WELCOME

The Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc. is the public interest law consortium of Chicago's leading law firms. From nineteen firms in 1969, the Chicago Lawyers' Committee has grown to forty-five member firms today. Each year, over 15,000 hours of donated professional legal services, with a value of over $3 million are directed to civil rights issues by the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee. The Chicago Lawyers' Committee enforces fair housing laws and works to preserve affordable housing, advocates for the rights and interests of poor children, works to improve the ability of Chicago's Public School system to meet the needs of its 89% minority student population, and represents victims of hate crimes. It focuses on the reduction of barriers to opportunity and the promotion of efforts which increase the capacity of individuals to access and sustain employment. The Committee also provides transactional legal services to community-based organizations working in the areas of housing and community and economic development, to entrepreneurs creating minority owned businesses in disadvantaged communities and to first-time low-income home buyers moving out of federal rental assistance housing and into their own homes using Housing Choice Vouchers. The program philosophy of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee recognizes that locally-based efforts that empower minority communities with the capacity for self-sufficiency are critical to the development of safe and stable urban communities. To learn more about the continuing commitment of Chicago's leading law firms to pro bono service to the community, please read the message (136 KB) from the Executive Director, Clyde E. Murphy, and former Board Chairs, Eric J. Gorman and Myles D. Berman.

Firm Overview

The Seidman Law Offices are dedicated to professional, compassionate, and effective representation of the victims of accidents and negligence. Based in downtown, Chicago, we represent clients in all surrounding counties of northeast Illinois.

our major settlements is unusual for a firm of our size. We believe our success is due to the quality and experience of our attorneys, our prompt and thorough attention to accident claims, and a willingness to take cases to trial.

Our Chicago accident attorneys represent victims of all types of injuries, including auto, truck and pedestrian accidents, unsafe premises, dangerous products, construction and workplace injuries, medical malpractice, and wrongful death claims. Our office is in Chicago, but we often visit the home or hospital of the clients we serve throughout Cook, Kane, Will, DuPage, and Lake counties, including Chicago, Cicero, Arlington Heights, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, and Skokie.

Commitment to Clients
The people we represent often say they feel like they are our only client. All of our attorneys strive to be accessible to clients and responsive to their questions and concerns throughout the process. We return calls and emails as soon as we can, and we are available evenings and weekends to meet with injury victims or families who have lost a loved one.

Our Attorneys
Steive Seidman has practiced law for 25 years. He has represented entertainers, athletes, municipalities, a major university, and Fortune 500 clients. He treats every personal injury client with the same service he provides to major corporations.

Because of his experience and reputation, Mr. Seidman is frequently chosen as an independent arbitrator in uninsured/underinsured motorist cases. He is admitted to practice in all courts of Illinois, including the U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals. Steve Seidman is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the “Leading Lawyers Network”,and has authored a chapter on Workers’ Compensation and is a frequent lecturer on the topic.

Associate attorney Chris Freeman has practiced since 2002. He handles personal injury, malpractice and negligence, and Workers’ Comp cases.

Seidman Law Offices for your free consultation. We can arrange evening and weekend appointments, including home or hospital visits.

Referring Attorneys

Many cases we handle at Levin & Perconti are referred to us by other attorneys. If your client has a personal injury or wrongful death litigation matter which falls outside the scope of your practice, we welcome the opportunity to work together to achieve a just result.

Attorneys across the country have felt confident in recommending our services to their clients. They know that we not only achieve consistently excellent results, but that we can be trusted to maintain the highest levels of integrity at every stage of the litigation process.

We are committed to making the referral experience a smooth, positive, and beneficial one for everyone involved. Upon accepting a referral, we will enter into a contract with both you and the client establishing the distribution of fees, so that all parties are informed and protected. Our referral fees are generous, and our procedures are structured in full accordance , Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.5 (f) - (h).

When it comes to your degree of involvement in a case you refer, we are extremely flexible. Some referring attorneys prefer a very hands-on level of participation. Others want to be present and involved only at a few critical points in the process. Still others may want no involvement once the fee-sharing agreement is executed. The extent to which you participate is entirely up to you. We are open to most any arrangement and will be happy to accommodate your desired level of involvement.

If you would like to discuss the details of a case you are considering referring, or if you want to learn more about our referral fee structure, please contact us at 312.332.2872.

Brain Injuries

Each year in the United States an estimated 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) - a blow or jolt to the head, which can disrupt the function of the brain. The severity of a TBI can range from a mild concussion to the extremes of coma or even death. At least 5.3 million Americans currently live with disabilities resulting from TBI. The leading causes of these types of injuries are:

• Vehicle accidents and crashes
• Birth injuries
• Slips and/or falls

Our firm represents clients or loved ones of clients located in the Chicago, Illinois area, who have suffered severe brain injuries.

Injuries suffered as a result of TBI can be severe and life altering. Our firm understands that the immediate goals after going through such trauma are to get medical bills paid and covered, make sure you or your loved one does not suffer financially through any lost wages, and make sure the appropriate insurance company will pay for future treatment relating to the injury. Our experienced attorneys will discuss your situation and go over the options available to you, as well as work with insurance companies and other parties involved in your case to make sure all your needs are handled quickly and appropriately.

Personal Injury

Personal injury claims and lawsuits arise when people are injured by careless or intentional acts of others, or injured by products that are defective in some way. When someone is determined to be legally responsible for injuring someone else, they are liable for the injury, and may be made to pay the injured person compensatory damages. Compensatory damages attempt to put an injured person back in the position he or she was in before being injured. In some cases, punitive damages are also awarded in these lawsuits. Punitive damages are intended to punish wrongdoers and prevent them from harming others. Our firm handles a variety of personal injury claims for clients located in the Chicago area, including those arising out of:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Use of Defective or Dangerous Products
• Slip and Fall Accidents
• Construction Accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Claims Arising from Injuries at Work

Injuries suffered as a result of these types of accidents can be severe and life altering. Our firm understands that your immediate goals after going through such trauma are to get your medical bills paid and covered, make sure you do not suffer financially through any lost wages, and make sure your insurance company will pay for future treatment relating to your injury. Our experienced attorneys will discuss your situation and go over the options available to you, as well as work with insurance companies and other parties involved in your case to make sure all your needs are handled quickly and appropriately.

Attorney Profile

Personal Injury Lawyer • Chicago

John Joseph Budin
Member

Born:

St. Louis, Missouri, September 19, 1956

Practice Areas:

Auto Accidents, Personal Injury, Head Trauma, Spinal Cord Injury, Construction Accidents, Work Related Injuries, Trucking Accidents, Catastrophic Injury.

Membership:

Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Chicago Illinois State Bar Associations.

Education:

DePaul University, J.D., 1985, Northeastern Illinois University, B.A., 1981

Admissions:

1985, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Biography:

John Joseph Budin's legal career began in the area of criminal law as a prosecutor for the Criminal Division in the Cook County, State Attorneys Office. After serving as a prosecutor for the State Attorneys Office Mr. Budin then shifted his focus from criminal law to personal injury and began The Budin Law Offices located in downtown Chicago. Having over 20 years of trial experience and a 97% success rate litigating lawsuits to verdict and settlement Mr. Budin has handle a wide variety of cases including but not limited to: car accidents, aviation accidents, medical malpractice, workers compensation, traumatic brain injury, construction accidents, and many others forms of personal injury.

To resolve complex personal injury cases Mr. Budin uses his knowledge of medical conditions, in-depth case evaluation, and detailed preparation and examination of evidence to get the majority of compensation for his clients. As a skilled Chicago personal injury attorney Mr. Budin has earned the respect from his peers and adversaries through aggressive trial work, arbitration, and mediation.

At the Budin Law Offices our clients are always provided with the personal attention that they deserve. All calls are returned within 24 hours and each member of our staff has legal training up to at least the level of paralegal. Making the client feel comfortable and answering all their questions is what sets us apart from other personal injury law firms. We can present the personal injury case in full value to insurance companies and a judge or jury because of our extensive understanding of medicine and medical conditions.

We will always reduce our contingency fee to ensure that the victim receives the majority of monetary compensation awarded from their case. This is our policy and we abide by this even if it is a small $5,000.00 workers compensation claim or a large $5,000,000.00 car/truck collision. Our goal is to make the processing of each claim as stress free and productive as possible for our clients. Sometimes this requires paying off outstanding medical bills and clearing up your credit. We take pride in referrals from past clients and fellow attorneys, this drives us to always make sure our clients are satisfied with the outcome of their case.

Non-legal Personal Information

Mr. Budin was born in University City, Missouri on September 19, 1956. After living in Ohio and Illinois John graduated from Saint Viator high school in Arlington Heights, Illinois. After graduating high school he worked and lived on a farm in Fountain City, Wisconsin.

With a major in speech and a minor in performing arts John Joseph Budin graduated Summa Cum Laude (highest honors) from Northeastern Illinoi University in 1981.

John held various jobs before committing to law, including hospital orderly, construction worker, railroad worker, and a law clerk. Mr. Budin is an accomplished jazz drummer / percussionist and has volunteered for many years at the Alexian Brothers Hospice.

Hobbies:

Military history, reading, music, basketball, fishing.

If you or someone you know is in need of a skilled Chicago personal injury lawyer contact The Budin Law Offices to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. We offer FREE no obligation consultations over the phone or at our downtown Chicago office location.

Our Law Offices are located at:

One North La Salle Street
Suite 2165
Chicago, Illinois 60602

Some Clifford Law Offices Personal Injury Cases

Clifford Law Offices represents many people in personal injury actions. Robert Clifford has been practicing in this area of law for 30 years, and the lawyers at his firm have experience in the area of personal injury litigation. The law firm’s goal is to obtain a fair and just result. The only way the civil justice system can do so is through financial compensation. The lawyers at the firm are dedicated to finding answers to its clients’ questions and obtaining a just solution to the matter.

For example, robert clifford obtained a $15.8 million verdict for a 12-year-old girl who was severely injured when a YMCA van struck her at an intersection when she tried to cross the street after school.keith, partner at the firm, obtained a $6 million settlement on behalf of an infant who suffered significant and permanent injuries at birth when a Chicago hospital deprived her of oxygen during delivery and experts concluded that a cesarean section should have been performed. robert, partner, settled a case for $2 million on behalf of a 72-year-old woman who underwent knee replacement surgery at a Chicago hospital and instead now suffers paraparesis and incontinence after improper treatment. The firm represents a number of people who have been injured in the fire at the Cook County Administration Building. And Robert Clifford obtained a $28.3 million verdict on behalf of a 70-year-old woman wh

Personal Injury Damages

If you are successful, the person who is injured can recover money damages. These damages can be for a number of reasons: medical bills, lost income, future medical bills and care, and other economic damages that you incur. In addition, you may recover what is termed non-economic damages. These are damages that may be difficult to quantify, but nevertheless, are very real: pain and suffering, disfigurement and loss of consortium. Keep in mind there is a deadline in filing cases known as a statute of limitations. These statutes vary and it takes an experienced personal injury law firm to examine the facts and the law to determine the limitations period that applies in each case.

Personal Injury

Personal injury involves injury to an individual. This area of law allows an injured person to sue in a private action called a civil action known in the legal community as a tort action. A “tort” is a wrong against a person. Any accident or injury against a person can constitute a tort – whether it be in a car accident, the use of a product or the negligence of a professional.

Different degrees of fault exist and several elements are necessary to prove in court in order to be successful against the wrongdoer or negligent party in a tort action. Also, more than one person or party may be at fault, and responsibility may be apportioned among all of the wrongdoers. In some instances, the victim may even be partly at fault for the tragedy but that does not necessarily mean the person does not have a right to bring a lawsuit.

Take, for example, the case of internationally acclaimed violinist Rachel Barton. She suffered severe injuries after being dragged by a Metra train. At first, while Rachel lay in a coma, train officials blamed the young woman for the accident, claiming she was trying to hold on to her violin. That was not the case. Clifford Law Offices filed a lawsuit on her behalf and a jury decided that Rachel was only 4.5 percent to blame. The jury apportioned 95.5 percent of the blame to the railroad for failing to follow safety procedures. The judgment against the train company was reduced by 4.5 percent, making the verdict total $29.6 million. Rachel later received $35 million following a lengthy appeal process while interest accrued on the verdict.

Another case, for example, is that of Richard Burke and John Karnezis, partners at the firm, who obtained a $10.45 million verdict for the family of a pilot killed at Palwaukee Municipal Airport outside Chicago. His Gulfstream IV jet crashed moments after takeoff because a drainage ditch running alongside the runway was not flat and firm to support the plane. In that case, a jury found the airport defendants 90 percent responsible for the crash, the owner of the aircraft was found 5 percent liable and the pilot was apportioned 5 percent liability. Consulting an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer like Clifford Law Offices can provide information on whether to pursue an action in court.

City Lowers Death Toll in Metro Crash Monday

The Associated Press, 06/23/2009

WASHINGTON (AP) — District of Columbia officials have lowered the number of fatalities in Monday's subway system accident to seven, instead of the nine reported earlier.

Mayor Adrian Fenty said officials are "going to let the investigation run its course" and said that hopefully the number will not exceed seven by the end of the day.

Fenty also said that two in the accident remain in critical condition in area hospitals. He said he has been told that their condions are stable.

The accident in Monday's rush hour on the Red Line of the Metro system was the worst in the 33-year history of the subway system in the nation's capital.

Attorneys

Get to Know Our Team

The partners of Lane & Lane, LLC… Respected Leaders. Lecturers. Authors. More than 100 years of combined experience. Multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements. The commitment to doing everything it takes to stand up for the victims of negligence.

At the Law Offices of Lane & Lane, LLC in Chicago, Illinois, we take pride in what we do. Contact our office today to see if we can help you in your personal injury case.

Call us at 1.800.LAWYERS

To learn more about each of our attorneys, please visit the pages below:

Firm Overview

Noted For Our History of Success - Making a Difference

Of course, it is our ability to succeed that keeps drawing attention to our law firm. It is the long history of multimillion dollar awards and settlements, including a $5.75 million win that was noted as one of the most important settlements of the year by Crain's Chicago Business. As a result of our efforts, longstanding safety inspection abuses within the Chicago Housing Authority were uncovered and stopped, possibly preventing future serious injuries.

While our history of success is important to us, it is our future success that we are focused on. We are ready to make your case part of that future.

Recognized as Authorities and Leaders in the Legal Community

In addition to our thriving law practice, our lawyers serve as teachers and leaders in the Illinois legal community. Members of our team have written several best-selling legal textbooks and instructed lawyers in litigation skills, trial techniques and medical litigation skills and issues. Some members of our firm have served as presidents and held leadership positions of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and other prestigious attorney organizations throughout the state and country.

We have been also recognized as leaders as a law firm in a very unique way: membership in the Primerus organization. Primerus is an elite international group of law firms, which the Wall Street Journal has described as offering "consumers a way to pick the good from the bad by establishing a sort of 'Good Housekeeping' seal of approval for attorneys."

We are the only plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm in Chicago and the entire state of Illinois to be included in this prestigious group. And there are only 25 personal injury law firms in the United States that has been honored with membership in Primerus.

Firm Overview

What Qualities Do You Want in a Law Firm?

If you or someone you care about has been injured by someone else's negligence or fault, you have the right to seek justice - the full, fair and complete compensation you deserve for the burdens you’ve been forced to bear. In order to ensure you obtain justice, you need to have a legal team stand by your side. But what qualities do you want your law firm to possess?

• Do you want a law firm that has a long history of multimillion dollar verdicts and insurance settlements?
• Do you want a law firm that teaches other lawyers how to handle personal injury cases?
• Do you want a law firm made up of attorneys who are recognized as leaders in the legal community?
• Do you want a law firm that only represents accident victims in personal injury lawsuits and never stands beside big businesses or insurance companies?

If so, then we are the personal injury law firm you are looking for.

Dedicated to Personal Injury Victims

Established by a team of veteran trial attorneys, the Law Offices of Lane & Lane, LLC has always stood up for the rights of injured people. We never cross the line and represent the insurance companies and big businesses who often cause our clients’ injuries and stand in the way of their recovery!

We are dedicated to our clients and will be there for you to help you through these difficult times…whenever you need us. The attention we provide goes beyond “office hours,” and won’t simply end when we resolve your case. We will stand with you as every issue is resolved and you are ready to move forward with your life.

Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers

Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers
We're There for You When You Need Us

At the Law Offices of Lane & Lane, LLC, we know that success in your case takes our dedication. Our clients need more than just a nine-to-five lawyer. Our clients are entitled to obtain justice - the full, fair and complete compensation they deserve for the changes in their lives resulting from serious personal injuries. They need our commitment every day. And they get it.

That's a commitment our attorneys are willing to make to you... any day and any time you need us.
Our Commitment to You is a Commitment to Success

When we accept your case, that means that we are willing and able to put in the time, the effort and the resources needed to make your case the success it should be.

Over the years, this commitment has led to many multimillion dollar verdicts and insurance settlements for our clients. Recently, we recovered $5.75 million for one of our clients in a case against the Chicago Housing Authority. Our cases have been reported in the local and national media.
Turn To Leaders in the Legal Community

Our law firm is made up of lawyers who other lawyers respect and learn from. Our attorneys have written several legal textbooks and articles, and instructed lawyers in trial techniques and medical litigation. Members of our team have served as presidents and held leadership positions of several prominent local, statewide and national organizations, including the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the International Society of Primerus Law Firms. These are prestigious organizations that represent attorneys throughout Illinois and the United States.

Of course, our attorneys have earned their positions as leaders by achieving success in personal injury lawsuits. You can be confident that we have the experience to take on any opponent, no matter how powerful.