Ronald McDonald House Charities receives $50,000 pledge from Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association
The Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association recently made a five-year $50,000 pledge to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.
The pledge money will go toward the support of the Children's Play Area on the eighth floor of the Streeterville Chicago location at 211 E. Grand Ave. This play area is designated for children that have undergone a transplant operation.
Frank A. Sommario, partner at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, and past president of WCLA, spearheaded the organization's decision to donate to the children's charity. With WCLA's support, Ronald McDonald House can continue to provide a home away from home for families of children receiving complex medical treatment at a designated local children's hospital.
"On behalf of the members and board of the WCLA, I'm honored to present our gift to Ronald McDonald House so that families can be close to each other during a time of healing and emotional support for their loved ones," said Frank Sommario. "I am personally humbled by the mission of Ronald McDonald House to support the well-being of families and children."
Frank served as counsel to Romanucci & Blandin in workers' compensation matters before joining the firm full time in 2007. As a petitioner's workers' compensation lawyer, he vigorously fights for the rights of his clients, and has obtained numerous sizable settlements and favorable trial awards for those he has represented. Frank was named an Illinois Rising Star by Super Lawyers for the years from 2010-15, named one of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch" by Law Bulletin Publishing Company 2012 as well as received an AVVO Top Rating 10/10.
Sommario was first elected to the WCLA board of directors in 2008 and served in that capacity for fiscal years 2008-09. He served as treasurer for fiscal years 2010-11, vice president in 2012, and president in 2013. Sommario again served on the board of directors in 2014-15. He became a member of the WCLA in 2001.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to care for families of children with complex medical needs by providing a "home away from home" while their child is being treated in the hospital. Every night, 153 families heal together because of the comfort, compassion and community at five area Ronald McDonald Houses and three Ronald McDonald Family Rooms. That's 43,000 nights each year where RMHC-CNI families are able to stay close to their child, helping them to heal faster and saving them over $7 million in hotel costs. They are located near Advocate Children's Hospital, Loyola University Medical Center, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Edward Hospital in Naperville and Central DuPage Hospital. For more information, visit www.RonaldHouseChicago.org.
The Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association is a membership organization promoting fellowship among members of the Illinois Bar engaged in the trial of workers' compensation matters. It serves to promote, foster and sponsor legislation relating to workers' compensation and its administration; aid, assist and cooperate with judicial tribunals and administrative bodies in matters relating to the administration of workers' compensation laws; and improve quality of service to the general public for workers' compensation legal services. For more information, visit www.wcla.info.
Romanucci & Blandin, LLC has been rated as a leading civil trial practice law firm in Chicago concentrating in personal injury and police misconduct. The attorneys at the Chicago law firm represent individuals and their families in catastrophic personal injury matters, wrongful death, medical malpractice claims and workers' compensation cases. The cases that are referred to Romanucci & Blandin involve accidents or injuries which occurred due to negligence and carelessness on the part of individuals, governmental bodies and corporations of all sizes. Since its inception more than 15 years ago, Romanucci & Blandin has secured more than $300 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of their clients. For more information about Romanucci & Blandin, visit www.rblaw.net or call (312) 458-1000.