Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Several Children Hurt after School Buses Collide

June 28, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Two school buses full of kids and adults collided in Des Plaines on Friday morning, sending seven to the hospital for examination and treatment. The buses were part of a Des Plaines Park District day camp program with children between the ages of five and 10 on board. The buses were to take the children from Lake Park to a Glencoe beach that morning and the buses loaded as planned.

It appears that one of the buses rear-ended a second bus. In all, there were 73 children and 12 adults, including two drivers, on the buses at the time of the crash. Early reports indicate that one bus cut off another, causing the second bus to strike the first in the rear. The park district contracts the buses for its events but the drivers are reportedly park district employees.

Fortunately the majority of people were unharmed in the accident though seven children were taken to area hospitals. Those who were injured were expected to recover from what appeared to be minor injuries. The parents of all of the 73 children were reportedly notified of the incident, which occurred around 10:17 a.m.

Parents place their trust in school districts and parks programs when it comes to the care and transportation of their children. While school buses may seem like a safe option for your children, the truth is that thousands of children are injured in school bus accidents every year. When a bus is involved in an accident, children may get hurt due to the lack of seatbelts or the great number of students within the bus. Without standard safety features like air bags, these accidents can turn critical or even deadly.

It is fortunate that no one was seriously hurt in this accident but too often, that is not the case. Sometimes what appears to be a minor crash can leave children with serious injuries that require medical treatment, including surgery, hospitalization, and rehabilitative care. When an accident like this occurs, the last thing a parent should have to deal with is an insurance company that gives them the run-around with a claim.
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While Chicago Celebrates, Safety Should be Kept in Mind

June 26, 2013 | By Dave Abels

The Chicago Blackhawks did the city proud on Monday night by winning the NHL championship and bringing Lord Stanley’s Cup back home where it belongs. Attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. are big Hawks fans, and law partner Dave Abels was lucky enough to attend Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final and Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. Law Partner Gary Annes was able to attend a first round game.

The city has been celebrating since the moment the championship was clinched and it will keep celebrating if past years are any indication. Fans deserve this time to enjoy the Blackhawks’ success and to have fun with other fans but while celebrating, it is still a good idea to keep safety in mind.

This is primarily true in areas with heavy populations, like Chicago, though the celebrations will no doubt filter throughout the state. Most celebrations include groups of people getting together to have a good time which means that streets, bars, and restaurants may be more crowded than normal. This can lead to a dangerous situation if people are not careful.

As the city begins to fill, keep in mind that some may not be familiar with the area, the roads, or how to get from one place to another. Allow extra travel time if you plan to go anywhere within the city and be on alert for for others.

Pedestrians may be more likely to dart out into traffic or to cross streets mid-block. This is a danger for the pedestrian and for the drivers of cars on the roads so it is important that everyone pay attention. When a pedestrian and a car collide, severe injuries often result and sometimes the pedestrian is killed.

This will continue through Friday, the scheduled victory parade that will wind through the streets of downtown to thousands of supportive fans. Even with a marked parade route and pedestrian barricades, the chance of an accident involving a pedestrian is high. As a pedestrian, you should take steps to understand the appropriate places to cross a street and to watch the parade. Never step in front of a car or assume that a car will yield to you as you walk. As a driver, you should anticipate the unexpected. Do not be surprised if a pedestrian runs out into the street and into your path of travel. Be prepared to stop at any moment and pay attention to other vehicles and walkers.
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Truck Hits and Kills Motorcyclist in Illinois

June 25, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A collision outside of Springfield left a 57-year-old woman dead and another injured on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred on Illinois 16 in Pana at about 2:00 p.m. and local police are still investigating.

The crash involved a Harley Davidson motorcycle carrying a 57-year-old male driver and a 57-year-old female passenger. The biker slowed the motorcycle, intending to turn into a parking lot before U.S. 51. A semi truck was behind the motorcycle and failed to slow down to avoid a crash. The truck rear-ended the motorcycle, ejecting both riders from the bike and injuring them. It is not clear whether the semi truck driver was hurt in the collision.

Emergency crews responded to the scene of the crash and transported both motorcyclists to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. The female passenger was airlifted to the hospital but did not survive her injuries; she was pronounced dead at St. John’s on Wednesday. The male driver is expected to survive but his current condition and the extent of his injuries are not currently known.

The 34-year-old truck driver has been charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision but it is possible that more charges could be brought, depending on the results of the investigation being conducted by the police.

Collisions between semis and motorcycles cause some of the worst injuries in any accident. The massive size and weight of a truck compared to the small size, weight, and lack of protection of a motorcycle makes it very difficult for a rider to escape injuries when hit by a semi. Not only that, but the weight of a loaded semi truck makes it difficult to slow or stop the vehicle in time to prevent an accident. These are reasons that truck drivers must exercise extreme caution when on the roads and always put safety first. From the early reports, it sounds like the truck driver in this case did neither.
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CTA Driver Burned by Coffee-Throwing Rider

June 24, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A CTA bus driver was performing his job on Friday evening when an irate passenger threw hot coffee on him, seriously burning the driver’s face. The incident occurred near the Jefferson Park transit center on the north side around 10:00 p.m.

The CTA driver was operating a bus on the 85A/North Central Avenue route and was in service but was stationary at the terminal when a male passenger boarded the bus. The passenger accused the driver of failing to pick him up earlier; though the driver attempted to explain that the passenger had not been at a designated stop and therefore the driver did not know the man wanted to be picked up, the passenger did not except the driver’s explanation. Enraged, the passenger took a cup of hot liquid, believed to be coffee, and threw it in the driver’s face.

The driver was taken to Resurrection Medical Center but was later transferred to Loyola University Medical Center to receive treatment in the burn unit. The driver’s current condition is not known but authorities have stated that the driver suffered second degree burns to his face, scalp, and arm that may result in permanent scarring. The passenger is currently being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Police responded to the incident and arrested the 32-year-old male passenger. He has been charged with aggravated battery to a transit employee and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. After his arrest, police say the suspect admitted attempting to flag down the bus but falling and injuring himself. The man said this angered him and led to his rage aboard the bus that culminated with him throwing his coffee. The CTA has said the incident was caught on security camera.

In this case, the CTA driver was obeying the rules and regulations set forth by the Chicago Transit Authority and was just performing his job when he was injured by the intentional actions of a passenger. Cases like this leave employees injured and hurt, often unable to work. Some of these injuries may be permanent. To protect employees, the law allows workers to bring claims when they are hurt on the job.
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2-Year-Old Boy Dies after Drowning in Bartlett Pool

June 22, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A young boy died Tuesday evening from injuries he suffered while submerged in a swimming pool on June 14, 2013. He was just two years old.

The incident happened on East Country Drive in Bartlett. Police and fire crews responded to a report of a drowning child around 1:40 p.m. on June 14 and when they arrived, they found a 2-year-old boy in the water. Officials removed the boy and transported him to a local hospital where doctors treated him for his injuries but the boy did not survive. He was pronounced dead this week at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.

It is not clear who owned the home where this incident occurred but officials have stated that it was not where the child lived. Right now, the drowning is being called a tragic accident that claimed this young boy’s life.

While all of the facts may not yet be known, what is clear is that a 2-year-old tragically lost his life while at the home of another. Unfortunately drowning claims the lives of too many children every year and many of these accidents occur in Illinois. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that children aged one to four have the highest drowning rate of any age group in America. Drowning accounts for 30 percent of the accidental deaths that occur to these children in any given year with only car accidents being responsible for more accidental deaths than drowning. Swimming pools are the most common location for childhood drownings and thus responsible for a large number of fatalities.

To aggressively combat these unnecessary deaths, the State of Illinois has passed regulations regarding safety devices and pool designs. In addition, many cities, counties, or townships have additional requirements that must be followed. For example, swimming pools in Illinois must be completely surrounded by a fence or wall and gates in the fence or wall must be self-closing and self-latching as well to keep unintended users out of the water. Bartlett requires a fence or wall around a private pool to be at least four feet high and that the latches on any gate be at least four feet above the ground. The pool regulations issued by Bartlett specifically state that a pool enclosure must be used “sufficient to make such body of water inaccessible to small children.”
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Driver Flees after Hitting Boy, 13, in Aurora

June 21, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Aurora police are searching for the driver of an SUV that struck a young boy and fled the scene on Wednesday evening. The suspect is female and was driving a dark-colored Nissan Pathfinder at the time of the crash.

Police say that the child, a 13-year-old male, was crossing Talma Street in Aurora at its intersection with 5th Avenue around 5:00 p.m. This is a four-way intersection in a residential area with relatively low traffic. There are marked pedestrian crosswalks for travel in each direction at this intersection yet the suspect allegedly struck the teen as he crossed. Without stopping, the driver continue on eastbound 5th Avenue and turned onto Jackson Street.

The child suffered serious head trauma and was transported to nearby Rush-Copley Medical Center. Due to the nature of his injuries, the teen was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood for treatment. His current condition and the extent of his injuries are not known.

Police want to speak with anyone who may have witnessed the accident or the fleeing vehicle or anyone who may known something about the accident or driver. The public is encouraged to call the Aurora Police Department with any tips.

If the driver in this incident is apprehended, she may face felony charges in addition to any traffic violations. This is because Illinois law makes it a felony to leave the scene of an accident where someone is seriously injured or killed. Besides committing an additional crime, drivers who flee an accident scene place victims at additional risks. If the driver does not stay or contact the authorities, a victim may experience significant delays in obtaining needed medical treatment which increases the chance of permanent injury or death.
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Motorcycle Deaths Increasing in Illinois

June 20, 2013 | By Dave Abels

New data shows that the number of motorcycle deaths in Illinois is increasing and that deaths in 2012 are up 13 percent from those in 2010. While some are looking for one factor to blame, many think a number of factors are influencing the fatalities.

One reason for the increase may be that motorcycle riding has increased 57 percent in the last decade. With the price of gas and traffic congestion in Chicago, it may not surprise drivers to learn that motorcycles are becoming much more popular. Bikes are easier and can be cheaper to park, adding to their attraction. Though despite this increase in ridership, the number of motorcycle collisions has been decreasing in the state. Fewer crashes but more fatalities has led some to wonder what is behind this new and disturbing trend.

Illinois does not require motorcyclists to wear helmets and riders without helmets are more likely to die in crashes. Motorcycle accidents that are survivable with a helmet may not be so if the rider chooses to forego a helmet or wears a helmet that is not designed for safety. It may sound odd but not all motorcycle helmets are treated the same. Some are constructed and designed to act as a safety device and to limit injuries to a biker’s face and head. Other helmets are designed for aesthetic reasons and to meet the helmet requirement of some states but are not designed for safety. Similarly, riders who choose to wear street clothes instead of protective clothing are also more likely to die when involved in a crash.

Others believe that current riders are less skilled and knowledgeable than those who rode in prior decades and that this lack of skill is leading to fatalities. With an increase over 50 percent in ridership in 10 years, Illinois has seen a lot of bikers that weren’t riding before. Some of these bikers may have been riding in other states and some may have returned to biking after a temporary absence. But speculation is that many of these are new riders who just began biking within the last 10 years, making them less experienced and less tested then some with more time on the road. Safety experts recommend that new bikers take safety courses before they begin riding. These courses regularly cover topics like defensive driving, weather-related hazards, and how to avoid dangerous drivers on the road.

Depending on the age of the rider and the type of motorcycle license sought, Illinois may require a motorcycle road test before granting a motorcycle endorsement on a driver’s license. This should not be confused with a safety course as they are two separate programs. As an added bonus, successful completion of a safety course may entitle you to an insurance deduction with some carriers and under some policies.
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Hockey Brings Injuries for Fans in Two Separate Games

June 19, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Anyone who lives in Chicago knows that sports are taken seriously here. With five professional teams, legendary players, and a history of elite success, fans are fortunate to cheer for their Chicago teams. But this fanfare does not come without risk and when a fun evening turns tragic, it can be difficult to figure out who, if anyone is to blame.

The news has been filled with recent descriptions of fans injured at professional hockey games. With the Blackhawks pushing for a championship and the coveted Stanley Cup, fans have been turning out in droves to watch the games in person. Most of these fans have enjoyed the games without incident but two women have been injured by errant pucks that traveled into the stands.

The fist incident occurred in May when the Blackhawks were facing the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL playoffs. It was game five and the woman was watching the game in person with a friend. A slapshot caused the puck to fly through the air and strike the woman in the head with significant force. The woman was shaken and thought she was fine for a moment but then blood began to run down her head and face. Realizing she was injured, the fan sought medical treatment and learned that she needed five staples to close a gash on her head. She also sustained a concussion and is currently recovering from her injuries.

If this first incident wasn’t bad enough, a second fan was hit with a puck on Wednesday night at the United Center during the Blackhawks’ game against the Boston Bruins. Then, a woman and her daughter were watching the game as a puck flew at them. The daughter escaped injury but the mother was struck in the face and seriously injured. She was transported by ambulance to Rush University Medical Center where doctors stitched a long gash on her face. The mother sustained a bruised retina that left her unable to see immediately after the accident. She now has about 50 percent of her vision and doctors hope that she will regain it fully in time.

Injuries to fans at major league sports events are more common than some may realize. The issue in these cases becomes whether the injury was preventable and whether it occurred due to the fault of someone, including an employee or a company. This is a very difficult determination to make and can take a lot of investigative work and fact finding before the truth is learned.
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10 Year Sentence for Drunk Boater Who Killed Child

June 18, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A Bartlett man who hit and killed a 10-year-old boy last summer with a boat has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated driving under the influence.

The accident happened last summer in the Chain O’ Lakes in Lake County, Illinois. The boy was tubing with his family but lost the rope. As their boat circled back to pick up the child, his family watched as a boat driven by the Bartlett man speed towards and hit the child. The boat ran over him and the propeller caused too much damage to his body for the boy to survive.

The boater was arrested after the incident and tests revealed he had alcohol and cocaine in his system while he was operating the boat. Armed with this information, prosecutors charged the driver with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence. The man pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence and the sentencing phase concluded last week after a two day hearing. During the hearing, the defendant apologized for his actions to the family of the boy and a witness testified that the water was choppy that day, making it difficult to impossible to see a small boy in the lake. The defendant’s ex-wife also testified on his behalf as the two have a mentally disabled daughter that the defendant cares for and supports. Despite this testimony on the defendant’s behalf, the presiding judge sentenced the man to 10 years in prison, the same number of years that the victim was alive.

The family of the victim testified about how this accident has affected their lives. Though they know the sentence will not bring the child back, the family is hoping that this case will deter future boaters from this kind of reckless behavior. They have set up a fund in the boy’s memory and plan to raise awareness for boating accidents.

The tragic thing about any accident caused by a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol is that they are unnecessary and can be prevented. By abstaining from consuming any substance that may negatively affect the ability to drive, a driver of a car, operator of a boat, or other person controlling a motorized vehicle will be safer than those who consume drugs.
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Woman Killed in Bridgeport Hit-and-Run Crash

June 17, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A 21-year-old woman was killed after she was hit by a speeding car in Bridgeport on Friday night. The driver of the car did not stop after the crash and fled the scene and is currently being sought by police.

The crash happened as the woman walked across Morgan Street near the intersection with 32nd Street in Bridgeport. While she was in the street, a dark colored speeding car who was southbound on Morgan hit the victim and threw her in the air. Emergency responders arrived but the woman did not respond and died of her injuries while still at the scene of the collision.

The victim was a well-known barista at a coffee shop just a block away from the crash and was known as a promising local artist. Her interests sought her to pursue her education at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, from which she graduated just last month with a specialization in graphic design.

Traffic on southbound Morgan Street has a stop sign at the intersection with 32nd Street, requiring every vehicle that travels there to yield the right-of-way. There is a marked pedestrian crosswalk on the north side of the intersection as well and pedestrians cross there daily. It is not yet clear whether the driver ran the stop sign or whether the victim was within the crosswalk at the time of impact or whether what citations, if any, will be found by the driver if police are able to locate him.

Anyone with information about this accident should immediately contact the Chicago Police Department.

Regardless of who is at fault, if you are involved in an accident in Illinois, the law requires you to stay at the scene until you have spoken to a police officer and the police officer has obtained your basic information. This law has many purposes, one of which is to have the police and ambulances called if a victim is unable to do so. When a driver flees the scene and leaves a victim unconscious, the victim cannot call an ambulance or otherwise get help, delaying any treatment and significantly increasing the changes that the injuries will become permanent or even turn fatal, as they did in this case.
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