Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Driver Caught, Charged in Fatal Chicago Pedestrian Crash

July 24, 2015 | By Dave Abels

If you drive in Chicago, you agree to obey all the local and state rules of the road while acting in a safe and reasonable manner. You also agree to face punishments imposed by the state if you fail to follow the laws or to live up to the legal requirements governing your conduct. One clear rule in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs requires anyone involved in a car accident or other traffic collision to remain at the scene until cleared by officials. There are very limited exceptions to this rule and generally exist only in the case of medical emergencies and when a driver otherwise leaves the scene, it is called a hit-and-run accident.

Though a hit-and-run is a crime in Illinois, thousands of drivers continue to flee the scene of a collision every year in an effort to avoid the fallout from that accident. But what many people do not realize is that a large number of those drivers are later apprehended and generally will face stiffer punishments when they are caught than they would have otherwise. The reasoning behind this strict enforcement and punishment is to encourage motorists to comply with the laws and also to punish negligent and reckless behaviors that can leave injury victims at the scene of a crash, in need of medical help and without the ability to call for that help on their own.
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Driver Flees Scene of Car Crash on Foot in Logan Square

July 23, 2015 | By Dave Abels

There are countless factors that can lead to or contribute to a car accident in the Chicago area and they include things like driving while distracted, following too closely, and failing to stop at a stop sign. But a factor that is often overlooked by motorists remains the time and day and the day of the week that a collision takes place. In many respects, it is unfair that a driver faces a higher risk of being involved in a crash simply because when that driver is on the road but statistics prove this risk time and time again. In Chicago, motorists are at a higher risk for accidents during heavily-traveled times, like weekday evening rush hour, and during the weekends. Overnight hours are also prone to crashes as many drivers exhibit dangerous driving techniques at those times.

No one’s safety should be threatened on the roads simply because of the time of day that the person travels yet until these accidents are eliminated, it is a reality that should not be ignored by drivers. If tragedy does strike and a driver or a passenger is injured in a collision, know that those who are hurt may be entitled to seek financial compensation for their losses including any medical expenses incurred. This can be true even if the person hurt was in the same car as the driver who caused the crash or if only one vehicle was involved. To make sure you get a complete picture of your legal rights, you may choose to speak with a personal injury attorney in Chicago to learn about your option as well as who may be held financial liable for your suffering.
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Chicago Motorcycle Accident Leaves Passenger Dead

July 21, 2015 | By Dave Abels

The typical Chicago driver feels a degree of control over his or her safety while behind the wheel of a car. While this may be somewhat misguided considering that the actions of other drivers can, and often do, lead to car accidents in the city, there is some truth behind the thought: the safer one drives, the less likely one is to be involved in a collision. But even this small though comforting amount of control is relinquished the minute a resident or a visitor foregoes the option to drive and instead becomes a passenger in a car, truck, bus, van, train, or even on a motorcycle.

Passenger safety is complicated because the actions of any driver on the road can put that person’s rights at risk – including the operator of the vehicle in or on which the passenger travels. Not only that but others in the area, like other drivers, also can pose a hazard to passengers as their actions may cause a collision that involves the passenger’s vehicle even if the passenger’s driver did nothing wrong prior to the impact. For these reasons and others, it can be a dangerous business to be a passenger in the Chicago area.
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Chicago Car Accident Leaves 1 Dead

July 20, 2015 | By Dave Abels

Summer is a dangerous time to drive in the Chicago area. While it may seem like an ideal season to hit the roads because of optimal weather, the truth is more complicated and, as a result, there are still plenty of car accidents that happen during the summer in the city. One major factor that impacts safety is the number of tourists that visit Illinois during the summer months. Many of these people are unfamiliar with the streets, their layouts, and normal traffic patterns as they exist in Chicago. This can lead to confusion behind the wheel which may increase the odds of a collision taking place. Another significant factor that can lead to an impact is the prevalence of inexperienced teenage drivers on the road. Many young people go through driver’s education in the summer and even if they have completed their training, those teens are still less knowledgeable than others and still more likely to make mistakes when driving.

If you are involved in a car accident in Chicago, you probably will not be interested in the statistics surrounding the likelihood of your crash or the probability that you would be hit. Instead, you will probably be focused on putting the pieces together after an accident so that you can move forward from the crash. From the damage done to your vehicle to the injuries you sustained, it can be challenging to realize the full extent of harm that happens immediately after a crash and it often takes months to understand the impact that the accident caused. Working with a professional like a personal injury attorney can help remove much of the guesswork surrounding a collision and can help you realize whether you have a valid claim for compensation under Illinois laws. If you were injured, your rights may include monetary relief but only if you act in a timely manner.
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Pitchfork Music Festival Returns to Chicago, Traffic Accidents Possible

July 16, 2015 | By Dave Abels

One of the best things about living in Chicago is the summer festival scene, bringing countless forms of entertainment to the city and allowing residents and visitors alike to partake in the events. Some of the most popular fests that hit the city feature or focus on music and one of those, PItchfork Music Festival, returns to Chicago this weekend.

Celebrating its 10th year, Pitchfork will return this Friday through Sunday in Chicago’s Union Park. Gates will open at 1 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday but the city is primed to feel the impact of the fest before those times. With approximately 20,000 people in attendance last year, the areas surrounding Union Park are gearing up for an increase in the amount of vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic they will experience and are attempting to alleviate congestion issues before they occur.
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Alleged Driver Caught after Fatal Hit-and-Run with Bicyclist

July 15, 2015 | By Dave Abels

In Chicago, no one is endowed with the right to infringe on the safety of others, regardless of who that person is. Yet every day, drivers seem to forget this clear and simple fact when they take to the roads in a negligent or reckless manner, threatening a collision that may leave their passengers, those in other cars, and even pedestrians and cyclists injured or killed. When this happens, local authorities may step in and bring criminal or traffic charges against an errant driver but those charges only work as a punishment after the fact – nothing can ever erase the damage that is caused once a car accident takes place.

The injuries and the pain and suffering that must be endured by a victim or that victim’s surviving family members likewise cannot be eliminated overnight but that does not meant that there is no help available. Rather, the laws of Illinois and of Chicago guarantee victims with certain protections, including the right to seek and obtain financial compensation for their damages. If you have been the victim of a traffic accident in Chicago, speaking with a personal injury attorney can help you realize your legal options and can help you obtain the payment that you deserve.
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Pedestrian Hit by Metra Train in Elgin

July 13, 2015 | By Dave Abels

In 2013, there were 76 train accidents within the state of Illinois alone. That breaks down to a collision involving a train almost every five days with a large number of those incidents occurring in the greater Chicago area. The threat posed by a crash cannot be overstated because of the high risk of serious, even fatal injuries should an accident occur. While a train incident may involve only one or more trains, they often involve a passenger car, truck, or even a pedestrian, meaning that even those who never ride aboard a train can still be at risk for train-related injuries.

When a smaller vehicle or a pedestrian is involved in a collision with a train, injuries are nearly guaranteed and, unfortunately, death is a real possibility for those involved. Following an accident, the victims of that crash are often unaware of what legal options may exist for them and whether they have any protections under the laws of Chicago and/or Illinois, but fortunately, help can be obtained. Speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney can enable those who are hurt to realize whether they have a valid civil claim for their suffering, a type of legal action that may entitle them to financial payment for their injuries. From the medical expenses they incur to the lost wages they missed while off work to the inconvenience and pain they experience, these claims can right some of the wrong done when a crash happens and is the fault of another person or company. As each accident is unique, it is always wise to get the proper information as it applies to your case if you have been hurt.
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Taste of Chicago Starts, Congestion Likely Downtown

July 8, 2015 | By Dave Abels

It’s an annual tradition in the city – Taste of Chicago. An event that draws thousands of visitors to the downtown area to sample some of the town’s wide range of cuisine.

The Taste is not only Chicago’s largest festival but it is also the largest food festival in the world, arriving in mid-July each year. The 2015 celebration begins today at downtown’s Grant Park and will last through Sunday with 33 different restaurants, 15 food trucks, and 12 pop-ups on site for those adventurous enough to try something new. Of course, in addition to the selection of food will be several concerts spread across multiple stages that will run during festival hours.

With so much to do and taste during Taste of Chicago, it is not surprising how many people will flood the downtown area to take advantage of these activities. But this influx of people can make things hazardous for all those who will be driving and/or walking in the Loop.
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Joliet Car Crash Leaves 1 Dead

July 7, 2015 | By Dave Abels

In the minds of many who live outside of Illinois, Joliet gets overshadowed by its larger neighbor, Chicago. But with more than 140,000 residents and as the county seat of Will County, Joliet is a significant presence in Illinois and it should be treated as such.

Joliet boast many appealing sites from its miles of bicycle trails to the Chicagoland Speedway, home to NASCAR races. It can be a wonderful place to live or to visit and tens of thousands take advantage of trips to Joliet every year. But like any other town or city in Illinois, Joliet can still be home to dangerous conditions to those who drive in the area and car accidents in town are far too common. These accidents affect not only the victims who are immediately injured in accidents but also their family members, loved ones, coworkers, and friends and the suffering caused can range in time from weeks to years or even a lifetime. To protect victims, state laws in Illinois enable those who are hurt to seek and obtain financial compensation for their injuries against those who bear legal responsibility for a crash. In some cases, it can be an at-fault driver. In others, it may be a corporation or a municipality. Often, it is an insurance company that may be forced to pay for the harm that results.
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Rollover Car Accident Kills 2 Teens

July 6, 2015 | By Dave Abels

Teens are at a higher risk of being involved in a car accident than are drivers of other age groups, but when it comes to teen accidents, summertime poses the greatest threat. Many teens are out of school and therefore have a lot of additional free time with which they can be behind the wheel. Teens similarly are likely to be injured at this time of year because in addition to being drivers, they tend to be passengers in car accidents involving teenage drivers or they tend to be operating on a learner’s permit – both situations marred by inexperience behind the wheel.

When a car accident happens and people are injured, it is those injured victims and their family members who are forced to sort through the damage and attempt to begin again. In some cases, injuries may be minor and may take only weeks to heal but in others, the damages sustained in a collision can last a lifetime and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of losses. In the worst cases possible, a victim is killed and that damage and suffering will never end.
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