Tag Archives: Alton

Alton, Illinois Man Versus Gatorade

November 19, 2014 Mike Glisson

WWF&G recently obtained a settlement from Gatorade for an Alton, Illinois man.

Our client had purchased a bottle of Gatorade, when starting to drink it, noticed a foreign substance in the liquid resembling a thick gray cloud.

Fortunately, the client stopped ingesting the Gatorade and contacted WWF&G for assistance.

A claim was made against the manufacturer and an early settlement satisfactory to our client was achieved. If you encounter a foreign substance in your food or drink, it is advisable to preserve the product as evidence, as well as any other evidence to support your potential claim, such as a product receipt, packaging or photos of the evidence. If you feel ill as a result of consumption, you should seek medical attention promptly.

If you or your family or friends have had similar issues with food products, WWF&G is ready to assist @ 618-462-1077. Our firm has handled several similar cases, including the recent salmonella outbreak from Peter Pan, as well as numerous other food-borne illness cases.

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Granite City, Alton, Illinois School Districts’ Problems with Teachers and Unprofessional Conduct with Students

November 19, 2014 Mike Glisson

Recently, two school districts in Madison County, Illinois, Granite City and Alton, have come under scrutiny because of improper relationships between teachers and students. Parents have brought suit for damages suffered by their children. Further criminal prosecutions have taken place where teachers have suffered severe penalties.

Both of these school districts are public. Public schools are harder to prosecute in civil court due to the fact that the State of Illinois has what is known as the “Tort Immunity Act,” which school attorneys argue gives them immunity for hiring a teacher who has a background of sexual misconduct or even retaining the teacher instead of terminating upon notice of improper conduct. These schools have also argued that the schools are immune from negligence (using ordinary care) when supervising activities on school property, so that, at most, the school can only be held responsible for willful and wanton misconduct in supervision of students and teachers. In other words, they argue they are only responsible for exercising reckless disregard for the safety of the student.

On the other hand, private schools do not have the protection of the Illinois “Tort Immunity Act.” In cases against a public school or a private school, damages to the injured student can consist of compensatory damages for pain and suffering, humiliation, embarrassment, personal injury as well as expenses for medical and psychiatric treatment. Over and above the compensatory damages, punitive damages can be obtained against a private school. In Illinois, punitive damages cannot be awarded against a public school because of the Illinois “Tort Immunity Act.”

The law firm of WWF&G has successfully prosecuted this type of case. Early contact with this firm is recommended so proper investigation and proceedings within the statute of limitations can be achieved.

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Alton High School Band Director Receives Prison Sentence

November 19, 2014 Mike Glisson

A former Alton School District employee is headed to prison for engaging in sexual relations with a minor under his supervision as a teacher.

According to an article in The Telegraph, a local newspaper based in Alton, Illinois, the defendant received a six-year prison sentence in the criminal case. Judge Charles Romani, Jr. presided over the case in Madison County Circuit Court. It is alleged that the defendant committed similar offenses in O’Fallon, Illinois public schools prior to becoming employed in Alton.

This inappropriate behavior by a teacher, a person in a position of trust, led to a sexual assault civil suit against the band director and school district. WWF&G attorney Thomas O. Falb represented the plaintiff–the mother of the underage victim–in the case of Doe v. Alton School District.

The Alton High School student was referred to as Mary Doe. The case ended prior to trial due to a confidential settlement reached between both parties. Falb’s suit had demonstrated that a long-term friendship between the teacher and student that existed outside of the bounds of school developed into a sexual relationship.

According to a Juvenile Justice Bulletin published by the U.S. Department of Justice, 95 percent of statutory rape victims are female and 99 percent of perpetrators are male.

If you or a loved one are a victim of sexual misconduct, do not hesitate to call the attorneys at WWF&G toll-free at 1-877-WWFGLAW or (618) 462-1077. Contacting us is a sure way to receive results in such matters, and the firm charges no fee unless we obtain a recovery for you.

As stated on the law firm’s Testimonials Page by Marlene R., “Mr. Falb took my sexual harassment claim when no one else believed in me. He told me to always tell the truth. I did and we won the case. My employer only offered $40,000 for my damages, but the jury awarded $1.5 Million.”

view of drunk driver from window in lawsuit where lounge in alton Illinois sued

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Ten-Pin Lounge and Woodstock Lounge in Alton, Illinois Sued for Drunk Driving Deaths

November 18, 2014 Mike Glisson

Two Alton, Illinois bars are facing dramshop lawsuits after a man from Hardin died in a drunk driving auto accident.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of the deceased man has named Woodstock Lounge and Ten-Pin Lounge in downtown Alton partially responsible under dramshop laws for the fatal accident by allegedly serving the drunken driver–a man from Fieldon, Illinois–an excessive amount of alcohol which caused his impaired driving.

According to an article in The Telegraph, the car accident, which occurred in January 2010, has already led to fines, probation and jail time for the drunk driver. The criminal case against the driver was tried in Jersey County Circuit Court, while the civil case against the two Alton taverns was filed in Madison County Circuit Court.

The victim was killed in a crash on Illinois Route 16 outside of Fieldon, Illinois, where officials pronounced him dead upon arriving to the accident site.

The National Center for Injury Prevention & Control reports that in 2008, 11,773 people died in car crashes where one or both drivers were under the influence of alcohol. According to the Illinois State Police website, impaired driving offenses that result in serious car crashes can result in “Aggravated DUI” sentences, which can carry a fine of $25,000 and up to twelve years in prison.

Michael P. Glisson and Thomas O. Falb of the law offices of WWF&G in Alton, Illinois are experienced handlers of dramshop cases. By law, businesses that profit from the sale of alcohol share in the responsibility for the risk of economic damages associated with alcohol.

In addition to taverns and restaurants, grocery stores that sell liquor are also held responsible under dramshop laws. Businesses are aware of the risk when they apply for a liquor license, and almost all dramshops have insurance covering accidents.

Dramshop cases evolve from fights at taverns, accidents with drunk drivers, and generally where an intoxicated person causes injury to a person or their property. There is no time to wait when it comes to dramshop cases, so contact WWF&G today for a free consultation on your case.

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East Alton Illinois Man Killed At Olin Brass

November 19, 2013 Mike Glisson

Olin Brass in East Alton Illinois was the site of a tragic construction accident on Saturday, July 11, 2009. Michael Niswander died Saturday morning after being struck in the chest by a piece of machinery at Global Brass and Copper.

Reports indicated Niswander was working on a lathe when something – either a piece of lathe or a piece of fastened to the lathe – broke and struck him in the chest.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a preliminary total of 5,488 fatalities in the workplace were recorded in the year 2007. Based on these counts, there are 3.7 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers in the United States, down from 4.0 fatalities in 2006, and the lowest total since the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) began in 1992.

Our firm has represented injured workers and their families in workplace injuries and fatalities, many which have occurred at Olin and similar industries. Please contact our firm at (618) 462-1077 for a free consultation.

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Alton, Illinois Trip and Fall Claim Against Ponderosa Resolved

November 19, 2013 Mike Glisson

An Alton, Illinois woman resolved her claim against Ponderosa. The elderly woman was with her daughter when she left the Ponderosa on Homer Adams Parkway in Alton. The sidewalk around the building came to an abrupt dropoff without warning. There was no handrail, lighting, or other warning to protect the woman or other customers against this defect.

The elderly woman tried to break her fall with her outstretched hand, causing a fracture to her shoulder. She had surgery to repair the injury, but was left with permanent injury of the shoulder, including loss of range of motion, loss of strength, and pain and suffering.

Often times, businesses fail to fix defects until an accident happens, and even then, they many times fail to protect their customers against known dangerous conditions. In this case, the parking lot and walkways appeared to be in disrepair when the accident happened. The Ponderosa restaurant subsequently closed unrelated to the accident.

The woman was represented by Michael P. Glisson of the law firm of Williamson, Webster, Falb and Glisson. WWF&G represents numerous clients who have been injured as a result of dangerous conditions on property, including pending cases against McDonald’s, Hardee’s, Sav-A-Lot, Shop-n-Save, and other businesses such as gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores. Please call us with similar cases and we will evaluate your claim for free at 618-462-1077.