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

Drivers Stranded by Snowstorms did the Right Thing

As a Chicago personal injury attorney, I want to spread this safety information, which can be critical during the winter months. Three intense winter storms in New York have made a nightmare for many come true for some drivers – being stranded on the roadway for hours. Experts say, however, that the drivers did the right thing by staying put and not risking being lost on foot in blizzard conditions. (Buffalo NY AP, 12/15). However, where shelter is visible, it may be wise to

Jan 19, 20101 min read

50 Million Blinds Recalled As Strangulation Hazard

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall this week of "more than 50 million Roman-style shares and roll-up blinds because of the risk children may be strangled by the cords" (12/17, AP for FindLaw). To date, The CPSC says five deaths and 16 near-strangulations have resulted from Roman shades, in addition to three deaths connected to roll-up blinds." As a chicago personal injury attorney, I join the commission and the industry in urging parents to ensure all s

Dec 16, 20091 min read

Mark Stephan's Inspirational Story

Mark Stephan, a client of [], fractured his neck when the wheel on his bicycle came off unexpectedly on a Chicago area roadway. Since then he has inspired our firm and the world with his relentless drive to teach himself to walk again. Mark Stephan embodies the American spirit. He simply will never quit. We are proud to work for this man. Check out Mark Stephan's inspiring story as told by Mike Leonard on the Today Show.

Dec 16, 20091 min read

Manufactures Recall Cough Medicines Used For Small Children

Chicago families should be cautious about giving their infants and toddlers cough medicines in light of reports that the makers of several leading over-the-counter cold medications are voluntarily withdrawing products sold for infants. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association said the products were being withdrawn "out of an abundance of caution" and insisted the products are safe when used as directed. This withdrawal comes after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration recom

Nov 15, 20091 min read

Death Toll Rises to Three in Arizona Sweatbox Case

Recently, the story surrounding three deaths and eighteen injuries caused by spending time in a "sauna-like sweatbox" has lead to a homicide investigation of the October 8 "Spiritual Warrior" program by self-help expert James Arthur Ray at the Angel Valley Retreat Center near Sedona, Arizona (CNN, 10/18). Ray is widely known for leading programs that "claim to teach individuals how to create wealth from all aspects of their lives — financially, mentally, physically and spirit

Oct 24, 20091 min read

9th Cir. Cty. of Appeals Has Upheld San Francisco's Ban On Cigarette Sales In Any Licensed Pharmacy

Ray Theodore reports, "In a brief, unpublished decision the three-judge panel unanimously found that the ban is permissible because it restricts the sale of cigarettes and not cigarette advertising" (Andrews Publications for FindLaw, 9/16). The court reject the argument that the product itself is an advertisement and found that the sale of cigarettes does not involve expressive conduct that would be protected by the first or fourteenth amendments. The ban, "which took effect

Sep 26, 20091 min read

Banned Pool Drains Still Present in Many Public Pools

The Today Show (7/6) informed people all over the country about many public pools that are not abiding by federal law and replacing dangerous pool drains. The old pool drains are unsafe because they can pack 800 pounds of suction force and trap young children causing serious internal injuries and even death. A test run by the Today Show crew demonstrated that three adult men could not free a rubber dummy that had been sucked into a pool drain. Innumerable children have been s

Jul 6, 20092 min read

EPA: Recycled Rubber May Not Be Safe For Playgrounds

The USA Today (6/22, Szabo) reports, "There's a growing debate about the safety of the recycled rubber chips used to cushion falls on many children's playgrounds." The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved rubber play surfaces since 1991, both to protect children from head injuries and to prevent tires from ending up in landfills. However, EPA officials now "say they can't vouch for the safety of recycled rubber, which can be contaminated with lead and other toxi

Jun 28, 20091 min read

Loyola University Chicago School Of Law Elder Law Initiative Lecture Series

The Loyola Elder Law Initiative Presents the 2009 Hurley, McKenna & Mertz Lecture Series Event: Tips and Trends in Long-Term Care. Hurley, McKenna & Mertz, P.C. is a partnership of trial lawyers in Chicago dedicated to the representation of persons whose lives have been destroyed by the negligence of others. The firm's practice includes representation of nursing home residents and their families in cases of abuse, neglect, and fraud. Eric M. Carlson, J.D. the Director of the

Jun 28, 20091 min read

Arbitration Fairness Act Before Congress Could Ban Mandatory Arbitration

NPR (6/9, Goodwyn) reported that "Jamie Leigh Jones was a...Halliburton employee in 2005 when she was sent to work in Iraq." She was drugged, beaten and raped shortly after her arrival. "It has been four years since the attack, and despite the physical and circumstantial evidence, the Department of Justice has declined to investigate." She is now fighting for the right to have her case heard in court instead of arbitration. Arbitration has "become a dominant feature in the l

Jun 15, 20091 min read

Loophole In The Courts Leaves Dangerous Products on the Market

Court secrecy is a dangerous practice that prevents people from finding out about unsafe products. As a personal injury lawyer in Chicago I find the practice of document sealing irresponsible. Consider the following example of such irresponsibility. The American Association for Justice reports (6/4), "Over the past year, Bausch & Lomb has quietly settled over 600 contact solution lawsuits, with more cases still pending". The contact solution was tied to instances of fungus in

Jun 15, 20091 min read

Massey Ruling Said to Highlight Problems With Judicial Elections

The Wall Street Journal (6/10, Koppel) reports, "The U.S. Supreme Court's decision this week calling for judges" to recuse themselves from "cases involving big political donors confronts the growing role of money in the U.S. judicial system." The Journal adds, "Political donations to judicial candidates at the highest state courts have soared in recent years, creating concerns that money is eroding public confidence in the system." NBC Nightly News (6/8, story 3, P. Williams

Jun 10, 20091 min read

Obama's Preemption Directive Seen As Victory For Consumers

It should be within a private citizen's grasp to identify a dangerous intersection in their community and ask the state to make it safer. Unfortunately, obtaining the data to prove that a particular place on a public road has been prone to recurring accidents is more complicated than it seems. The lack of transparency from the state and local government can seem unjust and frustrating. But it's important to understand how the state is protecting itself and why. From there, c

Jun 3, 20092 min read

Florida Jury Awards $30 Million to Widow of Smoker

As a Chicago personal injury lawyer I am very pleased to see that after decades of marketing their addictive cancer causing products to children, tobacco companies are feeling the pain a fully informed jury can inflict. Consider this recent verdict in Florida: The AP (6/2) reports, "A Florida jury awarded $30 million to a Pensacola widow in a ruling against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco." This is one of the first cases to be tried since the 2006 Florida Supreme Court Ruling that "thr

Jun 3, 20091 min read

Dangerous Drop Side Cribs To Be Discontinued

Chicago Tribune encouraged by manufacturer's decision to stop making drop-side cribs. The Chicago Tribune (3/28) editorialized, "Drop-side cribs, with a movable rail that can be raised and lowered, are a staple of baby rooms." However, "they probably won't be for much longer" because "major crib manufacturers have agreed to stop making them." The Tribune said that despite the fact that parents will complain about the inconvenience of the new cribs, that the drop-sided cribs w

Mar 30, 20091 min read

$6.5 Million Settlement for Brain Injured Boy

CHICAGO DAILY LAW BULLETIN The estate of a 7-year old boy who suffered a brain injury at birth has settled a lawsuit against the hospital, the doctor and his clinic for $6.5 million, the plaintiff's attorney said. Robert Morales Jr. was born in April 2001 with severe brain damage due to a lack of oxygen. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and has limited mobility. The lawsuit alleged that during the birth at Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, the attending obstetrici

Jan 13, 20091 min read

$11 Million Settlement Reached in Chicago Metra Wrongful Death Suit

Learn about the $11M settlement approved after the 2005 Metra derailment in Chicago that caused two deaths and over 100 injuries.

Nov 20, 20081 min read

Electra Bike Recall Expanded

We previously posted on the Electra Bicycle Co's Amsterdam bicycle recall. More recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced an expanded voluntary recall of these bikes due to a risk of injury. About 1,500 bicycles are involved in the new recall including Classic 3, Original 3, Royal 8 and Sport 3 models. 9,500 bicycles were recalled in the initial recall. The bicycles were sold January 2007 through June 2008 for $400-$850 and have enclosed chain guards. Th

Nov 16, 20081 min read

City of Chicago Has Laws In Place To Make Winters Easier On Handicapped

Snowy sidewalks make city life difficult for the Chicago's handicapped population. Unfortunately there are no Chicago laws that require owners of private property to remove snow from private walks and drives however, under the Chicago City Code, landlords are required to keep emergency exits accessible. Clearing snow and ice from building doors and steps fall under that category. Local fair housing laws closely mirror federal requirements that landlords provide "reasonable ac

Nov 7, 20081 min read

EPA To Review Health Risk From Popular Weed Killer

The Environmental Protection Agency said recently it is "re-evaluating the health effects of a popular weed killer that has been found in drinking water supplies," to determine if further restrictions are needed to combat health concerns (Dina Cappiello, AP for Find Law, 10/7). Atrazine, a herbicide commonly used on corn and other crops has been linked to causing "low birth weights, birth defects, and reproductive problems," even at low levels. Research has shown that "runoff

Oct 17, 20081 min read