandling of electrical power can cause injury or death. Electrical injuries and electrocution are often a result of the negligence of a third party such as the power company, an electrical contractor, a home builder, or the supplier of faulty equipment. Contact with even relatively low voltages can cause significant injury or death. I

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Defective Stryker Hip Replacement Injuries

While refinements in hip replacement devices have allowed patients to lead more active lifestyles and receive hip implants at even younger ages, the Chicago Stryker hip replacement lawyers at HM&M believe that many of these devices are defective because they have not been properly tested by their manufacturers. Two such defective hip implants are the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II modular devices. Stryker designed these devices to be modular in that the surgeon had many optio

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Defective Hip Implant Injuries

As medical technology has advanced over the past six decades, artificial hip manufacturers have developed new materials, designs, and techniques that have reduced recovery time and have allowed increased levels of activity after surgery. Some hip implants, however, are defective and can lead to severe pain, further disability, and the need for more surgery. It is important to consult a Chicago defective hip implant lawyers if you are suffering from a dangerous medical device

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Sexual Abuse of Boy Scouts

Hurley McKenna & Mertz represents survivors abused by Boy Scouts leaders and volunteers, fighting to hold the organization accountable.

Feb 13, 20203 min read

Slips and Falls

Each year, thousands are injured by slips and falls that often result in a dislocation or fracture. Many times, this is the result of another party’s general negligence. For example, when someone fails to safely maintain their property and a visitor is injured, it can become a premises liability case. This is particularly common in hospitals and nursing homes, where the sick and elderly are especially vulnerable to suffering from falls, dislocations and fractures. If you or a

Feb 13, 20203 min read

Bed Sore and Infections Injuries

Bed sores, (also known as pressure sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers) affect between one and three million Americans annually. The vast majority of those affected are elderly living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities or receiving some other form of long-term care. Bed sores can lead to serious infections and other complications, some of which can turn fatal. Sores and infections happen typically to patients who are bedridden, in a wheel chair, or are unable

Feb 13, 20203 min read

Paralysis Injuries

According to a study by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, nearly one in 50 individuals in the United States — about six million — are suffering from some form of paralysis. That number is roughly equal to the populations of Chicago and Los Angeles combined. The study went on to report that five times as many individuals (around 30 million) are living with a spinal cord injury. In general, those who are paralyzed earn substantially less income and bear substantially hig

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur when the brain is damaged by an outside force. A traumatic brain injury may occur when a force impacts the head hard enough to move the brain but not break the skull (a closed head injury). A traumatic brain injury may also occur when a force breaks the skull (an open head injury) and damages the brain. Trauma is almost always the direct cause of TBI. Traumatic brain injuries might occur in a variety of manners: a car accident, a bike acc

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Spinal Cord Injuries

Each year, approximately 11,000 Americans suffer spinal cord injuries. The costs associated with this type of injury can be staggering. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, a 25-year-old person who suffers an injury to the spinal cord can expect to incur upwards of $2.9 million in lifetime treatment costs. Those are just the monetary costs. Through its successful representation of numerous victims of spinal cord injuries, the attorneys at Hurley M

Feb 13, 20203 min read

Premises Liability

Owners of property and buildings are legally liable when dangerous conditions on their property cause other people, including visitors, to be injured or killed. Illinois law requires that landowners, building owners, and businesses keep their property safe so that innocent people are not injured. When they fail in their duties to keep their properties safe and free of danger, the results can be tragic. If you or someone you love has been injured resulting from the negligence

Feb 13, 20202 min read

General Negligence and Personal Injury

Personal injury due to negligence? Our Chicago attorneys fight for compensation in cases involving medical costs, lost wages, property damage, and more.

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Dog Bites

Under the Illinois Animal Control Act, the victims of unprovoked animal attacks, including dog bites, can hold the animal’s owner liable for their injuries. The Animal Control Act applies to all animals that injure people without provocation, not just dogs. The Animal Control Act also applies to all injuries caused by the animal, not just bites. If you or someone close to you has suffered harm from a dog bite or another type of animal attack, you may be entitled to compensati

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Over-Weight Truck Accidents

There are thousands of semi-trucks on the road each day, and the amount of load they are allowed to carry is determined by federal and state regulations. In Illinois, the weight limit for commercial vehicles is 80,000 pounds. The weight limit for single axle trucks is 20,000 pounds and the limit for tandem axles is 32,000 pounds. When truckers exceed these limits, they pose a serious danger to themselves and others out on the road. If you or someone you know has been injured

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Truck Accidents Caused By Poor Vehicle Maintenance

Truck drivers and trucking companies only make money when they are transporting their loads from point A to point B. For this reason, any amount of time the truck sits idle is considered lost revenue in their minds. The pressure to keep the trucks moving can lead to driver fatigue and negligent truck maintenance accidents. When a commercial vehicle is not properly maintained, the results can be tragic. The sheer size and weight of commercial trucks when they make impact on an

Feb 13, 20202 min read

Truck Driver Fatigue Accidents

Driver fatigue is the cause of many of the accidents on the nation’s roads and interstates. Most often, these are truck accidents involving a driver that has been on the road too long and/or has been using substances to help stay awake. Truckers are under enormous pressure to deliver their loads in a timely manner. And because they are usually compensated by the load or mile, there is no financial incentive for them to stop and rest as required by law. When truck drivers push

Feb 13, 20203 min read

Alcohol and Drug Related Accidents

According to the Centers for Disease Control, roughly 30 people are killed in the United States every day in alcohol-related car crashes. This amounts to more than one every hour. Accidents involving drug use are more difficult to measure, but the CDC says that drugs other than alcohol are linked to about 18% of motor vehicle driver deaths. When someone is seriously injured or killed due to a drunk or drugged driver, it can be devastating to their families. For example, it is

Feb 13, 20203 min read

Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can be devastating. The sheer weight and size of trucks make them lethal. Brakes on trucks wear out much faster than on automobiles. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) show that hundreds of thousands of large trucks are involved in traffic accidents annually, killing thousands and accounting for roughly 8 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes. If you have been injured in a truck-related accident, you should seek the legal c

Feb 13, 20203 min read