Working with Ed and Amber has been a true pleasure. They handled my claim efficiently and professionally, ensuring the process moved smoothly from start to finish. Their responsiveness, expertise, and effectiveness in working with the insurance carrier contributed greatly to a successful resolution. I sincerely appreciate their efforts, dedication, and guidance throughout the matter, and I am grateful for the outstanding service they provided.
Johanna Bukowski
2 months ago
Ed and Maggie have both been a pleasure to work with! They keep you up to date on your case, clearly explain the process and next steps along the way, respond quickly to any questions and always offer different options to discuss details (email, phone, text, Zoom, etc.).
What I appreciate more than anything, is their genuine compassion and concern for you as a person. They both demonstrate true empathy for what is most likely one of the most unexpected and traumatic events in a person’s life and do everything they can to ensure justice is served.
I highly recommend Collins Law!
Jeff Matticks
3 months ago
I became aware of Collins Law Group after I was involved in a motorcycle, several years ago. Since that time I have reached out to Ed Manzke, at Collins Law Group, for assistance in a couple of other areas. In each instance, I have found Ed and his team to be very helpful with great communication, keeping me informed every step along the way.
Everyone who I have interacted with, at Collins Law Group, demonstrated that they are interested in building relationships so that you know who you can turn to for any of your legal needs.
Ella Folson
3 months ago
Chris and John were attentive and thorough to my needs throughout my entire case. I appreciate the all the time and effort they took. I will be recommending their services going forward to family and friends! Thank you so much for all your help!
J. Savv
3 months ago
Ed Manzke was very patient and kind with helping me and my sister with our mom’s case. He often took the time out his day to explain everything to ensure we understood what was going on. The law firm itself is organized making our whole process run smoothly. I appreciate Ed and his team.
Unique Morris
3 months ago
Ed Manzke was very informative, clear and honest when it came to my mother and father’s case. He took his time with all of my questions and concerns, making sure that no questions went unanswered and that there was no room for confusion with our case. I’m forever grateful for Ed and everyone at the law firm.
Nick Erlenbaugh
3 months ago
Collins Law was recommended to me after I was involved in an accident with a semi-truck. Amber Blevins was exceptional to work with. She is a total pro at what she does and made the process as easy as she could for me. Ed ensured I received the best outcome possible and exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone who might be shopping around for an attorney!
Dwayne Kurfirst
4 months ago
I want to take a moment to recognize John at Collins Law for the incredible work he did in helping my mom secure her settlement. It wasn’t a quick or easy process—it took time, patience, and persistence—but John stayed committed every step of the way.
What stood out most was his professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine care for getting the best possible outcome. He kept us informed, navigated the complexities with confidence, and ultimately delivered results that truly made a difference for our family.
If you’re looking for someone who will put in the work, stand by you through a long process, and follow through, I highly recommend John and the team at Collins Law.
Helen Montague
5 months ago
We are fortunate to have had the chance to work with John Risvold as he represented my brother in his case. Professional, personable and authentic in his manner, John kept us informed throughout the long process, and was always available to respond to my many questions. Having never been involved with a law suit, I really appreciated John's patience (especially since I am 1,000 miles away) and his genuine care for my brother's well being. We are forever grateful, John. Thank you.
Matthew Malone
6 months ago
I had an excellent experience being represented by Collins Law Firm. Ed Manzke and Amber Blevins were amazing to work with and truly helped me in my time of need. Both were extremely personable and knowledgeable throughout every step of the way. I would absolutely recommend them for anyone’s legal needs.
Ronnie Sanchez
6 months ago
I had an excellent experience with The Collins Law firm. Amber was extremely helpful, kind, and friendly throughout the entire process. She took the time to explain everything clearly whenever I didn’t understand something, which meant a lot to me. I truly felt supported and informed. I will absolutely seek Collin’s help again if I ever need legal assistance in the future. Thank you again :)
Maddie Scheele
6 months ago
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Ed Manzke and Amber Blevins. They are truly the best of the best. The efficiency and professionalism throughout the entire process of my case has been unmatched. What I really want to point out, though, is the empathy and compassion both Amber and Ed hold. That was the true difference maker. I knew they both prioritized my well-being and made that their number one priority. They represented me to their highest capabilities through every step of my case, and I cannot thank them and Collins Law Firm enough.
Leticia Pink
7 months ago
Ms. Maggie Galka is an experienced environmental (radon) attorney who prioritizes her clients' health and safety in her legal practice. She maintains thorough records and offers strategic advice while working with government agencies.
Ms. Galka demonstrates key values such as integrity, expertise, respect, empathy, and compassion essential for positive outcomes. Her professionalism, follow-up and communication skills are excellent. Ms. Galka's guidance extends beyond legal issues, and the Collins Law Firm advocates strongly and effectively for clients.
We sincerely thank Collins Law Firm, and in particular Ms. Galka, for helping our family reach a successful outcome and for their meaningful impact on our community. I strongly recommend Ms. Galka and Collins Law Firm as an outstanding legal firm.
Megan
7 months ago
I can’t say enough good things about John Risvold at The Collins Law Firm. From start to finish, John was professional, responsive, and incredibly knowledgeable. He took the time to explain everything clearly, kept me informed throughout the process, and always made me feel like my case truly mattered.
His dedication, attention to detail, and genuine care made a stressful situation much easier to handle. John’s expertise and clear communication built a lot of trust, and I’m very grateful for his hard work. I would highly recommend John Risvold to anyone looking for a reliable and skilled attorney.
David Bretti
7 months ago
(Translated by Google) They are very responsible in what they do, they were able to resolve my case quickly and efficiently, I especially recommend Mr. Chris for always being in contact and being honest throughout the process 👏🏻
(Original)
Son muy responsables en lo que hacen, pudieron resolver mi caso de forma rápida y eficaz, recomendando, especialmente el Se Chris por siempre estar en contacto y ser sincero en todo el proceso 👏🏻
Jas R.
8 months ago
Amber was very thorough, informative, and made this process very easy for me, which I greatly appreciated considering all the events that led up to this point. Justice isn’t always served, but working with Collin’s Law Firm really me feel that my injuries were tangibly worth something, and that to some degree, justice was served. Would highly recommend this law firm to anyone seeking out a personal injury firm/attorney.
Amy Ressen
9 months ago
I wana say a huge thank you to the Collin’s Law firm and Chris Gauthier for helping me with my
Complicated case. They helped me put my life back together after a horrible incident that I didn’t think I could over come. Chris was always good about communicating and he made sure I got what I deserved! I highly recommend this law firm they were so kind and reassuring that things would work out. Thank you again for all the hard work and being there to help me through the process when I didn’t know where to turn to for help! Thanks again Chris and The Collin’s Law firm!
Lauren Dryanski
9 months ago
I had an exceptional experience with Collins Law Firm .
A special thank you to Chris, my lawyer, and Patti, the legal assistant. They helped me navigate my car accident proceedings from start to finish, and I always felt like I was in great hands.
Chris was incredibly knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and explained everything in a way I could understand. He always made sure I felt informed and supported, especially when it came to legal details I wouldn’t normally know.
Patti was also wonderful—very helpful, communicative, and always made sure I had everything I needed throughout the process. I never once doubted this team. They made everything easy and stress-free.
I would absolutely recommend Collins Law Firm to anyone in need of legal support!
Will Brooks
11 months ago
John brings impressive expertise and heartfelt dedication to every matter he handles. His thoughtful approach and clear communication make it easy to trust his advice, and it’s evident he is committed to fighting for what’s right with both professionalism and empathy. John’s balance of insightful expertise and warm, personal attention truly sets him apart.
Icela Hernandez
1 year ago
If ever needed. I will gladly go to the Collins law firm again. They were always quick to respond any questions. Happy to say case is closed and all went well .
Nursing Home Infection Lawyer
Illinois Nursing Home Infection Lawsuits and Attorneys
As the United States deals with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, nursing home residents are at high risk of infection. When people live close together, they are more likely to become sick due to person to person transmission of many infectious diseases. There are many steps that facilities and family members can take to prevent the spread of disease and infection in nursing homes and long term care facilities.
According to the CDC, “Over 4 million Americans are admitted to or reside in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities each year and nearly one million persons reside in assisted living facilities.” It is estimated that as many as one to three million residents in long-term care facilities suffer from infections each year and as many as 380,000 residents die each year due to infection. This unacceptably high number of infections is due to nursing homes failing to follow proper infection control procedures or providing substandard care to vulnerable elderly residents.
What Are Most Common Infections in Nursing Homes?
Urinary tract infections (UTI) – These are the most common type of infection in nursing homes. They are often the result of poor hygiene procedures and a lack of hygiene, training, and supervision when nursing home employees are inserting catheters for residents. About 3-7 percent of nursing home residents with a catheter will get a urinary tract infection for every day that the catheter remains in place. After one month, about 100 percent of residents will have bacteria in their urine.
Influenza – The flu can spread from person to person quickly in a nursing home due to proximity to other patients, frequent interactions with staff and visitors, and inadequate handwashing and disinfecting of common areas. The flu can have deadly consequences among the elderly and nursing home residents, but, this infection is one of the most preventable. Studies show that influenza rates go down in nursing homes when more patients and staff receive an annual flu shot.
Skin and soft tissue infections – Skin infections are typically the result of poor hygiene and lack of proper procedure for checking residents’ skin and turning patients over to prevent infection. Elderly nursing home residents are especially predisposed to getting these kinds of infections due to the various changes in the skin as a result of aging. Typical nursing home skin infections include cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, and erysipelas. Chronic wound infections include vascular ulcers and diabetic wound infections. Skin infections can lead to a breakdown in the skin and pressure ulcers can form. Infected pressure ulcers can lead to additional infections in the bone, skin, and blood, and can even result in death.
Pneumonia – UTIs may be the most common infection in nursing homes, but pneumonia is the most dangerous. In nursing homes, an average of 33 out of 1000 residents will get pneumonia, and patients with feeding tubes have a substantially higher risk of infection. Residents with poor oral hygiene and dental plaque are also at increased risk of developing pneumonia. And when senior citizens get pneumonia, the consequences can be serious. Pneumonia is the leading cause of hospitalization and death at nursing homes.
Gastrointestinal infections – Gastrointestinal infections are common in nursing homes due to age-related changes in gastrointestinal flora and changes to digestion. Two of the most common are Helicobacter pylori, which may cause fever, nausea and upper abdominal pain, and Clostridium difficile, a diarrhea-causing infection, which usually occurs due to antibiotic treatments that suppress healthy gastrointestinal flora. Between 8 and 33 percent of nursing home residents treated with antibiotics will get a secondary infection with Clostridium difficile. Since 2000, Clostridium difficile has been responsible for a disproportionate number of deaths in patients over 65.
Nursing home residents are often exposed to infectious disease because a nursing home and its employees are not following proper procedure and are ignoring important hygiene rules. Common sources of infection include: contaminated ventilators, catheters, feeding tubes, and shared medical equipment, as well as common areas, fellow residents, visitors, and staff.
How Infections Spread in Nursing Homes
There are several ways that infections can spread in a nursing home, including:
Direct contact with an infected person through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. Contact may involve another resident, a staff member, or a visitor.
Indirectly through touching a contaminated surface such as a door handle, phone, remote control, or medical equipment. Contaminated surfaces may be in common areas or patient rooms.
In the air as small droplets or tiny aerosol particles spread by an infected person sneezing or coughing.
Person to person. This happens when a person touches a contaminated surface and then touches another person without washing his or her hands.
Germs can enter the body through the nose, eyes, mouth or broken skin. This is why experts recommend frequent handwashing and refraining from touching your face.
Why Do Outbreaks Occur in Nursing Homes?
Nursing homes are especially susceptible to infectious outbreaks because:
Infectious agents can survive for hours or days in the air and on surfaces
Staff, visitors, and residents may be infectious for days without knowing
Vulnerable residents have frequent contact with visitors and staff who can bring infections in from the outside.
Nursing home residents, because of their age and underlying health conditions, are more prone to infections.
Staff may not be properly trained to prevent infections or the spread of infections.
Short staffing may result in staff members caring for many patients in one day without time to follow infection prevention protocol in between patients.
Nursing homes may not have enough staff to regularly clean and sanitize the facility.
Vulnerable seniors are living in close proximity to one another.
How Nursing Homes Can Prevent Infections
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, these simple steps can help reduce deadly and costly infections.
Hand Hygiene - Nursing home staff must wash their hands in between every patient, just like doctors and nurses. Unfortunately, healthcare workers only adhere to proper hand hygiene procedures approximately 40% of the time. Handwashing is an essential part of preventing the spread of infections.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) - Face masks, gloves, gowns and eye protection can reduce the spread of infection from patients to healthcare workers or from patients to staff and then on to other patients. Especially during an infectious outbreak, it is critical that nursing home staff wear PPE.
Following prevention practices - Although most healthcare professionals know the proper infection control procedures, they often do not follow them regularly. This is unacceptable, and no excuse--whether it be lack of time or assumptions that a patient is not infected-- is a justifiable reason to ignore prevention protocol.
Nursing home cleanliness - Continuous and rigorous cleaning of all shared surfaces in a nursing home is essential, as is disinfecting of all medical equipment, and properly disposing of used patient care items.
What Nursing Home Residents Should Do
Wash your hands and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer throughout the day, especially before meals or social interaction.
Cover any open wound with a bandage. If your bandages need to be changed, notify a nurse immediately.
Cover your mouth with tissues or your elbow if you cough or sneeze. When using tissues, dispose of them after a single use.
Don’t share your personal items or food with other residents.
Wear a mask if you have an infection.
What Family Members and Other Visitors Can Do
Wash hands before, during and after each visit.
Wear a mask if you are visiting someone that has an infection that can be spread to others through the air (for example, the flu).
If you feel that you are sick, do not visit your family member. Remember that your simple cold could lead to something more serious for your grandparents.
Discuss with the Nursing Home Administrator or Director of Nursing what the facility’s hygiene, infection prevention, and cleanliness procedures are and how they are implemented.
Get Legal Help If Your Loved One Has Been Infected
If your family member or loved one contracts an infection as a result of nursing home neglect or improper infection prevention procedures, you should make sure they get proper medical care, and then find a new facility for your loved one, if possible. Equally important is to consult with a lawyer. The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act established a resident bill of rights for every long-term care patient. If a nursing home does not provide patients with a clean, safe, comfortable, and homelike environment--and a resident is made ill or worse as a result--he or she may be entitled to hold the nursing home responsible. Call the nursing home negligence attorneys at Collins Law Group at (630) 527-1595 for a FREE consultation.
Collins Law Group IL Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Attorneys
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Why Choose Collins Law Environmental & Personal Injury Lawyers
No Fee Unless We Win
Collins Law operates on a contingency fee basis for personal injury and environmental cases, meaning clients only pay legal fees if we win your case.
175+ Years of Combined Experience
Our attorneys have years of experience representing clients with personal injury, environmental contamination, and business claims. Understanding the intricacies of these cases allows us to achieve better outcomes.
Proven Track Record
With a history of successful cases, Collins Law proves their ability to get results for their clients.
Flexible Consultations
Understanding the challenges clients may face following an injury, Collins Law offers flexible consultation options, including home and hospital visits. We will come to you.
Client-Centered Approach
At Collins Law, clients always come first. We prioritize individual needs and concerns, recognizing that each case is unique and deserves personalized attention.
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