Since 1924, the Horwitz family has had a commitment to those who were injured on the job and have worked diligently to earn the respect of countless union organizations throughout the state by taking care of our client’s needs.

Mitchell W. Horwitz

Mitchell Horwitz leads the workers’ compensation team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates. Mitch has devoted his entire working career to workers’ compensation matters, and has handled thousands of cases from arbitration through appellate courts. Recently, Mitch was named one of the Top 10 Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in Illinois in a survey of his peers conducted by LeadingLawyers. In addition, Mitch was also recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America©.

Marc A. Perper

Since 1984, Marc Perper has practiced at the law firm of Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, concentrating on workers’ compensation law. Besides prosecuting claims under the Illinois  Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Diseases Acts at trial and on appeal, he has assisted in preparing and trying personal injury cases in the areas of: construction negligence, the Structural Work Act, products liability, and federal civil rights. Hundreds, if not thousands, of working men and women in Illinois will benefit from Marc Perper’s work. In 2010, Marc convinced the Illinois Supreme Court to reverse an unfavorable appellate court decision regarding firing for “cause” and weekly disability benefits.

Wayne L. Newman

Wayne Newman focuses entirely on workers’ compensation law at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, where he has practiced since 1989. Wayne is a past president of the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association (WCLA), an organization of over 700 workers’ compensation attorneys licensed to practice workers’ compensation in Illinois. In addition to his peers, members of the news media have recognized his authority in the field – in an article in SmartMoney Magazine, Wayne discusses why many professionals who decide not to file workers’ claims eventually regret that decision. As a spokesperson for Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, Wayne travels across Illinois educating union workers about their rights under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act.

Mark Weissburg

Mark Weissburg devotes his entire law practice to workers’ compensation and to other closely related areas of law. To make the powerful field of workers’ compensation more understandable to injured Illinois laborers, Mark authored the book, “How to Win a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Illinois.” The book describes the basic rights and benefits under the state’s workers’ compensation act as well as the often-unknown roles performed by insurance adjusters, doctors and lawyers. The straightforward and easy-to-read book also alerts readers to the kinds of problems they may encounter and should avoid when filing claims.

Tyler D. Berberich

Tyler Berberich devotes his entire legal practice to representing and protecting the rights of injured Illinois workers in front of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. In 2015, Tyler was nominated by his peers through a survey conducted by LeadingLawyers as an Emerging Lawyer. Emerging Lawyers are among the top 2% of Illinois lawyers who are 40 years old or younger or practicing law 10 years or less and have proven themselves professional, ethical and experienced at an early point in their legal career.

David Starshak

David Starshak dedicates his legal practice to helping injured workers get the compensation and justice they deserve. Less than a year after passing the bar, David participated in his first jury trial – playing a key role in witness presentation and trial preparation. The trial team secured a jury verdict of $1.3 million.

Zbigniew J. Bednarz

Zbiniew “Zibi” Bednarz focuses his practice on workers’ compensation and personal injury matters. In his first two years of practice prior to joining Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, Zibi obtained over $2.5 million in settlements and awards for his clients. In addition, he has lectured before countless labor unions on workers’ compensation and injury law, and how employees can best protect themselves in the unlucky event of a work-related injury. Lastly, Zibi speaks fluent Polish and Spanish, and has extensive experience with the unique challenges that non-English speaking clients encounter.

Workers Compensation Claims

In Illinois, employees who are injured on the job have the right to high quality and fully paid medical care for their injury. Workers compensation is a statutory system that has taken the place of common law negligence. If you are injured in the job, you are entitled to compensation whether or not the employer is negligence or at fault – this compensation is limited by statute.

Even though workers’ compensation statutes generally make the employer immune from any liability over the amount allowed by the workers’ compensation statutory framework, other entities (or what we call “third parties”) involved in causing the injury, like general contractors or manufacturers, can still be held liable.

Third Party Claims

With any work injury, our attorneys evaluate if there is a “third-party” involved that is liable for the accident. If our attorneys can demonstrate that your injury was partially caused by someone other than your employer, we are more likely to obtain full and substantial compensation for the injury against someone other than the employer – usually the general contractor, but other times another contractor, manufacturer, or architect.Since 2012, an astounding 80% of the lead trial team’s jury verdicts have been record-setting. When the juries’ returned with their verdicts, they were:
The largest personal injury jury verdict in Illinois history for an individual;
The largest neck injury jury verdict in Illinois history;
The largest spinal cord injury jury verdict in Illinois history;
The largest brain injury jury verdict in Illinois history;
The largest back injury jury verdict in Illinois history;
The largest complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) jury verdict in Illinois history;
The largest non-amputated hand injury verdict in Illinois history;
And, the largest adult male shoulder injury verdict in Illinois history.

Clifford W. Horwitz

Clifford Horwitz has devoted his entire career to achieving justice for those who have been victimized by corporate negligence. Clifford has won virtually every case he has tried since he began practicing law with one quarter of the jury verdicts being record-setting verdicts, in addition to securing what was the largest jury verdict in Illinois history for an individual. Cliff has published more than 100 articles in various newspapers and has spoken to a wide variety of union members and other groups about their legal rights.

Jay R. Luchsinger

Jay Luchsinger has won numerous record-setting jury verdicts and settlements, as well as what was the highest personal injury verdict in Illinois history for an individual. He engages in cases that focus primarily on personal injury, industrial and construction injury, and wrongful death. A former ironworker, Jay’s knowledge of construction and mechanics gives him a distinct advantage over insurance carrier lawyers who have never worked on a construction site.

Michael D. Carter, Jr.

Michael Carter, a part of the lead trial team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, won what was the largest personal injury verdict in Illinois history for a quadriplegic ironworker. He focuses on severe injuries including spinal cord and brain injury, in addition to construction, product liability, and automobile injuries.At Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, we have obtained the largest jury verdict in Illinois history on behalf of an injured Iron Worker, in addition to securing a number of record-setting jury verdicts on behalf of injured construction workers throughout the state of Illinois. Less than two years after recovering what was the largest verdict in Illinois history for an individual, the lead trial team secured the largest verdict in Illinois history for a non-amputation hand injury – a $5.745 million award (over $1 million higher than the previous record). (From left to right: Jay R. Luchsinger, Clifford W. Horwitz, Michael D. Carter, Jr.)

Jury Verdict Reporter Trial Lawyer Excellence Award

After securing the largest verdict in Illinois history for an injured construction worker ($64 Million), the American Association of Justice branded Clifford Horwitz, Jay Luchsinger, and Michael Carter as, “masters in the profession.” The complaint, judgement, transcripts of the opening statement and closing argument were published in their annual, Top Verdict Litigation publication, providing insights into trial strategies and techniques, successful methods to prove damages, and the opportunity to learn from this team of experts in their field.[contact-form-7 id=”5089″ title=”Contact Us”]Attorneys of Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates recovered $64 million on behalf of an injured ironworker who fell 15-20 feet from a beam. The construction accident caused a C1 burst fracture, C7 dislocation fracture and C6 spinal cord injury resulting in a loss of the functional use of the ironworker’s hands and loss of complete use of the body from the chest-down.

A Cook County jury awarded the $64 million verdict after a month long jury trial against AIG insurance and the ‘defense lawyer of the year.’ The record-setting verdict was $13 million higher than the previous record verdict, making it the largest verdict in Illinois history at the time it was rendered.Attorneys represented purchasers of defective computer hard disk drives in a class action suit against International Business Machines Corp.Injury attorneys of Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates recovered $16.4 million on behalf of an injured youth who sustained severe brain and spinal cord injuries in a single-car crash. The defense attorneys failed to negotiate a settlement in good faith with the Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates’ Auto Injury Team and within a reasonable time frame – instead the opposing counsel went to trial.

The lead trial team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates prosecuted the case on behalf of the injured youth. The jury awarded our client $16. million.A thirty-foot fall left a union plumber in critical condition with a fractured heel, fractured ankles, multiple severe fractures to both legs, three fractured vertebrae in his back and a herniated disk in his neck.

Clifford W. Horwitz and Jay R. Luchsinger tried the case in front of a twelve person jury in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The jury agreed with Horwitz and Luchsinger’s argument that the consulting engineer permitted a grating to be used as a walkway by the engineers even though it was missing components and unsecured – awarding the union plumber with an $11 million jury verdict.While picking up a prescription for flu like symptoms, a 50 year-old woman was struck in the right calf by a hand truck. The hand truck was operated by Dean’s Transportation.

The lead trial team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates secured a $10 million jury verdict. It was the largest jury verdict in Illinois history for a complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) injury.A journeyman ironworker and former professional boxer in the super middleweight division suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling approximately 12-15 feet. The construction accident resulted in multiple seizures that required hospitalization, headaches, double vision, and a myriad of other problems.

The lead trial team negotiated a $9 million settlement on behalf of the ironworker just short of a jury trial.A journeyman ironworker suffered a severe shoulder injury after a barge collided with his safety skiff, while working on a bridge on the Chicago River.

The lead trial team secured an $8 million jury verdict on behalf of the ironworker. It was the largest jury verdict in Illinois history for an adult male shoulder injury.A Union Oil explosion tragically took the life of a worker, leaving his wife and three children without a husband and father.

The lead trial team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates demonstrated that the explosion was caused by the negligence of Union Oil and recovered $8 million on behalf of the family for the wrongful death of the husband and father.The journeyman carpenter with over 34 years of experience was installing partitions and changing rooms doors when the superintendent of the job-site told the carpenter he was going to help. In less than two minutes, the superintendent managed to drill through the carpenter’s hand, wrapping the carpenter’s ulnar never around the drill bit. The nerve injury from the construction site accident manifested into complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). The case was previously handled by the largest personal injury firm in Illinois, who told the carpenter that there was no third party case.

The defendant, ISEC, Inc. offered nothing through their insurance carrier, Liberty Mutual Group. After over five years of litigation and a week long jury trial, the lead trial of injury attorneys at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates recovered a $5.745 million jury verdict on behalf of an injured union carpenter. The verdict was the largest verdict in Illinois history for a non-amputation hand injury, surpassing the previous verdict by over $1 million.Injury attorneys from Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates’ lead trial team recovered approximately $5 million for injuries suffered by a Local 150 operator after a job-site accident.

The remaining conditions of the settlement and the facts are subject to a confidentiality agreement.A union laborer who had been previously permanently disabled suffered a serious back injury while engaging in physical therapy. The laborer was using a vertical bench press when the cable broke. He suffered injuries to both shoulders and a herniated disk in his neck.

Injury attorneys from the lead trial team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates filed a claim against the manufacturer of the product and the maintenance company for the product. There was no lost wages, but the jury awarded the laborer a $3.8 million verdict for pain and suffering, disability, and medical bills.A woman fell down a set of stairs after tripping on tape that was left on the stairs. The slip and fall accident resulted in a herniated disk in her back.

The injury attorneys of the lead trial team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates successfully tried the case in Will County. The jury awarded the woman a $2.5 million jury verdict for the injuries she sustained after falling down the set of stairs.A Local 786 union Teamster recovered a $2.3 million settlement after suffering a career-ending injury. On the construction site, the crew attempted to hoist a conveyor belt assembly into place. The operator of the crane allowed the hoisting straps provided by the crane company to be used under tension against a sharp edge. Ultimately, the strap broke under the load weight, and the load struck the Teamster on the way down.

The injury attorneys from Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates’ lead trial team recovered a $2.3 million settlement for the injuries the Teamster suffered resulting from the construction site accident.A construction worker slipped off a rack of 2×6’s while on a construction site. He suffered a torn bicep tendon as a result of the slip and fall.

The injury attorneys on the lead trial team at Horwitz, Horiwtz & Associates recovered $2.25 million on behalf of the construction worker.The riverboat janitor was lifting heavy trash which resulted in a back injury requiring a two-level spinal fusion.

Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates’ lead trial team’s injury attorneys prosecuted the case under the Jones Act. The jury award a $2.2 million jury verdict in favor of the janitor. Before the trial, the company offered to settle, and even after the trial the offer increased.A young man was riding his bicycle to work when he was tragically hit by a school bus. Sadly, he was later pronounced dead after arriving to the Dyer Hospital in Indiana.

The school bus driver was not charged by the police, and further investigation by the accident reconstruction team did not fault the school bus driver. Instead, the reconstruction team determined the bus driver was under the speed limit and the police faulted the deceased bicyclist for riding further than necessary from the curb and riding without a front headlight.

Commercial trucking accident attorney, Michael T. Wierzbicki, from Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates successfully prosecuted the case. A seasoned attorney dealing with semi-truck and commercial truck accidents, Wierzbicki obtained critical evidence that demonstrated the bus company’s fault, recovering $2.1 million for the family of the bicyclist.A Local 11 union roofer suffered multiple fractures to both wrists requiring surgical placement of pins and screws, after falling through a hole in the roof.

The lead trial attorneys at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates recovered $2 million for the roofer.A Local 502 union Cement Mason suffered fractures to his shoulder and vertebrae in his back after falling approximately 20 feet.

The defendant tried to blame the injury on the cement mason and the cement mason’s employer for working in high wind conditions. They event went so far as to secretly film the cement mason to make the argument that he had a great recovery.

The injury attorneys on the Lead Trial Team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates recovered $1.9 million for the stone mason.A Local 1185 union Tile Setter suffered a congenital defect in his back, spondyolisthesis and spondyloslysis after tripping over a ladder on construction site. The tile setter did not immediately report the injury.

The defendant, UBM, argued the tile setter was exaggerating his injuries, that the accident was impossible given the dimensions of the ladder and the doorway, and even brought in three employee witnesses to testify against the story of the tile setter.

The lead trial team of Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates had witnesses that thankfully contradicted the deceitful statements against the tile setter’s story, and the jury ultimately did not believe the defendant’s liability expert about the trip and fall accident because everything the expert said was in favor of UBM.

The jury awarded the tile setter a $1.5 million verdict for his injuries.