Results – DeBlasio Law Group, LLC

Our attorneys have represented clients in state and federal courts in Illinois, as well as being admitted to practice pro hac vice (on individual cases) to represent clients in disputes pending in the states of Arizona, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri and Pennsylvania. The following represents a small sample of the results obtained by the Firm’s attorneys over the years:

Cook County jury trial verdict in February 2022 in favor of our client in a rare probate case involving ownership of real estate, multiple financial investment accounts and other property valued at approximately $1.5 million. The decedent’s sole heir, a nephew, filed the lawsuit in 2016 seeking to recover the assets from our client, who was the decedent’s close friend and life partner. After four days of trial, the jury of 9 women and 3 men reached a unanimous verdict that awarded 6 of the 7 assets to our client. This was one of the jury trial cases held during the COVID-19 pandemic with various restrictions in place during the trial to protect the safety of the jury, witnesses and court personnel.
Settlement valued in excess of $930,000 (stock and cash) for our client who asserted claims in federal court that she was wrongfully removed as a 24 year beneficiary under her life long friend’s ESOP plan through acts of undue influence, coercion and forgery by the friend’s family members. The federal interpleader lawsuit was settled via mediation through the efforts of mediator James Rives.
Settlement (confidential sum) in federal lawsuit alleging breach of contract involving a $1 million success fee. The parties settled the federal lawsuit via mediation with the Hon. James F. Holderman (Ret.), former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Secured emergency temporary restraining order and mandatory injunctive relief from the DuPage County Chancery Court on behalf of our client, a regional trucking company, to prevent the commercial landlord from blocking access to leased business office and adjacent truck parking facilities. Lawsuit settled favorably before preliminary injunction hearing.
Confidential settlement on behalf of former employee who alleged that he did not receive commissions earned on sales of business equipment. Claims were asserted for breach of an employment contract and allegations under the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, 820 ILCS 115/1 et seq. (“IWPCA”). Case settled after the employer’s motion to dismiss was denied.
Obtained favorable settlement and consent judgment in 2021 as part of a federal lawsuit against security guard company asserting claims for unpaid overtime and wages under federal law and Illinois state law.
Our restaurant owner clients prevailed at a trial in the Circuit Court of Cook County and defeated claims brought by a former restaurant manager who sought over $370,000 in alleged overtime pay under the FLSA (federal Fair Labor Standards Act), the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act and the Illinois Minimum Wage Law. Our clients also defeated plaintiff’s claims at trial for fraud, civil theft and promissory estoppel. The trial judge ruled that the plaintiff was not entitled to any overtime pay denied plaintiff’s request for attorneys’ fees, saving our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Obtained confidential settlement on behalf of a former student who had over $300,000 in student loan debt. Settlement obtained after our law firm filed a 12 count lawsuit against one of the nation’s largest student loan servicing companies alleging, among other things, claims of fraud and violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act because the loan servicer repeatedly and recklessly failed to accurately service the Loans, engaged in fraudulent, deceptive and unfair billing practices, concealed material information, recklessly misapplied and converted loan payments, wrongfully defaulted or charged-off certain student loans, wrongfully reported false information to credit bureaus, and wrongfully assessed late fees, penalties and interest charges on the student loans.
Obtained court sealed consent judgment in favor of our client after filing lawsuit in federal court against two individuals who fraudulently induced our client to loan them over $400,000. Client obtained full satisfaction on consent judgment.
Successfully defended manufacturing tenant and obtained dismissal of commercial landlord’s Cook County lawsuit that sought eviction after 20 years occupancy and reimbursement for over $150,000 in property taxes.
Obtained significant settlement in federal lawsuit brought on behalf of former Chicago Board of Education principal who was terminated one year before her four-year, renewable contract was set to expire. Our client prevailed on claims after the Board sought summary judgment, thereby allowing our client to proceed to trial on claims for violation of due process and contract. The case settled prior to trial.
Successfully advised Illinois company through three month investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division relating to allegations of unpaid overtime and failure to reimburse employee expenses.
$850,000 settlement in medical malpractice action by our client, the estate of a 76 year old woman, against a Chicago suburban area rehabilitation hospital for its negligent care. The woman sustained severe brain injuries after falling and hitting her head when the facility failed to follow critical safety rules.
$750,000 settlement for 10 half-siblings as their share of over $2.9 million in wrongful death proceeds from the shooting death of their sister by an off-duty Chicago police officer. Initial offer to clients was $100,000. Litigation was pursued in Cook County Circuit Court and settled within four months.
$700,000 judgment for our homeowner clients against construction company and two of its officers who defrauded them on a remodeling project. The DuPage County judgment included an award of over $475,000 in punitive damages plus attorneys’ fees.
$517,500 trial victory for our client who suffered significant injuries in gas station explosion. At trial, the defendants argued that our client’s injuries were, at most, worth only $50,000.
Jury trial victory for our clients against one of the nation’s largest insurance companies that refused to pay them after their $100,000 show car was stolen at a national show. The jury did not believe the insurance company’s argument that our clients had attempted to defraud the company. In phase 2 of the case, the trial judge agreed that the insurance company acted in bad faith and violated Section 155 of the Illinois Insurance Code. Thereafter, the parties entered into a confidential settlement agreement resolving all issues. The car was never found.
$470,000 trial court judgment for our client, a professional woman, who was the victim of a scheme to defraud and sexual battery. The Cook County trial court agreed that our client had a right to recover under the Illinois Gender Violence Act and awarded $300,000 in punitive damages as well as attorney’s fees.
Served as Special Assistant Attorney General to an Illinois Governor and obtained the dismissal of a DuPage County lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the emergency RTA bailout after we filed a motion for rule to show cause why the plaintiff should not be held in contempt of court.
Favorable settlement of a complex dispute involving our client, a computer analytics and software development company, that was sued for over $2 million in the Circuit Court of Cook County. We settled the lawsuit in less than four months before any depositions were taken for a fraction of the plaintiff’s demand.
Successfully defended former executive of defunct company in hotly contested citation to discover assets proceedings pending in DuPage County Circuit Court. The Honorable David Schwartz presided over the citation proceedings.
Obtained favorable federal bankruptcy court order granting our commercial landlord’s motion seeking allowance and immediate payment of post-petition rent as a priority administrative expense from the Chapter 11 debtor for the use and occupancy of business property during the pendency of the bankruptcy case. The Honorable Benjamin Goldgar presides over this case.
Served as special lead litigation counsel to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in proceedings to recover over $2.2 million in federal and state grant funds that an ISBE audit concluded were misspent or unaccounted for by a south suburban school district in FY 2003-2005. ISBE obtained a favorable settlement.
$300,000 settlement for our client, a former NFL superstar, who was owed commissions as an independent sales representative of an Illinois manufacturer. Case settled without filing lawsuit. We asserted a claim under the Illinois Sales Representative Act, which potentially exposed the manufacturer to treble damages (three times the commissions owed and attorneys’ fees).
Obtained outright dismissal of federal lawsuit filed against security company after filing motion to compel arbitration of putative class action alleging violations of federal and state overtime pay laws. Case favorable settled for our clients shortly thereafter for a fraction of plaintiff’s original demand.
$250,000 settlement for our client, a young man, who sustained head injuries at water park when a large roof sign by a concession stand fell on his head. Case settled in mediation shortly after we filed lawsuit.
$250,000 personal injury settlement for our client who was rear ended on Interstate 290. Impact caused client’s driver’s seat to collapse. Client needed cervical (neck) disc replacement surgery. Case settled within 7 months of filing lawsuit in Cook County.
$200,000 settlement for our client who slipped on ice at a shopping center in Bloomingdale, Illinois and tore his Achilles tendon. The roof of the shopping center had no gutters, causing melting snow to drip onto the sidewalk below and freeze. Case settled in mediation after we filed lawsuit.
$190,000 personal injury settlement for our client, an elderly woman, who sustained neck injuries in an auto accident in Villa Park. After we obtained the maximum settlement of $100,000 from the negligent driver’s insurance company, we successfully negotiated an additional $90,000 settlement with our client’ auto insurer under her underinsured motorist coverage. Case settled without filing a lawsuit.
$140,000 settlement on first day of jury trial in excessive force lawsuit that we filed for our client, a young Hispanic man who was brutally beaten by several bouncers at a suburban bar. Client sustained skull fracture and facial nerve damage. The bar initially offered only $25,000 to our client.
Trial victory for our client who was sued for breach of an oral partnership agreement to develop a parcel of land in Elmhurst, Illinois. The DuPage County judge rejected all claims against our client.
Trial victory of over $170,000 for our client who lost his investment in a travel nurse start-up business. After a 6-day bench trial in DuPage County, the court entered judgment in favor of our client on claims of fraud, constructive fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.
Trial victory for our client, a real estate investor, was sued under the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act, the Truth in Lending Act and for quiet title seeking to impose an equitable mortgage on a real estate transaction involving the sale of a home in foreclosure. The DuPage County court granted our client’s motion for a directed judgment at trial on all claims at the close of plaintiffs’ evidence, and entered judgment ordering that possession of the property be given to our client along with thousands in past due rent payments.
Defeated competitor’s attempt to shut down our clients’ business via a temporary restraining order (injunction) for alleged trade secret violations involving the radio advertising industry. The DuPage County judge later granted our motion for sanctions against the competitor and all claims against our client for trade secret misappropriation and breach of fiduciary duty were voluntarily dismissed.
Favorable settlement on the eve of trial in real estate partition case. Our client negotiated a buyout of his brother’s 50% Interest in a family home for only $22,750 with a 10-year payout term at zero percent interest. The brother filed the partition lawsuit in an attempt to force the sale of the home and oust our client and his wife from his childhood home. We defended the case by arguing that our client and his brother entered into a binding oral agreement that allowed our client to remain in the home for the remainder of his life.
Successfully defended Georgia pizza distribution company in lawsuit brought by manufacturer seeking over $1 million in damages. We removed the case from Cook County Circuit Court to federal court in Chicago. Before any depositions were taken in the case, the plaintiff agreed to settle with our client for a mere fraction of the damages it was seeking in the lawsuit.
Zero liability for our security guard company client that was the subject of a U.S. Department of Labor investigation involving an allegation of retaliation against one of its guards who was called to active duty. The case involved the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, which was signed into law to protect civilian employment of active and reserve military personnel in the U.S. that are called to active duty. The U.S. DOL agreed that our client did not violate the law.
Zero liability for our client, one of the world’s largest producers of spices, that was accused by a competitor in a Kane County lawsuit of hiring a former employee in violation of a covenant not to compete. Our firm successfully negotiated a settlement that allowed our client to continue employing the individual with zero payment to the competitor. Case was settled in less than four months prior to any depositions being taken and all claims against our client were dismissed, including alleged trade secret misappropriation and interference with contract.
Successfully resolved a hotly contested probate case for our clients, a brother and sister from Switzerland and India. After their brother died, a woman from a remote village in the Himalayan mountains claimed to be their brother’s wife and sought over 50% of his estate – even though she never lived with the decedent and numerous documents signed by the decedent stated he was single, not married.
Confidential Settlement. The lawyers at DeBlasio & Gower worked in consultation with lead trial counsel Charles L. Cannon who obtained a significant settlement for an electrician who sustained permanent, disabling injuries from lead exposure at work, including partial paralysis. Many electricians can be exposed when their work includes lead splicing (“tinning”) or working in areas where this work is performed. Terms of the settlement are confidential.
Finalized settlement on behalf of large charitable beneficiary in $2.6 million trust dispute seeking clawback of funds allegedly paid by trustee on behalf of the trust for taxes.
Significant settlement for our client, a young woman, who sustained facial and dental injuries at a bar in Will County when she became trapped in a violent mosh dance pit. The bar prohibited moshing, but did nothing to stop the crowd from mosh dancing.
Mr. DeBlasio served as first chair trial counsel and negotiated favorable settlement on the eve of trial for an Italian government agency and eight of its foreign officers and directors in a multi-million-dollar contract, fraud and conspiracy action brought by a former U.S.-based employee.
$2.5 million award in case where Mr. DeBlasio served as second chair trial counsel in AHA arbitration for client, an Indiana health plan against a managed care entity owned by three of the largest Indianapolis-based hospitals involving Indiana’s Medicaid risk-based managed care program. The case is important because the arbitrator reduced the $2.5 million award to $824,226 in compensatory and punitive damages, ruling Mr. DeBlasio’s client had rightfully withheld approximately $1.5 million in funds from the defendants prior to trial upon the advice of counsel.
Mr. DeBlasio served as counsel to a court appointed receiver in a SEC civil action involving the fraudulent sale of $28 million in securities structured as time shares in Branson, Missouri to over 500 “investors.”
Mr. DeBlasio and other attorneys prosecuted and favorably settled equal protection and unconstitutional conditions (extortion) claims in a team effort on behalf of Northwestern University against the City of Evanston for attempting to extract millions in contributions from the University as part of an alleged quid pro quo deal to exclude University properties from a newly imposed local historic district. Case settled after former Chief Judge Marvin Aspen denied the City’s motions to dismiss and for summary judgment on our claims for “vindictive action” equal protection and extortion. Northwestern University v. City of Evanston, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2307 (N.D. Ill.); Northwestern Univ. v. City of Evanston, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17104 (N.D. Ill.).
Mr. DeBlasio and other attorneys secured mandatory injunctive relief against the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board and defeated emergency appeals within three days in both the Illinois Appellate Court and Illinois Supreme Court, allowing three religious orders to merge and recover $87 million in Medicare recapture funds.
$90,000 settlement for a married father of two children who suffered post-concussion syndrome in a “no-check” men’s senior hockey league game when he was elbowed in the head and knocked down to the ice unconscious. Lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court. Defendant’s homeowner’s insurance paid the settlement.
Secured favorable settlement within 67 days after filing a federal lawsuit for a downstate manufacturer of locomotive engines alleging it had been defrauded by an international supplier of refurbished engines.
Secured favorable settlement for Malaysian clients who sued to recover for consulting services rendered to a U.S.-based company in China. The company’s counterclaims in excess of $1,000,000 against our clients for breach of contract, fraud, conversion and interference with economic advantage were voluntarily dismissed.
$50,000 settlement in personal injury action for our client, an elderly man, who was attacked by a stranger outside a laundromat who mistakenly believed the elderly client was breaking into his SUV. Client suffered shoulder injury, facial wounds and mental anguish.
Negotiated favorable settlement on behalf of a Connecticut-based plastic injection molding company and two salesmen in federal court on claims involving purported covenants not to compete, trade secret misappropriation, unfair competition and interference with contracts.
Favorably settled claims on confidential terms for a real estate investor client who purchased a home in foreclosure from the Plaintiff, but Plaintiff later claimed that she never intended to sell the home, despite executing a Warranty Deed, Affidavit of Title and a Real Estate Contract to sell the home. Plaintiff asserted claims of equitable mortgage, violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud & Deceptive Business Practices Act, the federal Truth in Lending Act, and other claims.
Obtained $270,000 in settlement for the Village of Oak Brook from Lorig Construction Co. due to damage caused to the Village’s underground water main that occurred during installation of temporary sheet piling during bridge work over Salt Creek.
Favorably settled on confidential terms claims of breach of severance agreement and alleged disclosure of confidential information against a former health care executive in litigation pending in DuPage County, Illinois.
Favorable settled federal copyright claims on behalf of individuals who had unknowingly downloaded plaintiffs’ copyrighted videos from the Internet.
Negotiated favorable settlement for a Northern Illinois hospital as lead counsel in a whistleblower action alleging that the hospital submitted false Medicare and Medicaid claims by offering above-market physician compensation to induce patient referrals.
Defended a Chicago-based hospital in a whistleblower action alleging that the hospital submitted false Medicare and Medicaid claims by entering into quid pro quoarrangements whereby the hospital allegedly accepted discounts on Part A ambulance transports in exchange for offering exclusive rights to lucrative Part B transports.
$315,000 settlement in AAA arbitration proceedings on behalf of Health First Management Services on claims for unpaid management and computer consulting services to home health agencies owned by Columbia HCA.
Obtained dismissal of a sex and disability discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed in federal court against a clinical nurse manager who worked at a State of Illinois mental health facility. Mr. DeBlasio of our law firm was appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General to defend the State of Illinois’ clinical nurse manager in the lawsuit.
Secured favorable settlement for a young man with Type 1 diabetes who received a job offer from local Chicago company, which later withdrew the job offer after learning of his disability, even though the young man was able to perform the essential functions of the job without a reasonable accommodation. Case settled after client filed a charge of disability discrimination with the EEOC and the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
Successfully defended police officer as court-appointed lead counsel in a federal False Claims Act action alleging the officer made misrepresentations in acquiring residential property as part of HUD’s Officer Next Door sales program.
Secured the release of six plastic injection molds and all funds wrongfully held in escrow on behalf of a top 10 non-automotive plastic injection molder from an Illinois mold maker that refused to release the molds, potentially delaying the production of components used in high-end blood analyzing equipment.
Advised a U.S. company on potential violations of federal and state law in connection with the company’s eligibility to qualify as a small business concern to secure Phase I and Phase II research and development grant funding from several federal agencies in connection with the SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program.
Secured several judgments in excess of $145,000 against defendants involved in a scheme to defraud one of the Firm’s individual clients who had invested in the defendants’ travel nurse business.
$300,000 settlement on behalf of Plymouth Tube Company from two owners of a New Jersey company that had guaranteed the company’s purchase obligations. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, settled on the day the individual defendants were to sit for their depositions in Chicago.
Served as lead prosecution counsel for several municipalities, including the City of Elmhurst, City of Oakbrook Terrace, the Village of Wayne and the Village of Westmont.