Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

In June of 2008, a 3 year old boy was crushed to death by an iron gate that fell on him at a Cabrini Green CHA property. It is now being reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune that the Chicago Housing Authority and the property management firm of Urban Property Advisors were warned by the federal government of the danger 2 years before the boy was killed and took no action to correct the hazard.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development warned in three seperate inspections that the iron gates were dangerous. The gate in question is located at a Cabrini Rowhouse project in the 900 block of North Cambridge. The gate, which is reportedly 7 feet tall, fell on the child as he rode his tricycle.

Click here to read the entire story.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Injuries to Children & Minors , Personal Injury , Premises Liability , Wrongful Death

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Chicago Area auto accident lawyers from Abels & Annes, P.C. have reached a settlement related to a March 25, 2008 crash that occurred in Oak Park, Illinois. Our client was southbound on Austin Blvd., just south of Austin’s intersection with Madison St. when another driver attempted to make a left turn into driveway without checking for southbound traffic or waiting for southbound traffic to clear. The defendant hit our client as he made the left turn. The at fault driver was ticketed for failing to yield the right-of-way to an oncoming vehicle when he made his left turn, in violation of 625 ILCS 5/11-902.

The plaintiff, a Chicago resident, sustained injuries to his neck, back, shoulders, head and leg. He was seen in the Emergency Room at Rush Oak Park Hospital on the date of the accident. He later sought follow up treatment with a neurologist and a chiropractic physician in Chicago.

The Oak Park car accident case settled for $13,000. AAA insurance is paying on the claim.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Back and Neck Injuries , Personal Injury , Shoulder Injury

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In Chicago personal injury attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C.have reached a premises liability settlement with a Calumet Park, Illinois grocery store stemming from a August, 2007 trip and fall injury. The plaintiff was walking down a grocery store aisle when her foot got caught in a rope protruding from an onion bag that was left on the floor by a stock person employed by the store.

Our client fell hard, sustaining neck injuries and fracturing her front tooth. She went to the emergency room at Ingalls Urgent Care, and she later had follow up treatment with a dentist in Olympia Fields and a chiropractor in Park Forest, Illinois. The case settled without having to file a lawsuit, and Travelers Insurance is paying on the claim.

Continue reading " Chicago, Illinois Injury Lawyers Reach Premises Liability Settlement With Local Store " »

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Back and Neck Injuries , Personal Injury , Premises Liability , Settlements & Verdicts

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In DuPage County a multi-car accident has left one Chicago Area woman injured. The car crash happened this past Wednesday on Butterfield Road in Oak Brook, Illinois. A driver traveling too fast for conditions rear-ended another car at a high rate of speed, causing a chain reaction accident involving three other vehicles. The first car hit from behind was not drivable and had to be towed from the scene.

The driver of the first car struck sustained neck injuries. She is being treated by a doctor in Chicago.

The driver injured in the Chicago Area car wreck has retained Abels & Annes, P.C. to represent her against the at fault driver that hit her from behind.

Click here to read more about neck injury cases.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Back and Neck Injuries , Personal Injury

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In Chicago, Illinois bicycle accident attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. have reached an insurance policy limits settlement for a local resident stemming from a March 2008 crash. Our client was riding to work southbound on Halsted Street near Division in a bicycle lane. He was hit by a car that was turning left / westbound. That is the last thing our client remembers until he woke up at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The plaintiff sustained brain hemorrhaging and a sinus fracture as a result of the Chicago bike vs. car accident. He was inpatient at the hospital for several days. The defendant's insurance company tendered their policy limits of $20,000 and our firm is pursuing an under-insured motorist claim against our client's own insurance carrier for an additional $80,000.

Continue reading " Chicago Injury Lawyers Reach Insurance Policy Limits Bike Accident Settlement " »

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Bicycle Accident , Personal Injury , Settlements & Verdicts , Uninsured Motorist Claim

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En Chicago, Illinois un chico de tres anos de edad fue golpeado fatalmente por un vehiculo la noche del sabado pasado cuando el entro corriendo a un callejon, según el Chicago Tribune y otras fuentes de noticias. El menor fue llevado a la Universidad de Chicago, Hospital de Niños Comer y fue pronunciado muerto un tiempo corto más tarde.

El accidente sucedió en el 11200 bloque de la Avenida O del sur en Chicago sobre las 10 de la noche. El conductor, un residente de Chicago, de dieciocho años de edad fue etiquetado por la Policía de Chicago con fracaso para reducir la velocidad para evitar un accidente y conducir sin el seguro. No ha sido informado a qué velocidad el vehículo viajaba en aquel momento de impacto. El conductor no fue detenido.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Injuries to Children & Minors , Pedestrian Accident , Se Habla Español , Wrongful Death

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In Harvey, Illinois a fourteen year old girl was struck in a crosswalk last week at the intersection of 159th Street and Wood. She sustained leg and neck injuries. She was taken by ambulance to Ingalls Memorial Hospital, and she is now following up with a medical doctor in Chicago.

Witnesses at the scene are reporting the at fault driver did not realize she hit anyone, that she appeared to be intoxicated, and further that she failed a preliminary breath test that was administered at the scene by police officers. It is not yet known what tickets were issued to the driver for her role in the Chicago area car vs. pedestrian accident.

The parents of the injured teen have retained Abels & Annes, P.C. to pursue a personal injury claim against the at fault driver.

Continue reading " Chicago Area Teen Struck and Injured In Crosswalk By DUI Driver " »

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Back and Neck Injuries , Injuries to Children & Minors , Pedestrian Accident

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The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has reportedly agreed to pay $12,675,000 to settle 16 sexual abuse claims for the conduct of 11 different priests, according to the Chicago Tribune and several other news sources. The settlements include two victims of Father Daniel McCormack, a former priest who is currently incarcerated for abusing five boys. McCormack plead guilty last year and he is serving a 5 year prison sentence.

Four out of five of McCormack's known victims have now settled with the Archdiocese of Chicago. Abels & Annes, P.C. represents the final known McCormack victi, acting as co-counsel with the firm of Hilfman, Martin & Barr P.C. in a lawsuit against the Archdiosese of Chicago. The case is pending in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Case No. 07 L 001504.

Former priests involved in today's settlement have been identified as McCormack, Joseph Bennett, Norbert Maday, Robert Mayer, James Hagan, Robert Craig, Robert Becker, Thomas Kelly, James Steel, Joseph Owens and Kenneth Ruge. The cases involve abuse from as far back as the 1960s and as recent as 2006. All the priests have been removed from their church positions.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Settlements & Verdicts , Sexual Abuse

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In Chicago, Illinois a three year old boy was fatally hit by a vehicle this past Saturday night when he reportedly ran into an alley, according to the Chicago Tribune and other news sources. The minor was taken to the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later.

The accident happened in the 11200 block of South Avenue O in Chicago around 10 p.m. The driver, an eighteen year old Chicago resident was ticketed by the Chicago Police Department with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving without insurance. It has not been reported how fast the vehicle was traveling at the time of impact. The driver was not arrested.

Click here to read the entire story.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Injuries to Children & Minors , Pedestrian Accident , Wrongful Death

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In Chicago, Illinois a local resident was seriously injured in a hit-and-run auto accident on the North Side this past Thursday. She has retained Abels & Annes, P.C. to represent her.

The car crash happened at the intersection of Bryn Mawr and Luna. As the Chicago resident was driving across the intersection she was hit by a vehicle traveling in excess of 60 mph in a residential area. The force of the impact flipped the victim's car.

While our client was wearing her seatbelt, her window was rolled down and when her car rolled over her forearm was dragged on the pavement. She will likely have disfiguring scars covering much of her arm. She also sustained a wrist injury. She was taken by ambulance to a local emergency room and she is having follow up treatment with a medical doctor in Arlington Heights. She also plans on consulting with a plastic surgeon.

After the accident, the at fault driver fled the scene on foot. The Chicago Police Department is investigating the collision. They were able to determine who owns the vehicle, but they do not yet know who was driving at the time of the occurrence.

This type of Chicago car accident illustrates why it is so important to have auto insurance with significant uninsured / underinsured motorist coverage. While the police know who owns the other car involved, the driver was likely not insured. When a hit-&-run driver flees the scene of an accident, it has been my experience that they usually do not have insurance. Fortunately, our client has decent auto insurance. If it ends up that the defendant is uninsured, the plaintiff's auto insurance carrier will pay on the injury claim.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Hit & Run Accident , Personal Injury

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Chicago Injury Lawyers from Abels & Annes, P.C. have reached an settlement for a local resident that was injured in a pedestrian vs. car accident in September of 2007. Our client was crossing Harrison Street in a crosswalk on a green light at LaSalle Street. At that time the defendant, who was driving southbound on LaSalle Street, turned right on a red light and hit our client.

The plaintiff was treated at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, Illinois for back and neck injuries. He later followed up at Roseland Community Hospital for further treatment. The pedestrian accident case settled prior to litigation. The Hartford is paying on the claim.

Continue reading " Chicago Injury Attorneys Resolve Pedestrian Crosswalk Accident Case " »

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Back and Neck Injuries , Pedestrian Accident , Settlements & Verdicts

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In Chicago, Illinois auto accident attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. have reached an insurance policy limits settlement for a Berwyn resident stemming from a February 17, 2008 collision. Our client was northbound on Interstate 94 on the South Side of Chicago at the Stoney Island exit. A car in front of the plaintiff missed the exit at Stoney and instead of going to the next exit, the defendant tried to stop and back up on the highway. Our client could not react in time and slammed into the defendant.

She was taken by ambulance to Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, Illinois with a badly broken leg. She had to have surgery the next day to repair the fracture. The car accident case settled without having to file a lawsuit. The defendant's insurance company initially denied the claim, arguing that our client failed to stop in time and should have avoided the accident. The insurance company changed it's position after our law firm got involved in the case.

Continue reading " Chicago Injury Lawyer Reaches Policy Limits Car Accident Settlement " »

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Fractures / Broken Bones , Settlements & Verdicts

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In Chicago, Illinois, a CTA employee is lucky to be alive after being electrocuted while working as a flagger on the elevated tracks near the Belmont platform. Kathy Cardenas, age 32, was electrocuted on July 24, 2008, after she made contact with the 3rd rail. Her left hand and arm, and her back side were badly burned. She was rushed to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for medical attention where she was hospitalized and underwent skin grafts.

Ms. Cardenas has retained Chicago accident lawyers from Abels & Annes, P.C. and Katz, Friedman, Eagle, Eisenstein, Johnson & Bareck, P.C. to jointly represent her in a workers' compensation claim against the Chicago Transit Authority.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Personal Injury , Train Accident , Work Injuries

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