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Danger posed by cracked sidewalk and victim's injuries were foreseeable
Generally, the owner of a property has a duty to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition. However, under Illinois law related to premises liability, an owner is generally not under an obligation to guard against injury from open and obvious dangers.
Yet, there is an exception to this open and obvious dangers rule, and that exception applies where the property owner should expect that a potential victim may be distracted from the danger because of circumstances that require him or her to focus on some other condition. The Illinois Appellate Court case of Bruns v. City of Centralia demonstrates this principle.
Crib Bumper Pads: New Guidelines Say “Bare Is Better”
In July 2011, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation requiring education for child care workers on safe sleep recommendations for babies. Now the American Academy of Pediatrics has released new recommendations following research which showed crib bumper pads do little to prevent injury in cribs and have been linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) cases.
SIDS is generally blamed when a baby under age 1 dies suddenly from unexplained causes. Soft bedding in the crib may cause SIDS, which occurs without warning or symptoms while an infant is thought to be sleeping.
Bumper pads in baby cribs provide a soft padding and have been thought to prevent head injuries and entrapment injuries. However, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that crib bumper pads have the potential to suffocate or strangle a baby and recommends that "bare is better." Crib bumper pads may be defective products depending on how they are constructed.
Cameras and Intersection Safety: Red and Yellow Is Not Black and White
What is the overall effect on safety when cameras are installed at intersections to detect traffic violations?
Red-light cameras, as they are commonly known, have been controversial in the Lake County area and in several other cities across the country. Their advocates present them on public safety grounds, as a way to prevent people from running red lights by using technology to automatically issue a ticket to violators.
There are several concerns, however, that accompany use of this tactic. Civil liberties proponents argue that the specter of Big Brother lurks in letting machines run roughshod over rights by immediately issuing traffic tickets. Others say that local governments install the cameras not to improve safety, but to cynically grab increased revenue from traffic fines.
Chicago Area School Bus Accident Leads to Injuries
On a recent Saturday morning in the Lake County area a school bus and a pick-up truck collided at a traffic light controlled intersection. Almost every high school volleyball player on board the bus sustained injury. The freshman girls were traveling to a tournament when the motor vehicle accidents occurred.
The school bus was headed north on a local highway and had a green light. However, while making a left turn the driver of the school bus failed to yield to a southbound truck. The pick-up truck crashed into the school bus. The force of the collision flipped the school bus on its side.
Two students were seriously injured and one student possibly broke her arm. Other students received only minor cuts and bruises. The bus driver was ticketed for failure to yield.
ATV Safety and Injury Prevention Basics
Just this summer, a Dorsey, Illinois man was killed in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) crash in Macoupin County. Authorities said Joseph Stutz and his friends were riding ATVs together but he was alone when the accident happened on a wooded path near Shipman. The county coroner reported that the 22 year-old died of head injuries sustained in the crash.
ATVs are popular off-road vehicles, but their increasing size and power has lead to concern over injury risks. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, ATV accidents account for more than 100,000 emergency room visits each year, including more than 30,000 visits for children under 16 years old. Over the past 10 years, more than 200 children have died annually from injuries sustained on ATVs.
Contact a Lake County Vehicle Accident Attorney Who is Ready to Help You
If you or a member of your family has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our office. Call 847-662-3303 to set up a free initial consultation at one of our four convenient locations. There is no risk because we only collect fees if you collect compensation. With offices in Libertyville, Waukegan, Richmond, and Chicago, we represent clients in Lake County, Cook County, DuPage County, and McHenry County.
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