Charles Candiano

• Free Consultation
  You and I will discuss your claim until I am satisfied that I can help and your questions are answered, WITHOUT cost or obligation.
• Contingent Fees
  Our fee on Personal Injury cases is 1/3 of the recovery and costs. Our fee on Workers' Compensation cases is set by statute at 20% of Settlement or Award and costs

Illinois

Since 1995

Indiana

Since 1996

Federal Circuit

Since 1995

Owner

Candiano Law Office

2013 - Current

Trial Attorney

The Margolis Firm, PC

2004 - 2013

Trial Attorney

Margolis & Velasco

2001 - 2004

Trial Attorney

Rusin, Patton, Maciorowski & Friedman

2000 - 2001

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney

Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Lake County Indiana

1996 - 1999

The John Marshall Law School

J.D. (1995)

Chicago Bar Association

Chair Professional Fees Committee

2017 - Current

Indiana State Bar

Member

2006 - Current

Illinois Trial Lawyers Association

2001 - Current

Q. Can my son's MS from mercury fillings fall under the 10-year statute of repose?

April 6, 2025

A: Statute of repose for what? TODAY, there is no restriction or guideline against amalgam fillings in Illinois so even if you could prove a nexus between the fillings and the MS (and I don't see how you can), you CANNOT hold the dentist responsible because using amalgam fillings is still consistent with the standard of care owed to your son, today. To prevail, you would have to prove that the dentist breached the standard of care that he/she owed to your son and that is not possible. It is interesting that your twin sons were treated so differently. One son may have expressed a preference for composite fillings or your dental insurance may not have been willing to pay for composite fillings (more expensive and don't last as long) when the son who received the amalgam fillings was treated.

I have never heard of a nexus between amalgam fillings and MS, but many credible sources have warned of other potential harm. In 2020, the FDA recommended that amalgam fillings not be used in children under the age of 6, but to date, the ADA (American Dental Association) has adopted no guidelines. I have no medical training but I have known people who suffered from conditions ranging from migraines to general lethargy. Their symptoms completely disappeared shortly after having amalgam fillings removed and replaced by composite fillings. It seems a plausible explanation that some people have a far greater sensitivity to Mercury.

All of this is to say that I am not saying that a nexus between the amalgam fillings and your son's health conditions is impossible. What I am saying is that no dentist could be held liable for using amalgam fillings for any age patient in 2016. If you decided to sue the manufacturer, you would have a products liability case on your hands. That means the matter would cost at least $50,000 and probably closer to $100,000 just to bring to trial. Beyond that, you would be hard-pressed to find a jury that would hold the manufacturer of the amalgam filling material liable for your son's condition when it has been used safely on millions of patients for more than a century and in 2016, continued to enjoy approval by the FDA and the ADA. Only if you were to find an internal memo from researchers at the manufacturer that warned of a definitive nexus between amalgam fillings and MS would you be likely to recover. You probably have a better likelihood of winning the lottery. During World War II, nearly all food rations contained a 4-pack of cigarettes, matches, and chewing gum. Four decades later, tobacco companies were successfully sued for Hundreds of millions of dollars over the myriad health problems that developed in many individuals who smoked. In the future, a definitive nexus may be found between amalgam fillings and health problems. The present state of scientific inquiry and the long history of safe usage would make your fight an uphill battle, to say the least. ... Read More

Q. Should I sue a contractor for improper furnace installation leading to health issues?

April 4, 2025

A: I am not an HVAC contractor, but I don't understand how improperly installed ductwork could possibly cause a fire. If that happened, the installer would almost certainly file a third-party action against the manufacturer, thereby minimally tripling the cost of any suit. Beyond that, you allege some nexus between fumes released as a result of this error and your wife being subsequently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, THOUGH YOU ADMIT YOU HAVE NO EXPERT OPINION TO THAT EFFECT (and probably never will). So the question you are asking is: "Should I spend $20,000 or more to sue the installer even though I have no way to prove any injury to anyone, thereby assuring no recovery even if I win OR Should I accept $1000 for my inconvenience?" You decide. ... Read More

Q. What can I do about a psychiatrist's inappropriate conduct in Illinois?

April 3, 2025

A: What you describe is your opinion that the psychiatrist conducted himself/herself inappropriately. You also say that you have consulted with his peers, butt you do not tell us their opinions. Another psychiatrist or clinical psychologist would be in the best position to advise you whether your psychiatrist's conduct was such that you should make a formal complaint to the medical board. You allege no harm, so obviously there is no reason to bring suit against him.

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