Articles Posted in Auto Accident

As winter sets in on Chicago, drivers may find themselves thinking about vehicular safety a little more often. While safety should be the forefront concern of every Illinois motorist, it is easy to focus on other things behind the wheel and take safety for granted. It may take a near crash or a scare while driving to make an operator focus again on safety. Winter is the season more likely than any others to do this as poor weather conditions combine with driver error to cause thousands of car accidents across Chicago and many more across the state. Even when weather is not a factor, though, crashes continue to happen and continue to leave citizens injured or even killed as a result.

What are victims to do? Trust that an at-fault driver will take responsibility for her actions and fess up to her mistakes? Place their faith in an insurance company to represent their best interests and provide payment for the full value of their claim? Unfortunately, this rarely happens and victims are left to scrap and fight for any benefits they rightfully deserve, including monetary compensation to cover medical bills. Fortunately, Illinois laws protect the rights of victims to seek this compensation and also authorize victims to obtain a lawyer of their choice to help them through the process. Speaking with a personal injury attorney in Chicago may help you understand your options if you have been hurt in a crash or if your loved one was injured or killed.

Prior to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, three vehicles collided in Rolling Meadows, sending one driver to the hospital with injuries. Police have confirmed that a pickup truck and two SUVs crashed near the intersection of Meadow Drive and Kirchoff Road, leading traffic to be diverted from the area. Police have not yet stated whether any citations will be issued as a result of the incident or whether any of the drivers involved erred prior to the accident.

The injured victim was transported to an area hospital for additional treatment where his condition remains unknown.
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In Chicago, most drivers are behind the wheel for a reason. Whether they are driving for work, driving to work, taking kids to school, or running errands, few of the motorists on the roads are there for pleasure. When a driver operates a vehicle for work, that driver has little say in when he or she is on the roads and therefore may not be able to control the routes taken.

Dangerous drivers abound on Chicago roads and many of them pose a threat to others on the streets. Speeders, distracted drivers, and drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs are just some examples of motorists who put their own interests before the collectively safety of all others on the roads. When these drivers are near, they are more likely than others to cause car accidents and to be responsible for the outcomes of those crashes, including any injuries that result.

Victims of these accidents have rights in Chicago that may entitle them to financial compensation for their damages. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer can help you understand if you can recover for your injuries, including your medical bills and pain and suffering. In many cases, multiple claims may be possible and may enable you to get the full value of the compensation you deserve if an accident has affected your life.

Just before 3:00 a.m. on Friday, a collision occurred on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago that left at least one person injured. Officials have confirmed that two vehicles traveling in the Lakeview area collided for reasons that are not entirely clear. The force of the crash pushed one of the vehicles onto the side of the road where it collided with a marked police car that had been stopped before the crash, causing significant damage and leaving the officer inside injured. Emergency crews evaluated the officer at the scene and transported him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where his condition is not known but he is expected to make a recovery.

During their investigation, police determined that one of the drivers involved in the initial impact failed to slow down to avoid the crash and therefore officers issued a ticket to that driver as a result.
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Red light cameras have been placed on many Chicago intersections in recent years, prompting some to question their purpose and others to wonder if safety in those areas will improve as a result. The City of Chicago has stated publicly that red light cameras are designed to hold negligent drivers liable for their actions while decreasing the number of collisions that happen elsewhere when motorists choose to ignore red lights.

Now, the Chicago Department of Transportation has released footage of several collisions around the city that were caused by motorists who failed to stop at red lights. CDOT notes that 80,000 car accidents take place in Chicago alone every year. Of those collisions, 15,000 produce injuries which translates to an average of 15 injury-causing crashes every day in the city. Drivers are not the only ones at risk, however, as 3,000 pedestrians are involved in accidents annually. Finally, 125 people are killed in Chicago traffic accidents each year.

Chicago hosts a large number of the car accidents that take place in Illinois every year in part because of the city’s high population and in part because of its crowded streets. But congestion alone does not cause any collisions. Crashes usually involve a mistake or an error by one or more drivers involved, whether it is ignoring a red light, speeding, or following too closely. In some cases, though, a driver may not make a mistake but rather a mechanical failure or a poorly designed intersection should be blamed for an accident.

In the images released by CDOT, many drivers ignored red lights at intersections and entered the area when they did not have the right-of-way. Several of these motorists ran what experts consider to be “deep red lights,” meaning that the light turned red several seconds before the vehicle proceeded into the intersection. By this point, traffic in an opposing direction may have a green light, allowing those vehicles to enter the shared space. A driver who runs a red light after opposing traffic begins to move is more likely to cause a collision.

Red light cameras are supposed to increase safety but many have questioned whether that is the motive behind the City of Chicago’s actions. Some believe that red light cameras are being used solely to increase revenue to the city – by issuing additional traffic tickets, fines payable to the city increase and the city experiences a substantial influx of cash. Additionally, there have been allegations that Chicago has reduced the length of yellow lights to three seconds in areas with red light cameras. A shorter yellow light means that motorists have less time to stop before the light changes to green and that more drivers will be guilty of running a red light. In addition to the tickets that may be at issue, more drivers running red lights is likely to cause additional collisions, further questioning the motives of the City of Chicago by its use of red light cameras.

Many drivers do not understand how red light cameras work or what their purpose is. In most cases, cameras are placed near an intersection, often at two or more corners with their lenses pointed towards the crossing itself. The cameras are linked by a computer to a guide or a trigger that tracks the motion of vehicles through the intersection while simultaneously monitoring the traffic lights. After a traffic light turns red, the device will trigger and a photograph or photographs of the vehicle running the light will be taken and stored. Most cameras are pointed at a license place and may also take pictures of the driver as he or she sits behind the wheel. This information and the photographs are stored, allowing local police to issue citations or follow up with drivers as needed.

But when a collision occurs, these cameras can serve as video evidence of the events that led up to the impact, including the conduct of each motorist. This footage can be used as a tool to assign fault and to hold a negligent driver responsible for the full outcome of an accident, including any injuries that may result.
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Hundreds of people are killed in car accidents in Illinois every year and tens of thousands of others sustain injuries ranging from the minor to the severe. Any area of Illinois can have a collision but some cities, neighborhoods, and intersections are more likely than others. Chicago has a large population packed into a small area which leads to traffic congestion, hurried commuters, and confused drivers. In turn, Chicago experiences a large number of crashes annually. In other parts of the state, poorly designed roads or intersections may make it difficult for passing cars to travel safely and may lead to an accident, or dozens of accidents for that matter.

No matter who you are, and no matter where you drive, you may become the victim of an Illinois car accident. That collision may leave you with significant damages you did not anticipate from the loss of your vehicle, the need for alternative transportation, medical expenses incurred due to an ambulance trip or emergency help at a hospital, or even lost wages for time you missed from work. If your injuries were more severe, you may need surgery or you may need occupational therapy to help you get back to your pre-injury state. Regardless, it is likely that you were forced to endure pain and suffering due to the crash and that your life has been affected permanently.

The right to seek relief belongs to the victims of these accidents and speaking with a personal injury lawyer may help you understand your options if you have been hurt or if your loved one was injured or killed.

In June of this year, a boxer who trains with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. reportedly was driving Mayweather’s vehicle when a crash occurred in Los Angeles. According to reports, Mayweather’s car and several other vehicles, including a motorcycle, collided in L.A. while Mayweather was on the red carpet for the BET Awards. Three of Mayweather’s children were inside the vehicle at the time of the impact but fortunately none were seriously injured. Mayweather was on the phone with pop star Justin Bieber, a friend and regular member of Mayweather’s entourage, when he learned of the crash, prompting Bieber to respond to the scene to comfort the kids.

Now, reports have surfaced that at least one person outside of Mayweather’s vehicle was injured in the accident and is suing Mayweather as well as the driver of the car for his damages. The lawsuit alleges that the victim sustained injuries to his head, neck, collarbone, ankle, and foot. Legal claims include the allegation that the operator of Mayweather’s car was driving recklessly, speeding in excess of 100 miles per hour prior to the crash, and weaving in and out of traffic. At this time, there has been no official word from Mayweather regarding the suit.
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Car accidents across the country are one of the greatest causes of unintentional death among all Americans every year. They are responsible for more deaths among older teens than almost anything else but car crashes affect people of all ages. In Chicago, like elsewhere in the country, the very young, the very old, and everyone in between can become the victims of a collision any time they are in or near a car.

If you have lived in Chicago for some time, chances are that you have been involved in a collision, whether as a driver or as a passenger. If you have been fortunate enough to avoid one, you may know a friend, neighbor, or coworker who has been in a collision and may have been hurt. Many people do not understand the rights that injury victims possess once a crash happens but in Illinois, victims have numerous rights that cannot be taken away or denied by an at-fault driver. Relief may be possible and may provide compensation for losses like medical expenses, missed income, or pain and suffering, depending on a unique crash. Speaking with a personal injury attorney in Chicago can help you move forward from a collision by letting you know your options and your legal rights if an accident has affected you.

Two vehicles collided in a head-on crash on Friday around 11:00 p.m. in West Chicago, according to local officials. The incident took place near Route 59 and Gary’s Mill Road and left one person dead and two others injured.

When officials arrived on the scene, they noticed that one of the two vehicles was on fire after the crash. Bystanders pulled two male victims out of the second vehicle before authorities arrived as both those men were hurt and were reportedly unable to exit the vehicle under their own power.

Emergency medical crews transported the two men pulled from the second car to an area hospital for treatment of unknown injuries. Their current conditions are not clear nor is it known whether either man was driving the vehicle prior to the impact. A third person involved in the crash was killed due to the accident but that victim’s identity has not been released.
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It is possible that one mistake or one error causes a car accident in Chicago or elsewhere in Illinois, but it does not happen as often as many people would expect. A usual crash occurs after multiple factors, either independent or interrelated, combine to create a hazardous or dangerous situation. For example, in more than 50 percent of collisions across the country, excessive speed is believed to be a factor, but speed alone accounts for only a small percentage of all collisions. Rather, speed may be coupled with following too closely, failing to yield the right-of-way, or failing to obey a traffic signal. In other cases, distraction behind the wheel may combine with poor weather conditions or with an unsafe attempt to pass, leading to an accident.

If you have been the victim of a car crash in Chicago or if your loved one was injured or killed, it is possible that you do not realize all the factors that went into the situation leading to the crash. Many drivers who are responsible portray an image of their actions that is more flattering than honest, making it difficult for even skilled experts to understand the crash, including police officers and emergency personnel. Some personal injury lawyers who are dedicated to the representation of accident victims may be able to help you understand the legal implications of your collision and to help you understand your rights if you have been injured. If your family member lost his or her life, the right to seek relief may belong to you, though no amount of compensation can ever be considered adequate in these cases.

Authorities are still trying to sort through the factors that led to an SUV colliding into the side of a house in Arlington Heights on Tuesday. A woman was driving the vehicle with two children inside when the SUV left the road’s surface on Tuesday afternoon and collided with a brick wall of a house near Central and Belmont. The car knocked down numerous bricks and came to a rest partially inside the home.

Investigators responded to the scene and spoke with the driver who reported that she was initially struck by another vehicle, leading to the second crash with the house. Authorities have confirmed that the rear of the SUV was struck by a car that has yet to be identified but they have not concluded that the impact led to the car leaving the road at this time. Their final conclusions will be released upon completion of the investigation.

No one was inside the home at the time of the crash and no one in the SUV was believed to have sustained significant injuries.
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Bad weather can affect anyone in a car at any location in the country, and even those who are famous are not immune to the risks of a potential car accident. This is a lesson actress Angelina Jolie knows all too well, according to sources who have confirmed that Jolie was involved in a car accident late last night.

Jolie attended a screening of the film “Unbroken” in Los Angeles last night, a war drama produced and directed by Jolie that has received positive praise from numerous critics and is believed to be in the running for numerous awards. After the screening, Jolie reportedly left the scene in a black SUV driven by an unidentified driver. The driver turned onto the busy and crowded Santa Monica Boulevard when wet roads reportedly combined with speed to cause the driver to lose control. The SUV swerved out of the lane of traffic it was occupying and struck a median, causing two tires to pop and significant damage to the vehicle.

Jolie did not sustain any serious injuries, according to several witnesses, who also reported that another driver picked her up from the scene of the collision. It is unknown whether the driver was hurt or whether Jolie sustained minor injuries but authorities have confirmed that they are still investigating the incident. Paparazzi were on the scene of the collision but it is not clear whether they were present prior to the impact or only after the crash took place.

Jolie is well-known for her film career that has spanned several decades in addition to her work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Perhaps best known for her roles in the Lara Croft movies as well as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Salt, Wanted, and Girl, Interrupted, Jolie’s recent ventures have placed her behind the camera in a creative role with her movie, “Unbroken,” premiering to anxious crowds.
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When imagining a typical car accident in Chicago, many drivers picture two or more vehicles colliding at an intersection. But the reality is that single car collisions also occur in Chicago and across the nation and that these accidents can cause just as much damage as a crash with multiple vehicles. Victims of a single car accident may not realize that they have the right to seek relief for their injuries, but often, the laws of Illinois enable these individuals to obtain financial compensation.

When a single car crash occurs, it can be difficult to determine if the crash was due to an error on the part of a driver or on another factor, like a weather condition, a mechanical failure, or even a poor road design. In addition, multiple claims may be possible depending on the totality of the circumstances surrounding the crash. Consulting with a personal injury lawyer in the Chicago area may help you understand your options and your rights if a collision has affected your life or has left your loved one injured or killed.

Between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, a crash involving a minivan occurred in Jackson Park near East Marquette Drive and South Richards Drive, according to local police. Officials believe that the minivan was traveling west with five children and two adults inside when the driver lost control of the vehicle and left the road’s surface, colliding with a tree in the area. The impact caused the van to catch on fire and prompted a response from emergency officials in Chicago.

All seven people in the van were able to exit the vehicle and were assessed by emergency medical crews before being transported to area hospitals. All the children were taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital and Comer Children’s Hospital while the adults were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. While the nature and extent of the injuries sustained has not been revealed, officials have stated that all are expected to survive despite being in critical condition.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the collision and trying to determine why the driver lost control and whether any other factors led to the impact.
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The average drunk driver in Illinois is male, age 34, and has a blood alcohol content of .16 – twice the legal limit in the state. But drunk drivers and drivers under the influence of drugs can take any form and can vary widely from this typical scenario as compiled by the Illinois Secretary of State. Regardless, the victims of drunk driving accidents in Chicago likely are not concerned with the age or gender of the offender who caused their crash. Instead, it becomes a reality that anyone who chooses to drink and drive poses a risk to others and is more likely to cause a collision than those who drive sober.

Drunk driving collisions are the cause of thousands of injuries in Chicago and across Illinois every year and account for millions of dollars’ worth of damages in the form of medical and surgical expenses, lost wages, damage to vehicles, and pain and suffering. The damages are most severe when a victim loses his or her life in these collisions, though the toll enacted in these situations falls heavily on those left behind, whether they are family members or loved ones.

Though no actions can turn back the hands of time and prevent a crash once one has occurred, victims may be entitled to seek financial compensation to help them recover monetarily. This relief can be sought by a victim through the use of a civil claim for damages, a type of relief that is separate and distinct from any traffic or criminal charges brought against a drunk driver. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer in the Chicago area may help you understand your legal options if you have been involved in a collision or if a crash otherwise has affected your life.

Early Sunday morning, police learned of a two-vehicle crash on the Kennedy Expressway in the northbound lanes. According to these officials, a suspected drunk driver was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes and collided head-on with a northbound vehicle. The suspected at-fault driver was seriously injured in the crash and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment. That driver has since been charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and may face additional charges pending the investigation currently underway by local authorities.

Additionally, two people were seriously injured in the second vehicle involved in the crash, a driver and one passenger. Though the nature of their injuries has not been disclosed, both are expected to survive this ordeal.
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If you drive in Illinois, you are obligated to follow all state traffic laws in addition to any local city or municipal laws that apply to the areas in which you travel. Most people inherently understand this requirement and stop at stop signs, yield the right-of-way, and obey the speed limit, among other required actions, but every day in Chicago and across the state, thousands of motorists make a conscious decision to disobey one or more traffic laws. While their actions may seem harmless to these drivers, in fact, they may be evidence of negligent or reckless driving that can threaten the safety of all others in the area, including passengers in their own vehicles. Often, ignoring or disobeying a traffic rule is a contributing factor to Chicago car accidents.

What are victims to do if a car crash affects their lives? Many victims do not realize that they may be entitled to bring a claim and seek relief for their losses that is separate and distinct from any charges brought by police or local authorities against an at-fault driver, but the laws in Illinois are designed to protect victims from unnecessary suffering, giving them options for compensation. The possible relief can vary depending on the facts of an individual accident so the options available to you may be different than those available to someone else, regardless of whether you were involved in the same crash. If you have questions, you may want to consult with a personal injury lawyer in the Chicago area to learn about your legal options and your ability to obtain relief.

Shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, a police official attempted to make a traffic stop of a driver, but that driver had other plans, according to authorities. The driver allegedly fled the scene of the attempted stop and struck another vehicle in the 500 block of North Franklin Street in Chicago, leading to a collision. The second vehicle has not been identified but it was not the police vehicle that initiated the stop.

Following the impact, the driver of the fleeing car reportedly took to his feet as he attempted to run away from the scene. However, after a short distance, a State Trooper apprehended and arrested the suspect who is now facing charges related to the crash.

One person in the second vehicle was injured in the accident and was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment. The suspected at-fault driver reportedly was unhurt, as was the officer who attempted the stop. However, during the foot pursuit of the fleeing suspect, the State Trooper sustained a broken finger.
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