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Insurance companies have a range of duties to their policyholders, and you, as a paying customer, likely trust them to uphold their “end of the bargain” when you need them to fulfill their duties. Unfortunately, insurers do not always act in good faith and fail in their legal duties. In this article, we will discuss types of bad faith claims and insurance companies’ duties….

Spinal cord injuries are caused by damage to a person’s vertebrae, ligaments, or spinal column disks or to a person’s spinal cord itself. According to the Mayo Clinic, a traumatic spinal cord injury can result from a sudden blow to your spine that can fracture, crush, or compress your vertebrae. Vehicular accidents are amongst the top causes of spinal cord injuries. According…

Whether you are hoping to become a U.S. citizen or have already received a green card, you must have or demonstrate “good moral character.” You can face deportation if you violate U.S. laws and removal actions may be taken if it is shown that you have been convicted of a deportable offense (i.e. a crime of moral turpitude, an aggravated felony, etc.)….

Just as each season is beautiful in its own way, each season presents its own dangers to drivers. While many people equate summertime with family road trips, days spent at the pool or park with friends, and endless sunshine, the summer season can also be associated with unique driving hazards. Below, we will discuss summer driving hazards to be aware of and…

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in 2019, large trucks and buses increased by about 2% from the previous year, and 5,237 of these vehicles were involved in fatal crashes. Victims in truck accidents can suffer from very injuries that range in severity and that are dependent on the circumstances of the accident (i.e. where and how they crashed,…

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury? Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are injuries that affect how a person’s brain functions and are often caused by penetrating injuries to the head (like a gunshot) or hits or jolts to the head. According to the CDC, in 2019 over 223,000 hospitalizations were TBI-related, and in 2020, about 176 people died from a TBI-related injury in…

If you slip and fall on someone else’s property (residential, commercial, or governmental), you may be entitled to compensation. To file a claim, you will need to prove that your fall was caused by negligence and that: The property owner owed you a duty of care to protect you from the hazardous conditions that caused your fall. The property owner (or staff/liable…

Mathias Raphael PLLC Accident & Injury Lawyers would like to congratulate you on getting married! If you are an immigrant spouse who is interested in permanently living in the United States, you must apply for a marriage-based green card. In this blog post, we will answer the most frequently asked questions about the legal process of getting a marriage green card.  What…

Foreign nationals can permanently live and work in the United States if they obtain a green card. The U.S. government issues several types of green cards every year. Our comprehensive FAQs should answer important questions about the green card program. If your question is not answered below, reach out to our legal team at Mathias Raphael PLLC Accident & Injury Lawyers to…

What is a “Wrongful Death” in Illinois?  When a person is killed by another party’s negligent, wrongful, or intentional actions in Illinois, a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed on behalf of the deceased individual because he/she could have brought a personal injury claim if had he/she survived.  Common events that can lead to a wrongful death claim:  Negligence-based accidents (e.g., car…