REPORTS OF Cases Argued and Determined IN THE COURT of CLAIMS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS VOLUME 53 Containing cases in which opinions were filed and orders of dismissal entered, without opinion for: Fiscal Year 2001—July 1, 2000-June 30, 2001 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS 2002 (Printed by authority of the State of Illinois) (PRT 3255051—300—7/02) PREFACE The opinions of the Court of Claims reported herein are pub- lished by authority of the provisions of Section 18 of the Court of Claims Act, 705 ILCS 505/1 et seq., formerly Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 37, par. 439.1 et seq. The Court of Claims has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and de- termine the following matters: (a) all claims against the State of Illi- nois founded upon any law of the State, or upon any regulation thereunder by an executive or administrative officer or agency, other than claims arising under the Workers’ Compensation Act or the Workers’ Occupational Diseases Act, or claims for certain expenses in civil litigation, (b) all claims against the State founded upon any contract entered into with the State, (c) all claims against the State for time unjustly served in prisons of this State where the persons im- prisoned shall receive a pardon from the Governor stating that such pardon is issued on the grounds of innocence of the crime for which they were imprisoned, (d) all claims against the State in cases sound- ing in tort, (e) all claims for recoupment made by the State against any Claimant, (f) certain claims to compel replacement of a lost or destroyed State warrant, (g) certain claims based on torts by escaped inmates of State institutions, (h) certain representation and indemni- fication cases, (i) all claims pursuant to the Law Enforcement Offi- cers, Civil Defense Workers, Civil Air Patrol Members, Paramedics, Firemen & State Employees Compensation Act, (j) all claims pur- suant to the Illinois National Guardsman’s Compensation Act, and (k) all claims pursuant to the Crime Victims Compensation Act. A large number of claims contained in this volume have not been reported in full due to quantity and general similarity of con- tent. These claims have been listed according to the type of claim or disposition. The categories they fall within include: claims in which orders of awards or orders of dismissal were entered without opin- ions, claims based on lapsed appropriations, certain State employees’ back salary claims, prisoners and inmates-missing property claims, claims in which orders and opinions of denial were entered without opinions, refund cases, medical vendor claims, Law Enforcement Of- ficers, Civil Defense Workers, Civil Air Patrol Members, Paramedics, Firemen & State Employees Compensation Act claims and certain claims based on the Crime Victims Compensation Act. However, any claim which is of the nature of any of the above categories, but which also may have value as precedent, has been reported in full. ii OFFICERS OF THE COURT JUDGES ANDREW M. RAUCCI, Chief Justice Chicago, Illinois Chief Justice - February 8, 1999— Judge - November 9, 1994—February 8, 1999 Judge - February 28, 1984—June 1, 1992 ROBERT FREDERICK, Judge NORMA F. JANN, Judge Urbana, Illinois Chicago, Illinois June 1, 1992— May 1, 1991— RICHARD MITCHELL, Judge DAVID A. EPSTEIN, Judge Jacksonville, Illinois Chicago, Illinois February 24, 1993— June 20, 1994— RANDY PATCHETT, Judge FREDERICK J. HESS, Judge Marion, Illinois Belleville, Illinois March 26, 1985—January 17, 1997 January 21, 1997— February 8, 1999— MATTHEW J. FINNELL BILL KLINE Court Administrator Deputy Court Administrator Springfield, Illinois Springfield, Illinois J. GEOFFREY ANDRES September 1, 2000— Deputy Court Administrator CHAD D. FORNOFF Springfield, Illinois Counsel to the Court December 16, 1996—September 1, 2000 Springfield, Illinois COMMISSIONERS OF THE COURT ARVIN BODDIE (resigned 9-25-01) STEPHEN CLARK Chicago, Illinois Belleville, Illinois LAGUINA CLAY-CLARK A. M. COURI Chicago, Illinois Winnetka, Illinois CAROL C. DILLARD BLANCHE HILL FAWELL Chicago, Illinois Wheaton, Illinois MICHAEL FRYZEL J. PATRICK HANLEY Chicago, Illinois Chicago, Illinois ANTHONY A. IOSCO (resigned 12-01-00) MICHAEL J. KANE Chicago, Illinois Chicago, Illinois MARGARITA KULYS J. MICHAEL MATHIS Barrington, Illinois Peoria, Illinois NANCY OWEN ROBERT RATH Mattoon, Illinois Harrisburg, Illinois ELIZABETH M. ROCHFORD JAMES E. SHADID Lincolnwood, Illinois Peoria, Illinois BLAKE WEAVER JEFFREY WHIPPLE Urbana, Illinois Lake Forest, Illinois ORAN F. WHITING Chicago, Illinois iii JESSE WHITE Secretary of State and Ex Officio Clerk of the Court January 11, 1999— ELLEN J. SCHANZLE-HASKINS Deputy Clerk and Director Springfield, Illinois May 1, 1999— iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Fiscal Year 2001 Preface . ii Officers of the Court. iii Table of Contents . v Table of Cases. vii Opinions Published in Full—General. 1 Law Enforcement Officers, Civil Defense Workers, Civil Air Patrol Members, Paramedics, Firemen, Chaplains, and State Employees Compensation Act Cases: Opinions Not Published in Full. 257 Miscellaneous Awards . 258 Miscellaneous Denied and Dismissed Claims . 262 Contracts—Lapsed Appropriations. 300 State Comptroller Act—Replacement Warrants . 429 Prisoners and Inmates—Missing Property Claims. 430 Refund Cases . 433 Public Aid Medical Vendor Awards. 434 Crime Victims Compensation Act Cases: Opinions Published in Full . 435 Opinions Not Published in Full. 458 Petitions—Denied . 560 Index . 563 v TABLE OF CASES Fiscal Year 2001 (July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001) NOTE: Cases preceded by • are published in full. A A & J Disposal ................................................................317 A. M. Best Co. ................................................................393 A.M.I.C. ..........................................................................414 A.S.A. of Illinois..............................................................325 A-1 Lock, Inc. .................................................285, 319, 402 A-1 Travel................................................................324, 415 Abbasi, Rami...................................................................540 Abbcor, Inc. ....................................................................385 Abbed, Sayer K...............................................................501 Abbott, Giovanna............................................................466 Abbott Laboratories .......................................................321 Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc. .................................298 Abdulla, Halima..............................................................498 Abdullah, Erma ..............................................................337 Abeita, Donald................................................................458 Abercrombie, Valerie......................................................502 Abers, Katie ....................................................................503 Able Detective Agency, Inc....................................315, 317 Aboumar, Khalil..............................................................496 Abraham Linclon Memorial Hospital............................365 Abraham, Linda & Keith................................................510 Abraham, Mary Ann.......................................................458 Abreha, Abreha G...........................................................463 Abreu-Diaz, Joyce ..........................................................513 Abubakr, Taghreed .........................................................482 Abuhasna, Gloria ............................................................522 Abuse...............................................................................383 vii viii Access Control Solutions, Inc. .......................................333 Access Home Health Services ...............279, 324, 345, 359 Ace Coffee Bar, Inc. .......................................................276 Ace Hardware.................................................................359 Ace Hardware of Geneva ...............................................323 Ackerman, Amanda R. ...................................................344 Acme Orthotic & Prosthetic Laboratories, Inc. ....415, 422 Acosta, Carlos, Sr............................................................537 Acree, Kent.....................................................................399 Active Visions, Inc. .........................................................394 Acton, Betty L.................................................................464 Adam, George.................................................................525 Adame, Salvador.............................................................517 Adams, Ariel ...................................................................260 Adams, Auther E. ...........................................................262 Adams, Carmela Z.& Sherry ..........................................458 Adams County Mental Health Center...................345, 376 Adams, Deidrene S.........................................................530 Adams, Donny ................................................................270 Adams, Felicia ................................................................262 Adams, Gloria J...............................................................480 Adams, Jesse ...................................................................494 Adams, John R., Jr. .........................................................518 Adams, Kathleen.............................................................530