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Recent Blog Posts
How Can I Obtain Maximum Compensation for Railroad and Train Accident Injuries?
If you are involved in a train accident or bus accident on the Metra or CTA, what may have seemed like minor injuries at first can later prove to be much more serious and costly. For example, soft tissue injuries affecting the neck, back, and other joints can result in pain that continues for years and requires expensive treatment. You may also suffer severe emotional distress or have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
To ensure that you receive full and fair compensation for injuries incurred in a train derailment, crash, or other incident on public transit, pay attention to these recommendations from experienced personal injury lawyers.
Can I Sue for Emotional Distress or PTSD From a Car Accident Even If Not Physically Injured?
Being in a car wreck can be extremely traumatic, even if you did not sustain severe physical injuries yourself. If you witnessed a death or saw severely injured people being pulled from crushed vehicles, you could be at risk of developing emotional disorders such as anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You could also suffer psychological aftereffects from the nature of the collision itself, such as one involving multiple vehicles, fires, or rollovers.
Many People Suffer from PTSD After a Car Accident
A study released in 2018 found that roughly one in five survivors of roadway traffic accidents suffered from PTSD. Females and people whose education stopped short of a college degree were more likely than others to develop PTSD.
Symptoms of PTSD After a Car Crash
Tired Semi-Truck Drivers Cause Crashes with Injuries
A tired driver is not a safe driver. Lack of rest makes drivers less attentive and slows reaction time. A tired semi-truck driver can be especially dangerous for anyone in their path simply because a fully loaded tractor-trailer weighs 10 to 15 times more than the average passenger car and requires significantly more stopping time and distance.
When a fatigued truck driver fails to reduce speed in time to avoid a collision, serious injuries or death can result. These semi-truck accidents often make headlines because of their severity. Here are some semi- truck crash headlines from the Chicago area and around Illinois just for the month of June.
9 Hospitalized After Semi-Truck Crash on I-90
Who Pays If I Am Injured by Cargo or Debris Falling Off a Truck?
Ever had a vehicle in front of you kick up a rock or other piece of road debris that hits your car or windshield? It happens to most drivers at least once in their lifetime. The resulting damage to your vehicle is generally minor and covered by your auto insurance if you carry comprehensive coverage. But what if you encounter a much more severe road hazard such as cargo spilled by a commercial truck? If the cargo in a semi-trailer or dump truck is improperly loaded and secured, the load can shift in transit, causing the driver to lose control, tip over, and spill their entire load onto the roadway. If you or a loved one suffers severe injury as a result of a semi-truck accident like this, you may have a cause of action against the truck operator.
Cargo spills sometimes result from a semi-truck collision with another vehicle. In this situation, other vehicles typically slow to avoid the accident and thereby avoid hitting the spilled goods. However, some cargo spills have tragic consequences.
How Are Injured Passengers Compensated in a Car Accident?
Both drivers and passengers can be injured in a car crash, but which parties have a legal right to compensation for their injuries and who pays? The answer to this question depends on who is at fault, the specific terms of each driver’s insurance policy, and the financial resources of the at-fault party or parties.
Example of an Illinois Car Accident: Whose Fault Was It?
Imagine two cars approaching an uncontrolled intersection from opposite directions. Each car contains a driver and a passenger. The first driver legally initiates a left turn, believing that he has time to clear the intersection before the oncoming car reaches him and assuming that the oncoming car will see him and slow down if necessary to avoid a collision. Instead, the oncoming driver crashes into the first car. The oncoming driver, it turns out, was over the legal limit for alcohol and was driving 10 mph over the speed limit at the time of the crash. Due to the angle of the crash, the passengers in both vehicles suffered severe injuries including brain trauma, lacerations, and broken bones. Both drivers also suffered serious injuries.
Hurt in a Private or Commercial Boating Accident?
Thanks to their proximity to Lake Michigan and the Chain O’Lakes, Lake County residents have many opportunities to get out on the water and enjoy activities such as waterskiing, jet skiing, fishing, and just floating leisurely, Unfortunately, the more crowded a lake becomes, the higher the chance of a collision and injuries. If you are injured in a boat accident, the first thing you need to determine is whether the boat operator acted negligently or carelessly. If so, you can file a claim for compensation for your injuries, known as a personal injury lawsuit.
Negligence in Private Boat Accidents
Some ways a private boat operator might be deemed negligent for an accident on the water include:
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Driving too fast.
What Are Illinois Rules for Drivers Sharing the Road with Bicycles?
Motorists and bicycle riders together share the responsibility for keeping Illinois roadways safe for all and preventing bike accidents. This is especially true in Lake County, which contains more than 59 miles of bikeways and trails maintained by the Lake County Division of Transportation, over 45 miles of the Grand Illinois Trail, and over 25 miles of US Bike Route 37. Here are four safety points that everyone should keep in mind this summer: (1) Visibility, (2) Awareness, (3) Right of way, and (4) the Dutch Reach.
1. Visibility
Early mornings and late evenings are popular times for bike riding. Just remember that dim light, fog, and mist can make it harder for cars to see the small profile of a bike rider, especially on hilly or curvy roads where there is little or no paved shoulder. If you like to ride your bike at night or at times of low visibility, make sure your bike is equipped per Illinois law. Bicycles must have a white reflector or lamp on the front that is visible at least 500 feet away and a red reflector or lamp on the rear that is visible in a car’s headlights at distances between 100 feet and 600 feet. New bicycles are also required to have reflectors on the pedals and on the sides of the bike frame or tires.
Who Is at Fault When a Car Hits a Pedestrian?
Nearly 6,000 pedestrians were struck and killed by motor vehicles in the U.S. in 2017, and many thousands more were severely injured. These figures beg two questions: What are the most common causes of these accidents, and when does the fault lie with the pedestrian versus the driver?
Alcohol Plays a Factor in Many Pedestrian Accidents
When a pedestrian is struck and killed by a car, it is more common for the pedestrian than the driver to be legally drunk, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. OIf all pedestrian fatalities, 33 percent involved an alcohol-impaired pedestrian and 13 percent involved a drunk driver.
You may wonder if a drunk pedestrian injured by a car can recover damages from the driver. The answer is, it depends on the totality of the circumstances. If the driver was obeying all traffic laws and a drunk pedestrian just stepped out in front of the car, the pedestrian would probably be assigned all or most of the fault for the accident. If the pedestrian is found to be at least 50 percent at fault for the accident, the pedestrian will be barred from recovering any damages from the driver, in accordance with the Illinois law of modified comparative negligence.
Avoid Motorcycle Accidents and Injuries This Summer
Warm, dry weather almost guarantees an influx of motorcycle riders to Lake County roads, creating an increased risk of motorcycle accidents. To avoid being found negligent in a motor vehicle crash involving a motorcycle--and therefore liable for injuries and damages to a motorcycle driver and their passenger--all drivers need to be on the lookout not only for motorcycles themselves but also for conditions that could cause a motorcycle to wipe out.
Conditions Ripe for Motorcycle Crashes
Here are a few things to watch out for when sharing the road with motorcycles or riding one yourself:
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Gravel or sand that has been spilled on the pavement can cause a motorcyclist to wipe out.
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Rainwater on the pavement can cause hydroplaning. In the summer, oil and grease can build up on the roads, making the first hour of rainfall after a dry spell especially dangerous.
Trailer Towing Mistakes Can Lead to Serious Accidents and Injuries
Summer time means more vacationers on the roadways of Lake County. You can expect to see more passenger trucks and SUVs pulling trailers of all kinds: boat trailers, camper trailers, horse trailers, and “toy” trailers hauling four-wheelers and dirt bikes. Drivers who are not used to towing a trailer can cause serious car accidents, particularly if they are careless or negligent in understanding the rules of safe trailer towing.
If you have been injured in an accident involving a vehicle towing a trailer, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for assistance. There are many ways the driver of a passenger truck towing a trailer can be found negligent in causing a collision, thereby making you eligible for personal injury compensation.
Towed Trailers Need Special Tires, Require Slower Speeds
Special Trailer tires. Standard car tires have more flexible sidewalls to allow for a more comfortable ride. Trailers, however, require Special Trailer (ST) tires with stiffer sidewalls that help reduce trailer sway. A driver towing a trailer with the wrong type of tires carelessly creates an increased risk of an accident. The trailer may start fishtailing, causing the driver to lose control, possibly tipping the trailer over, and causing a serious accident.
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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