Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Un abogado de herida de trabajo en Chicago de Abels y Annes ha alcanzado un arreglo a favor de un ayudante de enfermera de Sauk, Illinois. La trabajadora fue herida el 25 de agosto de 2009. La CNA empujaba al paciente en una silla de ruedas cuando la silla dio vuelta en su pie derecho.

Ella sostuvo una fractura de avulsion en el pie y también tuvo dolor de espalda. Ella fue vista un poco después del accidente en la sala de emergencia en St. James Hospital. Ella también siguió tratamiento enIllinois Bone Joint & Institute y St. James Occupational Health.

Debido al accidente, la ayudante de las enfermeras perdió nueve semanas de trabajo. Ella recibió pagó de descapacidad mientras estuvo libre. Su empleador también pagó por su tratamiento médico.

Un ajustador de seguro en Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc. llegó a un arreglo con nuestra oficina por $6,513.40. Esta cantidad representó 3% del cuerpo y 10% de su pie derecho.

Abogados de herida en Illinois de nuestra oficina arreglaron otro caso de accidente de trabajo esta semana para una mujer de Rock Falls, Illinois. Nuestro cliente se laceró su pulgar izquierdo al trabajar en Sterling, Illinois. Sus cuentas médicas fueron pagadas, Ella recibió pagó de descapacidad por 2 1/2 semanas, y ella recibió un arreglo corporal de $2.736.

Si usted o un ser querido ha sido herido en el trabajo en el Estado de Illinois, contacte a un abogado de herida de trabajo en Chicago de Abels y Annes para una evaluación gratis en su caso. Llame al 312-924-7575. No hay honorario a menos que gane.

An Illinois motor vehicle versus pedestrian accident has critically injured 21-year-old woman on the Northwest side of Chicago, according to WGN news. The Chicago Police Department as of today is still searching for the hit-and-run driver involved in the accident.

The accident happened just before 7 PM on Monday and 3300 block of N. Long Ave. At that time, a vehicle believed to be a four-door Audi A6 was moving southbound when it hit female pedestrian trying to cross the street. The driver of the Audi then fled the scene, still moving southbound and then westbound into an alley. The driver side of the vehicle may have been damaged in the accident. The vehicle was dark in color.

Anyone who witnessed the accident or has information about it should immediately call Chicago Police Department's major accident investigation unit at 312-745-4521.

That was not the only series pedestrian accident that occurred on Monday in the Chicago area. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that a City of Evanston truck hit a pedestrian crossing Central Street in the area of Prairie Avenue in the afternoon on the same day. The pedestrian was taken by ambulance to Evanston Hospital. The truck was moving eastbound on Central Street around 2 PM.

The victim's age and current condition was not reported. The Evanston Police Department is handling the crash investigation.

It is not been reported if a Chicago pedestrian accident lawyer is involved yet in either case.

A Chicago work injury attorney from Abels and Annes has reached a settlement on behalf of of an injured nursing assistant from Sauk Village, Illinois. The worker was injured on August 25, 2009. The CNA was pushing the patient in a wheelchair when the chair rolled over her right foot.

She sustained an avulsion fracture in her foot and also had low back pain. She was seen shortly after the accident at the St. James Hospital ER. She also underwent follow-up treatment at Illinois Bone and Joint Institute and St. James Occupational Health.

Due to the accident, the nurses' assistant missed nine weeks of work. She received disability pay while for her time off. Her employer also paid for her medical treatment.

An insurance adjuster at Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc. reached a settlement with our office for $6,513.40. This amount represented 3% of a man as a whole and 10% of her right foot.

Illinois injury lawyers at our office settled another work comp case this week for a woman from Rock Falls, Illinois. Our client lacerated her left thumb while working in Sterling, Illinois. Her medical bills were paid for, she received disability pay for 2 1/2 weeks, and she received a bodily injury settlement of $2,736.

If you or a loved one has been injured on the job in the State of Illinois, contact Chicago work injury lawyer at Abels & Annes for free case evaluation. Call 312-924-7575. There is no fee unless you win.

Illinois train crash attorneys have reportedly reached a $1.45 million settlement in regards to a 2005 Metra accident, according to the Chicago Tribune. The settlement is on behalf of a Joliet woman who was severely injured when a train derailed due to high speed. The victim sustained a fractured leg that will require knee replacement surgery.

The passenger was on a Rock Island line train that was headed to downtown Chicago from Joliet, Illinois. The train traveled through a 10 mile an hour crossing while going 69 mph, causing a derailment near 47th St.

Two passengers died in the crash and another 117 were injured. It is reportedly the only derailment in Metra history to cause fatalities.

The families of the victims that were killed in the accident, ages 22 and 38, settled back in November of 2008 for $11 million. Another victim that was seriously injured in the crash obtained a $29.5 million jury verdict in February of 2009 (the high verdict value was due in part to the cost of future medical treatment and round-the-clock care).

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation found that the cause of the accident was due to the engineer's failure to obey signals and slow the train. The NTSB also stated Metra that should have had some type of automatic system in place to override human error. The engineer that caused the accident was later fired by Metra.

The victim of the $1.45 million settlement was represented by attorney Dan Kotin, a partner at Corboy & Demetrio in Chicago.

Illinois injury lawyers from Abels & Annes have entered into an agreement to represent a Chicago bicyclist who was injured in July, 2010. The accident happened at the intersection of Western Ave. and Catalpa just outside Rosehill Cemetery. The bike rider was southbound on Western when a northbound cab driver made a left turn to go West and did not see our client.

The plaintiff was knocked in the air as his bicycle was slammed out from under him. He then landed on the taxicab's hood and was launched about 10 feet onto the street.

The Chicago Police Department responded to the accident and performed a crash investigation. The police ticketed the cab driver with failing to yield while turning left.

Immediately after the accident, the bicyclist had an onset of pain to his wrist and ankle. He was seen shortly after the accident at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. He was lucky to escape the Chicago bike accident with multiple sprains, bruises, cuts and scrapes.

The bicyclist believes he was able to avoid much more serious injuries when at the final moment before impact he lifted his left leg above his bicycle so the cab directly struck the bike and not his person.

Not everyone is as lucky is the Chicago bike rider in this case. Often people sustain severe and permanent injuries. Just last week we signed up the case where the bicyclist fractured his hand and he had to have surgery to repair it.

Finally, the bicycle my client was riding was worth over $2,000 and it was destroyed in the accident. We will be pursuing a property damage claim on our client's behalf in addition to his injury claim.

If you have been injured in an Illinois bike crash, call the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free no obligation consultation. Call (866) 99-ABELS.

Un abogado de la compensación de trabajadores de Illinois en Abels & Annes va a presenter una demanda a favor de una mujer que fue herida en el trabajo en Joliet, Illinois. El accidente sucedió el 14 de julio de 2010, el demandante fue empleado como un consejero independiente para los Servicios de Trinity.

Nuestro cliente, que es de 54 años de edad y residente de Tinley Park, estaba haciendo un recorrido en un lugar de trabajo y perdió el equilibrio en las escaleras. En ese momento ella se torció el pie izquierdo y se lesionó la pierna izquierda en la caída.

El trabajador fue visto en el Silver Cross Hospital en la sala de emergencias. Allí, las radiografías fueron tomadas, se le prescribió medicamentos para el dolor, el tobillo fue envuelto y le dieron muletas. Ella también fue referida hacer una cita con un médico ortopédico. Desde la fecha del accidente ella ha estado tratando con un médico.

La demandante también tuvo que perder una cantidad significativa de tiempo del trabajo debido a sus heridas. Estuvo fuera de trabajo desde la fecha del accidente hasta el principio de septiembre. Durante ese tiempo libre ella recibió la paga de incapacidad temporal por portador de seguro de la compensación de los trabajadores.

Los abogados de compensación de trabajadores de Chicago en Abels & Annes inscribieron otro caso de herida de trabajo en Illinois esta semana para un hombre de Rolling Meadows, que se lesionó el 24 de junio de 2010. En aquel momento del accidente nuestro cliente empujaba un objeto grande y fue golpeado en la boca. Perdió dos dientes en el accidente, y cuatro dientes adicionales fueron golpeados flojos.

Si usted ha sido lastimado en el trabajo en Illinois, contacte a un abogado de herida de trabajo en Chicago de Abels & Annes para una evaluación gratís. Llámenos al 312-924-7575 para hablar directamente con un abogado.

An Illinois workers' compensation attorney from Abels & Annes will be filing a claim on behalf of a woman that was injured on the job in Joliet, Illinois. The accident happened on July 14, 2010 as the claimant was employed as an independent living counselor for Trinity Services.

Our client, who is a 54-year-old Tinley Park resident, was doing a walk-through at a work location and lost her balance on some stairs. At that time she twisted her left foot and injured her left leg in the fall.

The worker was seen at Silver Cross Hospital in the emergency room. There, x-rays were taken, she was prescribed pain medication, her ankle was wrapped, and she was given crutches. She was also referred for an appointment with an orthopedic physician. Since the date of the accident she is been treating with a medical doctor.

The claimant also had to miss a significant amount of time from work due to her injuries. She was off work from the date of the accident until the beginning of September. During that time off she received temporary total disability pay through her employers workers' compensation insurance carrier.

Chicago work comp lawyers at Abels & Annes signed up another Illinois work injury case this week for a man from Rolling Meadows who was hurt on June 24, 2010. At the time of the accident our client was pushing a large object and was struck in his mouth. He lost two teeth in the accident, and four additional teeth were knocked loose.

If you have been hurt on the job in Illinois, contact a Chicago work injury attorney at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Call us at 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney.

Chicago bike accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have resolved an injury claim for bicyclist that was injured back on January 30, 2010. The accident occurred at intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Carmen. Our client was riding a bicycle southbound on Lincoln when the defendant, who was northbound in a 1994 Ford escort, attempted to turn left onto Carmen and failed to yield.

The plaintiff was knocked off his bicycle into the street. He had a laceration on his left leg, right leg pain, and back and neck pain.

The Chicago Police Department investigated the accident. After talking to both the plaintiff and the defendant, the police officer issued the driver a traffic ticket for failing to yield while making a left turn.

A Chicago Fire Department Ambulance transported the injured bicyclist to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. At the ER, his laceration was stitched, he was examined by physicians, multiple x-rays were taken, and he was prescribed pain medication. The x-rays were negative for fractures.

Over the next several days the bicyclist's pain remained. On February 2, 2010 he followed up with a medical doctor. At that time, he had pain and swelling in his left leg in severe neck pain.

The plaintiff's physician prescribed physical therapy. He went to treatment over the next five weeks on 11 occasions. The therapy mainly consisted of electric stimulation, heat treatment, joint mobilization and therapeutic exercises. By early March his pain had mainly resolved, so his doctor discharged him from treatment.

The at fault driver had $20,000 in liability insurance. The case settled for the policy limits without having to file a lawsuit. 1st Acceptance Insurance is paying on the claim.

If you are a Chicago area bicyclist that has been struck and injured by a motor vehicle, contact the Illinois personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 866-99-ABELS or contact us online.

CNN has announced that they will be airing a one-hour special titled " What the Pope Knew" on September 25 and September 26 at 7 PM and 10 PM central standard time. It is being indicated that the story will focus on how Ratzinger used to be in charge of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF). The CDF was often in charge of investigating alleged sexual abuse of minors by priests. The story will look at how the Pope handled several sex abuse investigations.

One of the stories is about Terry Kohut, an alleged victim of Wisconsin priest sex abuse. When Kohut was a teenager, he was sexually abused by a headmaster/priest at the St. John's School for the Deaf in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The abuse allegedly went on for years. He was not alone, and from 1950 to 1974 Father Lawrence C Murphy allegedly sexually abused and raped as many as 200 deaf children, this according to church and court documents. Kohut has now filed a sex abuse lawsuit directly against the Vatican and actually naming the Pope as a defendant.

The CNN story will go on to talk about how the abuse of father Murphy was brought to the attention of Ratzinger and the CDF years ago, but that a church trial against Murphy was stopped and he was allowed to remain at his position of priest. The Kohut lawsuit alleges that the Vatican's "policy of secrecy" in abuse cases helped to hide priest sex abuse of children, which in turn helped father Murphy continue abusing children.

Kohut is simply listed as John Doe 16 on the lawsuit that was filed on behalf of dozens of victims. When Chicago priest sex abuse attorneys file lawsuits against the Archdiocese, we typically use a name like John Doe or Jane Doe to protect the identity of the victims that we represent.

If you are a victim of priest sex abuse in the State of Illinois, please contact our office if you would like a free and confidential consultation. Call 312-924-7575 or contact Abels & Annes online.

A 52-year-old man has been hurt in a Chicago area pedestrian accident after being hit by a driver who was on her cell phone, according to the Chicago Tribune. The pedestrian, David Paradiso of Berwyn, sustained a fractured leg, scalp injuries and a broken collarbone.

The accident happened on Monday around 7 PM at the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Longcommon Road, which is on the border of Berwyn and Riverside. The driver, also of Berwyn, was southbound on Harlem when she ran a red light at the intersection. Witnesses reportedly saw her on her cell phone.

As she went through the red light and struck an eastbound vehicle, and then hit the pedestrian. The investigating police officers charged the defendant with aggravated reckless driving, and she was released on $5000 bond on Wednesday.

Riverside police are stating that drugs or alcohol did not play a role in the crash, but that she was not paying attention and distracted by cell phone use at the time. Police referred to her actions as grossly negligent. She is due in court this Monday.

This is not the only serious pedestrian collision this week. On Thursday morning 78-year-old man was killed in a Chicago pedestrian accident, according to WGN news. It happened near the intersection of Irving Park Road and Oakley just before 10 AM. The victim, Frank Groszek, was rushed to Illinois Masonic hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The crash investigation is being handled by the Chicago Police Department's major accident investigation unit. The driver involved ticketed for driving to fast for conditions.

It was not reported in if a Chicago pedestrian accident lawyer is involved yet in either of the above cases.

Abogados de abuso sexual en Abels & Annes, P.C. en colaboración con Hilfman & Martin, se están preparando para presenter una tercera demanda contra la Arquidiócesis de Chicago con respecto a el ex sacerdote Daniel McCormack. El caso de abuso será presentada ante la Corte de Circuito del Condado de Cook en la próxima semana. La Arquidiócesis de Chicago, el Obispo católico de Chicago y el cardinal Francis George serán nombrados los acusados.

La demanda sera presentada a nombre de John M. Doe para protejerla identidad de la victima. El demandante alega que mientras estuvo en y alrededor de la parroquia de St. Agatha y la rectoria de St. Agatha en Chicago de aproximadamente octavo-grado (2002-2003) por su menor o año mayor en colegio secundario (2005-2007), el estuvo tocado de manera impropia y sexualmente, frotado y abusado por McCormack en múltiples ocasiones.

Se alega que funcionarios de la iglesia fallaron de quitar a McCormack de sus deberes como sacerdote después de ganar información que tuvo una historia de reclamos contra él para el abuso sexual desde su tiempo en el seminario.

También indicará que la Arquidiócesis falló de reportar el comportamiento del sacerdote a la policía o advertir el público, pero en su lugar lo ordenó como un sacerdote y los promovió por el sistema hasta que finalmente fue nombrado Pastor de St. Agatha en 2000. Mientras en la parroquia, él fue tanto un maestro como entrenador de básquetbol.

Se alega que durante su tiempo en la iglesia, McCormack abusó sexualmente de niños y funcionarios de la iglesia no investigaron apropiadamente alegaciones acerca del sacerdote. Ellos no informaron padres ni a policía y en su lugar ellos continuaron permitir que trabaje con muchachos jóvenes. Aún después de que fue detenido y una junta de revisión recomendó su expulsión en octubre de 2005, él no fue retirado hasta enero de 2006 cuando fue tomado en la custodia de policía por segunda vez.

McCormack actualmente esta encarcelado. En 2007 se declaró culpable de abusar sexualmente a cinco niños y él fue sentenciado a cinco años en el Departamento de Correcciones de Illinois.

Sexual abuse lawyers at Abels & Annes, working with co-counsel Hilfman & Martin, are preparing to file a third lawsuit against the Chicago Archdiocese in regards to former priest Daniel McCormack. The abuse case will be filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County within the next week. The Archdiocese of Chicago, the Catholic Bishop of Chicago and Cardinal Francis George will be named as defendants.

The lawsuit will be filed on behalf of John M. Doe to protect the victim's identity. The plaintiff will allege that while he was in and around St. Agatha's parish and St. Agatha's rectory in Chicago from approximately eighth-grade (2002-2003) through his junior or senior year in high school (2005-2007), he was inappropriately and sexually touched, rubbed and abused by McCormack on multiple occasions.

It will allege that church officials failed to remove McCormack of his duties as priest after gaining information that he had a history of complaints against him for sexual abuse all the way back to his time in seminary.

It will also state that the archdiocese failed to report the priest's behavior to the police or warn the public, but instead ordained him as a priest and promoted them through the system until he was finally named Pastor of St. Agatha's in 2000. While at the parish, he was both a teacher and basketball coach.

It is alleged that during his time at the church, McCormack sexually abused children and church officials did not properly investigate allegations about the priest. They did not inform parents or police and instead they continued to let him work with young boys. Even after he was arrested and a review board recommended his removal in October of 2005, he was not removed until January 2006 when he was taken into police custody for the second time.

McCormack is currently incarcerated. In 2007 he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing five boys and he was sentenced to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

A 32-year-old man from Chicago lost his life on Tuesday when he was involved in an Illinois truck vs. motorcycle accident, according to the Chicago Daily Herald. The crash occurred in Elk Grove Township around 11:40 AM.

The truck was headed in a westerly direction on Higgins Road, just west of Landmeier, where it was in the left lane while turning right turn into a parking lot. The motorcycle rider was in the right lane and hit the side of the truck as it was turning into the lot.

The motorcyclist suffered severe head and chest injuries. He was rushed by ambulance to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where there is a Level I trauma center. Physicians were initially able to revive him, but he passed away around 1:30 PM.

The Cook County Sheriff's Department responded to the accident, and the Sheriffs accident reconstruction unit is investigating.

It is not been reported if Chicago motorcycle accident attorneys are involved in the case yet. Once involved, they will certainly look into whether there was negligence on the part of the truck driver in swinging the right turn from the left lane.

WGN news is reporting that the victim was Mariusz Koziel, age 32, who resided on the Northwest Side of Chicago.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, in the year 2009 there was a total of 3,846 Illinois motorcycle accidents. In those crashes, 130 motorcyclists were killed and 3,152 were injured. The State further reports that there were a total of 9,319 Illinois truck accidents last year. In those tractor-trailer crashes, 62 people were killed and 1,603 were injured.

A female bicyclist was killed Monday morning in an Illinois car vs. bike accident that occurred in Gibson City, according to the News Gazette. The victim, Jeanne C. DeWall, was using her bicycle to deliver newspapers for the News-Gazette at the time of the crash.

The bike rider was moving eastbound on Illinois 9 when she was hit by an eastbound car that was being driven by a 73-year-old man from Paxton. The collision occurred around 6 AM in the area of Ford Country Road 905 East. She was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

The Illinois State Police responded to the accident. Their investigation reportedly showed that the driver did not see the bicyclist, and that he may have been affected by headlights from oncoming traffic.

It was not reported if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash, or if state police would be issuing the driver any traffic citations.

It has also not been reported if Illinois injury attorneys are involved in the case yet. In this type of accident, the family of the victim may have two types of claims to pursue. First, it is being reported that the woman was on the job at the time of the accident. The injury attorney that represents the woman's family first may be able to pursue an Illinois workers' compensation claim. Second, the attorney will pursue a third-party negligence claim against the at fault driver and his auto insurance carrier.

Click here to read the story as reported by pantagraph.com.

Illinois workers compensation lawyers at Abels & Annes have signed on to represent and injured hospice worker. The accident took place on July 9, 2010 when our client injured her shoulder and back while at work.

At the time of the accident, the claimant was giving the patient a bath. The patient started to fall out of bed and the worker reached out and caught him, injuring herself in the process.

Initially the claimant hoped her pain would resolve on its own and did not go to the emergency room. However, after her pain did not go away over the next three days her employer referred her to a physician at Concentra in downtown Chicago. The injured worker is also following up with her own orthopedic physician.

Our client has had ongoing medical treatment since July. She is had an MRI, and has had injections in her shoulder.

The worker had shoulder surgery in 2006 to repair a torn rotator cuff. She is now very concerned with her current condition, in that she is having similar pain that she had prior to her previous surgery. It is not yet been determined that she will need additional surgery due to the current accident.

Chicago work comp attorneys at our firm signed up another new case last week when a restaurant worker badly lacerated her hand on the job.

If you have been hurt while on the job, contact the Chicago work injury lawyers at Abels and Annes for a free consultation. There is no attorneys fee unless we recover for you. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney.

Authorities are out in force on a high-profile campaign to ticket drivers for violating a new state law aimed at reducing the number of Chicago pedestrian accidents and serious and fatal crosswalk accidents elsewhere in the state.

The new law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in all crosswalks, even those which do not have a stop sign or traffic signal, or face a fine of $50 to $500, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported.

Our Chicago accident attorneys frequently report on the dangers of pedestrian accidents. As we reported in July on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, more than 800 crashes a day occur in Chicago and authorities have made reducing pedestrian accidents a goal at both the state and national level. A total of 3,484 Chicago pedestrian accidents were reported in 2008, killing 52 and injuring 3,225, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Illinois pedestrian accidents resulted in 135 fatalities in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In releasing accident statistics for 2009, the NHTSA made reducing pedestrian accidents a priority, along with a reduction in drunk driving accidents and motorcycle accidents.

Thousands of "Yield" signs at intersections throughout the Chicago area are being replaced with signs alerting the public to the rule charge. In August, 127 tickets were written as the city resumed its sting operations at crosswalks with a history of serious or fatal accidents.

Illinois' law took effect this summer and is aimed at the thousands of motorists who routinely ignore pedestrians in crosswalks. Authorities say the problem is particularly acute in downtown Chicago, where authorities have spent several years conducting undercover operations that station plain-clothes police officers in crosswalks to catch motorists violating the law.

A number of pedestrians interviewed said cab drivers are among the most egregious violators. And the city has received more than $10 million in grants but done little or nothing to relieve the heavy traffic and congestion on the south side of Jackson Boulevard south of Union Station. A CDOT spokesman said improvements have no timetable but could begin in the next few years.

Continue reading " New crosswalk law aims to reduce serious and fatal Chicago pedestrian accidents " »

A Chicago area pedestrian accident has resulted in the death of a construction worker in southwest suburban Forest View, Illinois, according to CBS News. The accident occurred on Friday afternoon when a semi-truck exiting the Stevenson Expressway (Interstate 55) made an illegal right turn and struck the worker on the Harlem Avenue off-ramp.

The construction worker was employed by Midwest Fencing, who was working a project for IDOT. The victim was making repairs to a barrier fence at the time of the accident, according to IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell.

Because of the construction, there were reportedly no right turn signs for trucks at the bottom of the off-ramp, but for reasons unknown, the trucker still made the right turn.

The semi was southbound on I 55 and turning north on to Harlem. The worker that was killed, Aurelio Rosales, was a Chicago resident. He was rushed to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The Illinois truck vs. pedestrian accident is being investigated by the Forest View Police Department with the help of an Illinois State Police reconstruction officer.

It has not been reported if the truck driver was being issued any traffic tickets, or if a Chicago pedestrian accident attorney is involved in the case. However, NBC News is reporting that citations against the driver are pending.

In a case like this, the family of the victim could have two separate claims to pursue. First, the worker was killed while on the job, so there is an Illinois workers' compensation claim. Second and more significantly, there is negligence claim to investigate against the truck driver and trucking company.

Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes have signed on to represent a nine-year-old boy who was injured in an Illinois bicycle accident on July 19, 2010. The collision took place in the parking lot of M & M Quick Foods, which is located at the intersection of Austin Boulevard and Division Street in Chicago.

The boy was riding his bicycle eastbound in the parking lot when the defendant quickly pulled into the lot off the street, failed to observe the bicyclist, and struck him. The plaintiff was knocked off of his bike.

The child had immediate onset of back pain and bilateral leg pain. He was taken by Chicago Fire Department Ambulance to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. There he was examined by doctors and x-rays were negative for fractures.

Over the next several days the boy's pain remained, so his mother took him to see a medical doctor. He is been undergoing treatment since the date of the accident.

The crash was investigated by the Chicago Police Department. The police report was actually written somewhat in favor of the driver that struck the bicyclist. The driver told police that the bike rider "darted out" in the parking lot. However, the police diagram clearly shows that the driver struck a bicyclist immediately upon entering the lot.

This brings up an interesting point about police reports. In this case (and in many other cases I've seen in the past), the injured party was taken from the scene of the accident before the police arrived. The officer interviewed the motorist, but did not take the time to interview the injured party, as he not at the scene of the accident and was on his way to the hospital.

Car accident lawyers run into this problem once in a while. I can tell you that just because the police write an unfavorable report, this does not affect our decision as to whether to take a case, and it certainly won't bar the plaintiff from recovering in this case. We look at the evidence in a particular case and make our own decision as to who we believe was at fault.

In this case, plaintiff was riding in the parking lot before the defendant entered. The defendant was driving too fast for conditions and failed to observe the bicyclist upon entering the lot.

Drivers in the Chicago area have to keep a lookout for bicycle riders, especially children on bikes. Chicago is now listed as one of the top 10 bicycling cities in the United States. In my experience, many drivers tend to only lookout for other vehicles and forget that there are bicycles on the road.

If you've been hurt in an Illinois bicycle accident, contact the injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 speak directly to an attorney.

Gov. Pat Quinn has proclaimed September to be Campus Fire Safety Month in Illinois, urging students, schools and landlords to ensure fire safety as the new school year begins.

More than 100 students have died in off-campus fires in the last decade and many more have been injured, according to the Illinois State Fire Marshal. Illegally divided apartments or campus-area apartments without adequate fire protection or emergency exits are a common danger. A Chicago injury lawyer or wrongful death attorney can assist students and families in the wake of a serious or fatal fire.

Landlords have an obligation to provide secure properties; adequate fire protection is just one example. Safe porches and stairways are another. As we reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, several people were injured over the weekend in accidents involving collapsing porches.

In making the announcement, the governor pointed to the case of Tanner Osborn, a 22-year-old college student who died along with two other classmates in a 2005 Chicago apartment fire. The apartment had no working smoke detector. Tanner's mother started "LOOK UP! Pay it Forward" as a way to remind students to look up for working smoke detectors in all student housing. Once a year, the program focuses on one university to get the word out.

This year's effort will be at Western Illinois University in Macomb on what would be Tanner's 28th birthday. Volunteers will join the Macomb Fire Department and students in passing out smoke alarms and fire prevention material.

Fire Safety Tips

-Test windows and doors to ensure they open.

-Practice alerting other members of an apartment or home.

-Install working smoke detectors.

-Post emergency numbers near telephone.

-Make sure you have a safe method of escape in all situations.

-Keep portable heaters at least three feet away from anything.

-Remain vigilant with smoking materials; never smoke in bed or while sleepy.

-Be careful while cooking -- have a working fire extinguisher.

Continue reading " Fire prevention effort highlights Chicago apartment injuries, landlord liability " »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety is funding a $10 million study that could make new-age ignition interlock devices as standard in new vehicles as seat belts and airbags.

The Boston Globe broke the story in the wake of criticism of the federal government for not doing enough to focus on driving safety issues aside from the aggressive campaign against distracted driving. As our Chicago injury lawyers reported recently on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog, alcohol continues to be involved in one-third of all fatal car accidents nationwide.

Earlier this month the federal government reported the number of fatal Illinois car accidents declined to 911 last year, from the 1,043 reported in 2008. However, the percentage of fatal crashes involving alcohol actually increased from 34 percent to 35 percent.

Many states require ignition interlock devices for drunk driving offenders. The systems require a driver to blow into a tube and tests for the presence of alcohol before permitting a vehicle to start. However, the system being tested by a Massachusetts defense contractor would be completely passive. A number of hurdles remain -- not the least of which are the privacy concerns such a system is sure to raise. But safety advocates believe it could ultimately save 9,000 lives a year. Not since the 15,000 lives a year saved by the seat belt has such a safety improvement hit the market.

Congress is considering providing another $10 million in funding to the project, which is in testing through 2013. Cost is another hurdle, as is the size of the units. Prototypes are the size of a large shoebox, while industry experts say they would need to be the size of a cell phone to make them practical.

“We just don’t think it’s appropriate that people who have no problem with drunken driving and impairment should have to be subjected to having to have this kind of a device,’’ Jim Baxter, president of the National Motorists Association, told the Globe. “It will create more problems than it was ever intended to solve.’’

However, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other organizations intend to throw their support behind making the devices standard.

“MADD is very excited about this,’’ said national spokesman J.T. Griffin. “This could really eliminate drunk driving in America.’’

Continue reading " Technology could someday eliminate drunk driving car accidents in Chicago and nationwide " »

Illinois work accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a medical assistant that was injured on the job back in July this year. The accident happened when she slipped and fell on a wet floor in a workplace bathroom.

After the worker fell, she had immediate onset of pain in her right ankle and foot. Due to the severity of her pain, a Chicago fire Department ambulance was called to the scene. Ambulance took her to the ER at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago. At the hospital, she was examined and x-rays were taken.

Over the next several days her pain remained and her employer sent her for further medical treatment at Concentra in Morton Grove. As of today she is still having pain and swelling in her right ankle and foot. She had to take several days off work due to her injuries.

In an injury case such as this, Chicago work comp lawyers at our office make sure your rights are fully protected. We want to client to continue to get the appropriate medical treatment she needs, and at the end of her medical treatment we will attempt to negotiate the bodily injury settlement on her behalf.

If you've been hurt in an Illinois work accident, contact the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for free consultation. There is no fee unless we recover for you. Call 312-924-7575.

A Chicago porch collapse that occurred early Sunday morning on the North Side has injured at least four people, according to the Chicago Tribune. City officials are already saying that the porch was not up to code. Also, Chicago Buildings Department spokesman Bill McCaffrey stated that the porch was several decades old.

Around eight people were on second level of the rear porch when it became separated from the building and collapsed. The building is located in the 3700 block of N. Ashland Avenue. The City has had no prior complaints about the structure. Further, because the building is only 2 1/2 stories tall, it is not required to undergo annual inspections under the building code.

Four people that were injured in the collapse were taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center. One of the victims was in serious-to-critical condition, while the others were in fair-to-serious condition. Four other people refused medical treatment.

While it has been a while since Chicago area porch collapses were in the news, there were actually two separate collapses this weekend. The other collapse occurred in south suburban Tinley Park on Saturday. 11 people were hurt in that accident.

ABC News is reporting that the Tinley Park collapse occurred in the Odyssey Club subdivision. Several people were standing under a second story wood deck of a townhouse when it collapsed around 5:30 PM. It is reportedly not yet known what caused the collapse. The deck was about 10 feet off the ground and was located in the 0–100 block of Iliad Drive.

The people injured in the accident were taken to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields. None of the injuries are supposed to be life-threatening. Most of the injured were senior citizens.

It has not been reported if Chicago premises liability lawyers are involved in either case yet.

An Illinois pedestrian accident attorney at Abels & Annes has settled a lawsuit pertaining to an accident that occurred in Chicago Illinois on January 24, 2008. The Chicago pedestrian vs. auto accident took place at the intersection of Broadway and Cornelia just after 1 PM in the afternoon.

Our client was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk with a green crosswalk light when the defendant ran a red light and struck the pedestrian with the front of her vehicle. The defendant contended that she had a green light, however, luckily for our client, there was an independent witness to the accident. The witness verified our client's version of events.

The lawsuit filed on our clients behalf alleged that the defendant failed to keep proper lookout for pedestrians, failed to stop for red light, was driving too fast for conditions, and failed to yield for a pedestrian in the crosswalk.

Due to the severity of the pedestrian's injuries, he was transported by ambulance to Illinois Masonic Medical Center. At the hospital, our client complained of right wrist pain, right shoulder pain, left side pain and left leg pain, and he had a large laceration on his forehead. The forehead laceration was close with nine stitches and diagnostic tests were performed at the ER.

X-rays revealed our client had sustained a right distal radius fracture in the accident. His right wrist and forearm were placed in a cast and sling. Upon discharge our client instructed to follow-up treatment with an orthopedic surgeon.

The plaintiff saw an orthopedic surgeon a few days later. Since the accident he had developed pain in his left shoulder. The doctor ordered an MRI which revealed a torn rotator cuff. Surgery was recommended for his shoulder, which was performed on March 8, 2008. The surgery was performed at Swedish Covenant Hospital. By the time our client was done with his medical treatment, he had incurred over $40,000 in medical bills.

The case settled just weeks before trial. The defendant was insured by State Farm and was represented in court by Bruce Farrel Dorn and Associates of Chicago.

If you've been injured in an Illinois pedestrian accident, contact the Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an injury attorney.

With the school year beginning, state officials are launching the 4th Annual Teen Safe Driving Program in an effort to reduce Chicago car accidents and traffic accidents involving teenagers elsewhere in Illinois.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined state officials on Friday in launching the program, which has become a model for other states seeking to reduce the risks associated with poor teen driving decisions.

“In 2008, teens formed the largest proportion of distracted drivers in fatal crashes,” said Secretary LaHood. “Texting and talking on cell phones may feel like second nature to a tech-savvy generation, but the truth is, no one can talk or text while driving safely. I commend these young leaders and Operation Teen Safe Driving for helping to keep teens drivers safe.”

As we reported recently on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, officials are urging teens to submit a public service announcement aimed at the dangers of texting and driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 6,000 drivers are killed and more than 500,000 are injured each year in accidents caused by distracted driving.

Operation Teen Safe Driving is a statewide initiative sponsored by Ford Motor Company. It encourages teens to share safe-driving skills with their friends. The program has reached more than a quarter million students in the last three years.

Together with the state's Graduated Driver Licensing Program, the state has reduced teen fatalities by about 50 percent, according to the Illinois State Police.

“We are proud to launch the fourth year of the Operation Teen Safe Driving Program with the nation’s most prominent traffic safety advocate, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “The Operation Teen Safe Driving (OTSD) Program has produced exemplary results across the state as it has helped cut teen fatalities by nearly half since 2006. IDOT is committed to teen safe driving and looks forward to a continued positive impact by this program.”

Any Illinois high school, public or private, is invited to apply. Students are asked to identify major traffic safety issues involving teenagers in their communities and to make creative proposals to help solve those problems.

Here is the online application for Operation Teen Safe Driving.

Continue reading " Teen Safe Driving Program credited with reducing Chicago car accidents " »

Chicago bicycle accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a North Side resident that was injured in a September 5, 2010 collision. The crash took place just after 6:30 PM at Diversey and Sheridan Road.

Our client was riding his bicycle westbound on Diversey Pkwy. approaching Sheridan. As he came to the intersection there was a taxicab that had just come to a stop for a red light. As our client was passing the taxi on its right side, a passenger opened the rear passenger side door into his bicycle. The taxicab driver failed to pull over to the curb and let the passengers out in the middle of the street. The bicyclist fell hard to the ground.

Our client was seen at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center shortly after the accident. He had sustained a ligament tear in his right knee, back and neck injuries, a fractured finger, and multiple abrasions. He has since followed up with a medical doctor due to ongoing pain.

The Chicago Police Department handled the accident investigation.

Drivers and passengers negligently opening car doors without checking for bicycle riders is a common occurrence in the City of Chicago. Our law firm has handled several of these cases over the past few years. There are more and more people bike riding in the City every year, and motorists have a duty to keep a lookout for them.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Illinois bike accident, call the Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for free consultation. We are ready to help you 24/7.

A former Roman Catholic Priest has received a four-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting boy from St. Charles when the child was 12 to 13 years old, according to the Daily Herald. Alejandro Flores, age 37, of Shorewood, Illinois pleaded guilty on Wednesday to Class I felony criminal sexual abuse.

The Will County State's Attorney's Office alleged that defendant sexually abused the boy that he met while working at St. Mary's Church, which is located in West Chicago. The child was reportedly abused on multiple occasions in the priest's car and in the boy's home. It was also alleged that the priest attempted to have sexual relations with the victim's older brother.

Due to this conviction, the former priest must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and he will likely face deportation to his home country of Bolivia when he is released from prison. He will serve at least 85% of the sentence, which comes out to about three years and five months.

In January, 2010, the boy's mother reported the abuse to the Joliet Archdiocese, NBC News reported. Later that month he fell from a church balcony in what is been reported as an attempted suicide. He was hospitalized at that time, but not seriously injured, and he was arrested after being released from the hospital. At that time he was serving as a priest at Holy Family Church in Shorewood, Illinois.

It is not been reported if the family of the minor has retained Chicago-area sex abuse attorney or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.

The effects of sexual abuse to a minor can be very damaging and long-lasting. Sex abuse victims are more likely to suffer from depression, and more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs as adults. Click here to read more about sex abuse cases.

Illinois workers' compensation attorneys at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a Chicago woman who was injured while working for American Airlines.

The accident happened on August 29, 2010 when our client was working as a ramp agent in terminal four at O'Hare Airport. The claimant was positioned outside an airplane by a ramp when she was struck in the face by a baggage loading machine.

The plaintiff sustained facial lacerations, bruising, a shoulder injury and severe headaches. After the accident she was taken by ambulance to Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago. At the ER, her lacerations were stitched, and x-rays showed no fractures.

Over the next several days, her shoulder pain and headaches continued. She has since sought follow-up treatment with a medical doctor in Chicago.

An application for adjustment of claim is being filed with the Illinois Industrial Commission in downtown Chicago. Attorney Nicole Sommerfeld will be handling the claim. We will be seeking reasonable medical treatment for the client, disability pay while she is off work, and the bodily injury settlement at the end of the case.

If you've been injured on the job in the Chicago area, contact the Illinois work comp attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free, no obligation consultation. Call 312-924-7575 speak directly to a lawyer now.

A Chicago pedestrian accident that occurred on Saturday in the 6200 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue has injured three children and one woman, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. An 11-year-old girl is in critical condition.

The Chicago car vs. pedestrian accident happened when a stolen 1999 Chrysler hit the pedestrians, then struck a parked car and a brick wall. After that, several people jumped out of the car and fled the scene of the accident. They left behind the car that has Indiana plates.

All four injured pedestrians were hospitalized. The children, including the 11-year-old that is in critical condition, were all taken to the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. The injured woman, age 35, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and is reportedly in stable condition.

The vehicle involved in the hit-and-run accident was stolen from the 5000 block of S. Cottage Grove Ave. Police are still searching for the driver and passengers involved in the accident. Anyone with information regarding this pedestrian accident should immediately call the Chicago Police Department at 312-745-4521.

It is not been reported if Chicago injury lawyers are involved in this case yet. However, due to the fact the Chrysler was stolen, the vehicle will be uninsured.

Hopefully the injured pedestrian victims and their families have their own auto insurance policies. If they do, they will be able to pursue uninsured motorist claims against their own auto insurance carriers.

Click here to read more about Chicago uninsured motorist claims and Illinois hit-and-run accident claims.

Click here to read the story as reported by WGN news.

An Illinois workers' compensation attorney at Abels & Annes has reached a $130,000 settlement on behalf of a South Side resident that was injured on the job. The accident occurred on May 9, 2006 in the City of Chicago. Our client was on the job Chicago Transit Authority. He was hit by a car while crossing the street. He had just exited a CTA bus and was walking in a marked crosswalk.

After the accident or client was rushed to Christ Medical Center by ambulance. There he was diagnosed with multiple pelvic fractures and had to undergo surgery. After spending several days in the hospital he was transferred to Manor Care in Chicago to undergo rehabilitation.

In addition to the $130,000 settlement, our client received disability pay while he was off of work due to his injuries, and all of his medical bills were paid for.

If you have been injured on the job, contact a Chicago work injury lawyer in our office for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575.

A 24-year-old Chicago woman was seriously injured in a work accident while employed as an extra on the movie "Transformers 3"

The Sun-Times reports the Little Village resident suffered a serious head injury in a stunt involving several cars during filming Wednesday night in Hammond, Indiana. The Indiana State Police reports an object struck her after it smashed through the windshield of her 2006 Toyota. She was flown to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.

Relatives said she remained hospitalized in stable condition after undergoing surgery. They said she was excited to be in a movie; her normal day job is working as a teller at Second Federal Savings in the Little Village.

In a case like this, a Chicago area work injury lawyer should be consulted to ensure that the injured worker's rights are protected and that she obtains the compensation she deserves for medical bills, injuries and lost wages.

The Chicago Tribune reported that the scene being filmed involved motorists traveling along a busy highway as explosions rocked the opposite lane. The paper said the incident happened about 7 p.m. and involved a metal object that crashed through the windshield and struck the woman in the head. Her car continued on, scraping along the concrete median barrier for about a mile before coming to a stop.

Police report a cable pulling vehicles snapped and may have resulted in the accident. She was one of about 100 extras on the scene of Wednesday's shoot. The extras were paid a minimum wage plus $25 a day for the use of their car.

Read the L.A. Times report here.

A respected highway safety organization backed by the insurance industry has published a study that found states that have passed laws preventing drivers from text messaging have actually seen an increase in car accidents compared to states without texting bans.

Our Chicago car accident lawyers frequently report on the dangers of text messaging; Illinois's text messaging ban went into effect for all drivers on Jan 1; drivers in Chicago have been banned from using all hand-held cell phone devices for several years.

The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post have both reported on the study released by the Highway Loss Data Institute, which is a division of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

As The Post reports, the first speeding law went into effect almost 150 years ago, but even strict enforcement has a limited impact on those drivers who insist upon speeding. The federal government blames drunk driving, speeding and distracted driving for the majority of car accidents.

The Highway Loss Data compared crash data in four states with text messaging bans with accident data in four states that have no rules prohibiting drivers from text messaging while behind the wheel. Not only did the study find no decrease in accidents, it found that accident rates actually increased in three of four states with texting bans.

"It's an indication that texting bans might even increase the risk of texting for drivers who continue to do so despite the laws," says Adrian Lund, president of both HLDI and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The study authors believe the increase could be the result of motorists attempting to hide their activities in states where texting and driving is illegal.

"If drivers were disregarding the bans, then the crash patterns should have remained steady," Lund said. "So clearly drivers did respond to the bans somehow, and what they might have been doing was moving their phones down and out of sight when they texted, in recognition that what they were doing was illegal. This could exacerbate the risk of texting by taking drivers' eyes further from the road and for a longer time."

The Governor's Highway Safety Association reports that 30 states have now passed laws that forbid text messaging behind the wheel, even as text messaging has become an increasingly popular means of communications. The most recent one-year period saw a 60 percent increase in text messaging, from 1 trillion texts in 2008 to 1.6 trillion in 2009.

Continue reading " Texting ban may not be reducing car accidents in Chicago and throughout Illinois " »

A Chicago bicycle accident claimed the life of a rider on the Dan Ryan Expressway Sunday night, according to CBS 2.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reports the accident happened in the northbound lanes near 55th Street. The 28-year-old rider was struck and killed by a Sports Utility Vehicle, according to Illinois State Police.

The accident happened shortly after 9 p.m. and police were trying to determine why the rider was on the freeway.

Also on Sunday, a Chicago pedestrian accident claimed the life of a man in his late teens or early 20s. The man was apparently pinned between two SUVs in the Logan Square neighborhood shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday. The Breaking News Center reported that the accident happened in the 2400 block of North Ridgeway Avenue.

The victim was apparently struck by a black Oldsmobile SUV, which then pinned him against a GMC Yukon.

It has not been reported if a Chicago pedestrian accident lawyer or a bicycle attorney are involved in either case yet.

While the number of fatal accidents has been in decline in Chicago and throughout the state, pedestrian and bicycle accidents remain a significant threat in Chicago. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 3,484 pedestrian accidents were reported in 2008, injuring more than 3,200 and claiming 52 lives.

A total of 1,726 bicycle accidents were reported in Chicago, killing 5 riders and injuring nearly 1,500.