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Parents' Liability for Supplying Alcohol to Minors
Many parents struggle to find the balance between being too strict and too lenient when it comes to parenting their child. Some parents allow their child a few sips of alcohol before they are old enough to drink legally while others prohibit underage drinking entirely. In Illinois, supplying a minor with alcohol is not only a question of morality, but also legality. A parent who supplies alcohol to a minor may be held liable for injuries, deaths, or property damage caused by the minor’s intoxication. This “social host liability law” often applies to damages caused in a drunk driving accident but it may also apply to injuries and deaths involving fireworks, slip and fall accidents, or alcohol poisoning.
Illinois Drug or Alcohol Impaired Minor Responsibility Act of 2004
On June 15, 1997, a 16-year old was encouraged by two young adults to consume an entire bottle of potent Goldschlager liquor. The teen began vomiting profusely and quickly fell unconscious. She eventually passed away from alcohol poisoning. The teenager’s mother brought a wrongful death claim against the adults who encouraged her to drink but the claim was dismissed by the circuit court of Cook County. As a result, Illinois passed the Drug or Alcohol Impaired Minor Responsibility Act. Under this act, an individual over 18 years of age who serves alcohol to a minor can be held legally responsible for injuries or property damage caused by the minor’s impairment.
How Can A Wrongful Death Claim Help Me If My Spouse Passed Away in a Car Accident?
Losing a spouse in a fatal car accident, truck accident, or motorcycle accident is a nightmarish experience to endure. Not only must the surviving spouse deal with profound grief and sorrow, he or she must also deal with the financial fallout caused by the death. If you have lost a spouse in an auto accident, you may be unsure of how you will pay for your loved one’s medical bills, funeral costs, and other expenses resulting from the death. You may also worry about how you will pay your mortgage and other bills without your loved one’s financial support. A wrongful death claim may enable you to recover financial compensation for these and other expenses.
What Is a Wrongful Death?
Illinois law allows surviving family members to bring a wrongful death claim and pursue damages if their loved one’s death was:
- Caused by another party’s negligent or wrongful act and
Can You Sue for Damages for Accidents Caused By Road Rage?
Even mild-mannered individuals sometimes experience aggravation or anger behind the wheel. Traffic jams, inattentive drivers, and other frustrations can make driving an exasperating experience. However, when a person allows their frustration to turn into road rage, dangerous or even deadly traffic accidents can result. If you or a loved one were hurt in an accident caused by road rage, you may be able to recover compensation through a personal injury claim. You could be entitled to compensation for your vehicle damage, medical expenses, missed work, pain and suffering, and more.
Car Accidents Involving Reckless Driving
Reckless driving puts the lives of other motorists, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists in danger. Because of this, reckless driving is a criminal offense in Illinois punishable by heavy fees and possible jail time. According to the Illinois Vehicle Code, a person commits the offense of reckless driving if he or she:
I Was Injured in Someone Else’s Home. Who Pays My Medical Bills?
When you are visiting a neighbor, friend, or family member’s home, the last thing you probably expect is to suffer a serious injury. However, many people find themselves in this very situation. If you were injured in a fall accident, fire, or another incident while on another person’s property, you may wonder whether the other person is responsible for the costs incurred by your injury. The answer to this question largely depends on the circumstances of your injury and whether the property owner’s negligence contributed to the accident.
Injuries Caused by Property Owner Negligence
A property owner cannot prevent every injury on his or her property. After all, accidents do happen. However, property owners do have an obligation to keep their premises free of unreasonable hazards. If an unsafe condition does exist on someone’s property, the property owner should warn any guests to the property so that they can take the appropriate action to avoid injury. If a property owner, including a homeowner, fails to prevent foreseeable injuries on his or her property, it is possible that he or she will be liable for the costs incurred by those injuries. Dangerous conditions such as damaged stairs, loose handrails, slippery floors, icy walkways, or insufficient fire alarms may lead guests to be severely injured. If a property owner knew or should have known about a hazardous condition on his or her property and a guest was harmed because of the hazardous condition, the property owner may be responsible for the costs incurred by the injury. Fortunately, most homeowners have homeowner’s insurance which will cover the costs resulting from a guest’s injury.
What Are My Options If I Was Hurt in a Car Accident Involving an Uninsured Driver in Illinois?
Car insurance is required by law, but unfortunately, that does not stop many drivers from driving without insurance. Typically, when a driver causes an accident, his or her insurance company is responsible for covering the costs incurred by that accident. If the driver does not have insurance or has too little coverage, the situation becomes more complicated. If you were hurt in an accident caused by an uninsured motorist, you may need to bring a claim against your own insurance company to obtain compensation.
Car Accidents Caused by Motorists Without Insurance
Driving without car insurance in Illinois is unlawful. If caught, a driver without state-required liability insurance may be fined up to $4,500 and have his or her driver’s license suspended. Driving while uninsured also puts a substantial burden on anyone who suffers injury or property damage in an accident caused by the uninsured driver. If you or a loved one were hurt in a car accident and the other driver does not have insurance, you may be worried that you will be on the hook for all of the expenses incurred in the accident. You may be facing expensive medical bills, property damage, lost income from missed work, and other costs. Fortunately, you may be able to bring a claim against your own insurance company to recoup the costs caused by the accident.
Can a Bar Be Held Liable for a Drunk Driving Accident?
Drunk driving accidents often result in catastrophic consequences. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a car accident caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol, you may be exploring your opportunities for financial compensation. You may already know that you have the option of bringing a claim against the at-fault driver. However, you may not be aware of an Illinois law that allows an injured person to bring a personal injury claim against a bar or restaurant. Under Illinois dram shop liability laws, you may be able to recover compensation by suing the establishment that served the drunk driver alcohol.
Illinois Dram Shop Liability Laws
Illinois’ Dram Shop Act, also called the Liquor Control Act, allows a person injured by the actions of an inebriated person to bring a claim for damages against the bar, restaurant, or other establishment that served the intoxicated person alcohol. To bring a claim under dram shop laws, you and your attorney will need to prove that:
What Types of Compensation May I Be Entitled to After Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury?
When the nerves contained with a person’s spinal column or backbone are damaged, the injury does not only affect the specific injury site. The damage may also interrupt the flow of nerve signals from the brain to the rest of the body. A spinal cord injury may lead to intense pain, loss of motor function, breathing problems, incontinence, loss of sexual function, and much more. After suffering a spinal injury, a person’s life may never again be the same. If you or someone you care about has suffered a spinal cord injury after being in an auto accident, slip and fall accident, workplace accident, or other incident, you may be curious about your legal options. In some cases, a personal injury claim may enable a spinal cord injury victim to recover compensation for the losses incurred by his or her injury.
Reimbursement for Your Medical Bills, Disability, Lost Income, and More
Can I Sue for Injuries Caused Due to Building Code Violations?
When most people walk into a store, restaurant, hotel, apartment complex, house or another building, they do not worry about suffering an injury on the property. They simply trust that the individuals who designed and constructed the building ensured that the it was safe. In the majority of cases, this is true. However, when a building is constructed in violation of state and local building codes, the structure may have defects that can cause serious injury or even death. If you or a loved one were harmed in an accident and you suspect that the property was not up to code, you may have a valid premises liability claim.
Structural Defects Have the Potential to Cause Severe Bodily Injury
Property owners have a duty to ensure that their property is reasonably safe for the individuals lawfully visiting that property. Although not every injury can be avoided, the property should not contain preventable hazards or unreasonable dangers. If a visitor is harmed on an unsafe property, it is possible that the property owner or manager will be liable for the visitor's damages.
Who Is At-Fault When an Individual Is Injured or Killed in a Parking Lot Accident?
Parking lots can be chaotic – especially when drivers are not following proper parking lot protocol. Drivers may cut across parking spaces, travel the wrong way, fail to yield to pedestrians and make other risky maneuvers. Although vehicles moving through parking lots are typically traveling at low speeds, there is still a potential for car accidents involving serious injuries or even fatalities. If you or a loved one were involved in a parking lot car accident, you may have questions about how liability is determined and whether you or your loved one are entitled to compensation.
Right of Way Rules in Parking Lots
Before you can recover compensation through a personal injury claim, you and your lawyer will need to determine the party or parties responsible for the accident. Liability for a parking lot accident is largely dependent on right of way rules. Drivers in “feeder lanes” or side lanes are expected to yield to drivers in the main thoroughfares. Drivers exiting a parking space must yield to all other vehicles. Every driver should be attentive to their surroundings and watchful for pedestrians. Children are especially vulnerable to injury in parking lots. Not only do children often run and dart between vehicles, they are also smaller and less visible to drivers.
What Is Post-Concussion Syndrome?
The brain is responsible for everything from problem-solving to motor functions. When the brain is damaged in an accident, the injured person may deal with significant cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms. Concussions are the mildest form of traumatic brain injury, but a concussion can still cause considerable suffering. The symptoms associated with a concussion may be especially debilitating if the sufferer develops post-concussion syndrome.
How Do Concussions Occur?
Concussions can be caused by slip and fall accidents, car accidents, construction accidents, physical violence, and other situations in which the brain is damaged. Often, a concussion occurs when an individual’s brain strikes the inside of his or her skull because of a sudden acceleration or deceleration. Many people who suffer a concussion do not even realize it at the time of their accident. It is only after they begin developing symptoms that they realize something is seriously wrong. A concussion can cause symptoms such as:
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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