Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

In Corona, New Mexico at least fifty people were injured and two were killed when a tour bus rolled over late friday night, according to the Associated Press. The two fatalities were adults, and a nine year old minor had to be airlifted to a hospital. Fifteen other injured were taken by ambualnce to an Albuquerque hospital. Some of the injuries were critical.

The bus was reportedly traveling northbound on U.S. 54 north of Corona when the driver lost control of the bus while in a construction zone. The bus hit a median and flipped. The roads were icy and snowy at the time.

The bus was in route to El Paso, Texas. The accident closed the highway for around 7 hours.

Being a passenger in a bus accident can be a very scary experience. You are typically not seat belted, and all you can really do is hold on tight and hope for the best. Like the New Mexico accident, injuries from the same event can range from mild to critical to fatal.

If you have been involved in a Chicago area bus accident, contact our office for a free consultation.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Bus Accident , Wrongful Death

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Injury attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. have resolved a premises liability case against a Chicago, Illinois building management company for a slip and fall injury. The accident is a little different than most premises liability cases we handle, in that the plaintiff was injured in her own residence, and she knew of the defective condition.

Our client slipped and fell on broken and loose tiles on the bathroom floor of her rental apartment as she was getting out of her shower. It was a longstanding condition and she had notified the landlord of the problem several months before the accident. The building manager came out and inspected the floor, but never got around to making repairs. (Even after my client was hurt, the defendant did not make repairs for another 3 months). While our client knew of the condition, it was a one bathroom unit and she had no choice but to use the shower.

Our client fell and injured her leg and shoulder. She went to a local emergency room after the accident. X-rays were negative for fractures. She underwent physical therapy on a couple occasions at the same hospital and her pain resolved a couple months later. She incurred over $3,000 in medical bills. The case settled pre-litigation for $12,000.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall injury, please contact Abels & Annes to speak to a lawyer. Premises liability cases can get complicated fast and they can be difficult to win. Many people that contact our office assume that if you fall on someone's property and get hurt, you automatically have a case. This is not true. There has to be negligence on the part of the landowner for you to recover.

For example, in the shower case settlement, that fact that my client fell and was injured was not enough to have a case. What created liability on the part of the property owner was the fact that he had actual notice of the condition and failed to act.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Premises Liability , Settlements & Verdicts

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Drivers across the nation are more and more often letting their auto insurance policies lapse due to the poor economy, according to the Wall Street Journal. Hundreds of thousands of drivers decided to go without it this year.

As a Chicago car accident and personal injury lawyer, I am seeing evidence first hand that the Journal article is correct. My law firm has seen a drastic increase in the number of uninsured motorist claims that we are handling for our clients.

What does this mean to you? It means that the chances have gone up that the next time you get hit by car, the driver that hit you may not have auto insurance to cover the loss.

How can you protect yourself? You need to make sure you have good auto insurance that includes significant uninsured and under-insured motorist coverage.

What is uninsured motorist coverage? Uninsured motorist coverage is insurance that kicks in when the other driver involved in an accident with you is at fault and they do not have insurance. At that point your insurance company will step in and pay on your personal injury claim. They essentially step into the shoes of the at fault driver.

What is under-insured motorist coverage? Under-insured motorist coverage protects you from someone that is driving with only the minimum insurance that is required by law (in Illinois the minimum is $20,000 per person / $40,000 per occurrence). In that case, your insurance company will step in and pay on the value of the claim that is above the other driver's insurance policy limits.

For example, you are injured in an auto accident. Your claim is worth $100,000, but the defendant only has $20,000 in coverage. Here, your injury lawyer would collect $20,000 from the defendant's insurance company, and then your lawyer could set up a claim against your own insurance company and collect the full $100,000 on the claim.

If you have been involved in an accident and the defendant is uninsured or under-insured, or if you have been the victim of a hit-and-run accident, feel free to contact Abels & Annes, P.C. for a free consultation.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Personal Injury , Uninsured Motorist Claim

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Auto Accident Attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. have settled a case for a Chicago resident stemming from an August 2008 car crash. The plaintiff was driving southbound on Luna near its intersection with Bryn Mawr. When our client was most of the way through the intersection she saw the defendant's car traveling at a very fast rate of speed (over 50 mph) eastbound on Bryn Mawr. That is twice the speed limit in this residential neighborhood.

The front end of the defendant's vehicle hit the rear passenger side of the plaintiff's vehicle. The force of the impact was so great that it caused our client's Jeep Cherokee to flip over on its side and skid on its side across the roadway. The driver’s side window was open and her arm got caught between the door and the street and was dragged along the pavement as the vehicle slid. After her car came to a rest the defendant exited his vehicle and fled the scene of the collision on foot.

The defendant was negligent, in that he failed to keep a proper lookout, was driving at an excessive rate of speed, and failed to exercise due care for the safety of those in the area.

Immediately after the collision our client had severe arm pain and back pain. Her arm was bleeding profusely and obviously injured.

The plaintiff was taken by ambulance from the scene of the collision to Resurrection Medical Center’s Emergency Department. A history was taken, she was examined and diagnostic testing was performed. She complained of excruciating left arm pain and back pain. She had significant abrasions to her left arm. X-rays identified numerous foreign bodies in her wrist and forearm, specifically in the ulnar aspect of the wrist and the radial aspect of the forearm, which were required to be extracted before the wound could be cleaned and dressed. She was prescribed pain medication and at the time of discharge instructed to seek follow up medical care.

Continue reading " Car Accident Case Settles For Policy Limits -- Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer " »

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Personal Injury , Settlements & Verdicts

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In Eilat, Israel, at least twenty six Russians were killed on Tuesday when a bus crashed down a steep ravine, according to several news outlets, including the Associated Press. There were 60 passengers on the bus who had all just arrived from St. Petersburg, Russia.

The bus reportedly crashed when it passed by another bus at a high rate of speed in a no passing zone, lost control, broke through a guard rail and rolled down a steep hill. Many passengers were thrown from the bus as it rolled.

24 people were reportedly died at the scene, and 2 more past away later at Eilat's hospital. Several more are at the hospital in critical condition. Forty ambulances and six Israeli military helicopters rushed to the accident site.

This traffic accident is the most deadly in the history of Israel. Before this crash, only 406 people had had lost their lives in traffic accidents in all of Israel this year.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Bus Accident , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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In Chicago, Illinois a Hoffman Estates woman has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol stemming from an auto accident that took place this past Sunday, according to the Chicago Tribune. The car accident happened on the northwest side on Milwaukee Avenue near Devon. The DUI driver rear-ended another vehicle, killing the other driver.

The Victim, Sergio Correa, 35, of Chicago was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois and pronounced dead early Sunday morning. The at fault driver was also taken to Lutheran General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Chicago Police Department investigated the crash. The defendant was also charged with misdemeanor DUI and several other moving violations. The defendant is reportedly still in the hospital, and police plan on taking her into custody when she is released, according to the Daily Herald.

The family of the victim will be able to pursue a civil claim against the at fault driver. It has not been reported if the family has retained personal injury lawyers to pursue the case.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Wrongful Death

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Early Sunday morning a car crash in Chicago, Illinois has resulted in the death of one person, and two others have been critically injured, according to WBBM News Radio 780. Chicago Police Department officials are stating that the accident happened at 111th Street and Western Ave. around 3:20 am. The auto accident involved multiple vehicles.

The person who was killed in the collision was pronounced dead at the scene. The two people that were seriously injured were taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Centers in Evergreen Park.

The Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Unit is handling the investigation. The cause of the accident has not yet been reported.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Wrongful Death

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Accident Attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. have resolved an automobile vs. bike accident case for Aaron Eiger, a former classmate of Dave Abels from Evanston Township High School. The collision took place on October 17, 2007 on the North Side of Chicago.

Aaron was riding his bicycle northbound on Southport in a marked bicycle lane. The defendant was driving her SUV southbound on Southport and began to make a left turn to turn into an alley. The driver failed to look to ensure that it was safe to make this maneuver and struck Aaron on his bicycle. The force of the SUV hitting Aaron on his bicycle threw him on through the air into a parked car.

Following the collision Aaron had an immediate onset of pain and discomfort. Aaron was taken from the scene of the collision by ambulance to Illinois Masonic Hospital. At the time of his arrival he complained of left knee pain and shoulder pain. A history was taken, Aaron was examined and diagnostic tests, including x-rays were preformed. Aaron was prescribed pain medications. Upon discharge he was diagnosed with a left knee contusion and multiple abrasions. Aaron was instructed to follow up with a physician.

Two days later Aaron sought follow up treatment from Dr. Steven Sclamberg, M.D. He sought treatment for his complaints of left knee and right shoulder pain. Aaron continued to treat with Dr. Sclamberg through August 7, 2008.

Aaron also underwent physical therapy at Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers for two months. During the course of physical therapy he reported pain with activities such as lifting and carrying his young children.

Aaron incurred over $8,000 in medical bills and his case settled for $35,000.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Bicycle Accident , Settlements & Verdicts , Shoulder Injury

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In West Suburban Lisle, Illinois a pedestrian was hit and severely injured as he crossed Ogden Avenue at Center Avenue on November 6, 2008. He was crossing to get to the First Congregational Church parking lot that is used for Metra train parking. The accident happened in the early evening at a location that is marked with warning signs for pedestrian crossing. The victim was a commuter on his way home from work.

The pedestrian suffered severe injuries, including a broken left arm, multiple pelvic fractures, right eye injuries, a fractured skull, internal bleeding and multiple lacerations. He had to undergo multiple surgeries and was in intensive care for over a week before being transferred to long term care & rehab.

One witness stayed at the scene until Lisle police officers responded, but there may have been others. If you were a witness to this accident, or if you know of a witness, please call (312) 924-7575 or email accidentwitness@yahoo.com.

Click here to view a map of the accident area.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Pedestrian Accident , Personal Injury

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In Lostant, Illinois several students were injured Wednesday night when a chartered bus was involved in a motor vehicle accident with a truck, according to the Associated Press. The accident happened on an icy highway in northern central Illinois. At least 36 people were sent to hospitals.

The truck vs. bus accident happened on Interstate 39 when the tractor-trailer jackknifed in in front of a bus carrying students and the two vehicles impacted. The students were taken to three different area hospitals. Thirteen students were taken to St. Margaret's Hospital in Spring Valley and twenty-three students were taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru.

The bus was returning from Chicago and all the students were from Dunlap High School in Dunlap, Illinois. Dunlap is a small town located on Illinois 91 in Peoria County, Illinois, with a population of around 1,000.

The interstate was shut down until the vehicles were cleared from the road.

Posted by Dave Abels | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accident , Bus Accident , Injuries to Children & Minors , School Bus Accident , Truck Accident

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