Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Via Live Webcast
8:30 AM Registration opens, log in to the webcast via your account at www.iicle.com
8:55 – 9:00 Opening Announcements
9:00 – 10:00 Navigating PTSD Claims in Personal Injury Law
(1.0 General CLE)
Learn best practices for proving and defending PTSD claims, assessing damages, and navigating complex causation issues. Attendees also gain insights into plaintiff and defense perspectives when it comes to evaluating and working on cases involving mental and emotional injuries in the personal injury context.
Paul Motz, Polsinelli, Chicago
Karen Munoz, Dolan Law, Chicago
10:00 – 10:05 Break
10:05 – 10:50 Critical Pleading Consideration: 2-622 Reports
(0.75 General CLE)
Pleadings are the starting blocks of litigation. Any attorney prosecuting or defending claims against medical professionals needs to know how to make a strong first impression in a lawsuit. This session addresses a key issue relating to pleadings: The certificate of merit that is necessary under 735 ILCS 5/2-622 to bring any healing art malpractice claim.
Thomas Reuland, Reuland Law, LLC, Chicago
10:50 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 12:00 Using Respondents in Discovery: Why to Use Them, How to Find Them, and Avoiding Potential Pitfalls
(1.0 General CLE)
Respondents can provide additional information for a case and identify individuals or entities who could be named as additional defendants. Respondents can also enable the gathering of additional information that can avoid dismissal due to lack of facts. However, there are risks associated with using Respondents as well.
John Bruegger, Parafinczuk Wolf, P.A., St. Louis
Lawrence Kream, Lawrence R. Kream Law Offices, Chicago
Thomas Reuland, Reuland Law, LLC, Chicago
12:00 – 12:45 Lunch (on your own)
12:45 -1:30 Building a Strong Case: Effectively Using Medical Evidence to Maximize Damages
(0.75 General CLE)
Learn the best practices for obtaining, evaluating, and presenting medical evidence to support and maximize damages in personal injury cases. This session also explores effective use of treating physicians, methods for countering common defense strategies, and practical advice on how to build a compelling case to support your client's damages.
Laura Castagna, Kelly & Castagna, Bloomington
1:30 – 1:35 Break
1:35 – 2:20 How to Depose Treating Physicians and Medical Experts
(0.75 General CLE)
Deposing physicians and medical experts is a key component of the discovery process. This session addresses:
- The purpose and goals of these depositions as a plaintiff or defense attorney
- How you should prepare for the deposition
- Identifying relevant medical experts
- Questioning strategies
- Getting the evidence/opinion you need - challenging the evidence/opinion presented
John Bruegger, Parafinczuk Wolf, P.A., St. Louis
Lawrence Kream, Lawrence R. Kream Law Offices, Chicago
Thomas Reuland, Reuland Law, LLC, Chicago
Paul Motz, Polsinelli, Chicago
2:20 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 3:15 General and Specific Causation Experts
(0.75 General CLE)
General and specific causation experts can play a crucial role in liability litigation. In this session, you will learn:
- The role of the causation expert
- How you select which type of expert is appropriate for your case
- How each expert conducts their work
- What conclusions they are qualified to reach
- What approach plaintiff’s and defense attorneys should take with these witnesses
John Bruegger, Parafinczuk Wolf, P.A., St. Louis
3:15 Adjourn
