Posted on December 09,2021 in Car Accidents

Drunk driving is against the law for a very good reason - it is extremely dangerous. Sober drivers who make a mistake can sometimes still correct themselves and avoid an accident. Drunk drivers lack the reflexes to self-correct and are more likely to cause an accident. Plus, drunk drivers often make serious mistakes like going the wrong way on an interstate that sober drivers are less prone to. If you were injured in a crash caused by a drunk driver, calling an attorney who can help you recover compensation would be wise.

What Types of Crashes Might Drunk Drivers Cause?

Drunk driving accidents can be more serious than accidents involving two sober drivers. The behavior of a drunk driver can be entirely unpredictable, both before and after the crash. Drunk drivers tend to cause these types of dangerous collisions:

• Head-on - Drunk or drugged drivers are notorious for going the wrong way. Whether they’ve driven up the off-ramp on a highway, skipped a median, or missed a one-way sign, intoxicated people may cause a head-on collision with a driver who is on the correct side of the street. This presents an enormous danger, as there is little to shield the drivers from the force of the crash.

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 Posted on November 16,2021 in Personal Injury

Few things in life are nearly as painful as losing a loved one. No matter what the circumstances, the loss of a close family member has a devastating impact on your life. When your loved one was killed because someone else acted tortiously, the pain of the loss can be magnified. No settlement will bring back your family member or fully repair the damage that has been done, but a financial award can reduce the harm your family will face. Courts do the best they can to total the monetary losses associated with a wrongful death and to compensate the decedent’s family as fully as possible. An attorney can help you determine what financial hardships you may be eligible to receive compensation for.

What Will a Wrongful Death Award Pay For?

There are a lot of costs associated with a death in the family. Besides the funeral and medical expenses, you are likely going to be impacted by the loss of your relative’s income and support. In a wrongful death action, you could be compensated for:

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 Posted on November 10,2021 in Car Accidents

Few things in life are more frustrating than being the victim in a hit-and-run car crash. You are left on the side of the road, injured, and unsure how you are going to recover compensation. Lawyers and police officers have ways of tracking down hit and run drivers - it is more likely than you may think that they will ultimately be caught. No reason is a good enough reason for fleeing the scene of an accident you caused, but there are a handful of very common excuses drivers give to explain their criminal behavior.

If you were hurt by a hit-and-run driver, it is extremely important that you file a police report and then promptly contact an attorney. The sooner an investigation can begin, the more likely it is that the other driver will be caught and you will recover damages from him.

For What Reasons Do Drivers Flee Accident Scenes?

To the surprise of few, most of the reasons why drivers run away after causing a crash involve some kind of illegal activity. Drivers who were generally following the law but made a mistake typically stop. Drivers who were already doing something illegal when they caused the crash are more likely to take off. Here are a few common reasons the driver who just hit you may keep going:

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 Posted on October 28,2021 in Premises Liability

Most families with young children look forward to Halloween as a fun time for the kids to dress up and collect some candy. Trick-or-treating is a fun tradition for participants, parents, and observers alike. However, there is also a certain amount of risk that comes with children in masks charging onto people’s property to their front door in the hopes of getting some candy. Not all homeowners are as cautious as they should be when preparing for trick-or-treaters.

If you or your child was injured due to a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, you need to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. Property conditions can change quickly, and you will want a lawyer to begin collecting evidence quickly.

How Does Negligence Cause Trick-or-Treat Injuries?

When a person invites trick-or-treaters to come onto his property, he has a duty to make sure it is reasonably safe for them to enter. This means that there should be a safe and well-lit path from the street to the spot the homeowner is handing out candy. Because most trick-or-treaters are children, the landowner must consider that children lack the judgment and caution most adults possess and take extra care to keep his property safe for them.

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 Posted on October 12,2021 in Nursing Home Abuse/ Neglect

Some nursing home falls are caused by nursing home neglect - when nursing homes fail to use an appropriate level of care and caution to keep their residents safe from harm. In some cases, falls are mere accidents that would have been difficult to prevent. Others are the result of dangerous conditions in the facility. Always contact an attorney if you suspect that your family member’s injuries were caused by nursing home neglect. Here are some common causes of falls in nursing homes:

• Medication - Many medications that are given to nursing home residents come with side effects that include dizziness or drowsiness and can cause a fall. Narcotic pain medication is frequently administered to elderly nursing home patients. Overmedication or failure to take adequate precautions after starting a resident on a new medication that has these side effects can cause a dangerous fall.
• Hazards in Walkways - Objects like food service carts or unoccupied wheelchairs left sitting in the hallway or carelessly placed oxygen tanks on the floor in a resident’s room can cause a resident to fall after tripping or losing their balance trying to dodge an unexpected object. Many nursing home residents also have a visual impairment that makes keeping walkways free from unexpected obstacles especially important.

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 Posted on September 28,2021 in Car Accidents

Illinois motorcyclists have the unfortunate distinction of sustaining much more serious injuries in vehicle accidents than the average car or truck driver. Primarily because of the unprotected nature of a motorcycle, in 2019 the Illinois Department of Transportation estimated that approximately 75 percent of motorcycle accidents result in injuries to the rider. 

Unfortunately, around 30 percent of those injured in motorcycle accidents sustain injuries serious enough to be incapacitating or lethal. Many motorcycle accidents are avoidable and are caused due to negligence on the part of the driver of another vehicle. If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident, is it important to understand your options for recovering damages under Illinois law. 

What are Common Incapacitating Motorcycle Injuries in Illinois? 

Because the motorcycle is so small relative to a car or truck, and because the rider’s body is exposed, the rider often bears the brunt of a crash. Sometimes riders are thrown from their motorcycle, causing additional injuries from an impact with the road and other surrounding objects. Some of the serious injuries motorcyclists commonly suffer in accidents include: 

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 Posted on September 13,2021 in Premises Liability

Tens of thousands of deliveries are made every day to homes, businesses, restaurants, and warehouses. Shopping and ordering food online is so easy and inexpensive that most of us do not think twice before we ask someone to come onto our property to deliver something.

Unfortunately, people making deliveries sometimes suffer personal injury on private property. Slip and fall accidents, dog bites, tripping over uneven walkways or scattered toys, and injury by falling snow or ice are all common ways delivery drivers are injured.

In this article, we will answer some common questions about premises liability law insofar as it relates to delivery drivers. If you are a delivery driver and have been injured while making a delivery on private property, contact a personal injury attorney right away.

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 Posted on August 20,2021 in Car Accidents

Driving a vehicle, especially at high speed, takes considerable attention and focus. Drivers sharing the road with others are responsible for operating their vehicles safely. When attention is directed elsewhere, there is great potential for dangerous situations. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents across the nation, and Illinois is no exception. If you or a loved one was harmed in a distracted driving accident, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim to recover compensation for the injuries.

Identifying Distracted Driving

Any task or maneuver that distracts a driver from paying attention to the road is considered distracted driving. There are three primary categories of distractions that drivers face. Visual distractions result in the driver taking their eyes off the road, such as checking a text message. Manual distractions involve the driver taking one or both hands off of the wheel, such as eating. Lastly, cognitive distractions cause a driver’s thoughts to focus on something other than driving safely, like arguing with a passenger.

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 Posted on August 05,2021 in Personal Injury

Public transportation is often convenient, affordable, and safe. Passengers who use public transit rely on the drivers’ training and qualifications to get them safely from Point A to Point B. When this expectation is not met, it can lead to serious injuries. In the event that a bus accident does occur, an injured passenger may seek compensation from the negligent parties.

What Are The Common Causes of Illinois Bus Accidents?

When referencing a bus accident, some people may automatically think of a school bus. However, there are several modes of transportation that may be involved in bus accidents, including CTA and PACE buses, private bus lines, airport shuttles, and tour buses.

Fatigue, busy schedules, and overloaded buses are some of the leading causes for bus driver negligence. Additionally, any distractions, drug or alcohol use, and reckless driving can also point to the bus driver being liable for an accident. The bus company could also be found negligent if, for example, the bus is poorly maintained, the seats were improperly installed, or there was an equipment malfunction. Similar to typical car accidents, in order to recover compensation in Illinois, the injured passenger must prove negligence.

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 Posted on July 26,2021 in Car Accidents

Sometimes helping others can prove dangerous. Such has been the case for emergency responders who are trying to assist Illinois drivers. Under Illinois law, drivers are required to move over to keep first responders safe from being struck while doing their job. Unfortunately, many motorists have still failed to comply, and far too many injury-causing accidents happen every year.

Scott’s Law

With a climbing number of incidents involving injuries to first responders, many states have employed laws designed for their protection. In Illinois, this statute is known as Scott’s Law. Scott’s Law was passed in 2002, and it is named for a firefighter who was killed while trying to assist someone on the Dan Ryan Expressway. Under Scott’s Law, drivers are required to move over (into another lane if possible), slow down, and cautiously approach areas where emergency vehicles are stopped with their lights flashing.

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