Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

In Chicago, Illinois a truck crash on the eastbound side of the Kennedy Expressway shut down all lanes for nearly an hour on Tuesday early in the afternoon, according to the Chicago Tribune. The collision involved two semi trucks and three other vehicles at Interstate 90/94 near Ogden Avenue.

One truck jackknifed into another truck, puncturing a fuel tank and spilling fuel over the roadway. The Chicago Fire Department's hazardous materials response team was called out to clean up about fifty gallons of fuel. The highway lanes were re-opened once the spill was contained about an hour later.

One person was injured in the truck accident and taken to the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago. The Illinois State Police are investigating the collision and the cause of the crash has not yet been reported.

A Chicago resident has been charged with Aggravated DUI after causing a multiple vehicle car crash in Kane County on Saturday, according to the Daily Herald. The auto accident happened when Santos Christian Romero-Villagrana, 23, rear ended two stopped vehicles that were waiting to turn into a driveway. The car crash happened on eastbound Route 72.

The Kane County Sheriff's Department stated that 7 people were taken to area hospitals after the collision. Three were taken to Provena St. Joseph Hospital, three to Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Illinois and one person was airlifted to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois. It has not yet been reported if the injuries are serious.

Villagrana was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, no insurance, and several other moving violations. Details of the evidence of intoxication were not reported.

Continue reading " Chicago Resident Charged With DUI In Kane County Personal Injury Car Accident " »

In Chicago, Illinois personal injury attorneys were recently awarded a good verdict in a slip and fall case, according to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. The accident happened in the parking lot of the Marriot Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The plaintiff slipped and fell on ice and suffered a torn rotator cuff and a fractured ankle. Both injuries required surgery to repair.

The plaintiff claimed at trial that the defendant negligently removed snow and ice from the parking lot. They alleged that the snow was piled "upstream" of a walkway, and that snow melted and then re-froze on the walkway, and that said condition caused the plaintiff to slip and fall. The defendant claimed that the area had been propery plowed and salted, and that any freezing was a natural accumulation of ice. (Illinois property owners are usually not liable for injuries that result from natural accumulations of ice and snow).

Prior to trial the plaintiff demanded $200,000 to settle and the defendant offered $135,000. The Cook County Jury returned a verdict of $616,788 ($822,383 reduced by 25% for comparative fault).

Continue reading " Chicago, Illinois Premises Liability Lawyers Get Nice Verdict " »

Kendall County car accident lawyers from David Abels & Associates, P.C. have reached a bodily injury settlement with State Farm Insurance as a result of an auto accident that occurred in May of 2007. The car crash happened on westbound Route 34 near Route 47 in Yorkville, Illinois when the defendant exited a McDonald's and failed to yield to our client.

Our client was taken to Copley Memorial Hospital in Aurora by ambulance with headaches and neck injuries. The plaintiff had follow up treatment with a Castle Orthopaedics and Atlas Physical Therapy, both in Yorkville, Illinois. The car accident case settled for $9,100.

David Abels & Associates, P.C. reached another settlement with State Farm this week in a minor back and neck injury case for $3,600.

On the Southwest Side of Chicago, a car accident has killed one person and injured five others, including two Chicago police officers, according to the Chicago Tribune. Eric Gray, 21, of the 2200 block of East 92nd Street was killed when the driver of the car in which he was a passenger struck a squad car.

The car crash happened when the driver of a 2000 Mercury, 25, was traveling westbound on 92nd Street late Wednesday and hit a northbound squad car at the intersection of 92nd and Paxton Avenue. The Tribune reports that the driver, a Chicago resident, was cited with nine traffic violations, including driving while under the influence of alcohol. Gray and two other passengers were in the Mercury.

Gray was pronouced dead several hours after the accident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The other two passengers were taken to local hospitals. The police officers, who were responding to an emergency call at the time of the accident, were also injured.

Continue reading " Chicago, Illinois DUI Driver Kills 1, Injures 5 in Auto Accident " »

In Chicago, Illinois a bus vs. pedestrian accident has resulted in a fatality. A pedestrian who was walking west on on Cermak Road crossing Wabash Avenue was struck and killed by a tour bus at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the Chicago Tribune. The victim was Winston Yu, 54, of the 2200 block of South Princeton Avenue. He was pronounced dead a short time later at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

A 65-year-old man from Maywood was driving the bus at the time of the pedestrian accident and he was issued a ticket for a traffic violation, according to the Chicago Police Department. There were no passengers on the bus at the time of the collision. The accident is being investigated by the Chicago Police Department's Major Accidents Investigation Unit.

Continue reading " In Chicago, Illinois Bus Hits and Kills Pedestrian In Chinatown " »

In Chicago, Illinois 2 police officers were hurt Monday night in a car accident when their squad car was hit by a sport-utility vehicle, according to the Chicago Tribune. The accident occurred at around 11:30 p.m. in the 3400 block of West Belmont Ave. The officers were taken to Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago and later released.

The SUV driver, a 30 year old woman, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago where she was reportedly in stable condition. The car crash allegedly happened when the westbound SUV failed to yield while making a left turn and hit the eastbound police car.

Officer Amina Greer of the Chicago Police Department was quoted as saying the accident appeared to be DUI related, but she did not state what evidence there was of alcohol involvement. No tickets were issued as of Tuesday morning.

Whether the accident was alcohol related or not, the officers both have a good personal injury case against the driver of the SUV. Under Illinois law, a driver turning left has the duty to make sure the turn can be made safely without getting hit by oncoming traffic.

In Chicago, Illinois last week a male passenger died in an alcohol-related single car crash on the Southwest Side, according to the Chicago Tribune. Oscar Salgado, 42, of the 5900 block of South Maplewood Ave., was a front seat passenger when the car he was riding in struck a pole near 33rd and Western Avenue around 2 a.m. on February 10th. Salgado was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chicago and pronounced dead a short time later.

The driver, was a 30 year old male of the 5100 block of South Kolmar Avenue of Chicago. He and another male passenger in the Chicago car crash were injured. The driver was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital and the passenger went to Stroger Hospital an injured leg.

The driver was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. After the Cook County State's Attorney's Office investigates the accident, it is possible that charges could be upgraded to a felony.

Continue reading " Chicago, Illinois Passenger Killed in DUI Car Accident " »

Last week four people were injured in an auto accident when a speeding SUV flipped over on the Kennedy expressway on the Northwest side of Chicago, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The vehicle went up an embankment, flipped over and ejected one person. A preliminary investigation by the Illinois State Police indicated the SUV was northbound on I90 traveling at a high rate of speed and passing other vehicles on the right shoulder. The accident started on the Austin exit ramp, and the vehicle actually came to a stop off the expressway at the intersection of West Gregory Street and North Melvina Avenue.

Two occupants in the car crash were taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, one in critical condition. Two other occupants were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Continue reading " Chicago, Illinois Single Car Roll Over Accident On Kennedy Injures 4. " »

In the Chicago Area suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois, a car driver was killed Thursday night by a Metra train, according to the Chicago Tribune. The car accident allegedly occurred when Robert Wells III of Des Plaines drove his vehicle around down crossing gates at Pearson and Minor Street and was hit by Union Pacific Northwest Train No. 645. A pedestrian was also hurt in the train accident when the car hit him after it spun away from the tracks and ended up on a sidewalk.

Ricky Collins, of Chicago, was the injured pedestrian. He was standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the tracks when he was struck. He was taken to Advocate Lutheran General in Park Ridge, Illinois.

Wells was pronounced dead at Lutheran General shortly after the crash. No other injuries were reported.

Last year 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 was charged with DUI, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The DUI charges against the officer were dismissed last week at a preliminary hearing, as Judge Donald Panarese said there was no indication Officer John Ardelean, 34, was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

The motor vehicle collision occurred in the 2900 block of North Damen in Chicago, Illinois when the officer who was traveling northbound in his SUV crossed the center line and struck a southbound Pontiac. Witnesses also saw the defendant speeding and driving erratically just before the accident.

Continue reading " Chicago Cop Cleared of DUI Charges in Deadly SUV vs. Car Accident " »

In Chicago, Illinois three people were seriously injured early Sunday morning in a car crash on the Ohio Street feeder ramp just west of Orleans Street in River North, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The accident happened when a driver entered the eastbound lanes traveling the wrong direction. The vehicle, carrying two passengers, struck an eastbound vehicle head on.

One vehicle involved, a GMC SUV, had front end damage and a shattered windshield. The other car was a mid-sized Mercury sedan. Two people in the car traveling the wrong way were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, and one person in the other car was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. The Illinois State Police responded to the crash. A Master Sargent with the Illinois State Police is reporting that the injuries in the downtown Chicago accident were serious. It has not been reported if alcohol was involved.

Continue reading " Chicago Personal Injury Auto Accident on the Ohio Street Feeder Ramp " »

Los abogados de accidente de auto de David Abels & Associates, P.C. han alcanzado un arreglo de herida con la Ciudad de Naperville a consecuencia de un accidente de auto que ocurrio en Mayo de 2007. El choque del coche sucedio en el 1600 bloque de Aurora Road, Naperville, Illinois. Nuestro cliente estuvo detrás de un camión del servicio de Naperville esperando para salir un parking del centro comercial cuando el conductor aceleró en el revés y golpeó su coche.

Nuestro cliente fue llevada al Edwards Hospital en Naperville por ambulancia con heridas de espalda y cuello. El demandante sigio el tratamiento en Lakeside Family Practice y fisioterapia en Accelerated Rehab. El caso del accidente de tráfico se asentó con Naperville por $12.500.

Auto accident lawyers from David Abels & Associates, P.C. have reached a bodily injury settlement with the City of Naperville as a result of an auto accident that occurred in May of 2007. The car crash happened in the 1600 block of Aurora Road, Naperville, Illinois. Our client was behind a Naperville service truck waiting to exit a shopping mall parking lot when the driver accelerated in reverse and hit her car.

Our client was taken to Edwards Hospital in Naperville by ambulance with back and neck injuries. The plaintiff had follow up treatment at Lakeside Family Practice and physical therapy at Accelerated Rehab. The car accident case settled with Naperville for $12,500.

A 66 year old unidentified Chicago man was hit and injured by a car last week in Vernon Hills, Illinois as he was walking on Butterfield Road near its intersection with Creekside Drive in the evening hours of January 30th, according to the Lake County News-Sun. The driver of the northbound motor vehicle fled the accident scene. The victim of the Vernon Hills pedestrian hit & run accident was taken to Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Illinois where he was listed in serious but stable condition.

Police are looking for witnesses to the hit and run accident. Anyone who who has information regarding the accident being asked to call the Vernon Hills Police Department's crime prevention office at (847) 247-4888.

Continue reading " Chicago Resident Hurt in Hit And Run Accident In Vernon Hills, Illinois " »

Cook County and Chicago Area, Illinois car and truck accident attorneys could be busy over the next weeks after heavy snow falls. Traffic times are terrible and vehicles are sliding all over the roads. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has issued multiple warnings to be very careful on the roads and to leave yourself additional time to get where you are going.

It took me close to 2 hours to travel from downtown to the North suburbs in yesterday's commute and it took me 90 minutes to get downtown today (and I left for work at 5:45 am).

If involved in an auto accident, click here to visit our website for suggestions on what to do after a collision.

The Illinois State Police is reporting that yesterday there was a 7 car pile up on Interstate 90 just west of Plaines that was caused when a Chicago resident pulled over in the far left land to wipe snow from his windshield. A Palatine resident was injured and taken to Alexian Brothers Hospital. No other injuries were reported.

I am guessing that there will be multiple reports of accidents in Northern Illinois as snow continues to fall.

Continue reading " Chicago, Illinois Personal Injury Lawyers May Be Very Busy With Auto Accidents As Heavy Snow Arrives " »