Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

On the Southwest Side of Chicago, an elderly man was killed in a car accident last Saturday, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. The driver, an 88 year old Chicago man, was driving east on South Archer Avenue in his 1997 Lincoln, when he was hit from behind by a 1991 Lincoln Continental. The force of impact from the collision ejected the driver from his vehicle.

The victim was rushed by ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center for treatment. However, later that afternoon he was pronounced dead. A passenger in the car and the driver of the other car were both injured and transported to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment.

As a result of the accident, the at fault driver, a Chicago resident, received citations for following too closely and having no proof of insurance. The Chicago Police Department is handling the investigation.

This accident is another example of a growing trend of people operating motor vehicles without insurance. In this tough economy, more and more people have been going without it. Just last week, my office was contacting by Fox News in Chicago and they plan on running a story about this very topic.

If you or a loved one has been injured by an uninsured driver, contact Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

In Chicago, Illinois, high speeds of 90 mph may have lead to a bad auto accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway early this morning, according to WLS TV. Further, a firefighter was injured while responding to the accident.

The car accident took place just before 2 a.m. when a car traveling at a high rate of speed northbound near 75th Street flipped and went up onto a side wall. There were four occupants in the car, and the driver and front seat passenger were ejected from the vehicle. The driver, a male from Chicago in his 30s was killed in the wreck.

Shortly after the accident, a Chicago Fire Department fire truck that rushed to the scene was hit by a driver that may have been intoxicated. The fire truck was parked with all of its emergency lights on when a driver exiting at 71st street struck the front of the truck. A firefighter was injured in that 2nd crash and was taken to an area hospital.

The Illinois State Police are handling the accident investigation. The surviving passengers of the first accident were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with serious injuries.

The driver that hit the fire truck was taken into custody by the Illinois State Police. He has been ticketed under Scott's Law for not keeping clear of emergency vehicles.

In Chicago, Illinois as spring weather arrives, more and more bicycle riders are on the street. It is only the end of March and injury lawyers at Abels & Annes are working on their first bike vs. car accident case of the season.

A North Side resident was injured last weekend when he was struck by an opening car door. He was riding southbound on Southport Avenue just north of Addison Street in a marked and designated bicycle lane. As he was passing a parked car on the west side of the street, the driver swung the vehicle door open into the bike lane causing the plaintiff to flip over it and land on his back.

The bike rider immediately had severe shoulder and neck pain. An ambulance transported him to Thorek Hospital on Irving Park Road in Chicago. At the ER he was diagnosed with a separated shoulder.

As of today, the plaintiff is having shoulder pain and swelling, and neck pain. He is going for follow up treatment with a medical doctor in the Chicago area.

Last year in Chicago our law firm saw a dramatic increase in bike accident injuries (pedestrian accidents seem to be on the rise as well).

While the bicyclist in this case could not have avoided the accident, here are a few safety tips offered by the Illinois Secretary of State's Office:

1. Only one person should ride on a bike;

2. If riding with a group on the street, ride in single file and not next to each other;

3. Try to avoid riding at night;

4. Rid your bicycle as close as possible to the right hand side of the road;

5. Keep both hands on your handlebars;

6. Know the rules of the road, as bicycle riders have the same responsibilities on the road as motor vehicle drivers;

7. Always where a helmet; and

8. Make sure your bike is in good operating condition before riding.

If you have been injured in an Illinois bike crash, contact Abels & Annes to speak to an accident lawyer today at 312-924-7575.

A Chicago man has been charged with felony DUI and other moving violations stemming from a multiple vehicle ambulance crash that occurred on Tuesday in north suburban Evanston, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. The case involves a private ambulance being stolen from a nursing home in Chicago, and then erratically being driven north through Evanston until it ran a red light at Chicago Avenue and Dempster Street, causing a six vehicle accident.

The ambulance was reportedly parked unattended and taken from the Clark Manor Nursing Home, 7433 N. Clark Street. The defendant activated the emergency lights and drove off at a high rate of speed.

Charges against the defendant now include aggravated DUI, possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated battery of a police officer, resisting arrest, reckless driving, driving with no license, failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision, and running a red light.

As we reported Tuesday in the Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, at least two cars that were hit looked to be totaled and as many as eight people were injured. Several victims were taken to area hospitals for treatment. The accident also shut down the busy intersection for several hours.

Illinois Car Accident Attorneys from Abels & Annes have settled an uninsured motorist claim for a Chicago woman. The case arose out of an automobile accident that occurred on November 4, 2007. The plaintiff was traveling eastbound as a passenger on Cermak Road at it’s intersection with Rockwell. As the vehicle went through a green light an uninsured driver failed to yield while turning left and struck the car my client was riding in.

At the scene of the accident, our client had back and neck pain. She was taken by ambulance to Saint Anthony Hospital.

At the St. Anthony ER the plaintiff reported persistent and constant back and neck pain. The doctor noted she appeared to be in pain, and she had tenderness at C3-C4, and tenderness in the lumbar area and left chest area. X-rays were taken which were negative for fracture. She was diagnosed with neck strain, low back pain and muscle contusions. She was prescribed Tylenol with codeine for pain.

That evening her pain increased and she had difficulty sleeping. Her pain did not resolve over the next few days.

On 11/8/07 our client followed up at Rush University Medical Group. At that time she complained of pain on the left side of her neck, left chest / breast, and left breast bruising from the seat belt. Her medical doctor noted muscle spasms in the neck, and that the chest wall as tender and swollen. She was diagnosed with cervical strain and chest wall contusions. The doctor prescribed physical therapy.

On 11/21/07 sternum and rib x-rays were taken at Rush that were negative for fracture, and she was evaluated for physical therapy. The client went to therapy on 12/5/07, 12/12/07, 12/14/07, and 12/21/07. After physical therapy the client had improved, but she continued to have neck and chest pain over the next few weeks.

Because the at fault driver had no auto insurance, we made an uninsured motorist claim against her own policy with State Farm Insurance.

If you have been injured by an uninsured motorist, contact Abels & Annes to discuss your legal options.

In Chicago, Illinois a man died on Friday at a South Side recycling plant after he fell into a machine, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. Julio Flores-Garcia, 39, a Chicago resident, was killed in a paper-baling machine at 3301 W. 48th Place.

It is being reported that the autopsy is showing that the man died from multiple crushing injuries, and that the death was ruled an accident. Police were called Friday afternoon and were told that a man fell into a machined and died. The Chicago Police Department has detectives investigating the accident.

After a tragic accident like this one, it is likely that the family of the victim will retain a Chicago personal injury lawyer. That lawyer will investigate as to how the accident occurred and also whether there is a potential products liability case. The attorney is going to look into if there was something defective about the machine and if the accident could have been prevented.

It has not been reported if the victim was employed at the business. If he was, the family of Flores-Garcia will be able to collect under workers' compensation. If he was not employed at the plant, the attorney can investigate whether the company is liable for some type of negligence.

On the Northwest Side of Chicago, an off-duty Chicago police officer lost his life in a motorcycle crash Friday afternoon, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Cameron Karshna, 31, a Chicago resident and a police officer for the past 4 years, was riding his bike in the 7500 block of West Touhy Avenue when a pickup truck failed to yield when turning left and struck the motorcycle. He was riding a Honda motorcycle and was hit by a Ford 2002 F-250 pickup truck.

The motorcyclist was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge and pronounced dead several hours later. The driver of the pickup, a 36 year old Chicago resident, was reportedly ticketed with failure to yield and not wearing a seat belt.

As of yesterday, the officer was in the process of recovering from a work related injury. He had been hurt in an on-duty altercation with a prisoner, and he was on his way home from physical therapy when the crash occurred. He was part of the Department's Town Hall District Tactical Unit.

According to the NHTSA, over the past ten years motorcycle fatalities are on the rise in the United States. Nationwide, there were 5,154 deaths in 2007, up from 2,116 deaths in 1997. They also report that the fatality rate for a motorcyclist is 5.5 times greater than the occupant of a car when involved in a crash.

An auto accident in Chicago, Illinois has seriously injured four people early this morning, according to WBBM News. The crash involved two vehicles, one of which was a van that flipped over onto a crosswalk.

The Loop car crash occurred at Madison and Franklin at about 1:20 am. Five ambulances rushed to the accident that involved a Chevy Ventura and a Pontiac Sunfire. It is being reported that 4 people in the Pontiac were critically injured. Two were transported to Stroger Hospital of Cook County and two others went to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A fifth person may have also been taken to an area hospital. Four occupants of the van refused medical treatment.

The cause of the crash and the nature of the injuries has not been reported. The Chicago Police Department is handling the investigation.

Luckily this accident occurred late at night, as the crosswalk at Madison and Franklin is extremely crowded with pedestrian traffic during daytime hours. Pedestrian fatalities could have occurred if this crash happened at the wrong time of the day.

If you have been injured in an Illinois auto accident, contact an injury lawyer at Abels & Annes to discuss your case.

Earlier this week we reported to you that Cleveland Browns NFL Player Donte' Stallworth hit and killed a pedestrian in the Miami area. It is now being reported by the Associated Press that Stallworth was driving while intoxicated at the time of the fatal car vs. pedestrian accident. Reports have surfaced that his blood alcohol level was between .08 and .16. The legal limit in Florida is .08, the same as here in Illinois.

The accident happened this past Sunday between Miami and Miami Beach, Florida on a causeway. Stallworth hit a pedestrian, Mario Reyes, as Reyes was crossing the street in or near the crosswalk. The victim had just finished the overnight shift as a construction crane operator and was trying to catch a bus.

It is being reported that if Stallworth was legally intoxicated, under Florida law he will most likely be criminally charged with DUI Manslaughter and can be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.

A Chicago motorcycle rider was killed this past Saturday on the South Side when he was hit by a minivan near the intersection of 95th Street and Forest Avenue, according to the Chicago Tribune. At approximately 6:45 p.m., the victim was traveling east on 95th Street when he was struck by a Dodge minivan coming from the opposite direction that failed to yield when turning left onto Forest Avenue.

The motorcyclist, Reginald "St. Nick" Coleman, 27, of the 400 block of West 95th Place, was rushed by ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at a short time later. The at fault driver and his passenger were not injured. The driver was ticketed by the Chicago Police Department for failing to yield the right of way.

Coleman was a local rap artist from the group White Chalk. His wife had just passed away in November from a heart attack. Coleman is survived by his three children, three sisters, and his mother.

According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, in 2007 there were about 600,000 licensed motorcyclists in Illinois. Furthermore, the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration found that in 2007 there were 142 motorcycle deaths in Illinois (and 2,116 riders killed across the United States).

Attorneys from our firm have handled and successfully resolved injury cases resulting from motorcycle accidents. If you are a motorcycle rider who has been injured in a collision, contact attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. for a free consultation.

NFL wide receiver Donte' Stallworth was involved in a fatal pedestrian accident yesterday, according to multiple media outlets such as the Boston Globe. The accident happened on a causeway between Miami and Miami Beach, Florida. Stallworth was driving his Bentley around 7 a.m. when he hit Mario Reyes, a 59 year old construction worker who was crossing the road. It is unclear whether Reyes was in a crosswalk or near a crosswalk. He was rushed to a nearby trauma center and pronounced dead a short time later.

Reyes worked at a crane operator and commuted by bus to work. He had just finished working the overnight shift and was headed to the bus stop when he was hit by Stallworth's Bentley. Reyes is married with a daughter. He came to Miami from Cuba when he was a teen.

Stallworth reportedly cooperated with police, consented to drug and alcohol testing, and has not been charged at this time. Stallworth, 28, currently plays for the Cleveland Browns who signed him last year to a 7 year, 35 million dollar contact. He has previously played for the Patriots, Eagles & Saints. It is being reported that he owns three condos in the Miami area.

An accident like this reminds us that back here in Chicago, pedestrian fatalities have been on the rise. As we recently reported, there were fifty-six pedestrian fatalities here in 2008, a big increase from forty-nine deaths in 2007 and forty-eight in 2006.

Pedestrians accidents are very dangerous. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that pedestrians are over 8 times likelier to be injured, and over 23 times likelier to be killed in an accident, as compared to people riding in a car.

Auto Accident Lawyers from Abels & Annes, P.C. have resolved an injury case for one of our clients involved in a car accident. On August 31, 2008, the plaintiff was stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of Chicago Road and 33rd Street in Steger, Illinois waiting to make a right turn. At that time, another car was stopped at the same intersection in the left lane. The other driver then decided to make a right turn from the left lane and struck our client’s vehicle. As a result of the auto accident, our client had sustained pain and discomfort in her back and neck. In addition, she also felt tingling and numbness in her right arm. That evening the severity of her pain increased and she had difficulty sleeping.

The next day our client sought medical care at Saint Margaret Mercy Medical Center, where she complained of back and neck pain, with right arm tingling and numbness. Her history was taken and she was examined. Hospital physicians also ordered x-rays and prescribed her pain medication. She was diagnosed with acute cervical, thoracic, and lumbar strain.

On September 4, 2008, our client followed up with a medical doctor. The physician diagnosed her with lower back and neck pain with muscle spasms. He also prescribed more pain medication and ordered an MRI. The MRI was taken the next day on her lumbar spine. The MRI results discovered a slight disc bulge at L5-S1. A cervical X-ray was also taken, which was normal.

Over the next several weeks the client’s pain continued, and on October 9, 2008 she followed up another doctor. At that time, she complained of pain in her back, neck, arm, and leg. Furthermore, she told the doctor that the back pain was a throbbing ache, the pain was worse when sitting, and she rated the pain an 8 out of 10. However, she said that her neck pain was worse with activity. The doctor prescribed physical therapy.

On October 15, 2008 our client began physical therapy. Her treatment consisted of electric stimulation, manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, hot/cold packs, and neuromuscular re-education. Over a period of one month she completed ten physical therapy sessions, and she reported improved neck and back pain. After her completion of the ten sessions our client was discharged from physical therapy.

The car crash case settled for just under $12,000. State Farm insured the defendant.

This type of case can be worth more in court and we recommended a lawsuit to our client. However, she did not want to litigate and instructed us to settle.

If you have been injured in an automobile accident, contact attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. to speak to a lawyer.

In Chicago, Illinois a truck and a CTA train collided this past Sunday afternoon, according to MSNBC. The train accident occurred at 4648 N. Kedzie Avenue when a truck tried to get around the crossing gates while a CTA brown line train was pulling out of the Kedzie station. The train hit the back end of the truck, and it did not derail.

Service was delayed for an hour as workers moved the train back and got the truck off the tracks. Normal service was going again by 2 pm. The truck driver was ticketed for causing the collision.

While no injuries have been reported at this time, if people involved in the crash were injured, here's what could happen: The passengers on the train have a claim against the truck driver and the trucking company that caused the accident. Typically, trucks carry larger commercial insurance policies, so unless there were catastrophic injuries (and none were reported here) there should be enough insurance to cover the loss.

The CTA employees involved in the crash actually can make two claims. They have a workers' compensation claim, as they were injured on the job, and they would also have a 3rd party claim against the truck driver and truck company.

Finally, the truck driver has a case. Even though he was at fault, if injured, he has a work injury case. Work comp. is a no fault system for injured employees to make a recovery in the State of Illinois.

If you have been injured in a train accident, truck accident, or have been injured on the job, call Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

Chicago accident attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. have reached a settlement for a traffic flagger who was hit by a car on a road construction site. Our client was working in the 1400 block of Milwaukee Avenue in Glenview, Illinois on June 17, 2008 when she was hit. She was standing in a lane that had been blocked by construction horses.

The plaintiff was flagging drivers to slow down in the construction zone when a driver entered the blocked lane, drove over several construction horses, and struck our client. The driver then fled the scene. Police were unable to locate the hit and run driver.

Our client was transported by ambulance to Glenbrook Hospital. She complained of head pain, left hand and forearm numbness and tingling, and she had soreness in her thighs and legs. The treating physicians ordered a series of diagnostic tests including head, cervical, abdominal and pelvic CT’s, x-rays, and labs. Our client was prescribed pain medication, told to follow up with a physician, and discharged from the hospital.

On July 3, 2008, our client followed up with her physician. She complained of increasing abdominal pain and bilateral knee pain. Her doctor ordered an abdominal ultrasound, and due to our client’s continued complaints of pain and discomfort, he also ordered gallbladder, liver, and pancreas ultrasounds. The tests were negative.

As a result of her injuries sustained in the accident, our client incurred over $14,000.00 in medical expenses. Workers' compensation insurance paid her bills.

Because the at fault driver fled the scene, attorneys from Abels & Annes, P.C. filed an uninsured, hit-and-run motorist claim against our client’s insurance policy. She received an additional $15,000 for her injuries.

Chicago Injury Lawyers from our firm often handle and resolve accident cases for pedestrians. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, please contact attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

On the South Side of Chicago four people were injured Wednesday night when a Chicago police car collided with another vehicle, according to the Southtown Star. The squad car was responding to an emergency call when it collided with a civilian vehicle around 7 pm in the 10900 block of South State Street.

The two officers and the two occupants of the other vehicle were all injured in the auto accident and taken to local hospitals by ambulance. It has not been reported how the accident occurred and the Calumet District of the Chicago Police Department is investigating.

When a civilian is injured in this type of situation, it is often not an easy case to pursue, even if the police officer was at fault in the accident. The police are protected by the governmental tort immunity act. When responding to an emergency call, the department is not liable for ordinary negligence but they can be held liable for willful and wanton conduct (which is a difficult burden to meet in Court).

Here is an example: If the police car hit another vehicle speeding through a red light while responding to an emergency call with emergency lights and siren activated, they would most likely not be held liable, as this sounds like ordinary negligence and not willful and wanton conduct. However, if in the same situation they did not have their emergency lights and/or siren activated and were traveling at a high rate of speed, an argument could be made in Court for willful and wanton, or reckless conduct.

As for Chicago police officers, if injured on the job they have the right to collect different types of union benefits (and they are not covered by ordinary workers' compensation laws). Further, if the civilian vehicle caused the accident, they have the right to pursue a civil claim against the at fault driver's insurance policy. (The civilian passenger would have a claim against the civilian driver as well).

If you have been injured in a Chicago area auto accident, contact Abels & Annes to speak with a lawyer now.