Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Illinois injury lawyers at Abels & Annes are hard at work on a car crash claim for a local resident. The case arises out of a collision which took place on August 23, 2011 at approximately 9:07 a.m. The plaintiff was injured when the automobile she was riding in was involved in a collision with an uninsured motor vehicle.
Our client was driving her 2008 Scion westbound on Ferdinand, approaching its intersection with Pulaski in Chicago, Illinois. At that time a driver in a 1997 Buick LeSabre was being pursued by police officers at a high rate of speed. The uninsured driver was traveling northbound on Pulaski and turned abruptly eastbound on Ferdinand. The Buick crossed the center line and hit the client head-on at a very high speed.
Our client was thrown backward and forward in her seat and hit her face on the airbag. The entire incident was witnessed by a Chicago Police Officer who was responding to the high-speed chase. The responding officer determined the uninsured driver caused the collision by operating her vehicle in an erratic, reckless, careless, negligent or aggressive condition.
The uninsured driver failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to stop and/or reduce her speed to avoid a collision, traveled eastbound in a lane marked only for westbound traffic, drove in an erratic and reckless manner, and failed to exercise due care for the safety of those in the area, including the plaintiff.
This accident is just another example of why it is so important to carry auto insurance with uninsured motorist coverage. There is an ongoing and alarming trend of motorists in Illinois driving without insurance. We see more and more of these accidents at our office.
Following the collision, the client had an immediate onset of pain. She was transported from the scene of the collision by ambulance to West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois. Upon arrival at the Emergency Department, a history was taken, she was examined, and diagnostic tests were performed. She complained of a severe headache and pain to her right wrist. On exam, she had a burn to her right forearm and a head injury. She underwent a head CT scan which revealed no acute intracranial abnormalities. She was prescribed pain medication and instructed to seek follow up treatment from a doctor.
Due to ongoing and increasing pain, the plaintiff sought follow up treatment with a medical doctor on September 1, 2011. At that time, she complained of constant, sharp pain along her neck as well as sharp lumbar pain that radiated to both of her legs. She has lupus and had some difficulty walking before the collision but the pain in her lower back made walking significantly more difficult, and at times, impossible without the assistance of a cane or walker. A history was taken and she was examined. She had pain in her paracervical muscles in her neck as well as lower back and muscle spasms. The physician diagnosed her with a sprain and strain of the cervical and lumbar spines. He ordered x-rays of her cervical and lumbar spines and instructed her to begin a course of physical therapy.
She followed up with her doctor on October 10, 2011. At that time, she continued to complain of pain in her neck and lower back but did note some improvement with physical therapy. The physician examined her and noted pain on palpation to her paracervical muscles, pain and muscle spasms to her paraspinal muscles, restricted range of motion in her head and neck, and weakness in both legs. He maintained his diagnosis of a sprain and strain of the cervical and lumbar spine and noted that her injuries were caused by the motor vehicle collision. He instructed her to continue physical therapy to follow up for additional treatment.
Our client next saw her doctor on November 14, 2011. At that time, she reported improvement in her neck but still had significant lower back pain. Her physician instructed her to continue physical therapy. On December 12, 2011, she returned again for treatment. A complication related to her lupus diagnosis required her to be hospitalized for a time so she could not complete the physical therapy as ordered. Due to her other issues and hospitalization,the doctor discharged her to the care of her pain specialist.
Pursuant to doctor’s instructions, she started a course of physical therapy beginning on September 1, 2011. She engaged in twenty-four (24) therapy sessions through November 23, 2011. On December 28, 2011, she was discharged due to complications of unrelated medical conditions.
As a result of the collision, our client incurred over $14,500 in medical bills. The plaintiff’s treatment will likely continue in the future.
If you have been hurt in an accident with an uninsured driver, contact the Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free, no obligation consultation. Call 312-475-9596 24/7 to speak to an attorney now.
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Abels & Annes working on uninsured claim