Recently in Wrongful Death Category

Shantel McCoy had just arrived at her apartment building after shopping for groceries. As she entered her building, she pushed the elevator button and rode up as she normally would. But as the elevator doors opened, McCoy was welcomed by a wall of flames and plumes of smoke.

The 32-year-old woman was killed in the Lake Shore Drive apartment fire, and now her family is suing the owners of the building in a wrongful death lawsuit, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Last summer, we wrote about the July 4 beach fight that resulted in the death of 17-year-old Kevin Kennelly. It appears that Kennelly was playing the peacemaker role between a friend and then-19-year-old James Malecek.

That point may have been lost on Malecek as he punched Kennelly in the face, killing him. Malecek is currently facing criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter. Now he, his sister, and his mom will also have to deal with a wrongful death lawsuit.

In September, we wrote about the death of Diana Paz. The 25-year-old Chicago woman was arrested for a DUI and was later released by Illinois State police at a gas station. As the woman walked home, she was struck and killed by a motorist.

Her family filed a discovery lawsuit against the police to learn about the circumstances of her arrest and release. This week, it was revealed that Paz's blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit when she was killed.

Four-year-old Christopher Valdez was found brutally beaten to death on his birthday last Friday. His mother, Crystal Valdez, and her boyfriend, Cesar Ruiz, have been charged with murder for the little boy’s death.

But as further facts are unveiled, people may also be pointing fingers at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for possibly playing a role in the boy’s death.

The family of Pedro Gonzalez has filed a lawsuit over the Chicago police shooting death of the 21-year-old man.

In the lawsuit, the family claims that the Chicago police wrongly shot the West Humboldt Park man who was unarmed and presented no threat to police officers. They also accuse the police of pressuring witnesses against Gonzalez and making false claims that the young man was armed, reports the Chicago Tribune.

A $43 million Ford lawsuit has been reversed by the Illinois Supreme Court.

In 2003, John and Dora Jablonski got into a somewhat routine traffic accident. However, allegedly due to the design of their car, the car blew up killing John Jablonski and seriously disfiguring his wife.

But despite the defect, the high court of Illinois said that Ford Motor Co. did not have to pay, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. Why?

Yolanda Evert has sued the federal government over the bear attack death of her husband, Erwin Evert, at Yellowstone National Park.

Erwin Evert was a botanist from Park Ridge. He spent part of every year at a cabin near the national park. In June 2010, Evert was hiking and came upon an angry bear. The 430-pound grizzly bear mauled the botanist to death, reports the Chicago Tribune.

So why would the national park be liable for his death?

The first Chicago Marathon death since 2007 occurred over the weekend. A 35-year-old firefighter from Greensboro, North Carolina collapsed only 500 yards from the finish line and died less than two hours later.

The runner was later identified as William Caviness, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. The cause of death has not yet been determined, and an autopsy is planned this week.

Last month, a stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair killing seven people. A Chicago woman, Christina Santiago, was one of those killed. Now, Santiago’s same-sex partner, Alisha Brennon, has brought an Indiana stage collapse lawsuit seeking to recover damages on behalf of Santiago. The problem is, Indiana does not recognize civil unions or same-sex marriage.

In June, Santiago and Brennon held a ceremony recognizing their civil union in Chicago, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. The State of Illinois had just adopted new law that allowed same-sex couples to join together and receive many of the same rights as married couples. However, this law was only recognized within the state and may carry no weight in other states without similar laws, or with the federal government.

Chicago police officer Kevin Robinson faced a lot of dangers at work. But it wasn't flying bullets or a violent felon that killed Robinson, instead it was dangerous cleaning products.

In March, the 42-year-old Robinson was at morning roll call, and as was typical, the janitorial staff was cleaning the room by spraying chemical products, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. For years, janitors routinely sprayed the room, and there have never been any reports or complaints of illness.