Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Chicago SUV Crash Leaves 2 Dead

December 30, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Passengers who ride in a car often do not think about their safety. They may focus their attention on something else because as a passenger, it is not their duty to watch the roads or to keep an eye on traffic. Passengers may find themselves using their phones, eating, watching a movie, or even sleeping while someone else is behind the wheel, confident that the driver will exercise caution and use good judgment while the car is moving.

Sometimes, though, a driver fails to act appropriately and instead uses a lack of judgment, causing an automobile collision that may leave a passenger injured or even killed. When this happens, an injury lawyer can help a victim or the victim’s family understand the laws of Chicago and whether the victim may be entitled to bring a claim for financial relief against the driver. These claims are brought in civil court and are separate and distinct from any traffic-related charges brought by the State of Illinois.

It can be hard to tell just what led to a collision and whether the negligence of one or more drivers was responsible but experts often are able to deduce the needed facts in these situations. Police are still investigating a Sunday morning collision that left two people dead in an effort to determine the cause of the crash and whether any other factors were in play. Right now, it appears that a male in his 20s was driving an SUV northbound in the 3700 block of South California Avenue shortly before midnight. The driver may have lost control of the SUV and left the road’s surface, striking a utility pole and causing a crash. The male driver as well as his female passenger, who also is believed to have been in her 20s, were killed in the incident and were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators are exploring every possible explanation for the incident right now but it is still not known what caused the driver to lose control of the SUV in this crash but common causes including speed, distraction, and intoxication will be considered during the course of the investigation.

Passenger Killed in Oswego Head-On Crash

December 29, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Drivers are charged with certain responsibilities and obligations to the passengers they transport. In Chicago, drivers must act with due care and exercise good judgment to put the safety of others first. Failing to use caution and care may result in a collision, and if a passenger is killed in a crash, the driver may face serious consequences. In addition to any traffic or criminal charges assessed by the State of Illinois, the victim’s surviving family members may be entitled to bring a claim for wrongful death against the negligent driver.

A wrongful death claim can be brought so that victims can seek to recover the compensation they deserve. Though no amount of money can properly compensate a family for the loss of their loved ones, the payment may be able to help ease the financial strain of losing a family member who helped contribute to the family’s financial and emotional success. A lawyer can help you understand whether you may be entitled to bring a claim for your losses after an accident claims the life of your loved one.

Unfortunately, it appears that a driver may have been negligent in a Friday crash that led to the death of her young passenger. The incident happened in Oswego on Route 30, east of Fifth Street and occurred shortly before 7:00 p.m. Two cars were involved in a head-on crash when one car crossed the center line of Route 30 and entered the path of travel of the second car. The impact was reportedly significant and led to injuries to the driver and passenger of the first car and the driver of the second car. The first car’s driver, a 24-year-old female, was transported by ambulance to Rush-Copley Hospital where she was expected to survive. The 61-year-old male driver of the second car was treated by medical personnel and released some time later. But the 21-year-old male passenger of the first vehicle succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by officials responding to the crash.

At this time, officials belief that the driver of the first car crossed the center line, causing the collision, but they are not sure what led the driver to cross, if in fact that is what happened. Impairment is not believed to be a factor at this time. Police are conducting an investigation into the incident to determine if one or both of the drivers were at fault and what factors caused the collision and caused the young victim to lose his life.

Father Charged in Chicago Drunk Driving Crash that Killed Son

December 26, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Driving under the influence of alcohol is not just against the law but it is also incredibly dangerous. Every year, thousands of drivers are killed across the nation in drunk driving incidents including many in Chicago. The truly tragic thing is that none of these deaths need to occur; instead, anyone who drinks should refrain from driving and seek alternative transportation like a taxi, train, or a designated driver.

It appears that a Chicago accident claimed the life of a four-year-old boy last weekend and that the accident might have been caused by the boy’s father who reportedly admitted to drinking before driving. Police have reported that the 46-year-old father was driving on the Dan Ryan Expressway over the weekend when he veered right and struck a guard rail twice. Reportedly the oldest child in the car, a four-year-old male, was ejected and flew through the rear window. The driver pulled over to check for damage on an off-ramp and noticed that the boy was gone. According to police, the man did not realize the child had been ejected before he stopped his vehicle for inspection.

Emergency crews responded to the scene of the crash and found the young boy on the side of the road, unresponsive. They transported the child to Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago but the boy’s injuries were too severe. He was pronounced dead a short time later while still at the hospital.

Police reportedly interviewed the 46-year-old driver about the incident and they stated that the man admitted to drinking alcohol earlier in the evening. Allegedly both beer cans and an empty bottle of vodka were found in the vehicle. The man, who police say had bloodshot, glassy eyes, was arrested and charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless homicide. If convicted, the man may face loss of a license, incarceration in prison, and fines, among other penalties.

The driver’s wife and three other children were in the car at the time of the incident but it appears that none of them were injured. The driver sustained a broken rib for which he received medical treatment.

Hit-And-Run Critically Injures 3 in Chicago

December 23, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Drivers sometimes fail to realize that an accident can occur to them at any time and at any place. This is because even if you drive as safely as possible, you may still be at the mercy of the other drivers on the road. Even a short time driving in Chicago will illustrate the fact that drivers tend to speed, run red lights, and fail to completely stop at stop signs. Any of these negligent acts can and often does lead to a collision, some of which cause serious injuries.

When an accident results, the laws in Illinois and in Chicago require that all drivers involved remain at the scene until they are cleared by police with very few exceptions. Failing to abide by this law is generally described as a hit-and-run and it is very serious. In addition to any underlying traffic charges stemming from a crash, a fleeing driver may also face a misdemeanor or criminal charge for fleeing the scene of an accident, potentially resulting in fines, a loss of license, or even incarceration.

But the penalties leveled by the State of Illinois may just be the beginning of the effects felt by a negligent fleeing driver. The injured victims of a crash can choose to retain a lawyer and to bring a claim for their damages against the responsible driver, seeking monetary compensation for their injuries and their pain and suffering.

A hit-and-run accident can affect any type of individual near a street, not just those in a car. Rather, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians are victims of fleeing drivers every year in Chicago and often, they are more seriously injured than they would be if they had been traveling in a car.

That appears to be the case in a West Rogers Park accident last night around 8:30 p.m. Police have reported that an unknown driver in a black Toyota Avalon was driving west on Devon Avenue and approaching Maplewood Avenue. Three individuals were walking in the area and the driver allegedly struck all three, a 72-year-old woman, a 68-year-old man, and a 28-year-old man.

All three victims were left in critical condition and were transported to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston for evaluation and treatment of their injuries. The driver of the Avalon reportedly fled the scene of the crash without stopping to see if any victims were injured and without calling for help. Anyone with any information regarding the driver involved in this crash is asked to contact the Chicago Police Department.

Chicago Accident Lawyers Receive $92,879 Award at Arbitration on Behalf of Car Crash Victim

December 20, 2013 | By Dave Abels

The lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C., working with co-counsel, recently received an award of $92,879.00 on behalf of one of their car accident clients, a victim whose life was altered when she was involved in a 2009 collision.

The underlying accident involved our client who was driving a car near Oak Park Avenue and Cornelia in Chicago in 2009. She was heading northbound when a second vehicle ran a stop sign and T-boned our client’s car. The at-fault driver fled the scene of the crash without speaking with police and without checking to see if our client was injured.

Immediately following the crash, our client complained of pain in her neck and along the left side of her body, the side that was exposed to the brunt of the impact. She received treatment at a local hospital and also sought additional medical treatment after her release from the hospital for multiple injuries including neck and back pain. Later tests would show that she suffered a herniated disc for which she received conservative therapy and steroid injections, providing her with relief from the pain.

The insurance company at issue in this case underplayed the severity of the accident and routinely claimed that our client was not as injured as she claimed. The case was recently resolved out of court by a process known as arbitration, which involves neutral parties deciding the fair and appropriate relief a victim is entitled to. In this case, three arbitrators determined that our client rightly deserved payment in the amount of $92,879.00 for her injuries and pain and suffering.

Though the at-fault driver fled the scene, police were later able to identify the owner of that vehicle through the results of their investigation. The owner of the at-fault vehicle was uninsured and therefore our office brought a claim for relief against the victim’s own insurance in what is known as an uninsured motorist claim. The laws in Chicago and Illinois specifically provide for this type of relief in the event that a driver or passenger is injured in a crash with another individual who does not have insurance.

Motorists who buy insurance in Illinois are offered the option of purchasing this uninsured coverage and it is an extremely good idea to not only buy uninsured coverage but to make sure you have enough of it to adequately protect you and your loved ones in the event of an accident. Since you cannot control what other drivers do, you can be in a crash at any time and it may involve another driver who does not have valid insurance, even though driving without it is against Illinois law. In the event that this happens to you, the coverage you carry on your own policy would “step into the shoes” of the responsible driver and would provide you with a means of recovery so that you can be properly compensated for your injuries and pain and suffering.

Impaired Truck Driver Sentenced to 4 Years for Accident

December 19, 2013 | By Dave Abels

On average, semi truck drivers travel more roads each year than other types of drivers and log more hours on the road. Despite the increase in time of the roads, semi truck drivers are involved in a relatively low percentage of crashes. However, when an accident with a semi occurs, the accident is much more likely to be severe and more likely to cause serious or even fatal injuries.

If a truck accident occurs due to the negligence of the driver, the driver may face traffic or criminal charges following the crash. Yet in many cases, these charges are just the beginning of the legal trouble that may result from a negligence crash. Under the laws of Chicago, the victims of truck accidents may be entitled to seek compensation against all negligent parties, whether they are the driver, the owner, or a maintenance worker employee who performed work on the truck. An injury lawyer can help you understand whether you may have a valid claim after your crash and whether you may be entitled to relief.

Local authorities recently announced the conclusion of criminal charges stemming from a 2009 crash that was blamed on a Chicago semi truck driver. According to court records, the 37-year-old truck driver was operating his semi in August of 2009 near Interstate 90 and Highway 53. Traffic was stopped in the area of an exit ramp as the truck driver approached, unable to control his vehicle. He struck the rear of a passenger car with significant force. After the collision, the female driver of the car became a quadriplegic from her injuries, which continued to deteriorate and later claimed her life in 2010, just over one year from the date of the accident.

Officials at the scene of the crash performed an initial investigation into the accident. The truck driver was taken to an area hospital where blood tests later found the presence of marijuana in his system. Armed with the new information, the truck driver was charged with operating under the influence of drugs in violation of state law. Recently, he received a four year prison sentence for the charges.

Train Strikes and Kills Woman in Chicago

December 18, 2013 | By Dave Abels

To this day, Chicago remains a major shipping destination for freight to be delivered across the nation and the globe by rail. Train tracks and rail lines crisscross the city, leaving an impression that all goods must reach Chicago by train. In addition to shipping freight, the city itself uses elevated and subterranean trains in its public transportation scheme from the far reaches of the city’s outskirts to the downtown loop. Add in the suburban train traffic handled by Metra and it is no wonder that trains can impact nearly every aspect of city life.

Most of the time, the trains in Chicago move from one location to another without incident. There may be delays or complications but accidents are rare. However, when a train accident does occur, often it is serious or even deadly. When two trains collide, the incident can affect thousands of passengers and leave those on the train at risk of serious injury, yet the most serious accidents often involve only one train. A large, heavy, fast-moving train that collides with a passenger car, or worse, a pedestrian, is almost certain to leave devastation in its path.

It appears that a tragic incident between a train and a woman occurred late Tuesday night in Chicago on the northwest side. Police have reported that a 56-year-old female was in the area of the Galewood Metra stop when a collision occurred between the woman and a train. It is not yet known why the train and the victim were in the same place at the same time or whether any safety procedures failed to warn the woman of the approaching train.

Emergency crews responded to the incident which occurred around 10:30 p.m. yesterday and the woman was transported to Loyola University Medical Center for treatment of her injuries. Doctors were unable to safe her life in the end after what was described as serious leg injuries. The woman was pronounced dead as a result of her injuries.

When negligence is the cause of a train accident, the laws of Illinois and of Chicago provide victims and their families with certain rights, including the right to bring a claim for financial damages against the responsible employee, the responsible rail line, or even the responsible individuals in charge of a station or crossing. The facts of each accident and the cause of each crash determine what claims may be available to victims.

Five Vehicle Crash Leaves 13 Injured in Bellwood

December 16, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Lawyers who represent accident victims for the injuries they incur understand something: car accidents can happen at any time, to any driver. Even the best driver in Chicago may become the victim of a crash, potentially suffering injuries due to the negligence of another.

This time of year presents no exceptions. As winter begins to blanket the roads in snow and ice, many accidents occur that may otherwise be avoided. Often the weather is blamed for these crashes, but in most cases, the weather is a factor that combines with some behavior exhibited by one or more drivers to create an accident. It could be that a driver was traveling too fast for conditions or was following too closely to the car in front of him. It could be that the driver did not leave enough distance to stop his or her car for a stop sign or red light, traveling into an intersection against traffic and causing a crash. Or it could even be that a distracted driver fails to notice a change in road conditions and fails to adjust to the change, potentially creating a dangerous situation or even causing a collision.

Regardless of what factors led to an impact, if you have been injured in an accident in Chicago, you may be entitled to bring a claim for relief against a negligent, responsible driver. Speaking with an injury attorney can help you understand your legal options and whether you may be entitled to a financial settlement.

Police are not sure what led to a five car collision on Sunday in the area of Bellwood at this time but they are investigating the crash, which left 13 people injured, including four children. The injured victims were removed from their respective cars and transported to area hospitals for evaluation and treatment of their injuries but the current conditions of the victims remains unknown. Police have confirmed that the crash caused significant damage to all of the vehicles and all five cars were towed from the scene of the crash.

The collision occurred near Mannheim and Saint Charles around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday and police are looking into whether the snowy weather was a factor leading to the crash. At this time, though, they are not sure if multiple drivers committed errors or whether any driver acted in a criminal manner. Charges could be issued depending on the results of the investigation.

Alzheimer’s Patient Freezes to Death Outside Care Facility

December 14, 2013 | By Dave Abels

The population across the nation is aging, and with an aging population comes a greater demand on the medical services directed at the elderly population. This may include hospice care, nursing homes, extended medical stay facilities, or even hospitals because older individuals are likely to have medical issues, whether acute or chronic.

The families of these elderly Chicago residents want to believe that their loved ones are getting the care and attention they deserve and need, one of the reasons many families say they make the decision to place their loved one in a nursing home. In some instances, the desired care is provided and the family can rest assured. Too often, though, nursing homes fail to provide quality care to their residents, leaving the residents to suffer. Injuries may occur to the elderly or even worse, death.

Reports out of Washington indicate that negligence may have been a factor in the death of an 88-year-old nursing home resident’s death. On Friday morning, employees of the home noticed that the woman had been left outside for some time, leading the woman to freeze to death. Nursing home doors leading outside were not locked at night, leaving the family of the victim to wonder why the doors were open, allowing the woman to exit the home. It is also not clear why no employees noticed that the woman was not in her room or why they failed to notice her just outside of the building’s doors.

The victim was found outside shortly after 1:00 a.m. when temperatures were at just 28 degrees. She suffered from Alzheimer’s disease which is characterized by disorientation, memory loss, confusion, and poor decision making skills. When caring for patients with Alzheimer’s, additional care needs to be taken to make sure that these individuals are not a danger to themselves.

The employees of a nursing home are responsible for the care provided to the residents and must comply with local and federal laws. Failing to abide by the proper governing principals of a nursing home can lead to injuries that may spur a civil claim for damages brought by a victim or a victim’s family and against the home. These claims are a legal means for an injury victim to seek proper compensation against those who were negligent in causing harm, whether the negligent party is an employee, a physician, an owner or a nursing home, or another individual.

Pedestrian Bridge near Mundelein Metra Station May Increase Safety

December 13, 2013 | By Dave Abels

The more an area is used by both motorists and pedestrians, the more likely that collisions between the two groups will occur. In Chicago, there are walkers and drivers on every street and in every intersection but in some of the suburbs, these shared areas are much less common. Yet in nearly every suburb, the areas surrounding Metra stations see hundreds if not thousands of cars and pedestrians every weekday.

Victims of these accidents are almost always likely to sustain injuries that can range from mild or severe. When a pedestrian accident is caused by the negligence of a driver and the pedestrian sustains injuries, the laws in Chicago and the surrounding cities may entitle the victim to bring a civil claim for any damages incurred. Whether or not a claim is available is something that an injury lawyer can help you learn after an accident.

But in the end, even making a recovery for injuries is not as good as preventing an accident from every occurring. Officials in Mundelein feel this way and believe that the addition of a pedestrian bridge may separate types of traffic enough to reduce collisions, preventing injuries and saving lives.

At a Village meeting earlier this week, officials confirmed they will re-apply for the Illinois Commerce Commission Grade Crossing Safety Fund which provides up to $2 million to help address the issue of pedestrian traffic safety and to reduce pedestrian accidents.

The bridge, if funded, will connect the Metra station in Mundelein with an area that will host a new village hall that will open next summer. Other businesses may be entering the area as well, providing both Metra and non-Metra users with a safe, efficient means to cross the area safety and without the risk of oncoming traffic. The bridge is planned to be 150 feet wide and will provide a shorter means of travel from the two areas to be linked than what currently exists.

In addition to reducing potential pedestrian accidents, village officials also believe that pedestrian traffic may be more easily controlled in the area, leading to a more efficient use of the property and of the surrounding streets.