Posted on February 18,2022 in Personal Injury Lawsuits

When someone is seriously hurt in an accident, they may be unable to work at all while they are recovering from the injury. Some injured people are never able to work again. Those who can return to work may need to change careers or take a lower-paying position. Fortunately, many accident victims are entitled to compensation for lost earning capacity.

Reduced Income Earning Potential Caused by a Serious Injury

Being involved in a car crash, fire, work accident, or another injurious incident may force someone to miss work for several weeks or months while they recover. However, if an injury causes permanent disability or loss of function, the injured person may never again be able to work in his or her chosen profession. For example, a construction worker that loses the ability to walk in a horrific car accident may be forced to take a desk job when he returns to work making less money than he did before the accident.

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 Posted on February 15,2022 in Premises Liability

When you rent a house or apartment, you are expected to pay rent and fulfill any other responsibilities outlined in your lease. In turn, your landlord is expected to maintain the property and keep it in a safe condition. Unfortunately, as many renters can attest to, landlords and property owners do not always fulfill their end of the bargain. If you or a loved one were injured due to an unsafe condition in your rental property, you may be able to sue for damages. You could be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages from missed work, pain and suffering, and more.

Injury-Causing Accidents Caused by Landlord Negligence

Property owners, property managers, and landlords have certain legal obligations. One such obligation is to keep their properties in reasonably safe condition. This includes ensuring that any necessary maintenance is completed and warning tenants if an unsafe condition does exist.

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 Posted on February 08,2022 in Car Accidents

Being involved in any type of car accident can be shocking and upsetting. Severe car accidents in which occupants or pedestrians are injured or killed are especially traumatic. When we think about car crash injuries, we typically focus on physical injuries like traumatic brain injuries or broken bones. However, psychological injuries can be just as harmful as physical injuries. Studies show that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common after being involved in a serious wreck. Many accident victims experience PTSD symptoms that significantly impact their daily lives.

Psychological Injuries and Motor Vehicle Accidents

Research demonstrates that the incidence of PTSD in collision victims is as high as 33 percent. Anxiety, phobias, depression, and other mental health conditions may also result from a traumatic car crash. Some of the most common psychological injury symptoms after being involved in a serious wreck include:

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 Posted on January 31,2022 in Car Accidents

In the moments after a bad car accident, the last thing on a person’s mind is medical bills. However, many car accident victims find themselves overwhelmed by medical expenses following a wreck. Between the initial emergency room treatment and ongoing medical needs, the medical costs resulting from car crash injuries can be extremely burdensome.

If you or a loved one were recently injured in a car accident, you may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses and other damages.

Seeking Reimbursement After an Accident

When another party’s actions cause someone to be injured, that party may be liable for monetary damages through a personal injury claim. Injurious car accidents may be caused by drunk drivers, drivers who are looking down at their phones, speeding, and many other factors. Sometimes, the at-fault party is a trucking company or other commercial business. If the crash was caused by a defective product such as defective brakes or steering mechanisms, the company that manufactured, designed, or sold the product may be liable.

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 Posted on January 24,2022 in Premises Liability

Most dogs are lovable, furry companions. Unfortunately, not all dogs live up to this reputation. Dog attacks can leave victims with horrible injuries including facial lacerations, damage to the hands and fingers, and deep puncture wounds. Because dogs’ saliva is teeming with bacteria and other pathogens, dog bites injuries can also become dangerously infected. Sometimes, dog attacks are even fatal – especially when the victim is a child. If you or a loved one were bitten by a dog, you may wonder if you can sue the dog’s owner. The answer to that question varies, but in most cases, it is possible to sue a negligent dog owner for dog attack injuries.

Illinois Law Regarding Dog Attacks

States handle dog bite liability differently. In some states, a dog owner is not responsible for dog-related injuries unless he or she knew that the dog was aggressive. These are sometimes called “one-bite” states because the owner often avoids liability for a first-time dog attack. Illinois is not a one-bite state. In Illinois, dog owners are strictly liable for injuries caused by their dogs if:

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 Posted on January 21,2022 in Wrongful Death

The death of a family member can come as a huge shock – especially if the death was caused by a sudden accident. Car crashes, truck accidents, work accidents, and other unexpected accidents can turn your life upside down. While the death of a loved one is heartbreaking regardless of the circumstances, losing your loved one in a preventable accident is especially tragic.

Fortunately, Illinois civil law allows individuals to bring legal actions on their loved one's behalf. If your parent, child, spouse, or other family member died because of another party’s actions, you may be able to file a wrongful death action and seek justice.

What is Considered a Wrongful Death?

A wrongful death is a death caused by another party’s negligent or intentional actions. Negligence occurs when a party owes a duty of care, fails to fulfill that duty of care, and the failure causes injury or death.

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 Posted on January 11,2022 in Personal Injury Lawsuits

Since the COVID-19 pandemic first began a few years ago, the number of people using alternative means for travel has significantly increased. Recreational vehicles are popular and the more that are on the road, the higher the likelihood of an RV accident taking place can be. Knowing how to properly maintain your RV and the safety precautions that should be taken are imperative to ensure the safety of you and your passengers.

Common Causes of RV Accidents

RVs tend to be more prone to accidents simply because of the size and weight of the vehicle. A few additional variables to always keep in mind when traveling include:

• Speeding - Being aware of your speed at all times should always be a priority when driving an RV, give yourself additional time and space to stop.
• Inexperienced Driving - Since no special license is required to operate an RV, the majority of RV drivers are inexperienced. This can lead to poor judgment and the wrong decisions being made on the road.

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 Posted on January 06,2022 in Car Accidents

Being in a car accident places an enormous amount of force on the occupants’ bodies. Bones break, ligaments snap, and sharp edges of the car’s interior cause lacerations and bruises. Some car accident injuries heal in a few weeks or months. Others leave the victims with long-lasting or permanent loss of functioning. Back injuries, including herniated disks, spinal cord injuries, and fractured vertebrae, are especially debilitating. If you or a loved one suffered a back injury in a car crash, you may be able to seek financial compensation through a personal injury claim. The amount of compensation you may recover depends on the nature of your injuries, how the injuries impact your earning capacity, and other factors.

Recovering Financial Compensation for Medical Bills After a Wreck

Whether a crash is caused by a drunk driver, a tire defect, or another reason, the victims of the crash may be left with painful, debilitating injuries. These injuries usually require extensive medical treatment which can lead to massive medical bills. Fortunately, car accident victims may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses. If you suffered a back injury in a crash, you may be compensated for expenses related to:

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 Posted on December 30,2021 in Bicycle Accidents

Winter weather can make sharing the road with motor vehicles hazardous because of slippery conditions and limited visibility. Furthermore, although bike lanes are constantly being built and updated in Illinois, many motorists are unaware of basic bicycle awareness and do not safely share the road.

In 2020, an average of two cyclists died every day in traffic accidents with cars and many thousands more were seriously injured. If you or a loved one have suffered in a bicycle accident with a car, an Illinois personal injury attorney can help you learn more about your options.

Common Injuries From Bicycle and Vehicle Accidents

When a cyclist gets hit by a vehicle, the consequences are often catastrophic. Cars and trucks are so much bigger and heavier than cyclists that severe injuries and death are common; in fact, nearly 25 percent of cyclists injured on the roadway are hospitalized with serious injuries. Research suggests that injuries happen most to cyclists in the following areas:

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 Posted on December 28,2021 in Car Accidents

Studies show that most car accidents are caused by negligent driving such as intoxicated driving or distracted driving. However, sometimes, the at-fault party in a car accident case is not a person. Rather, it is a government entity such as a city or state. If you or a loved one were hurt in a car crash caused by a state government employee or negligence on the part of a government agency, it may be possible to sue the government for damages.

Personal Injury Claims Brought Against the State Government

Personal injury claims may be used to recover financial compensation for damages caused by a car accident. An injured person or a deceased person’s estate may be entitled to compensation for vehicle damage, medical expenses, lost income, and more. In Illinois, employers are usually liable for car accidents caused by on-the-clock employees. Similarly, when a government employee causes an accident in which someone is injured or killed, the government may be liable. Injured persons may wish to file a claim against the state of Illinois if they were hit by a state government employee or otherwise harmed by the negligent actions of a government agency.

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