It's 11:30 PM. A guy calls me from a metal stamping plant in Cicero. His hand just got crushed in a press. The safety guard? Been broken for three weeks. His supervisor kept saying they'd fix it "tomorrow."
Tomorrow never came. Now this guy's hand is destroyed. Thirty-eight years old. Can't work. Can't hold his daughter. Can't even button his shirt.
And you know what the plant manager told him at the hospital? "You should have been more careful."
No. The COMPANY should have been more careful. They should have fixed that safety guard. They should have shut down that machine. They should have put safety ahead of production quotas.
I'm Scott DeSalvo, and I've been fighting for Chicago manufacturing workers for over 20 years. Metal fabrication plants in Cicero. Food processing facilities in Little Village. Electronics assembly in Elk Grove Village. Chemical plants in Pilsen.
I know these workplaces. I know how they push workers to meet impossible deadlines. I know how they cut corners on safety. And I know how to make them pay when you get hurt.
Manufacturing work is dangerous. Period. You're dealing with:
Heavy machinery moving at high speeds with enough force to crush bone Chemicals that can burn your skin, destroy your lungs, or poison you slowly Extreme heat from furnaces, ovens, and molten metal Sharp objects everywhere—saws, blades, shears, cutting edges Noise so loud it damages your hearing permanently Repetitive motions that destroy your joints over years
Put it all together in a plant where production schedules matter more than safety? People get hurt. Badly.
Chicago still has a strong manufacturing presence. Not like the old days, but we're talking thousands of workers in hundreds of facilities:
Cicero/Berwyn - Metal fabrication, automotive parts, industrial machinery Bedford Park/Clearing - Food processing, light manufacturing
Melrose Park/Franklin Park - Electronics, plastics, packaging Little Village/Pilsen - Food processing, chemical processing, textiles South Side (Pullman, Roseland) - Various manufacturing, older facilities Elk Grove Village - High-tech manufacturing, medical devices
I've handled cases in all these areas. I know the plants. I know the common injuries. And I know the companies that put profit ahead of your safety.
This is the nightmare scenario. Clothing, hair, or a body part gets caught in moving machinery. Presses, stamping machines, conveyor belts, industrial mixers, automated assembly lines.
Once you're caught, it happens fast. The machine doesn't stop until someone hits the emergency shutoff—if it works, if someone's nearby, if they react in time.
David worked at a metal stamping plant in Melrose Park. Reached across a press to adjust a piece. His sleeve caught. Machine pulled his arm in. Crushed his hand, broke his wrist, mangled his forearm.
We investigated. Found out:
We sued both the plant (for removing safety features) and the press manufacturer (for inadequate guarding design). David got $1.8 million. He had multiple surgeries but still has limited use of his hand.
Common machine guarding violations:
Manufacturing uses nasty chemicals. Solvents, acids, cleaning agents, industrial coatings, adhesives. When plants don't provide proper protection or ventilation, workers get sick.
Sometimes it's one big exposure—a spill, a leak, an explosion. Sometimes it's years of breathing in fumes that destroy your lungs bit by bit.
Maria worked at an industrial coating facility in Pilsen for nine years. Breathing chemical fumes every shift. Complained about headaches, dizziness, breathing problems. Management told her to "toughen up."
By year nine, she had permanent lung damage. Can't work anymore. Needs medications for life. Shortness of breath. Constant coughing.
OSHA had cited that facility SEVEN TIMES for ventilation violations. Seven times. They just paid the fines and kept doing business as usual.
We got Maria $1.4 million. But there's no amount of money that gives you healthy lungs back.
Chemical exposure violations I see constantly:
Manufacturing facilities have catwalks, platforms, mezzanines, elevated work areas. When there aren't proper railings or when platforms aren't maintained, workers fall.
A six-foot fall onto concrete can break bones. A fifteen-foot fall can kill you or leave you paralyzed.
Anthony was doing maintenance on equipment at a food processing plant in Bedford Park. Standing on an elevated platform that wasn't secured properly. Platform shifted. He fell 12 feet onto a concrete floor.
Broken back. Fractured vertebrae. Months of recovery. Permanent pain. Can't do physical work anymore.
The platform? Temporary structure that had been there for five years. Never properly secured. No railings. Violated every OSHA fall protection standard on the books.
We sued both the plant and the contractor who installed the "temporary" platform. Anthony got $925,000.
Manufacturing plants have massive electrical systems. When wiring isn't maintained, when lockout/tagout procedures aren't followed, when workers do electrical work without proper training—people get electrocuted or burned.
Electrical burns are horrific. They don't just burn the surface—the electricity cooks tissue from the inside. Multiple surgeries. Skin grafts. Permanent scarring.
James was an electrician at a facility on Goose Island. Was told to work on a panel. Company assured him power was shut off and locked out. It wasn't.
2,400 volts hit him. Severe electrical burns on both hands and arms. Multiple surgeries. Permanent nerve damage. Can't feel his fingertips. Struggles with fine motor skills.
We proved the company lied about shutting off power, violated OSHA lockout/tagout rules, and had a history of similar incidents they'd covered up. James got $1.6 million.
When you combine chemicals, heat sources, and inadequate safety measures? Explosions happen. Fires happen. People die or get catastrophically burned.
These are the cases that haunt me. Burns over large portions of the body. Blast injuries. Smoke inhalation. Long hospitalizations in burn units. Permanent disfigurement.
If you work directly for the plant, workers' comp is typically your only remedy against them. That covers medical bills and about two-thirds of your wages. But it's not enough for serious injuries.
That's why we look for other parties.
When machinery is defective or poorly designed, I go after the manufacturer:
Equipment manufacturers have huge insurance policies. These cases can result in big money.
Third-party companies often maintain plant equipment. When they:
They're liable.
Chemical manufacturers and suppliers can be liable when they:
Many manufacturing workers are temps. Staffing agencies are liable when they:
When multiple companies work at a facility, or when someone other than your employer owns the building, they can be liable for:
Insurance companies will lowball you. They'll say "that's just what workers' comp pays" and hope you don't know better.
Here's what I fight to get for you:
Medical Expenses - Every penny. Not just what you've spent, but what you'll need for the rest of your life. Manufacturing injuries often require multiple surgeries, ongoing treatment, and lifetime care.
Lost Wages - Full amount, not just two-thirds. Every dollar you missed. Including overtime, shift differentials, bonuses.
Future Lost Earning Capacity - Can't do manufacturing work anymore? I get you compensated for what you won't earn for the rest of your working life. This can be hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
Pain And Suffering - The physical pain. The emotional trauma. The frustration and depression. Illinois law says this matters and deserves compensation.
Permanent Disability - Lost fingers? Limited range of motion? Chronic pain? Permanent lung damage? This gets compensated separately.
Loss Of Enjoyment Of Life - When you can't do activities you used to love, that has real value under Illinois law.
Based on 20+ years handling manufacturing injury cases:
These are real numbers from real cases.
The federal government has strict safety rules for manufacturing plants. When companies violate them, it helps prove negligence.
Key OSHA standards for manufacturing:
Machine Guarding (1910.212) - Moving parts must be guarded. Period. No exceptions. Companies remove guards constantly to increase production speed. It's illegal and it gets people hurt.
Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) - Energy sources must be shut off and locked before maintenance work. This prevents machines from accidentally starting while someone's working on them. Violations cause deaths.
Hazard Communication (1910.1200) - Workers must be told about chemical hazards. Safety Data Sheets must be available. Training is required. Most plants do the bare minimum or less.
Personal Protective Equipment (1910.132) - Employers must provide proper safety equipment—gloves, respirators, eye protection, hearing protection. And it has to actually be adequate for the hazards present.
Fall Protection (1910.23) - Guardrails required for elevated surfaces. Fall protection required for working at heights. Platforms must be properly constructed and secured.
Electrical Safety (1910.303-308) - Strict rules about electrical work, lockout, equipment maintenance. Violations are common and deadly.
When I can show OSHA violations, it's powerful evidence. Juries pay attention when the federal government says what the company did was wrong.
Don't wait. Don't "tough it out." Manufacturing injuries are serious. Internal injuries, chemical exposure, electrical damage—they don't always show symptoms right away.
Good Chicago trauma centers:
Tell doctors EXACTLY what happened and EVERY symptom.
You have 45 days under Illinois law, but don't wait. Tell your supervisor now. Get it in writing. Make sure they file an accident report and YOU get a copy.
Manufacturing facilities will try to claim accidents didn't happen or happened elsewhere. Document it NOW.
Evidence disappears fast in manufacturing plants. They clean up, fix things, make it look better. Get photos NOW.
They'll call within days. They'll be friendly. They'll say they "just need your statement."
Don't talk to them. Everything you say will be twisted and used to deny or minimize your claim.
Say: "I need to speak with my lawyer first."
Right now. Not tomorrow. The sooner I get involved:
Call me any time. Day or night. The call is free. The consultation is free. You don't pay me a dime unless I win.
I've handled hundreds of manufacturing injury cases. I know the machinery. I know the chemicals. I know the OSHA regulations. I know how these plants operate and how they cut corners.
Not all injury lawyers understand manufacturing. I do.
Real people. Real cases. Real money that helped them and their families.
No money upfront. No money while I work. I only get paid when YOU get paid.
If I don't win? You owe me nothing.
Manufacturing plants run all shifts. So do I. Call me any time: 312-500-4500
Can I sue the company I work for?
Usually workers' comp is your only remedy against your direct employer. But I can sue equipment manufacturers, chemical suppliers, maintenance contractors, staffing agencies, and other parties involved in causing your injury.
What if I was being careless?
Even if you made a mistake, that doesn't excuse defective equipment, inadequate training, removed safety guards, or other company failures. Illinois law says you can recover money if you're less than 51% at fault.
What if the machine "worked as designed"?
If the design itself is dangerous—if it doesn't protect workers from obvious hazards—it's defective. I bring in engineering experts who show what proper design would look like.
How long do I have?
Workers' comp: notify employer within 45 days, file within 3 years. Lawsuits: usually 2 years. Don't wait—call me today.
What if my employer retaliates?
Illinois law prohibits retaliation for filing workers' comp claims. If they fire you, demote you, or punish you for getting hurt or filing a claim, you have additional legal claims.
Cicero/Berwyn - Metal fabrication, automotive manufacturing Bedford Park - Food processing, light manufacturing Melrose Park/Franklin Park - Electronics, plastics Little Village/Pilsen - Food processing, chemicals Elk Grove Village - Advanced manufacturing, medical devices South Chicago - Various industrial facilities
Anywhere there's a manufacturing plant in the Chicago area, I represent workers who got hurt.
When I was nine years old, my dad got catastrophically injured at work. I watched him struggle. I watched his lawyer treat him terribly. I watched his case drag on for 17 years.
I became a lawyer so that would never happen to anyone I represent.
Manufacturing work is hard enough. You shouldn't have to worry about unsafe machinery, toxic chemicals, or companies that care more about production quotas than your safety.
When you get hurt, you deserve someone in your corner who actually gives a damn.
That's me. Your fight is my fight.
Call me right now: 312-500-4500
Free consultation. Available 24/7. No money out of your pocket. I only get paid if I win your case.
You showed up to work and got hurt. Now let me show up for you and fight for what you deserve.
For information about all types of industrial workplace injuries, visit our main Industrial Accident Lawyer Chicago page. If you work in a warehouse, see our Warehouse Injury Lawyer Chicago page. For forklift-specific accidents, see our Forklift Accident Lawyer Chicago page.
Scott DeSalvo founded DeSalvo Law to help injured people throughout Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Licensed to practice law in Illinois since 1998, IARDC #6244452, Scott has represented over 3,000 clients in personal injury, workers compensation, and accident cases.
No Fee Unless You Win | Free Consultation | 24/7 Availability Call or Text: (312) 500-4500
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