Posted On: November 30, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Train Accident Causies Multiple Injuries

In Chicago, Illinois an Amtrak train has crashed into a freight train causing multiple injuries, according to the N.Y Times. The impact was strong enough to knock passenger seats off their hinges. There were 188 people on board at the time of the train crash, and those most seriously injured were near the front of the train.

The train was going from Chicago to Grand Rapids, Michigan. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The engine of the Amtrak came to rest on top of the freight train. Hydraulic tools had to be used to remove people from the engine car.

Over a dozen ambulances came to the accident site, and emergency workers also set up near by in an elementary school where injuries were assessed. The passengers were divided into 3 groups based on severity of injuries.

One passenger believed the train was only traveling about 15 mph at the time of impact when he heard a loud noise and was lurched forward. The witness thought a lot of people were injured when train seats broke off their hinges.

Click here to read entire story.

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Posted On: November 30, 2007

Illinois State Police Car Crash Kills 2

Outside O'Fallon, Illinois last Friday an Illinois State Trooper lost control of his squad car and collided head on with another vehicle on Interstate 64. Two witnesses have stated that before the auto accident the police car was traveling at an excessive rate of speed without its siren on, according to the Belleville News Democrat. The motor vehicle accident killed two sisters, Jessica Uhl, 18, and Kelli Uhl, 13 of Collinsville, Illinois.

One witness stated the trooper passed by her before the accident traveling at more than 100 mph. A few seconds later the trooper crossed the median and slammed into a Mazda driven by Jessica Uhl. Illinois State Police Officials stated the officer was responding to another accident on Illinois 4 when he was cut off by another car and forced onto the grassy median.

Illinois State Police are still investigating the car crash and reviewing video taken from the State Police Car.

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Posted On: November 29, 2007

Geneva, Illinois Metra Train Accident Kills Pedestrian

In the Chicago area suburb of Geneva, Illinois a pedestrian has been struck by a Metra train on the Union Pacific West Line railroad tracks around 5:30 p.m., according to the Daily Herald. The pedestrian, who has not been identified, died in the train accident. The occurrence took place near the Fox River. The Geneva Police and Fire Departments were on the scene, but there has not been any indication yet as to what caused the accident.

The Federal Railroad Administration reports that train related accidents in Illinois declined in 2006, but statistics for 2007 are not yet available.

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Posted On: November 29, 2007

Chicago Illinois Injury Lawyer in Pedestrian Auto Accident Case Gets Good Verdict

A Chicago Accident Attorney has received a good jury verdict in a pedestrian knock down case, according to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. The plaintiff was struck while in a crosswalk by the defendant who was turning left. The plaintiff sustained a broken arm and various sprains and strains. The defendant contested the extent of the injuries, so the issue at trial was damages. The verdict was for $144,744. The result is especially nice because prior to trial the plaintiff was only demanding $110,000 to settle, and the defendant had offered $80,000. It appears the defendant may have gambled with a low offer and lost.

In Illinois, a driver has the duty to yield to a pedestrian rightfully in a crosswalk. Further, a driver turning left has to make sure said turn can be made safely before doing so, and yield to any oncoming traffic.

The above mentioned verdict was reached in Ealey v. Castagnoli, Cook County Case No. 05 L 9992. The defendant was insured by Allstate.

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Posted On: November 28, 2007

Chicago Blackhawk Wrongful Death Auto Accident Trial Begins

Injury lawyers that filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of former Chicago Blackhawk defenseman Keith Magnuson have moved forward to trial, according to CBC Sports. The lawsuit is pending in St. Louis County, Missouri Circuit Court. The defendant in the case, Rob Ramage, played defense for the Toronto Maple Leafs for several years.

The case stems from a 2003 car crash where Ramage allegedly collided with 2 other cars. He was recently found guilty of various forms of DUI charges in criminal court and is scheduled to be sentenced in January, 2008. Ramage himself underwent hip surgery as a result of the motor vehicle collision. Maguson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Magnuson played in the NHL from 1969-1979, and all of his 589 career games were with the Chicago Blackhawks. He went to the Stanley Cup twice with the Hawks in 1971 and 1973, both times losing to the Montreal Canadiens. He was also captain of the Blackhawks for several years.

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Posted On: November 28, 2007

West Chicago, Illinois Resident Killed in Arkansas Bus Crash

A Chicago area resident has died in a bus accident in Arkansas. He was traveling to visit his mother when a bus he was a passenger on collided with a pickup truck and an 18 wheeler, according to Chicago SunTimes.com. Raul Lopez, 58, was on a Tornado Bus Co. bus that was traveling from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, Texas. He was 1 of 47 people on the bus.

The motor vehicle collision happened in the rain on Interstate 40 in northern Arkansas around 10 pm on Sunday night when the bus crossed a median, hit the pickup, and then hit the larger truck. Lopez, another passenger, and the driver of the pickup truck died in the crash. Arkansas State Police are still investigating the crash, which seriously injured several more people.

Lopez was a father of 4, grandfather of 5, and worked in manufacturing. His mother lives in Mexico, and he usually drove there, but no one was available to make the trip with him. Lopez thought his vision was not good enough to drive at night, so he took the bus.

Another Chicago area man, Marcos Valencia, of south suburban Crete, Illinois was also seriously injured in the bus crash. He was taken to a Memphis hospital for surgery was was still in critical condition as of Monday.

Click here to read entire story.

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Posted On: November 27, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Workers' Compensation Lawyers Reach Settlement

Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers from Abels & Assoc. just settled a workers' compensation case for a Chicago resident who was injured when a forklift rolled over and lacerated his right foot in the course of his employment. He has fully recovered and the case has been settled for just over $18,000. The settlement has already been approved by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.

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Posted On: November 25, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Auto Accident Kills 2 - Police Officer Charged With DUI

A Chicago, Illinois car crash early Thanksgiving morning resulted in the death of 2 people, and the off duty Chicago police officer that caused the collision has been charged with DUI, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. As of Saturday, the families of the deceased have already hired a Chicago wrongful death lawyer to represent them. The motor vehicle collision occurred in the 2900 block of North Damen when the officer who was traveling northbound in his SUV crossed the center line and struck a southbound Pontiac.

The two men that were killed were ages 22 and 21, and they were life long friends from Cicero, Illinois. The officer, age 33, is assigned to the Belmont district, and is being relieved of his duties from the Chicago Police Department. He is scheduled to appear in traffic court in January, 2008. The charges could be upgraded, and that decision will be made by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

This is the second time this week that an off duty Chicago Police Officer has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol as related to fatal motor vehicle accidents.

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Posted On: November 24, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Personal Injury Lawyers Reach Premises Liability Settlement With CHA

In Chicago, Illinois personal injury attorneys from David Abels & Associates, P.C., working with the Lake County firm of Trobe & Babowice reached a premises liability settlement for $275,000 with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). The plaintiff, a minor, was riding in a stroller and was pushed by another child into a negligently designed lock box that was on the door of a vacant CHA apartment. The actual lock box at issure is pictured below. The child sustained severe eye injuries. The building was being managed by an agent of the CHA, William Green Homes at the time of the occurrence. The lock box was defective in design in that it was a large metal box that protruded approximately 8 inches from the door into the hall. Most lock boxes are much smaller and flush against a door. The lock was especially dangerous in a CHA building where kids play in the hallways.

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Posted On: November 23, 2007

Chicago Motorcycle Crash Leaves 1 Dead and a Cop Charged With DUI

A Chicago police officer involved in a fatal motorcycle accident in June, 2007 has been charged with misdemeanor DUI, according to the Chicago Tribune. A passenger on his motorcycle was killed in the accident. The officer was off duty at the time of the crash and allegedly had a blood alcohol content of .24 (.08 is the legal limit in Illinois).

The motorcucle crash occured in the 4300 block of W. 87th Street in Chicago, Illinois when a eastbound Dodge Charger turned left into the westbound motorcycle. The driver of the Dodge was also charged with DUI.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office reportedly just learned of the officer's high alcohol content this week, and the Chicago Police Department spokeperson could not say why the officer's alcohol results were not released for over 5 months. The spokesperson also said that it was the other vehicle who caused the accident.

From a personal injury lawyer's perspective, the family of the passenger that was killed will most likely file a lawsuit against both drivers in the accident. The driver of the Dodge does appear to be the most at fault party. He failed to yield to oncoming traffic while turning left (which is required by Illinois law) and he was also allegedly intoxicated.

The off duty police officer could also be partially to blame as well, as he had 3 times the legal limit of alcohol in his system at the time of the accident. While he had the right of way at the time of the accident, you cannot help but wonder if he could have avoided the collision if he had not been drinking. If the case is not settled, a Cook County Jury may have to ultimately decide who was at fault in the accident.

Click here to read entire story.

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Posted On: November 22, 2007

Illinois Gov. Hoping to Reduce Auto Accident Deaths and Personal Injuries This Thanksgiving

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has announced on his website that, with the hope of reducing car crash fatalities and personal injury accidents, IDOT, the Illinois State Police, and other local police departments will be cracking down on drivers who do not buckle up this holiday weekend. Police are to take a zero tolerance approach when issuing tickets during this upcoming "Click It or Ticket" campaign.

Law enforcement agencies will be setting up seat belt check points in various parts of the state. The State Police will run over 2,100 details focusing on seat belts, speeding, DUI, and underage drinking in an attempt to reduce deaths and injury accidents. The Governor's Office reports that "in 2006, 17 fatal crashes resulting in 20 fatalities occurred during the five day Thanksgiving holiday weekend."

Over the past several weeks in the Chicago area alone, failure to wear seat belts has been a factor in several serious injury auto accidents.

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Click here to read entire story.

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Posted On: November 21, 2007

Chicago Illinois Car Crash Injures 2 Police Officers

In Chicago, Illinois 2 police officers were injured in a hit and run auto accident on Monday night. The Chicago Police Officers were out of the Harrison District and the accident occurred at 800 S. Sacramento Avenue.

The officers were trying to stop a car in a drug investigation, and the vehicle ended up hitting the police car and fleeing the scene. One officer suffered a broken arm in the collision. The officers were treated and released from Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Most individuals involved in this type of case could potentially have a workers' compensation claim because they were injured on the job, and a hit and run claim to make with there own insurance company. However, here the injured persons are Chicago police officers and there claims are covered by union contract, not workers' compensation or or uninsured motorist coverage. Potentially, if the hit and run driver is ever caught, they could have a civil injury claim against the at fault driver.

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Click here for entire story.

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Posted On: November 20, 2007

Illinois Appellate Court in Slip & Fall Case Affirms Collateral Source Rule

The 3rd District Illinois Appellate Court has affirmed a Bureau County Jury Verdict in a premises liability case against the City of Princeton. The plaintiff was injured when he stepped into a depression on a sidewalk and fell on Main Street in Princeton, Illinois. The plaintiff introduced evidence of over $119,000 in medical bills to the jury. The jury returned a verdict of $170,800 for the plaintiff.

During trial, defense counsel attempted to introduce evidence that the bills were discounted down to $34,888.00 by Medicare. (If a hospital or doctor receive a Medicare payment that is less than the amount billed, the rest of the bill is wiped out by accepting payment from Medicare).

The Court barred the defense from introducing evidence that the bill was reduced to $34,888.00 under the collateral source rule. This rule stops a defendant from informing the jury that the plaintiff has insurance, as a jury may then improperly conclude that the plaintiff sustained no damages.

The appellate court stated that the rule prevents a wrongdoer from taking advantage of contracts that exist between the injured and other parties (like a health insurance contract).

The collateral source rule is very helpful for injury attorneys when trying to settle cases. When negotiating a settlement, we submit medical bills to insurance carriers as part of our demand package. The rule prevents a defendant from trying to reduce a settlement offer by stating that the plaintiff's health insurance carrier already paid the bill. The defendant knows that if we go to court, the full amount of the bill will come into evidence.

Click here to read the Court's opinion in Nick Nickon v. City of Princeton, No. 3-06-0952.

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Posted On: November 19, 2007

DuPage County, Illinois Personal Injury Lawyers Reach Construction Accident Settlement

In DuPage County, Illinois, personal injury attorneys reached a settlement for $490,000 in a construction accident lawsuit. The plaintiff was a laborer loading large rocks into a back hoe owned by Fox Excavating. The laborer was helping clear a trench and a Fox employee that was operating the back hoe dropped the bucket and crushed the plaintiff's foot. $465,000 was paid by Fox's insurance carrier, and an additional $25,000 was paid by the general contractor. The settlement was reached in Curtis Gilkey v.Fox Excavating, et. al., DuPage County Case No. 03 L 493.

Prior to settlement of this lawsuit, there was likely a worker's compensation settlement for Gilkey as well. When injured on a construction site, an employee will automatically have a work injury case under Illinois law regardless as to who was at fault in the accident. Even if you obtain a job injury settlement in Illinois, you are still entitled to bring a claim against a negligent third party who caused the accident. The workers' compensation insurance carrier will then have a lien against the third party settlement.

If injured in a construction accident, or any at work place accident, make sure to consult with an injury lawyer about both a work injury case and a third party negligence case.

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Posted On: November 18, 2007

Lake County, Illinois Single Car Accident Kills 2 Passengers

A Lake County, Illinois single vehicle auto accident has left two men dead after they were ejected from the automobile. The accident happened on Illinois 145 near Edwards Road in North Suburban Antioch, Illinois. The driver of an SUV lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line, and rolled over in a ditch on the east side of the road.

One passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was pronounced dead at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. The driver, who was wearing a seat belt, only sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from Victory Memorial Hospital in Lake County.

Lake County Sheriff’s Dept. and the Antioch Police and Fire Dept. were at the scene of the accident, and the Lake County Sheriff is investigating the cause of the crash. It has not been disclosed if the passengers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The driver has received a ticket for driving too fast for conditions.

David Abels & Associates has handled many single car accident injury cases, some involving very serious injury and/or death. From an injury lawyer's perspective, a single car crash case can be easier to handle as compared to other auto accidents, as there is usually no issue as to who is at fault. Typically the accident is caused by a driver who is traveling too fast for conditions. The only real issue is damages. (Although there could be a comparative fault issue if the victims were not wearing seat belts). In this case we are talking about the worst type of damages, that being the death of two people.

Click here to read entire story.

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Posted On: November 16, 2007

Illinois Car Accident on Interstate 57 Injured 3 People.

An Illinois Car Crash on I 57 at 119th Street in Chicago has resulted in injuries to 3 people, according to the Daily Southtown Newspaper. All were taken to Chicago area hospitals. One injury was critical according to Chicago Fire Department officials.

An Illinois State Trooper stated that one of the vehicles back door was crushed, making it difficult to remove one occupant. The crash happened at 1 a.m. and blocked 2 lanes of northbound traffic. The cause of the accident is still unknown.

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Click here to read entire story.

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Posted On: November 16, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer Reaches Premises Liability Settlement

In Chicago, Illinois personal injury attorneys from Abels & Assoc. reached a premises liability settlement for $20,000 with Jewel-Osco. The case involved a Chicago resident who cut his hand on glass that was protruding from the handle of a grocery cart. The glass was dirty and appeared to have been there for a long time. The store is liable for the injuries because they had constructive notice of the danger, meaning with reasonable inspection they should have discovered and removed the glass from the cart before the plaintiff was inured.

The plaintiff bandaged his hand, but several days later the wound became infected, and he had to seek medical treatment at a Chicago area hospital.

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Posted On: November 15, 2007

2 Chicago Police Officers Injured In Police Car Accident

2 Chicago, Illinois police officers and 1 civilian were injured in a car crash on the morning of November 15 when a private vehicle rear-ended a police car. The accident happened near Kildare Avenue and Wilcox Street in Chicago. As of this morning, all 3 of the injured were in good condition in local hospitals. The officers were taken to Mount Sinai and the person from the other car was taken to Stroger Hospital.

The Chicago Police Department has indicated that if citations are issued, it will be to the other vehicle. Under Illinois law, motorists are required to keep a proper look out for other vehicle in the area, and not to travel to fast for conditions. At first look, from a lawyer's perspective, the officers will have a good civil case against the driver of the other car. From my own experience as a lawyer, usually the car that rear ends another car is found to be at fault.

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Click here to read entire story.

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Posted On: November 13, 2007

Illinois Medical Malpractice Caps Ruled Unconstitutional By Cook County Judge

Cook County Judge Diane Larsen has ruled Illinois' law limiting jury awards for medical malpractice cases unconstitutional. The law imposed a cap on non-economic damages (pain and suffering and disfigurement) of $500,000 against doctors and $1,000,000 million against hospitals.

The ruling was made in Estate of Lebron Abigaile, et. al., v. Roberto Levi Dancona, M.D., et. al., Cook County Case No. 2006 L 012109. The case will now most likely go up on appeal directly to the Illinois Supreme Court.

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Posted On: November 13, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Transplant Recipient Nightmare - 4 Contract HIV

In Chicago, Illinois four transplant recipients have contracted HIV from a high risk organ donor whose infection went undetected, according to the Chicago Tribune. The transplants occurred at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Rush University Medical Center and the University of Chicago Medical Center.

The Tribune reports that an Elmhurst, Illinois based organ donor agency involved in the matter has admitted that a screening questionnaire showed that the HIV infected donor had engaged in high-risk behavior, but the agency still tested and approved the organs for donation.

Whether it was negligent for the agency to approve the organ donation after the disclosure of high risk behavior is an issue that will likely be decided in Court.

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This is the first known case of HIV transmission by organ donation in the U.S. since 1985. There have been approximately 400,000 transplants since then without transmission through donated organs, according to a spokesman for the United Network for Organ Sharing.

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Posted On: November 12, 2007

Illinois Auto Accident Verdict Should Send Message to Insurance Carriers

A recent Cook County verdict in a wrongful death auto accident case may send a strong message to insurance companies. On September 28, 2007 a jury at the Daley Center in Chicago awarded the Estate of Rosetta Frazier, deceased $250,000 in a personal injury lawsuit. The deceased was a passenger in her own car when the defendant driver of the vehicle lost control and rolled over. The plaintiff was ejected from the car and died from her injuries.

Prior to trial at the Daley Center in Chicago, counsel for plaintiff demanded $20,000 to settle, and there was no offer from the defendant. You may be asking yourself why the plaintiff's demand was only $20,000 on a death case. In Illinois, the minimum coverage for an auto insurance policy is $20,000 per person, and $40,000 per occurrence. The insurance company normally would only be responsible for the first $20,000 of the verdict. However, here the attorney for the plaintiff, Debra Crystal has indicated she will attempt to collect the entire amount against the insurance company on a bad faith claim. She is alleging the insurance company acted in bad faith by not paying out the $20,000 policy and failing to protect the defendant from a verdict far in excess of the insurance policy. She will attempt to punish the insurance company for not paying on the claim prior to trial.

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Continue reading " Illinois Auto Accident Verdict Should Send Message to Insurance Carriers " »

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Posted On: November 11, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Workers' Compensation Lawyers Reach Settlement For Chicago Lineman

Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers from Abels & Assoc. just settled a workers' compensation case for the Chicago Area lineman pictured below. When he is out and about in Chicago he is often approached by football fans who think he is either Chicago Bear Cedric Bensen, or former Chicago Bear Tank Johnson.

While he certainly looks like a pro football player (6'6" and 250+ lbs), he is actually Kankakee, Illinois resident Andrew Bradley, and he is not a lineman for the Bears, but rather a lineman for AT&T. He is one of the brave guys up on the telephone poles making needed repairs.

He injured his shoulder while lifting a heavy object at work. He suffered a small tear to his supraspinatus tendon that will not require surgery. His work comp. case just settled for $25,000.

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Posted On: November 10, 2007

Kane County, Illinois Truck Accident Critically Injures 2 Teens

A Kane County, Illinois multi-vehicle crash has severely hurt two teens after their vehicle was struck by a semi-truck on November 9, 2007. The Chicago Area teens were traveling in a Toyota Corolla northbound on Meredith Road at it's intersection with Route 38 in unincorporated Virgil Township, Illinois when they were struck and injured by an eastbound Mitsubishi Gallant.

The intersection is controlled by stop signs for north and south traffic on Meredith, and vehicles on east and west Route 38 have no stop sign. After the initial impact, a semi-truck was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision with the Toyota.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois State Police and the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team are investigating the crash. No citations have yet been issued, and it does not appear that drugs or alcohol are an issue. The Toyota Corolla was driven by an 18-year-old female driver and the passenger was a 19-year-old male.

Under Illinois law, it is the duty of a driver leaving a stop sign to yield to oncoming traffic and make sure he or she can cross the intersection safely. While no tickets have been issued, and the investigation in ongoing, it is likely that the teenage Toyota driver was at fault for failing to yield to oncoming traffic. She had the stop sign.

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Posted On: November 7, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Single Car Auto Accident Causes Death of Teenager

A Chicago, Illinois car crash took the life of a teenage girl whose identity has not been released. According to CBS News in Chicago, the teenager was killed when an SUV struck a pole on the South Side of Chicago on November 7, 2007. The one-vehicle accident near 74th St. and Maryland Avenue, Chicago, Illinois according to Chicago Police Department officials.

The teenager was believed to be about 16 years old and was a passenger in the vehicle. A second occupant in the car was hurt and taken to nearby Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. A firefighter also went to Christ Hospital because of getting hydraulic fluid in his eyes while taking victims out of the car.

Over the years, David Abels & Associates has handled many single car accident injury cases, some involving very serious injury and/or death. From an injury lawyer's perspective, a single car crash case can be easier to handle as compared to other auto accidents, as there is usually no issue as to who is at fault. The only real issue is damages. In this case we are talking about the worst type of damages, that being the death of a young woman who had her whole life in front of her.

Another issue that can come up in singe car accidents is when a passenger is injured and an immediate family member was the at fault driver. The issue is whether you can make a claim against your own family member for damages. In many states the answer is no you cannot, or there may be limitations as to such actions. However, in Illinois the answer is yes, you can make a claim against a family member such as your spouse or parent.

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Posted On: November 6, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Auto Accident Kills 5 People - Continued

I recently wrote about a Chicago, Illinois car crash that left 5 people dead. (See Chicago, Illinois Auto Accident Kills 5 People 11/2/07 entry below). The accident was caused by a 29 year old man driving a Volvo at a high rate of speed going the wrong direction on the Eisenhower Expressway on October 28, 2007. The driver crashed head on with an oncoming BMW, caused a large explosion and instantly killed the 4 occupants of the car.

A week later the first wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in Cook County, Illinois. The family of Frida Perez Escalante, 27, one of the occupants killed in the BMW has filed suit against the Estate of Frederick Sy, 29, the driver that caused the accident.

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Posted On: November 5, 2007

Do I Really Need an Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer if Involved in an Accident?

Often I am asked by people calling from the Chicago, Illinois area if they really need a personal injury lawyer when involved in an auto accident, slip & fall, work injury or any other type of personal injury case. The short answer is YES, you definitely want an accident attorney on your side!

I actually tell people that if they want my injury law firm's help, that's great. But if they are not comfortable with me, get different injury attorney. Don't try to go it alone.

I tell potential clients to do this for many reasons. First, you don't want to damage your own personal injury claim. From day one there can be obstacles to overcome in an injury case. Within hours after an accident you may find yourself speaking to the other person's insurance carrier. Injured people often don't realize that the goal of the other side's insurance company is to mitigate damages, meaning they want to pay you as little money as possible. One of the first things they might ask you for is a recorded statement that can eventually be used against you in settlement negotiations.

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The earlier in the case you have a personal injury attorney protecting your rights, the better off you will be. An injury lawyer has the same goal that you do. They want to put as much money in your pocket as possible. Personal injury lawyers take a percentage of whatever money they collect for you. That means the more money they collect for you, the more money they make for themselves. They have a built in incentive to collect as much money as possible for you.

Continue reading " Do I Really Need an Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer if Involved in an Accident? " »

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Posted On: November 3, 2007

Chicago, Illinois School Bus Driver In Deadly Crash Sentenced to 6 Years

A Chicago, Illiois school bus driver that caused a bus accident that left one pedestrian dead and injured eight others was sentenced to 6 years in prison for reckless homicide and aggravated DUI. He admitted drinking prior to the crash and his blood alcohol limit was nearly 3 times the legal limit, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. The accident was earlier this year on May 21.

The driver in the bus crash was Jerry Moncrease, 71, and the victim was Antoine Bolden, 22, a father of 3. Moncrease was employed by Bryden Transportation. Cook County prosecutors said the school bus was traveling as fast as 70 m.p.h. when it hit an SUV on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois at the intersection of Garfield Boulevard and Wentworth Avenue. The crash involved multiple vehicles and Bolden was a pedestiran killed as he was crossing the street.

Bolden's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County seeking damages in excess of $50,000 against Moncrease and Bryden Transportation. My clients have inquired in the past as to why "an amount greater than $50,000" is asked for in many lawsuits. That is the minumum amount to file your case in the Law Division of the Court. Even though this lawsuit may be worth millions, the complaint will usually only ask for an amount greater than $50,000.

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At the time of the fatal accident, Bolden was on his way to see his 7 month old twin boys at a hospital who have health problems and were born 3 months premature. Bolden also had a 21-month-old daughter. While any accident that causes a death is a terrible event, these circumstances are particularily tough. It is likely that Bolden was the provider of income for his three children.

Sometimes auto accident deaths may be worth millions of dollars, but in reality the at fault party may only have a small amount of insurance. An individual driver in Illinois is only required to carry an insurance policy of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per occurrence. In this event, we are dealing with a bus company, so it is likely that there will be millions in insurance coverage. This type of money will be badly needed for the family to survive over the many, many years to come without their father.

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Posted On: November 2, 2007

Chicago, Illinois Auto Accident Kills 5 People.

A Chicago, Illinois car crash left 5 people dead on the Eisenhower Expressway on October 28, 2007. A 29 year old man driving a Volvo was speeding down the highway in the wrong direction and crashed head on with an oncoming car. The auto accident resulted in a fireball explosion and instantly killed the 4 occupants of the car.

The Volvo driver was identified as Frederick Sy, 29, of Chicago, Illinois. He was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The occupants of the other car, a BMW, were badly burned and not immediately identified. Dental records are needed to identify the driver and 3 passengers. The Cook County medical examiner's office has released the identity of one occupant of the BMW as Martha Gonzalez, 24. Frida Perez, 27, and Luis Munoz, 30, were also in the car according to family and friends.

The Illinois State Police are not sure why the driver entered the expressway going the wrong direction. Some witnesses estimate the Volvo was traveling around 100 mph, but Illinois State Police investigators have not yet made a final determination of speed.

Frederick Sy was a graduate of Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, Illinois and was a licensed physical therapist employed at the River Grove branch of AthletiCo.

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