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How to Avoid a Bike Accident
With winter on its way out, bicyclists are starting to ride again throughout the greater Chicago area. Bicycling can be a good form of exercise and way to commute to and from work. Unfortunately, bicyclists are much more susceptible to serious injury than car occupants. Around 467,000 Americans are injured in bicycle accidents each year. The most severe bicycle injuries occur in collisions involving cars. If you or a loved one are injured in a bicycle accident due to driver negligence, contact a trusted personal injury legal team as soon as possible.
How to Prevent Bike Accidents
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1,000 Americans were fatally injured in bicycle crashes during a recent 12-month study. While many bicycle accidents are unpreventable because of car driver error or damaged pavement, there are a few steps you can take to increase your safety, as you hop back onto your bike this spring.
Seeking Injury Compensation After a Truck Accident
Throughout the United States, thousands of Americans are injured in accidents involving commercial trucks each year. Due to the sheer size of most commercial vehicles, collisions involving standard cars are often devastating. In many cases, commercial trucking accidents are caused by the negligent actions of the trucking company or the truck driver. If you or a loved one are injured in a commercial trucking collision, seek experienced legal guidance immediately.
Commercial Truck Accident Statistics
With millions of commercial trucks on the road each day, trucking accidents are common and often horrific. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there were nearly 3,900 fatal commercial trucking accidents in 2016. In all, more than 100,000 Americans suffered injuries that required hospitalization after being involved in a truck crash. While some trucking accidents are unavoidable, many are directly related to the reckless actions of an employee.
How to Prevent Child Injuries in Car Accidents
On March 3, a 2-year old girl was fatally injured in a motor vehicle collision on the South Side of Chicago. The young passenger was killed when she was ejected from the vehicle, as the car crashed head-on with another vehicle and ultimately collided with a tree on South Calumet Avenue. According to police, the girl was not in a car seat.
Protecting children of any age from serious auto accident injuries can be difficult. Listed below are some of the steps you can take to help ensure your children do not suffer severe or even fatal car accident injuries.
Protecting Children of All Ages
For parents, protecting their children is their No. 1 priority. Mentally preparing for the possibility of a motor vehicle collision can be emotionally challenging when children are involved, but it is important to understand how you can help prepare for the possibility of a car accident involving your children.
How to Recognize and Protect Yourself Against Reckless Drivers
On February 25, three men stole a motor vehicle in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. After the theft, the driver collided with two vehicles in the South Side’s Jackson Park. Local police have yet to release information related to injuries. The man was apprehended on-site and is now in custody.
For drivers throughout the greater Chicago area, the accident served as a reminder of some of the extreme hazards that occur on our roadways. Not all reckless drivers are fleeing from the scene of a crime, but all are incredibly dangerous. In order to ensure the safety of you and your family, it is important to know how to recognize signs of reckless driving and how to react. Also, if you or a loved one are injured in a car accident caused by a reckless driver, talk to a personal injury attorney who can help ensure you get the compensation you deserve for a full recovery.
Pursuing Accident Compensation After a Traumatic Brain Injury
An average of 153 Americans dies each day due to traumatic brain injuries. Brain trauma is defined as a blow to the head that interrupts normal brain function. The most common traumatic brain injuries are minor concussions, yet if left untreated, even the most minor injuries to the brain can lead to life-changing health problems. If you or a loved one suffer a traumatic brain injury in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced injury attorney as soon as possible.
Common Brain Injuries
In a recent 12-month measurement, approximately 2.8 million Americans were hospitalized due to brain trauma. The most common form of brain injury is a concussion. Concussions are common in car accidents and symptoms can range from minor headaches to chronic migraines, blurred vision, and declination of motor skills. More serious brain injuries include hematomas (clotting of blood in the brain) and hemorrhaging (bleeding in the outer space of the skull). A hematoma or a hemorrhage can result in substantial brain damage and even death.
Fighting for Burn Injury Compensation
According to the National Burn Repository (NBR), one civilian fire-related fatality occurs in the United States approximately every 2 hours and 40 minutes. Throughout to 2016, nearly 3,300 Americans died in fire-related incidents.
From structure fires to motor vehicle collisions, serious burns can cause life-long health complications. If you or a loved one suffer a burn injury, seek medical attention immediately and contact an injury lawyer to discuss your options.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
In 2016, approximately 486,000 Americans received medical treatment for burn injuries. Severe burns occur in a number of ways, including contact with flames, electrical and chemical burns, and scalding injuries. Here in the U.S., fire contact burns make up an estimated 46 percent of annually reported burn injuries. Scalding injuries are the second-most common and can be caused by an extremely hot beverage, high-temperature steam, or a hot bath. Electrical and chemical burns account for a combined 10 percent of all annual burns in the U.S. A large number of electrical and chemical burns occur in the workplace.
Train Accidents in the U.S. Not Uncommon
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, approximately 1,000 Americans are killed in train-related accidents every year. For those who live in the greater Chicago area, train accidents are a somewhat regular occurrence. In January, a 96-year-old woman narrowly avoided severe or fatal injuries when her vehicle was struck by a Metra train. Fortunately, the elderly driver was saved by two good samaritans and a Lombard police officer. Sadly, many people are not as fortunate in train collisions. If a member of your family was injured in a train-related collision, seek legal assistance immediately.
Types of Train Accidents
Train collisions are usually devastating regardless of how they occur. Listed below are the most common forms of train collisions.
Train on Train Collisions: If two trains collide on the tracks, the results can be disastrous. Due to the sheer mass and speed of trains, the vast majority of train on train collisions result in severe injuries or fatalities. In most cases, train on train collisions occur due to the negligent communication of a train operator or a malfunctioning railroad system.
Driving Safety Tips for When You Approach a Snowplow
Here in the greater Chicago area, the average annual snowfall is around 36 inches. During winter, roadways throughout the state are regularly plowed. Snowplows help keep our highways and streets safe, but driving near them can cause a dangerous car accident.
On February 10, a man was fatally injured when a vehicle collided with a state snow plow. The driver of a Chevrolet Malibu lost control of his vehicle due to poor driving conditions and crashed into a snow plow truck that was parked on the edge of I-294. The back-seat passenger, a 20-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. If you see a snow plow near you on the road, it is important to know how to react.
Safe Driving Near Snowplows
In 2018, more than 1,000 people were killed in motor vehicle collisions throughout the state of Illinois. Many of those collisions occurred during winter months in which driving conditions were far from ideal. Practicing safe winter driving can be critically important in ensuring the safety of your family, especially when driving near snow plows.
Seeking Compensation After Suffering a Spinal Injury
Suffering a spinal injury is often a life-changing event. Spinal cord injuries can result in the loss of movement, chronic pain, and decreased strength. Every year, approximately 12,500 Americans suffer some form of spinal cord injury. Understanding the various forms of spinal cord injuries and their potential health complications can be critical as you emotionally and physically heal from your injuries. If you have suffered a spinal cord injury, contact a knowledgeable personal injury attorney to discuss your options moving forward.
Complete and Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
Throughout the United States, approximately 276,000 Americans live with some form of spinal cord injury. Even minor spinal injuries can result in serious long-term health problems. Spinal cord injuries are classified as either incomplete or complete. In the case of an incomplete spinal cord injury, the spinal cord is not completely severed. This usually allows for the injured person to retain some spinal function, depending on the severity of the injury. With complete spinal cord injuries, the spine is completely severed. In these instances, regaining function is only possible through extensive medical treatment and physical therapy, if at all.
Two Pedestrians Struck Within 24 Hours in Chicago
On February 4, a 15-year-old pedestrian was fatally injured when she was struck by a drunk driver in Chicago Ridge. The young girl was a student at Oak Lawn’s Richard High School. The very next morning, a 20-year-old woman was struck by a vehicle near the Rush University Medical Center. According to Chicago police, the woman suffered a broken hip and was treated at Chicago’s Stroger Hospital.
For pedestrians in the greater Chicago area, the risk of being struck by a motor vehicle is very serious and all too familiar. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, more than 4,600 pedestrians were injured in car accidents in 2016 across the state. Of those injuries, 150 ultimately proved fatal.
Avoiding Car Accidents as a Pedestrian
Over the past decade, pedestrian deaths have increased by 27 percent nationwide, according to statistics compiled by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Throughout the United States, approximately 6,000 pedestrians were killed by motor vehicles in 2016. While many pedestrian accidents are unavoidable, there are a few steps you can take to decrease your chance of injury due to driver error.
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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