News

The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C. as lead counsel along with Peter Higgins Law obtained the ‘Lead Case’ in the latest issue of the Cook County Jury Verdict Reporter for their $19.2M verdict in the death of a 37 yr old woman following complications from bariatric surgery. Click here for more details on this case. 

The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C. would like to introduce the newest addition to our team, and new head of our Medical Malpractice Department, Charles Bletsas. Charles, a seasoned attorney in medical malpractice law, with a proven track record of success and legal expertise, brings an unparalleled level of experience to our firm. Click here to learn more about Charles and his experience. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Bletsas to Parente & Norem!

A recent settlement in Cook County Circuit Court was obtained for Mykola Berezan, a Chicago man who suffered severe injuries in a construction site accident. Berezan was working as a carpenter’s helper at a Countryside construction site in 2018 when a 30-foot wall collapsed, causing him to require spinal fusion surgery. 

The lawsuit, filed against real estate developer HP Ventures Group, LLC, and Capital Custom Homes, alleged negligence, premises liability, and loss of consortium. Berezan’s legal team, led by Dennis M. Lynch of the Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C., argued that the defendants failed to provide a safe workplace and ignored ongoing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations related to wall bracing and construction safety protocols.

Lynch emphasized the limited emphasis on safety at the construction site, highlighting the devastating impact on Berezan’s life. At 36 years old, Berezan sustained a spinal cord injury that required multilevel fusion surgery and ongoing physical therapy. Although he has made progress and now walks with ankle braces and a cane, his injuries will affect him for a lifetime. The settlement aims to cover future medical care and supplement Berezan’s income, as he faces challenges finding employment that accommodates his physical limitations and extensive exercise program.

The $13 million settlement, reached in March, reflects the severity of Berezan’s injuries and the responsibility of the defendants. Retired Judge William E. Gomolinski of Gomolinski Mediation facilitated the mediation process, leading to a resolution that provides support for Berezan’s ongoing needs.

In addition to Lynch, Joseph D. Parente and Christopher M. Norem of The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C. represented the plaintiffs, while Michael H. Carter of Lewis Brisbois represented Capital Custom Homes. Despite attempts to reach him for comment, Carter could not be reached. Susan Chae Corcoran of Leahy, Eisenberg & Fraenkel, Ltd., represented HP Ventures Group, declining to comment on the case.

The settlement serves as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing safety in the construction industry. It also highlights the legal recourse available to individuals injured due to negligence on construction sites. While nothing can fully compensate for the pain and suffering endured by Berezan and his family, the settlement provides financial support and a sense of justice for their ordeal.

As Berezan continues his journey toward recovery, the hope is that his story will raise awareness about the need for stringent safety measures in the workplace, ensuring that tragedies like his can be prevented in the future. If you or someone you know have been injured due to negligence, call/text The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C. at 312.641.5926 or fill out a contact form here on our website. 

The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C. settled a Cook County construction case for $13,000,000 shortly before trial. 

On July 12, 2018, a carpenter’s helper, then 30 years old, was working for a rough carpentry crew, BXH Construction, performing work on a townhome project in Countryside, Illinois.  The coworkers were raising and putting in place a 40-foot-long party wall which had been pre-sheeted with drywall.  While they were moving the wall into place with a sledgehammer, it fell over, landing on top of him as he was working on the other side of the wall.  He sustained an L2 burst fracture and underwent emergency fusion surgery from T12 to L3 at Loyola Hospital. He was initially confined to a wheelchair and suffered from bowel and bladder dysfunction. After several years of rehabilitation, he is able to walk long distances with ankle braces and a cane.  

Parente & Norem sued the general contractor, CCH, and the project owner, HPVG.  Discovery revealed that no one at BXH had any OSHA training, and CCH’s superintendent admitted he was not an OSHA competent person.  It was argued that although HPVG knew that CCH was not fulfilling its contractual obligations of providing daily site supervision and accident prevention, it did nothing to enforce its contract.  HPVG maintained that it did nothing wrong and was not contractually obligated to police safety, claiming that CCH was an experienced general contractor and it could and did rely on them.  

Although no one was present from CCH or HPVG at the time of the injury, it was argued that BXH had followed the same faulty bracing and movement procedures multiple times before the incident.  The Defendants contended there was nothing wrong with the bracing procedure and this was a fluke occurrence that could not have been foreseen.  All witnesses agreed that he did nothing wrong.  

The case was set to proceed to trial on April 10, 2024.

The settlement included an assignment of CCH and HPVG’s contribution claims against BXH.  Plaintiff now intends to try the contribution case on April 10, 2024 against his employer, BXH, to eliminate the approximately $1.5 million workers’ compensation lien.   

The case was mediated by retired Judge William Gomolinski. 

The plaintiff was represented by Dennis M. Lynch, Joseph D. Parente, and Christopher M. Norem of Parente & Norem.

CCH was represented by Michael Carter of Lewis Brisbois

HPVG was represented by Dan Boho of Hinshaw and Culbertson, Susan Chae Corcoran of Leahy Eisenberg and Andrew Elbogen of Kopka Pinkus.

BXH was represented by Kasia Nowak of Foley and Mansfield.

If you or someone you know has been injured due to negligence, call/text The Law Offices of Parente and Norem, P.C. at 312.641.5926 or fill out a contact form here on the website. 

The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C. would like to congratulate Chris Norem and Dennis Lynch, who were honored last Wednesday at the 2023 JVR Awards for Trial Lawyer Excellence in the category of Highest Reported Work Injury Verdict or Settlement. They were recognized for their record-setting $7 million settlement in the case of the death of a 22-year-old hostler driver, which they obtained in June of this year.

This is the second record setting verdict for Norem and Lynch, who also obtained the highest ever amount awarded by a jury in Winnebago County this month. When it comes to Experience, Dedication, and Proven Results, look no further than The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C. We Win Big Cases!  

We are thrilled to share some outstanding news from The Law Offices of Parente & Norem!  Our exceptional trial team of Christopher M. Norem and Cole H. Munvez has achieved the HIGHEST case settlement in their category for May 2023!

Our experience, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our clients is what sets The Law Offices of Parente & Norem apart with our unwavering pursuit of justice and tireless advocacy for our clients that have yielded proven results.

We would also like to express our gratitude to our clients for placing their trust in us. It is through their courage, cooperation, and support that we were able to pursue justice and attain this remarkable settlement. 

At The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, we are committed to providing unparalleled legal representation and fighting tirelessly for the rights of our clients. This achievement further solidifies our reputation as a leader in personal injury, and we are proud to have such incredible attorneys as part of our team. If you or a loved one have been injured call/text us today at 312.641.5926 or fill out a contact sheet here on our website.

The Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C. is proud to congratulate Christopher M. Norem, Dennis M. Lynch, and Joseph D. Parente for achieving the highest settlement in the $11M category as published in the December 2022 edition of Jury Verdict Reporter. Way to go, team!