Laird M. Ozmon

Mr. Ozmon concentrates his practice in personal injury law with an emphasis on medical malpractice, negligence and products liability cases. He obtained one of the largest punitive damage awards in Illinois in (Jerry Ross v. Black and Decker, Inc.). He has also received the largest malpractice settlement of $8 million in Illinois regarding the misdiagnosis of a genetic disorder and the largest settlement of $9.2 million in a medical malpractice case in Will County. In addition, he coauthored the chapter “Trial Tactics in Medical Malpractice,” for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 1989-92. He is a frequent speaker on tort-related issues. Mr. Ozmon has obtained multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in a variety of other areas of personal injury.

Years Trial Lawyer Experience

Education

BA 1976 with high honors, Lewis University;
JD 1979, Loyola University.

Admitted to Practice

1979 Illinois;
1979 Illinois Supreme Court;
1980 U.S. Court of Appeals;
1983 U.S. Supreme Court;
1980 Florida.

Professional Associations

Illinois Trial Lawyers Association:

Executive Committee 2003-2004
Chair Executive Committee 1997
President 1997-1998
President Elect 1996-1997
2nd Vice President 1995-1996
Executive Committee 1994-1999
3rd Vice President 1994-1994
Executive Committee 1991-1992
Legislative Committee 1988-1990
Exec Committee 1987-1988
Public Relations Committee Chair 1987-1988

Other Associations:

The National Top 100 Trial Lawyers
The Florida Bar
Illinois State Bar Association (Assemblyman 1998-99);
American Bar Association;
The Society of Trial Lawyers;
American Board of Trial Advocates:
Super Lawyers; and
Leading Lawyers.

American Association for Justice (AAJ)
formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America:

Elected National Officer – Parliamentarian, 2012-2013;
National Finance Council, Member, 2007-2014;
National Officers and Executive Committee, Representative, 2006-2011;
Board of Governors, Board Member, 2004-2013;
AAJ PAC Board of Trustees,2004-2008;
State Delegate – Committee Member, 1988-1994;
Committee Chair – Women Trial Lawyers Caucus, 1988-89.

Mr. Ozmon has also served as a member of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Civil Jury Instructions in Civil Cases from 1/1/2006 – 12/31/2014.

As a consumer looking for an attorney to represent your case, you want a professional with experience relevant to your issues. You want to know before your initial consultation that a prospective attorney has a good reputation among his or her peers, as well as a spotless disciplinary record. When you see the Lead Counsel Verification, you can be assured an attorney meets objectively strict quality assurance standards, and is worthy of your trust and confidence.

Laird Ozmon is a Past President of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.

The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association is a statewide organization whose members specialize in representing injured consumers and workers. The members of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association fight to ensure all citizens get equal footing in the courtroom, even when taking on the most powerful interests. We see to it that those who harm consumers, other individuals, or even their own employees, are held accountable.

The Leading Lawyers Network is the result of thousands of contacts with Illinois lawyers asking them which of their peers they believe comprise the top lawyers. Only those lawyers who are most often recommended qualify as Leading Lawyers.

Laird M. Ozmon was recommended as a Leading Lawyer in a statewide survey of more than 50,000 lawyers. Fewer than 5% of the lawyers in any state receive the distinction of being a Leading Lawyer.

Laird M. Ozmon has been selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer from 2010 to 2018.

Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. In selecting attorneys for Super Lawyers, Law & Politics employs a rigorous, multiphase process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with third party research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis.

Laird M. Ozmon has been selected as a top 100 National Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyers.

The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 is an invitation-only organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region who meet stringent qualifications as civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense trial lawyers.

Laird M. Ozmon was Elected National Officer of AAG (formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association)

The Mission of the American Association for Justice is to promote a fair and effective justice system—and to support the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.

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Illinois Supreme Court AFFIRMS Will County Ruling Which Struck Down Fees on Foreclosures Filings

On June 17, 2021, the state high court declared unconstitutional sections of two laws, a revision of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure, which governs operations of Illinois state courts, and sections of the Illinois Housing Development Act. (Reuben D. Walker, et al v. Andrea Lynn Chasteen, et al. Will County Case No. 12 CH 05275)

$9.2 Million Dollars – Awarded the highest settled Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in the history of Will County

Medical Malpractice Case Will County, Joliet IL Recently awarded the highest settled Medical Malpractice suit in the history of Will County for 9.2 million. Will County, Il.(a suburb of Chicago) - On January 15, 2015, a Will County woman and her husband settled a...

Ozmon Law Client Awarded $12,000,000.00 by a Federal Jury Against Black and Decker in a Product Liability Case

Plaintiff, a bricklayer-carpenter, age 42, sustained a nearly complete amputation of his left hand, while using a power miter saw found to be unreasonably dangerous due to a lack of a right side lower blade guard. Plaintiff's expert was the invertor and designer of...

Ozmon Law Settles Landmark $8,000,000.00 Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (A1AD, AATD) Case

Laird Ozmon from Ozmon Law settled an $8,000,000.00 dollar Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD, A1AD) case for client Scott S. Scott was misdiagnosed with COPD for years when he actually had the rare Alpha-1 protein deficiency. Beginning in 1991, defts misdiagnosed...

$2,009,000.00 Awarded to Plaintiff in Product Liability Mitre Saw Case

Age 49, a carpenter, was using a 10-inch Black and Decker miter box saw when an unguarded blade on the right side struck his left hand, amputating one-third around the thumb. Thumb was sewn back on and palm repaired, but a year later index finger had to be removed and...

Ozmon Law Client Awarded $2,000.000.00 in Medical Malpractice Case

December 1, 2003, pltf M-16 presented to the emergency room of Deft Hospital with a two-day history of abdominal pain and diarrhea. He had a fever and was tachycardic. His CBC blood test revealed that his white blood count was elevated with marked shift to the left. A...

$1,950,000.00 Awarded in Medical Malpractice Case with a Failure to Diagnose Lung Cancer

Male 44 yr old cabinet maker’s August 1996 chest x-ray was misread and defendants failed to diagnose his lung cancer until May, 1997, when it was Stage III and had metastasized to his brain. He died in Sept. 1997 (survived by wife and 3 grown children)

$1,860,000.00 Awarded to Ozmon Law Construction Accident Client

A male 37 year old tripped over a nail protruding from concrete on a top step at a Chicago construction project and fell down a stairway sustaining a L4-L5 herniation requiring decompressive laminectomy and fusion. Plaintiff could not return to work as a carpet...

$1,400,000.00 Awarded in Negligence Case

A male, 35 years old, was entering a fast food establishment carrying his child and was injured when a mat in the entranceway slipped due to an accumulation of water and/or other substances on the underlying floor causing him to violently twist in an attempt to avoid...

$1.8 Million Awarded to Client in Wrongful Death Case Involving a Suburban Bus Company

Student, M-12 was struck and killed at a Joliet corner because a Suburban Bus did not employ safety procedures or equipment such as a "stop arm" in violation of federal school bus regulations. The suburban bus route had been created specifically to take children to...

$990,000.00 Awarded in Wrongful Death Case Involving the Death of a Child in Apartment Complex Swimming Pool

Plaintiff's decedent, M age 6, was playing with his siblings and a 5 year-old girl outside the front of the apartment his mother and stepfather had leased from Defendant, two weeks earlier. Although the children were instructed by their mother to stay in front of the...

$875,000.00 Awarded to Client Due to Birth-Related Injury

Defendant doctor used vacuum-assisted delivery of newborn when it was not indicated. Defendants actions caused newborn to sustain multiple intracranial hemorrhages and mild cognitve deficits.

$750,000.00 Awarded to Family in Medical Malpractice Wrongful Death

Plaintiff with a family history of heart disease was brought to the E/R, complaining of bilateral arm pain, nausea, and light-headedness - but was sent home. He returned via ambulance 4 hours later, in full cardiopulmonary arrest, and died shortly thereafter. Autopsy...

$525,000.00 Settlement in Personal Injury Case Involving Southwest Airlines

Female passenger sustained TMJ symdrome when struck by an attache case when a flight attendant opened an overhead luggage compartment on Southwest Airlines flight.

$500,000.00 Awarded to Ozmon Law Client in Personal Injury Construction Negligence

Plaintiff was working inside a coal chute. His job was to change the shafts & gears. Plaintiff was working on a ladder (using it as a platform) propped at an angle to keep chute door open. While moving down the ladder to view another area, the ladder gave way. The...

Joliet Automobile Accident Client Awarded $502,132.00

Plaintiff, age 43, was stopped at a stoplight northbound on Rte. 59 in Joliet, IL, when she was rear-ended by a vehicle which had also been rear-ended. Plaintiff suffered a low-back and neck injury which progressed into a myofascial pain syndrome/fibromyalgia.

$500,000.00 Awarded to Client In a Medical Malpractice Case

$500,000.00 Plaintiff's husband, age 65, underwent a mitral valve repair and was scheduled to be discharged. On the morning he was to be discharged, he began experiencing abdominal pain and was transferred back to the ICU where he died approximately 8 hours later....

$490,000.00 Awarded in Automobile Accident When Defendant Failed to Yield the Right of Way

Plaintiff, (F-42), was driving a Ford E-150 van, headed east on Black Road at or near its intersection with Frontage Road in Joliet when Defendant, who was headed west on Black Road, failed to yield the right of way to Plaintiff and turned left in front of her. After...

$485,000.00 Awarded in Truck and Car Accident Case

M-Pltf was driving car northbound Rte. 41. Dft was driving semi dump truck Southbound on Rte. 41. Dft made a left hand turn in front of Pltf blocking the road. Pltf struck Df at rear tires. Plft suffered head injuries, back and neck pain and shattered left knee cap...

Auto Accident Personal Injury Case Awarded $315,000.00 for Ozmon Law Client

Plaintiff (F-40 yrs) was traveling northbound on Elizabeth St, in Crete, IL. Defendant was traveling eastbound on Division St and failed to stop at the stop sign and struck the Plaintiff's vehicle causing it to spin around to face south on Elizabeth St. Plaintiff...

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