Anthony G. Karamuzis

Partner

Tony is a trial attorney in all types of litigation matters in state and federal courts. He has tried numerous jury trials achieving successful results for clients, as well as resolving many cases through mediation and arbitration. In over 25 years of practice, he was admitted pro hac vice in jurisdictions throughout the United States, defending clients in Illinois, New York, Nevada, West Virginia, Florida and Indiana.

He frequently represents clients in the construction industry, including owners, general contractors, subcontractors, architects and others, in the areas of construction defect, catastrophic injury claims, business litigation, insurance coverage, and transactional matters. Tony is OSHA certified, having obtained certification for completing the OSHA 10 Hour Construction Safety Course.

Tony also represents condominium associations, and non-profit clients such as schools, churches, shelters and nursing homes. He represents clients in the Appellate Court, including writing Amicus Curiae ("Friend of the Court") briefs to the Illinois Supreme Court, and was appointed by several federal judges to represent indigent individuals in civil and criminal proceedings.

Tony has been repeatedly selected as a “Super Lawyer”, a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, representing no more than 5% of lawyers in each state. In his free time, he volunteers his time for a Chicago based children's charity, and spends time with his rescue dogs.

Speeches and Publications

• Speaker, "Legal Aspects of Safety" Associated General Contractors Association (AGC) of Milwaukee, WI

• Speaker, "The Contract Side of Safety", Safety Executives of New York, NY Bar Association, NYC

• Speaker, AGC Safety and Health Committee, "Limiting Exposure in Work Site Injury Claims", Phoenix, AZ

• Speaker/Author, "Construction Law: Additional Insured and Target Tenders" Chicago Claim Managers Association

• Speaker, "Change Orders in Construction Contracts" Lorman Education Services Seminar, Illinois

• Speaker, “Additional Insureds: Coverage, Contracts, Endorsements and Certificates” Lorman Education Services 2018 National Webinar

• Co-Author, "Insurance Coverage For Defense Counsel" The Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Monograph

• Speaker, Illinois Construction Law Training Seminar, CNA Insurance

• Speaker, Client Seminar, "Who is in Control? Defending Construction Negligence Claims"

• OSHA/AMEC Joint Construction Safety Conference

Firm Practice Areas

• Automobile/Trucking

• Catastrophic Injury Defense

• Commercial Contract Disputes

• Condominium Law

• Construction/Construction Defects

• Insurance Coverage

• Municipal Liability

Recognition and Notable Verdicts/Settlements

• Super Lawyer (2014-present)

• Swanson vs. Plote, Inc. - Construction Bodily Injury - Plaintiff sustained serious injuries when finish roller snagged him and dragged him on highway asphalt project. Utilized key documents and discovery depositions to posture case for dismissal.
  Result - Our Defendant, paving contractor, dismissed.

• Weiss vs. Curran Contracting - Construction bodily injury. Plaintiff sustained severe traumatic brain and orthopedic injuries in motorcycle accident alleging misplaced traffic control devices by our client, a road construction general contractor. Plaintiff demanded $6.3 million.
  Result - Summary Judgment granted in favor of our client.

• Underwood vs. Howard - Construction bodily injury. Plaintiff fell from roof claiming lack of fall protection.
  Result – Summary Judgment granted in favor of our client homeowner.

• Jarvis vs. Weiss Builders - Construction bodily injury. Plaintiff sustained significant injuries ($1.5 million in specials) when prefabricated steel panels fell off of a truck.
  Result - Case settled at mediation with client general contractor contributing only $50,000 to the settlement.

• Metra vs. Kiewit Western - Construction Fire Loss. Fire destroyed one of the primary commuter rail bridges into Chicago. Plaintiff alleged 17 hour smoldering combustion from contractor’s hot work caused fire, and sought $3.5 to $4 million in damages. Expert discovery decided this complex case and relatively novel scientific theory.
  Result - Case settled for $550,000 after Mock Trial was utilized in case.

• Plamblad vs. Allied - Construction bodily injury. Plaintiff sustained significant ankle injury requiring numerous surgeries when overloaded dumpster tipped over pinning him. Plaintiff demanded $475,000.
  Result - Case settled at mediation for $275,000 with client contributing $150,000 to the settlement.

• Goldsberry vs. Roy Strom - Construction bodily injury. Triple electrocution fatality when side loader struck overhead power lines, allegedly due to ice and snow in commercial loading lot.
  Result - Case settled following multiple mediations for $10 million. Our client, the snow clearing contractor, contributed only $100,000.

• Borla vs. Joslyn Construction - Construction bodily injury. Plaintiff fell from scaffold system sustaining upper extremity fractures. Plaintiff alleged that debris on floor from our masonry subcontractor caused the scaffold to tip. Plaintiff demanded $435,000 plus waver of lien.
  Result - Case settled at mediation with our client contributing only $35,000.

• Schaeffer vs. Warner Manufacturing – Product Liability. Plaintiff sustained severe burns and sued manufacturer of pressure steamer when hose broke emitting hot steam, causing 2nd and 3rd degree burns to elderly female Plaintiff. We were requested to assume the defense of case after multi-million dollar demand.
  Result - Case settled for $850,000.

• Nation Pizza vs. B.T. Lakeside Roofing – Fire Loss. Fire consumed manufacturing and storage buildings allegedly as a result of client’s roof welding. Plaintiff demanded $6.5 million in property damage and business interruption.
  Result - Case settled for $2.85 million.

Admissions

• Illinois Supreme Court

• United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

• Federal Appellate Bar

• Pro Hac Vice - numerous states

Education

• DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1991

• Loyola University of Chicago, B.A., 1988