Articles Posted in DUI

In Chicago and across the nation, the 4th of July marks one of the biggest holiday weekends of the summer. Many people enjoy time off work and use it to spend time with family and friends. Some may go boating while others might kick back and watch the fireworks launch from Navy Pier.

Regardless of how you chose to spend your 4th of July this weekend, you may have been at risk for an injury. Perhaps even worse, your children may have been in the threat of danger. Hazards abound over a traditional holiday weekend and unfortunately, people in Illinois are hurt every year.

One of the biggest issues faced over the 4th of July is the danger posed by drunk drivers. In Illinois, it is illegal to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs because doing so limits a driver’s ability to make fast decisions behind the wheel. Driving drunk puts any driver or passenger in the area at risk of being involved in a Chicago car accident. Further, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists in the area may also be injured by the actions of a drunk or impaired driver.

Most people realize that driving a car while drunk is illegal but fewer people realize that the same laws and punishment can be applied to those operating a boat or other watercraft. If a boater is under the influence and causes an accident that leaves someone injured, that boater may face a ticket, loss of a license, fines and fees, and even incarceration. Additionally, the victims of the accident may be entitled to seek a recovery against the at-fault boater much like the victims of a car accident can seek relief against an at-fault driver. This can hold the boater responsible for medical bills incurred by the victims as well as other damages like pain and suffering, scarring, and loss of a normal life.

The hallmark for many over the 4th of July is taking part in a fireworks celebration, and most people do so without an incident. However, mistakes do happen and adults and children are injured every year by fireworks accidents. The use of fireworks are governed by law and some fireworks require users to obtain a valid license before they can be used. When those in charge of fireworks operate in a negligent manner or otherwise fail to take necessary safety precautions, injuries can result and may require medical assistance.
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Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in Illinois and across every other state in the nation. Despite the fact that drunk driving is a crime, though, thousands of drivers in Chicago and Illinois choose to operate a vehicle when they are legally impaired every year, putting their own safety and the safety of others on the road at serious risk for an accident.

Drunk driving accidents can cause those involved to sustain serious injuries ranging from broken bones and fractures to head and neck injuries and even death in the worst cases. Many injuries are painful and require extensive medical treatment; some are permanent and leave a victim suffering for the rest of his or her life. While nothing can reverse a Chicago car accident and make it like the crash never happened, the victims of these collisions may be able to seek relief for their damages, enabling them to get the treatment and help they need to return to their pre-accident states, when possible. Speaking with a lawyer who represents personal injury victims of car crashes may help you understand the legal implications of your crash and whether you are entitled to relief.

Police and local prosecutors have confirmed some terrible facts surrounding a construction area accident that occurred on Saturday and that left one worker dead. According to officials, a 19-year-old man was operating his vehicle in the area of the 4900 block of South Western Avenue when he approached the construction site. Allegedly, the driver was speeding and weaving in and out of construction barriers along the site before he struck a 58-year-old worker, throwing the worker several feet into the air. The driver of the car then hit a paving machine which brought his vehicle to a stop.

The construction worker was critically injured and died as a result of the crash which occurred around 4:15 am. Several other workers at the site suffered injuries but all were expected to recover.

Three people were inside the car at the time of the incident, including the driver. All three individuals needed medical treatment at area hospitals though their current conditions remain unknown. Blood tests conducted on the driver allegedly revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.195, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 in Illinois. But as the driver was 19-years-old, a stricter requirement likely applies which prevents motorists under the age of 21 from having any alcohol in their systems while they drive.
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Driving under the influence can be deadly to anyone on the road. Often, it is someone who is not impaired but simply in the wrong place at the wrong time that suffers due to the reckless conduct of an intoxicated driver. Every year, thousands of drunk driving accidents occur in Chicago, leaving many with serious injuries or even causing some people their lives. When this happens, the law steps in and allows the victims of a drunk driving crash the ability to seek relief for their damages.

Not knowing how you will pay for your medical bills or not knowing how you will support yourself financially after an accident can make the injuries you sustained all the more devastating. Speaking with a lawyer who handles personal injury claims on behalf of victims of car accidents may help you understand whether you are entitled to payment, including compensation for lost wages and pain and suffering, if you have been hurt.

Police in Chicago responded to an accident on Saturday morning in the local lanes of the Dan Ryan Expressway near its merger with the Skyway. When they arrived, they found a vehicle collided with a divider off the road’s surface that served to separate the two expressways. Police believe that the driver of the car, a Chevy Impala, attempted to veer away from the Skyway and to remain on the Dan Ryan when he lost control and collided with the barrier. Four people including the driver were in the car at the time and all three passengers were injured. The front seat passenger, a 22-year-old male, suffered extreme trauma and died as a result of the crash. The other two passengers received medical treatment but their current conditions are not clear.

When police arrived, they noticed open liquor containers in the vehicle. According to police, the driver, a 29-year-old male, allegedly admitted to drinking prior to driving and reportedly said he’d been drinking up to the point that the group got into the vehicle around 3:15 am. Laboratory tests reportedly showed the driver had a blood alcohol content of .223, nearly three times the legal limit of .08 in Illinois.
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Drunk driving accidents are a serious problem in Chicago and across Illinois. These collisions can leave the drivers and passengers involved with serious injuries, and in the worst cases, victims can be killed due to the actions of a drunk driver.

Though nothing can undue these tragic accidents, the victims of drunk drivers may be entitled to relief for their injuries. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who handles car accident cases may help you understand whether you can recover for your medical and surgical expenses, lost wages, and the pain and suffering you have to endure. These claims can be available to accident victims regardless of whether a drunk driver is charged for his or her actions and even in many cases where an at-fault driver flees the scene of a crash and is never located.

In an unusual instance, police in Northbrook have reported that an intoxicated driver was charged after he drove onto the Northbrook Police Department’s lawn around 10:00 p.m on Saturday. The driver claimed he was heading to the police station to report harassing phone calls but he was unsure where to park, leading him to accidentally drive onto the lawn where his car became stuck. Officers believe the man was under the influence of alcohol at the time and they arrested the man, charging him with driving with a blood alcohol content in excess of the state limit, 0.08.

Reportedly, the man denied being intoxicated but did confirm that he consumed two beers earlier in the evening. He supposedly claimed that he intended to go to the gym with his son after stopping at the police station but that the incident prevented him from doing so.

Fortunately no collision occurred and no one was injured in this incident but for thousands of people in Chicago every year, that is not the case. They may be left in need of medical assistance due to the recklessness of a driver who chooses to operate drunk.
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Car accidents can occur at any speed and on any type of road, but due to the mechanics of how a car functions, the faster the vehicle is traveling, the greater the force that will be involved in a crash. When a car accident happens on an expressway or an interstate where one or more cars involved is traveling at full speed, the results are often serious and injuries may result. With its share of high-speed roads, Chicago endures numerous expressway accidents every year and unfortunately, some of the drivers involved in those accidents lose their lives due to the injuries they sustain.

When a crash is caused by the negligence of one or more drivers, those who are injured in an accident may be entitled to relief for their damages. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer can help you understand what legal options may be available to you and whether you have a valid claim for your losses. Often, a claim for injuries can allow an accident victim adequate compensation to get the medical treatment he or she needs as well as covering any wages the victim missed while unable to work. Other damages, like pain and suffering and permanency of injuries, can also be recovered after a crash.

At this time, authorities believe that a crash early this morning may have been caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The crash occurred on the portion of I-90 commonly referred to as the Skyway near 76th Street and involved a passenger vehicle and a semi truck. Police have reported that a female driver was traveling northbound on I-90 in the southbound lanes when she caused a collision with a semi truck on the expressway. The woman was seriously hurt in the accident and was transported by local authorities to an area hospital for examination and treatment. She has since been charged with driving under the influence and may face other charges as the investigation into the crash continues.

The driver of the semi truck was also injured in the accident and was taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital for treatment. In the collision, the semi suffered damage that led to a fuel spill on the Skyway and required a hazardous material cleanup response, leading to temporary lane closures in the area.
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Drunk driving is often publicized to raise awareness of the dangers that accompany drinking and driving, but alcohol is not the only intoxicant that can make driving dangerous. Any drug or intoxicating compound can reduce a driver’s ability to make decisions, focus on the road, and drive safely. In fact, it is illegal in Chicago and in Illinois to drive while impaired and that encompasses any type of intoxicants, including alcohol, illegal drugs, and prescription drugs that affect a driver’s abilities behind the wheel.

Illegal drugs and prescription narcotics are often found in the systems of Chicago-area drivers who are operating under the influence. When that happens, the impaired drivers may face serious traffic and criminal charges that can result in anything from fines to a suspended license to jail time if the driver is convicted. The charges are usually increased when an impaired driver causes an accident that injures another person. In addition to any charges brought by the state, an impaired driver may face a civil claim for damages brought by any victims who were injured in an effort to seek financial relief for their damages. These impaired drivers may be held legally liable for the injuries that result in a crash as well and maybe forced to provide compensation to those they hurt. If you have been hurt in a DUI car accident, speaking with an injury lawyer will help you understand your legal rights and your legal options.

Early reports by officials indicate that drugs may have played a part in a Thursday car crash in Maywood that left several people injured. Police believe that a 24-year-old male driver was under the influence of morphine, codeine, and morphine when he drove his car on South 1st Avenue and collided with a Pace bus. Police believe that the man was driving the wrong way when he struck the bus and that after the first collision, his car continued until it entered a crosswalk at 1st Avenue and collided with three pedestrians.

Emergency crews responded to the collision and transported all three pedestrians to area hospitals for treatment. The driver and the passengers of the Pace bus were assessed and five special needs passengers were also transported to hospitals for treatment as a precaution. All of the victims are expected to survive.

The driver of the car has been cited for driving the wrong way, failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision, and failing to yield to pedestrians. Additional charges may be leveled based on the preliminary results of blood screening that allegedly revealed the presence of intoxicants.
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Every state in the country makes it illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but every day, thousands of drivers take to the roads when they are impaired and a threat to the safety of themselves and others. When these drivers are caught, they may face fines, a suspended driver’s license, or even time in prison or jail, depending on the offense, the severity of the incident and the laws that govern the driver’s behavior.

Even though California is home to numerous celebrities, it still has laws that apply to everyone, including laws against driving under the influence of drugs. This is a lesson that veteran actor Chris Kattan is apparently learning the hard way this morning after being arrested yesterday and charged with driving under the influence.

According to authorities, Kattan was driving a 2011 black Mercedes on the highly traveled Ventura Freeway around 2:00 a.m. when he struck a truck that was performing highway maintenance at the time. Fortunately, no workers were inside the truck at the time of the collision and Kattan reportedly was the only one inside the Mercedes. He suffered a bloody nose in the crash but no other apparent injuries and is expected to be fine.

Police responded to the incident and required Kattan to undergo a field sobriety test which the actor allegedly failed. He was then taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence before being released later that day. Officials with the California Highway Patrol indicated that officers suspected Kattan was under the influence of an unknown drug and that the officers are awaiting results of a chemical test before they can confirm their suspicions. There has been no reported word as to how long officials will have to wait for the results of that test.

Kattan, a comedian, is best known for his time on Saturday Night Live between 1996 and 2003 where he portrayed many characters, often based on pop culture references. He also has starred in films like A Night at the Roxbury and Corky Romano with supporting roles in dozens of other films. After being released from custody yesterday, Kattan tweeted a response to concerned fans, indicating that all was fine and that he had been released from custody without bail in the incident.
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Police officers and other city officials undergo special training to detect and identify potential drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The goal of this training is to stop as many offenders as possible before an accident occurs, thus preventing as many alcohol-related injuries and alcohol-related deaths as possible. Yet even with police on patrol and on alert for impaired drivers, some of these individuals continue to cause accidents every week, leaving innocent victims involved and hurt as a result.

When the negligence of a drunk driver causes an accident that results in injuries, those involved may have the right to pursue a civil claim against the drunk driver to recover for their financial losses. In many cases, this can include medical bills and time missed from work due to injuries and doctor’s appointments. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer in Chicago is the best way to learn about the legal implications of your accident and whether you are entitled to seek relief on your own behalf.

Though officers routinely undergo training to identify impaired drivers, in some instances, it is clear to the general public that another driver may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. That appears to be the case with a suspected impaired driver who was stopped on the Kennedy on Saturday morning after he allegedly drove the wrong way on the busy expressway.

According to witnesses, the 62-year-old male driver was driving northbound shortly before 3:00 a.m. in lanes designated only for southbound traffic. The man was driving a white minivan and reportedly collided with a retaining wall several times at a high rate of speed before his vehicle came to a stop. A snowplow was in the area trying to clear the road’s surface for use by other drivers when the collision occurred and may have been the one to alert local police.

Police responded to the scene of the crash and began an investigation. It appeared that the driver was uninjured in the accident but he was believed to have been under in the influence of alcohol at the time. He has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving northbound in southbound only lanes, and failing to reduce his speed to avoid a collision. If convicted on all charges, the man could face incarceration, fines, and/or a loss of a driver’s license as a result of the accident.
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Each state has their own laws regarding driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs but in every state, it is a crime to operate a car while impaired. Though the rules may vary, they are similar from state to state, and it is always a driver’s responsibility to know what is legal and what is a violation wherever that driver is operating a car. As police in Florida have illustrated, their rules apply to famous celebrities just like they do to average citizens, something that singer Justin Bieber probably wishes were not true.

Teen pop star Justin Bieber has reportedly been arrested in Miami Beach this morning, according to the local police department in the Florida city. He is being charged with driving under the influence in what has been described as a staged drag race along a residential street.

Police reported that a yellow Lamborghini was racing a Ferrari when officers stopped both drivers. Reportedly other drivers had parked their SUVs in the area, blocking the street from through traffic to ensure the drivers would be able to race on a residential street. When officers approached the driver of the Lamborghini, they noted signs of impairment or intoxication and asked the driver to undergo a field sobriety test, which the driver reportedly failed. The driver was arrested and taken into police custody after the incident and has since been positively identified as Justin Bieber. The other driver, whose name has not been released, was also arrested and charged with driving under the influence. It is not clear whether either driver will face charges related to the drag race itself.

Bieber has made headlines for his driving in the past after several of his neighbors complained about Bieber driving through their neighborhood at a high rate of speed. Beiber lives in Calabasas, an upscale California community home to many in the entertainment industry as well as many current and former athletes. Though those reports have been investigated by police in California, this morning’s arrest is believed to be the first for Bieber.
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It is just over two weeks into 2014 but there have already been a number of alcohol and drug-related accidents on the streets of Chicago as well as the surrounding suburban communities. Tragically, many of these accidents have been heavily reported because of the serious, and in some cases, fatal results of these collisions. Drivers that are impaired are much more likely to caused a collision than others and may face serious criminal charges if someone ends up hurt in the crash.

If a crash with a drunk driver leaves an innocent victim injured, that victim may be entitled to bring a claim for his or her damages, including the medical bills that must be incurred, against the at-fault driver. In some cases, multiple people may be legally responsible for a crash, including a driver, an establishment that enabled the driver to become intoxicated, or even the owner of the vehicle involved in the collision. To make sure all possible avenues of recovery are explored, speaking with an injury lawyer is the best way to learn about the legal implications of your accident.

Police have reported an accident that happened this morning that the police believe may have been caused by an impaired driver. According to officials, a 29-year-old man was speeding in the 1500 block of West Chicago Avenue around 1:25 a.m. when he struck another vehicle. The crash caused both vehicles involved to strike parked cars in the area, resulting in a four car collision that left at least seven people injured. Emergency crews responded to the scene and transported seven victims to area hospitals, including the driver, who was taken to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

Four of the victims were described in serious to critical condition after the accident but all seven victims are expected to survive. During their investigation into the crash, authorities determined that the 29-year-old driver may have been under the influence at the time of the collision in violation of state and local laws. Reportedly, the man has been arrested and charges against him are pending at this time.
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