Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Toyota announced last week that it is halting sales of eight different models of cars and trucks sold in the U.S. amid concerns of a vehicle defect that could result in sticking accelerator pedals, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Vehicle defects can lead a Chicago car accident. Anyone who suspects they or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed by a vehicle defect in Illinois, should contact the Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes to discuss their rights.

The Japanese auto maker will cut production at seven Toyota plants in North America after announcing the recall of 2.3 million vehicles. Meanwhile, there are questions about how long Toyota knew of the problem after the manufacturer reportedly admitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it was aware of the issue as far back as 2007.

Worldwide, the unprecedented recall is expected to reach 9 million vehicles, The New York Times reported.

The models, including the Camry and Corolla, account for 56 percent of Toyota's U.S. sales last month. In all, the company has recalled more than 4.8 million vehicles in recent months to address problems with faulty floor mats and/or gas pedals that can result in uncontrolled acceleration.

Safety advocates have linked the problem to more than 2,000 complaints and 19 deaths, the Tribune reported.

Toyota owners with questions are advised to go to Toyota's website or call their local dealership.

Continue reading "Defective vehicles can lead to Chicago car accidents" »

An Illinois State Police trooper was nearly struck by a speeding car during a traffic stop on the Eisenhower Expressway last weekend, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and the Illinois work injury lawyers at Abels & Annes urge everyone to obey the law and move over for stopped emergency vehicles, as well as work vehicles at construction sites. Additionally, please remain extra cautious from the time you see flashing emergency lights; highway accidents often occur when motorists react unexpectedly to what's in front of them and emergency vehicles often signal problems in the road ahead.

In this case, a trooper had a motorist pulled over about 2:30 a.m. on the eastbound Eisenhower exit ramp at Sacramento Boulevard on Chicago's West Side. He had brought two occupants to the rear of his vehicle, with the back door open and the emergency lights flashing, when a maroon four-door sedan sped onto the ramp, hit the squad car's open door, and continued south.

The motorist reportedly ran the red light before continuing southbound on Sacramento. Investigators hope surveillance video from the damaged squad car will help locate the sedan.

Scott's Law, Illinois' "Move Over" law, carries a fine of up to $10,000 and provides for an aggravated offense if alcohol or drugs are involved, which can result in 90 day license suspension and up to two years in prison if an accident results in injury or death.

The law requires Illinois motorists approaching an emergency vehicle with flashing lights to yield the right-of-way by moving to an outside lane whenever possible. The law was named after Chicago Fire Department lieutenant Scott Glenn, who was struck and killed by a drunk driver while assisting at a crash scene on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

Continue reading "Obey Scott's Law to reduce the risk of Chicago car accidents " »

Three people were killed this week in a hit-and-run Chicago car accident, after the driver of a Toyota Camry sped away from one accident and crashed into a car that contained a young mother and her infant, the Tribune reported.

The accident happened Monday night on Chicago's Northwest Side, when the driver slammed into the second vehicle, killing a toddler and two others inside.

The child's mother, who survived the accident, said she barely saw the speeding Toyota Camry, which had its lights off, as it slammed into her vehicle while turning left at Cicero and Parker avenues.

Her 13-month-old son and two family friends, ages 20 and 21, were killed in the accident, ABC7 reported. She was admitted to the hospital while her boyfriend, who was driving the victims' car, was not seriously injured.

The Camry's driver, a 55-year-old Skokie man, was being questioned by police. So far, he faces charges of negligent driving in the fatal wreck as well as leaving the scene of an accident and driving too fast for conditions for the first collision.

Police are also waiting on toxicology results on the driver.

No one was injured when the Camry rear-ended a Ford Expedition in the first collision. But before authorities could be notified, the driver sped off and slammed into the victims' Honda Civic, according to police.

The boy was in a car seat, according to his parents, but the collision sent him partway through the back window. He was pronounced dead shortly before midnight Monday at Children's Memorial Hospital. He was born on Christmas Day 2008.

The federal government is launching FocusDriven this month, the first nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and the personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes have been advocates of raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. In October, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog published a report showing an increase of 25 to 50 percent in fatal accidents caused by distracted driving over the last five years.

In 2008, government statistics estimate 1 in every 6 fatal accidents were caused by distracted drivers -- killing almost 6,000 and injuring more than half a million motorists.

The new agency, FocusDriven, is an outgrowth of a distracted driving summit reported on by Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog in September.

“I first met several of the founding members of FocusDriven at our Distracted Driving Summit, and I’m deeply impressed by their commitment to turn these tragic events into positive actions that will help save lives,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Their stories are not just heartbreaking; they’re also a clear and compelling call to action.”

FocusDriven is modeled after Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), which has successfully changed society’s attitudes towards drinking and driving and sought the reduction of fatal drunk driving accidents.

“It is my hope that FocusDriven will serve as a valuable resource for those who have lost loved ones as a result of the senseless and preventable destructive practice of distracted driving,” said Jennifer Smith, President of FocusDriven, whose mother was killed by a driver talking on a cell phone in a 2008 car accident. “Secretary LaHood and the Department of Transportation’s attention to this topic have helped make it top safety issue. Their efforts have provided hope that we can quickly eliminate this threat and prevent other families from going through what we have experienced.”

FocusDriven also hopes to provide support for victims of distracted driving, educational services and evaluation of new technologies.

"Just as groups like MADD changed attitudes about drunk driving, I believe FocusDriven can help raise awareness and change the way people think about distracted driving," Secretary LaHood said. "Together, I hope we can put an end to this dangerous practice."

For more information, visit www.focusdriven.org.

Continue reading "New agency aims to reduce Chicago car accidents, traffic accidents caused by distracted driving nationwide" »

Chicago premises liability lawyers from Abels & Annes have settled a claim for a Lake County, Illinois resident that arose from a slip & fall on ice that occurred on February 12, 2009 at Citgo gas station and car wash.

Our client went there for a car wash and afterwords he pulled his car out and away from the wash. He put his car in park and exited the car to fix an exterior mirror that had been pushed in by the car wash.

As he exited his vehicle, he slipped on a sheet of ice with his first step out of his car. Once outside his vehicle he could see that water leaking from the car wash had resulted in a sheet of ice that caused him to fall. There were no barricades or warnings of any kind to alert customers of the dangerous condition created by your insured.

Immediately upon falling the plaintiff had an onset of severe hip pain. He was unable to get up on his own and was assisted by another patron. An ambulance was called and he was transported to Lake Forest Hospital’s Emergency Department.

Upon arrival at the Emergency Department he complained of excruciating right hip pain. A history was taken, he was examined and diagnostic tests were performed. He was diagnosed with a comminuted displaced right intertrochanteric hip fracture requiring surgery.

The client was admitted to the hospital and surgery was scheduled for the next day. The surgical procedure was a closed reduction of the right intertrochanteric/subtrochanteric femur fracture with open internal fixation using synthes trochanteric fixation nail system. This resulted in the implantation of substantial surgical metal, including guide pins, fixation nail and screws.

Following his surgery he was evaluated for physical therapy and begun on a course of therapy to work towards healing. Upon discharge he was transferred to Manor Care nursing facility for continuing physical therapy and pain control.

After his discharge from Manor Care he received physical therapy at home and continued to follow up with his surgeon. Additionally, due to his injuries he was unable to drive following the incident. He was only release to drive after April 27, 2009.

Indiana Insurance insured the gas station and paid on the claim. The case settled pre-litigation and the client was saved the expense of a lawsuit.

The federal government issued tough new federal guidelines this week, making texting illegal for all commercial truck and bus drivers.

As the Chicago bus accident lawyers and the Illinois trucking accident attorneys at Abels & Annes reported last fall, the new ban is the outcome of a federal distracted driving summit.

The prohibition is effective immediately, according to CNN. While new Illinois state law already prohibits texting for all drivers, the federal ban targeting commercial truck and bus drivers in important because of the large numbers of out-of-state commercial drivers on Illinois roads.

In 2008, fatal Illinois trucking accidents claimed 136 lives, making Illinois one of the deadliest states in the nation for semi accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe," said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This is an important safety step, and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving."

Truck and bus drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles face fines of up to $2,750.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a driver's eyes are off the road for 4.6 seconds out of every six seconds while texting and texting drivers are 20 times more likely to get into an accident.

Continue reading "Federal texting ban could reduce Illinois trucking accidents, Chicago bus accidents " »

Several Chicago car accidents on the Eisenhower Expressway seriously injured at least nine people last week and caused long delays for motorists.

Last Tuesday, three lanes of the Eisenhower Expressway extension near I-355 were closed for several hours after a three-vehicle Chicago car accident seriously injured a driver, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The crash happened on the inbound expressway about 1 p.m. A medical helicopter transported one person to Lutheran General Hospital.

-Drunk driving and child endangerment charges are pending against a motorist driving a van on the Eisenhower Expressway that flipped over early a week ago Monday in a Chicago car accident that sent six passengers -- including two teenagers -- to the hospital.

The Sun-Times reported that the 19-year-old driver and another passenger fled on foot after the crash but were later apprehended. The remaining six passengers in the van were injured.

Three passengers were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital and three others were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

The driver is facing a DUI charge and two child endangerment charges related to the injury of two teenage passengers, ages 16 and 17.The one-vehicle accident occurred when the van flipped over on the outbound Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) near Cicero Ave. shortly before 2:30 a.m.

-Also a week ago Monday, a dismembered body was found lying in the outbound lanes of the Expressway. Police were investigating whether the death could have been the result of a Chicago pedestrian accident, foul play or suicide.

An 85-year-old man was killed Thursday night in a Chicago pedestrian accident after being struck by a van in the Albany Park neighborhood, according to The Sun-Times.

The 41-year-old driver was cited for driving without a license and striking a pedestrian in the roadway/failure to exercise due care, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported. He was driving a Chevrolet Astro van west on Lawrence Avenue when he struck the elderly man near the intersection of North Springfield and West Lawrence.

The victim was taken to Advocate Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The accident was not a hit-and-run and alcohol or drugs are not believed to be involved, according to police. However, unlicensed drivers are increasingly responsible for large numbers of serious and fatal accidents.

As reported earlier this month on Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog, 1 in 6 fatal accidents involve someone without a valid license, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In Illinois, 202 motorists were killed in accidents involving unlicensed drivers, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Unlicensed drivers are also more likely to be involved in uninsured or underinsured car accidents.

In recent months, Chicago police have targeted motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians. Police are stationing undercover officers near crosswalks at high-risk intersections in an effort to reduce Chicago car accidents involving pedestrians.

Illinois State Police report 2009 was the safest on Illinois roads in 88 years as the number of fatal traffic accidents in Illinois dropped below 1,000. The state reports more than 100 fewer people were killed on Illinois roads last year.

As the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes reported on its Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog, more than 1,000 Illinois car accidents occur every day, injuring 11 people an hour. The state launched the campaign on Nov. 10, reporting 781 deaths with six weeks left to go in the year.

“With the assistance of the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, and local law enforcement, Illinois continues to make great strides in the area of public safety,” said Governor Pat Quinn. “This is a proud and historic day for the men and women dedicated to traffic safety who have made travelling in our state safer.”

A total of 928 Illinois traffic fatalities were reported in 2009, according to MyFox Chicago. In 2008, 1,043 fatalities occurred on Illinois roadways, and in 2007, 1,248 highway fatalities were reported.

“Throughout the year, the Illinois State Police has partnered with the Illinois Department of Transportation and local law enforcement agencies to implement safety programs that target crashes on our roadways,” said ISP Director Jonathon Monken. “There is little doubt the combination of programs designed to address teen driving, impaired driving, and safety belts contributed to successfully reducing Illinois fatalities to their lowest level in 88 years.”

Authorities attribute the decrease in part to a focus on the "Fatal Five" violations responsible for large numbers of traffic crash fatalities: speeding, safety belt use, improper lane usage, following too closely and driving under the influence.

Last year, just 10 states reported fewer than 1,000 traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Continue reading "2009 Illinois traffic fatalities fewest recorded in nearly a century of reporting" »

A Chicago trucking accident involving three vehicles, including a milk truck, occurred about 8 a.m. Saturday on Illinois Highway 53, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The Chicago car accident happened on Highway 53 just north of Kirchoff Road near Rolling Meadows, Illinois State Police reported.

Authorities reported a driver cutting across lanes to make his exit caused the milk truck to roll over and spill its cargo.

The vehicles were headed south, three abreast, when the 22-year-old driver in the far left lane attempted to cut his Toyota Highlander SUV across traffic to make his exit.

The adjacent car swerved to try to avoid a collision. But, in doing so, the Mazda sedan collided with the milk truck. The truck lost control and tipped over on its right side, spilling its load of milk across the roadway.

Both the driver of the Mazda and the driver of the milk truck were taken to area hospitals for treatment of their injuries. The driver of the SUV was uninjured and charged with a lane violation.

Lane violations are a significant cause of serious and fatal Illinois traffic accidents.

In 2008, lane violations were responsible for 146 of 950 fatalities tracked by the Illinois Department of Transportation -- the highest total of any category for which a traffic-control violation was cited as the cause. Almost 6,000 people were injured in more than 35,000 Illinois car accidents attributed to lane violations.

A Near West Side school bus driver is charged with the sexual assault of a high school girl who was the last person on his bus one day last spring, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported.

The 26-year-old West Madison Street defendant was ordered held on $50,000 bail in the Chicago sexual assault case for allegedly attacking a 17-year-old girl on March 24.

The paper reported he was already free on $50,000 for a related case in which he allegedly tried to intimidate the victim in the attack.

The defendant works for Jewel's Bus. Co. and appeared in court wearing his blue company jacket with his name over the right side of the chest, according to the News Center. As reported on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog in September, a personal injury lawsuit and criminal charges were filed against another Jewel's Bus Co. driver in September in connection with the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a boy on his bus.

In this case, the girl was a student at a private South Side alternative school and was being driven home. The defendant is accused of pulling over and taking the girl to the back of the bus, where he fondled her and ordered her to perform sex acts on him. The girl was then driven home and immediately reported the assault. The incident occurred in the 8200 block of South Luella Avenue, according to police.

Since then, prosecutors allege the defendant has gone to the victim's home on three occasions, where he tried to intimidate her. In the most recent incident, authorities allege the defendant restrained the girl and threatened to beat her up.

He is slated to appear in court on Feb. 2, where he will appear on the criminal sexual assault charge.

As children go back to school after the holidays, motorists are cautioned to watch for stopped or turning school buses, children waiting at bus stops and pedestrians in crosswalks.

The Chicago bus accident attorneys and Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have published safe winter driving tips on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog.

Chicago school bus accidents can be caused by either a negligent bus driver or oncoming drivers. Not only is there a serious risk of injured children, but passengers in vehicles involved in an accident with a school bus often suffer very serious injuries, similar to those injured in Chicago trucking accidents.

More than 2,400 Illinois school bus accidents killed 6 people and injured 341 last year, according to statistics released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The vast majority of Illinois school bus accidents occur in urban areas, including Chicago. A total of 2,158 city school bus accidents occurred in 2008, compared to 260 that happened in rural areas.

IDOT reports three people in other vehicles were killed in accidents with Illinois school buses last year, while one school-aged and two other pedestrians were also killed.

Illinois State Police offer a brochure on school bus safety, available by clicking here.

Police report the majority of children injured or killed in school bus accidents are outside the bus and are struck by motorists who fail to stop for the red flashing light. Illegally passing a school bus comes with a three-month license suspension -- a subsequent offense with a one-year suspension and a mandatory minimum fine of $500.

Continue reading "Winter Chicago school bus accidents a concern as kids head back to classes" »