Posted on January 15,2021 in Car Accidents

Rear-end crashes may be caused by countless reasons. In the vast majority of cases, the car behind the car that was rear-ended is at fault for the accident. When a vehicle is struck from behind, the vehicle occupants may be seriously injured – even if the rear vehicle was traveling at a relatively low speed. Neck injuries, head injuries, facial lacerations, broken bones, and many other injuries may result from a rear-end collision. If you were hurt in a rear-end accident, you may have a right to financial compensation.

Injuries Common Rear-End Accidents

Rear-end accidents can lead to injuries including:

• Neck injuries such as whiplash
• Damage to the spine including cervical spine injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Facial lacerations
• Injuries to the chest
• Broken bones

These injuries may be excruciatingly painful. They may also prevent the injured person from being able to work, complete household chores, or carry out everyday tasks. The injured person may be left with steep medical bills and other costs. If you were hurt in a rear-end accident, a personal injury claim may allow you to recover compensation for the financial costs incurred by your car accident injuries.

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 Posted on January 13,2021 in Defective Products

For children, little is more exciting than getting a new toy. Unfortunately, children’s toys can lead to serious injuries and even death. The Children’s Safety Network estimates that children suffered over a million toy-related injuries between 2015 and 2018. If your child was injured or killed in an accident involving a defective or dangerous toy, you may be interested in learning about your legal options. In some cases, a product liability claim may hold a negligent toy manufacturer accountable for a child’s injury or death as well as recover financial compensation for damages.

Toy Manufacturers are Held to High Safety Standards

The Consumer Product Safety Act is designed to protect consumers from dangerous or defective products. Product designers, manufacturers, and distributors must ensure that their products do not present an unreasonable risk of injury or death to consumers. When the intended user of a product is a child, the stakes are especially high. Many toys intended for young children must be tested for safety and certified before they reach store shelves. Toys that are most commonly associated with child injuries include:

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 Posted on January 08,2021 in Car Accidents

A personal injury claim may be used to seek compensation for damages, or financial losses, resulting from an injury. In order to be eligible for compensation through a personal injury claim in Illinois, you and your attorney may need to show proof of the defendant’s negligence. If you were injured in a car accident, this may mean proving that another driver was at fault for your accident. Personal injury claims often become cases of “he said, she said” so proving that the other driver was to blame for your accident may be quite difficult. Accident reconstruction is one way that you may be able to demonstrate liability in a car accident injury claim.

Proving the Elements Needed to Win Your Case

Most personal injury claims are founded on an allegation of another party’s negligence. To win a claim based on negligence, you will need to demonstrate four main points. First, you must show that the defendant owed a duty of care. In the case of car accident claims, this is typically the easiest issue to prove because all drivers have a duty to drive in a lawful and safe manner. Secondly, you must prove that the driver breached or violated the duty of care. A driver may breach his or her duty by texting and driving, driving too fast for the conditions, or otherwise driving in a way that could endanger others. Thirdly, you will need to show that the driver’s negligence caused your injuries. Lastly, you must show that you sustained damages such as medical bills or lost income because of your injuries.

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 Posted on January 06,2021 in Whiplash Injury

Being in a car accident can have a profound impact on your life. Injuries may lead to long-term pain and suffering, loss of functioning, reduced independence, and other negative consequences. In addition to the physical pain and emotional anguish caused in a serious car accident, being hurt in a crash can also lead to major financial harm. Neck injuries are very common in car accidents – especially rear-end and T-bone accidents. Even a low-speed accident can lead to neck injuries that cause months or years of painful symptoms. If you or a loved one suffered a neck injury in an accident or the accident aggravated an existing neck injury, you may be able to seek financial compensation.

What Types of Neck Injuries May Be Caused by a Car Accident?

Most people rarely think about it, but the neck has a tremendously important function. Not only does the neck control the movement of the head, but it also encompasses important nerves, muscles, and bones. An injury to the soft tissue, muscles, ligaments, tendons, or vertebrae in the neck can lead to significant disability. Some of the most common neck injuries caused by car accidents include:

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 Posted on December 31,2020 in Premises Liability

Illinois winters can be intense. Snow and ice can make something as simple as going to the grocery store or visiting a neighbor a treacherous journey. Slipping and falling on ice can lead to severe injuries – especially if the fall victim is elderly or has health concerns. Traumatic brain injuries, back and spine injuries, broken bones, and other debilitating injuries can result from falling on ice or snow. If you or a loved one were injured in a slip and fall accident involving icy or snowy conditions, you may wonder if the property owner is liable for the accident. In Illinois, the answer to this question is more complicated than you may suspect.

When is a Homeowner or Business Legally Responsible for An Injury Caused by Ice?

Clearing walkways and sidewalks of snow and ice is an important part of being a homeowner or business owner. You may be surprised to learn, however, that snow and ice removal is not mandated by Illinois state law. Although some local jurisdictions may require homeowners to clear sidewalks, steps, and walkways of snow and ice, there are no laws requiring property owners to remove snow and ice. In fact, state law specifically protects property owners from liability for ice or snow-related injuries. According to the Snow and Ice Removal Act, a property owner or property occupier is not liable for personal injuries caused by icy properties. However, there are important exceptions to this law. If the owner or occupier acted in a way that was intentionally malicious or especially reckless, he or she may be liable for ice-related injuries. If the injury occurred on a rental property or at an apartment complex and the landlord has specified in the lease that he or she will be responsible for ice and snow removal, the landlord may be liable if injuries result from his or her failure to remove snow and ice.

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 Posted on December 29,2020 in Personal Injury Lawsuits

Being seriously injured in a slip and fall accident, car accident, fire, or another type of accident can lead to painful, debilitating injuries. Even if these injuries heal, the accident victim may be left with disfiguring scars for the rest of his or her life. If you or a loved one were recently involved in an accident that led to disfiguring injuries, you may have questions about your legal options. If your accident was caused by another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation for scarring and disfigurement.

Accidents That Lead to Disfigurement

There are many different types of accidents that can lead to disfiguring injuries. A serious car accident, truck accident, or motorcycle accident can lead to deep lacerations that leave lasting scars. Cuts to the face, arms, and hands are especially common in car accidents. Fires, explosions, fireworks accidents, workplace accidents, exposure to toxic chemicals, and electrical accidents may cause burn injuries that lead to lasting scars. Amputation of a limb may result from a construction accident or another incident in which body parts are crushed or severed. Disfigurement can have a dramatic impact on a person’s ability to work, perform daily living tasks, and enjoy life.

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 Posted on December 24,2020 in Car Accidents

Being involved in a serious car accident can be a very traumatic experience to go through. Emotional and psychological injuries caused by a car accident can be just as severe as physical injuries. Car accident victims may suffer from flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, depression, and a number of other psychological problems. These problems can heavily interfere with a car accident victim’s ability to work and complete everyday responsibilities. If you were involved in a serious auto accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your psychological, emotional, or mental injuries.

Car Accident Trauma Symptoms

Studies show that nearly 40 percent of car accident victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Even if a person is not physically injured in an accident, they can be deeply affected by the experience. This is especially true if they witnessed another person be severely injured or killed in the accident or if they came close to death themselves. A car accident can lead to psychological problems such as:

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 Posted on December 20,2020 in Premises Liability

If you are like most people, you have probably fallen many times in your life. The unique thing about falling is that many fall accidents result in little more than small bruises while some fall accidents result in severe or even permanent injuries. Falling can lead to injuries to the head, brain, spinal cord, vertebrae, and more. Falls can cause broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and life-long pain. Often, a major fall accident is caused by environmental hazards like spilled liquids or cluttered walkways. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a slip and fall accident, you should know that you may be entitled to financial compensation.

Property Owners Have a Duty to Keep Premises Clear of Slip and Trip Hazards

According to Illinois law, property owners have a legal duty to keep their properties reasonably safe. These laws protect customers, clients, visitors, and anyone with a legal right to be on a property. Property owners cannot prevent every potential injury on their properties. However, they should take steps to reduce the chances of people being injured on their property to a reasonable degree. Environmental hazards that may lead to a slip and fall or trip and fall accident include:

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 Posted on December 17,2020 in Car Accidents

Although most rarely consider it, getting into a car is statistically one of the most dangerous things we do on a daily basis. Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other traffic accidents lead to severe injuries and death every day in the United States. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Americans spend over 1 million days in the hospital every year because of traffic accidents. In 2012, car accident injuries led to an estimated $18 billion dollars in expenses. If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you may wonder which medical expenses may be recoverable through a personal injury claim.

Past Medical Expenses

Being hurt in a car accident is a traumatic ordeal. After the initial shock caused by the accident wears off, an injured car accident victim may experience a secondary shock from the medical bills incurred by the accident. The first expenses may people encounter after a car accident are ambulance fees and emergency room bills. They may then accumulate medical bills related to hospitalization, diagnostic tests like laboratory blood tests, x-rays, or CT scans, surgery, and more. A personal injury claim may enable you to recover compensation for these medical expenses.

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 Posted on December 15,2020 in Accident Liability

Illinois winters offer a variety of recreational opportunities including skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. While snowmobiles can be an exciting and fun mode of transportation, snowmobile accidents can cause serious injuries. If you or a loved one were harmed in a snowmobile accident, you may wonder who is legally responsible for the accident. Often, the question of liability in a snowmobile accident hinges upon negligence. If your snowmobile accident was caused by the negligent actions of another party, you may have a valid personal injury claim. You could be entitled to damages.

Snowmobile Injuries Caused by Negligence

Thousands of snowmobile accidents happen in the United States each winter. It is estimated that accidents involving snowmobiles result in 14,000 injuries and 200 deaths each year. Snowmobile accidents can lead to fractures, internal organ damage, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and other catastrophic injuries. These injuries may leave a snowmobile accident victim disabled or disfigured for the rest of his or her life. Many snowmobile accidents are preventable. Some snowmobile accidents are caused by snowmobile drivers who are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Other times, driver inexperience or inattention causes an accident. Snowmobile accidents may also be caused by poorly maintained trails or paths. Manufacturing defects within the vehicle itself may also be to blame for an accident.

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