Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

A resident's death in a Chicago highrise fire is being blamed on the antiquated structure and an apartment door left open so a pet could escape. The resident died in the Chicago elevator accident, the Chicago Tribune reported. Fires are just one type of premises liability accident that can become more prevalent during the winter months.

In this case, the city did not require the older high-rise building to install automatic fire alarms or sensors that would have prevented the elevators from operating. The Tribune reports aldermen have delayed enforcement of fire reforms. But, in the wake of the accident, city officials are scrambling to push high-rise owners to speed up fire-safety improvements.

Letters are going out to landlords urging them to become compliant with the city's life safety evaluation ordinance in advance of the 2015 deadline. The ordinance had been scheduled to take effect to start the year, however City Council voted last month 49-0 to give high rise owners three more years to install the fire-safety systems in their buildings.

Owners have been complaining about the expense.

The fire department was alerted to the fire shortly after 2 a.m. Surveillance video shows the victim boarded the elevator in the lobby about the same time the 12th floor fire was reported. The 32-year-old victim died when the doors opened and she was hit with 1,500 degree temperatures.

The couple who owned the apartment that caught fire told investigators they propped their door open with a rug so their pets could escape. Firefighters say the open door prevented the fire from being contained to that unit. While the fire did not spread to other apartments, it filled the hallway with heat, gas and smoke.

The 35-year-old, 21-story building was built before 1975, and so did not have a sprinkler system installed. Nor was it required by law to have automatic fire alarms or elevator sensors. The city passed new regulations after a 2003 fire at the Cook County Administrative Building, which killed six people. However, high rises built before 1975 were exempt from the regulations.

Still the building in question is one of hundreds of vintage high rises that had been mandated to make improvements by the start of this year.

Other common causes of winter premises liability accidents in Chicago include slip & fall accidents due to unnatural accumulations of ice and negligent snow removal. Fires are obviously a serious hazard. Whether because an apartment resident does not follow the proper safety precautions with supplemental heaters, or because landlords fail to address unsafe, dangerous or antiquated building conditions.

Our Chicago premises liability attorneys have recently won compensation in several injury cases that occurred on private property. In one case, a homeowner hosed down his porch, creating a solid sheet of ice. The Chicago slip and fall accident resulted in a $100,000 settlement.

Continue reading "Chicago Fire, Elevator Accident, Highlights Winter Premises Liability Concerns " »

As the year winds down, it's time to start thinking about the holidays and the year's year-end shopping blitz. It's also a good time for a reminder to check with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) for defects and recalls, especially when dealing with products for children.

Recalled items are defective and can result in serious injury in Chicago and elsewhere. It's important for consumers to check out the recall list from the CPSC year round. Many items on this list are common household products or are popular children's toys.

Our Chicago defective product attorneys understand that consumers may not always know about recalls. The CPSC is charged with protecting consumers from products with known defects. The agency notifies the public about products that pose mechanical, chemical, electrical, fire and other various hazards. But too many defective products go undetected. Others must injure or kill consumers before a recall is issued.

Recent recalls that may affect your family:

Children's Frog Masks

Nearly 3,500 masks have been recalled from Target stores around the country. When the frog mask is on your child's face, the CPSC has determined that it poses a serious suffocation threat. This item has the UPC code 06626491474, which can be found on the tag that is attached to the mask. They were sold at Target stores from August to September of 2011.

Lithium-Poly Battery Pack from Electric Motion Systems, LLC

This item has been recalled because it could cause a potential fire hazard because the battery can overheat. About 70 were sold. The batteries that fall under this recall have the EMS# 11819-101 and have a serial number between 10001 and 10200. The items were sold at bike shops around the country and on the company's website. They were sold from October of 2009 to November of 2010. They cost between $900 and $2,700.

Twist ‘n Sort Toys by Guidecraft

These items were recalled because they can be a choking hazard for small children. Nearly 1,000 were sold from specialty stores, online and from catalogs from September of 2009 to November of 2010. The toys cost about $20.

LittleLife Baby Carriers by Lifemarque

LittleLife Discoverer Child Carriers is recalling carrier because they were sold without the proper bolts used to attach the main frame to the metal stand. Without these bolts, the two can disconnect and pose a fall hazard to children. The items were sold in 40 states and in Canada. The recall applies to models LS55060. This number can be found on the care label. They were sold from January 2011 to July of 2011.

Many more items are on the list and parents and consumers of all ages are urged to check the CPSC website, particularly when making a new purchase.

Continue reading "Check CPSC Recall List before Christmas Shopping to Prevent Injury in Chicago from Defective Products" »

There were two serious Illinois auto accidents on the Dan Ryan Expressway this past weekend, according to the Chicago Tribune.

One of the collisions involve a fatality. The crash occurred on Saturday around 9:30 AM in the area of 89th St. in the southbound lanes. The incident involved three vehicles and one person was killed, while three others were injured.

The victim fatally injured, a 45-year-old Chicago man who resides in the 2600 block of E 76th Street, was taken to Roseland Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. Two other people involved were rushed by ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, both in critical condition. The other person injured was also critical and was transported to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, according to fire department officials.

The motorist killed was driving a 2001 BMW SUV when he was reportedly changing lanes. Unfortunately, the driver of a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix changed lanes at the same time, and the two cars collided with one of them striking a 2011 GMC Yukon. The victim's BMW drove across all of the lanes and slammed into a concrete barrier before flipping. The Yukon also hit the wall.

The Illinois State Police are handling the crash reconstruction, and their investigation is still ongoing.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times

The above accident was unfortunately not the only role over on the Dan Ryan this weekend. Early Sunday morning around 3:15 AM a suspected DUI motorist flipped her car over when trying to exit the Dan Ryan at 18th St. moving southbound. State police handled this accident as well.

Four people were injured in the rollover, with one person being ejected from the vehicle. Luckily, none of the injuries are reportedly life-threatening. Paramedics from the Chicago fire Department took all of the injured to local hospitals in serious to critical condition.

The alleged intoxicated motorist had two warrants outstanding for her arrest.

It has not been reported if there is a Chicago injury lawyer involved in either of the above accidents yet, or if any civil lawsuits have been filed.

Just before the weekend started, another Illinois auto accident resulted in injuries to a 31-year-old Chicago resident. He remains in serious condition due to his Ford Explorer getting trapped under a semi truck that reportedly attempted an illegal turn in Rosemont on Thursday. The driver had to be extricated by rescue personnel and was taken by ambulance to Lutheran General in Park Ridge.

The crash occurred by the Lee Street exit ramp coming off of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway around 7:50 AM. The truck driver, a 32-year-old Riverdale resident, was not hurt. Investigating police officers ticketed him with failure to yield while making a left turn. The Rosemont police handled the investigation.

The location had to be closed to through traffic for five hours during the crash investigation.

Continue reading "Deadly weekend for Chicago car crashes on the Dan Ryan and elsewhere" »

Two separate pedestrian collisions in Chicago have left a man dead and a woman seriously injured on Friday, according to the Chicago Tribune. Both accidents occur downtown.

In the fatal incident, a pedestrian was crossing Lakeshore Drive in the area of Monroe Street around 1:15 AM when he was struck and killed. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cook County medical examiner's office is stating he has not been identified yet, pending notification to the victim's family.

The accident was initially reported is a hit-and-run, but it was later said that a 45-year-old driver was taken into custody. Police are also saying the motorist may have been driving under the influence, however no charges have yet been filed.

In the second pedestrian accident, a woman was seriously hurt after she was hit by a Chicago Transit Authority bus on Michigan Avenue in the area of Wacker Drive. The Illinois bus accident was caused when the driver reportedly failed to stop at a red light just before 5 PM and collided with the woman in the 200 block of N. Michigan Ave., according to Chicago police officials.

The woman sustained serious head injuries and lacerations, and a fractured elbow. She was taken by ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for medical attention.

The CTA bus operator was ticketed for running a red light and hitting a pedestrian.

The Chicago Police Department's major accident investigation unit is reportedly handling both incidents. It has not been reported if there are pedestrian accident lawyers involved in either case yet.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, so far this year 651 people have been killed in motor vehicle related accidents statewide, and 150 of those fatalities took place in what were considered alcohol-related crashes, meaning there was information reported showing some indication of alcohol being used in relation to the collision.

The state further reports that in 2010 there were 5215 Illinois pedestrian accidents which resulted in 115 fatalities. 5067 of those collisions, or 97%, occurred on what would be considered urban roads.

Motorists in the downtown Chicago area have to be on the lookout for pedestrians, even late at night. Typically these types of accidents result in serious injury to the pedestrian, and sometimes death.

Continue reading "Chicago pedestrian killed in accident, another seriously injured in separate collision" »

An odd Chicago area auto accident has occurred in unincorporated Will County, according to the Chicago Tribune. On Saturday, a Lockport area home was struck by a neighbor's vehicle, resulting in the death of a resident who was home at the time of the accident.

The victim, a 28-year-old man who lives in the 400 block of Conner Street, was trapped under the vehicle after it drove through the front of the house and finally stopped at the back of the house. The vehicle's driver, a 63-year-old woman who resides across the road, was trying to back her 1995 Mercury Marquis down her driveway around 12:15 PM. At that time, she claims that her gas petal became stuck, which in turn caused her to reverse that a high rate of speed across the street and crash into the house. Neither the driver or passenger were seriously injured.

The victim was reportedly in the front part of the house when the accident occurred and was found under the automobile when emergency crews arrived after receiving a 911 call a couple minutes later.

While this type of fatal accident is somewhat rare, here is where the story takes a strange turn. As emergency personnel workers were searching the home to see if anyone else was there who might have been hurt, they broke down a locked door. On the other side of the door they found approximately 30 marijuana plants, each about 3 feet in height. There was also indoor grow lights and a watering system, according to the Will County Sheriff's Department, who is the authority handling the crash investigation.

The house is reportedly owned by a relative of the victim's roommate. No charges have been filed yet in relation to the accident or the marijuana plants. The Sheriff's investigation is still ongoing, and a decision on criminal charges will reportedly be made over the next few days.

Police have not been able to remove the car from the home, as there was a concern that the house could collapse the automobile is moved.

After the accident, the driver was taken Silver Cross Hospital as a precaution. There was no indication as to whether alcohol or drugs played a role.

As far as a civil claim is concerned,it has not been reported if a Chicago pedestrian accident attorney is involved in the case yet or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.

Even though the facts in this case are uncommon, it is not that unusual for a vehicle to strike a building in the Chicago area, causing injury to people inside. Our office was recently involved in a settlement where an elderly driver drove into a downtown eatery, striking several people having lunch inside. Another restaurant (that I eat lunch at often) has been on the wrong end of taxicab accidents on three separate occasions over the past few years.

In case like the one reported in the news above, the victim's family will be able to pursue a wrongful death claim against a negligent driver. If the motorist happens to have no insurance, the family can pursue an uninsured motorist claim against the victim's own auto policy.

Fewer motorists are expected to hit the roads this Fourth of July weekend than last, but it's all relative; with AAA estimating 39 million Americans on the road you are still at greater risk for a Chicago car accident through the long travel weekend.

The Chicago Tribune reports higher gas prices and the shaky economy are to blame for the 1 million fewer drivers expected to travel at least 50 miles from home.

AAA Chicago estimates 1.9 million drivers will hit the road in Illinois -- 3.3 percent fewer than last year. While gas in the Chicago area has fallen by 29 cents in recent weeks -- to an average of $3.93 a gallon -- that's still 37 cents more than the national average and nearly $1 a gallon higher than last year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 32 Illinois traffic fatalities over the 2009 Fourth of July holiday period.

While our Chicago personal injury lawyers wish each of you a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend, we also would like to remind you of risks away from the road.

Chicago fireworks injuries: Last year, 135 people were seriously injured in Illinois fireworks accidents, according to the State Fire Marshal Even those fireworks people often think of as harmless were responsible for serious injuries, including sparklers (13) and bottle rockets (16). Seventy-eight people suffered serious burns, 10 suffered loss of eyesight and six suffered dismemberment.

More than half of those injured in Illinois fireworks accidents were under the age of 21. Injuries to the hands, fingers and eyes were most common.

Illinois Boating Accidents: Independence Day is the height of the summer boating season in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reports a total of 102 boating accidents in 2009 -- claiming 25 lives and injuring 70. Common causes are drinking and boating, lack of training and failure to wear life vests or follow other established safety procedures. If your weekend plans involve being out on the water, please stay safe and take responsibility for making sure those around you are safe as well.

Chicago swimming pool accidents: Family gatherings this time of year often occur at the home with the pool. As such, many are not familiar with pool safety. Children are at particularly high risk. An adult should always be assigned to watch children. Even those using small backyard portable pools. CNN recently reported that more than 244 submersion accidents involving small portable pools have been reported in the last decade. In 209 cases, the incident resulted in a fatality.

Continue reading "Chicago Injury Attorneys Wish you a Safe and Enjoyable Fourth of July" »

A Chicago area car vs. truck crash has resulted in the death of a 60-year-old Park Forest woman, according to the Southtown Star. One other person was also injured in the collision that occurred Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 80.

The accident involved two semi trucks and a passenger vehicle, and occurred just after 2:15 PM on the interstate's westbound lanes in the area of Interstate 355. The car was struck from behind by one of the trucks, causing the vehicle to spin into another lane where a second truck slammed into it.

The injured driver was taken by ambulance to Silver Cross Hospital. The name of the victim fatally injured has not been released.

The Illinois state police are handling the crash investigation. Westbound traffic on the interstate was shut down for around three hours due to the crash.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

It has not been reported if an Illinois injury attorney is involved in the case or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.

A man is been killed in a Chicago pedestrian accident, and now police are asking for help in finding the driver that fled the scene, this according to the Chicago breaking news center. The accident occurred on the South Side on Tuesday around 7:54 PM at 449 E. 35th Street. The victim, a 50-year-old male, was only two blocks from his home when he was killed.

Chicago police officers found the victim lying in the street. At first they thought he might have fallen due to a medical condition. However, the Medical Examiner's Office indicated he suffered head trauma due to an accident. The Chicago Police Department's major accident investigation unit then started an investigation due to the apparent hit and run fatality. Police have no description of the vehicle involved.

Anyone with information regarding accident is being asked to call Chicago police at 312-745-4521.

If the hit-and-run driver is never located, the victim's family should be able to pursue an Illinois hit and run claim against his own auto insurance policy.

A three-year-old boy from Dalton has died in an Illinois premises liability accident on Saturday after falling from a children's roller coaster, according to the Naperville Sun. The accident occurred around 7 PM at an establishment called Go Bananas, which is described as a family entertainment center located at 4516 N. Harlem Ave. in Norridge, Illinois. The toddler was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy was performed on Sunday and it showed that the boy died of multiple injuries sustained in the accident. Further, his death has been ruled an accident.

Is being reported that the victim and his twin brother were riding a small roller coaster when the child somehow freed himself from a safety bar and then became stuck between two cars, and then fell 3 or 4 feet from the moving coaster.

The owner of the facility, who was not present at the time of the accident, as stated that he plans on cooperating 100% through the investigation.

It has not been reported if a Chicago premises liability lawyer is involved in the case or if a civil lawsuit has been filed by the victim's family.

Click here to read the story as reported by Fox news and the New York Daily News.

An Illinois car versus pedestrian accident has resulted in the death of a man in northwest suburban Lake Zurich, according to Trib Local. The collision involved three vehicles and occurred at southbound US Route 12 and Honey Lake Road.

Police are reporting that a vehicle moving south on Route 12 around 3 PM drove off the roadway and struck a second vehicle and a person standing outside that vehicle. The second vehicle was knocked into a third unoccupied vehicle. The pedestrian standing outside the vehicle was about to get in the car at the time of the collision, and was tragically killed in the accident.

A Lake Zurich Fire Department ambulance transported the driver of the first vehicle to Good Shepherd Hospital due to injuries sustained in the collision. Reportedly that driver will be asked to give a blood sample to determine if drugs or alcohol played a role in the deadly accident. 2 other people involved in the accident were also taken to Good Shepherd Hospital.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Department's major crash assistance team will help the Lake Zurich Police Department in their investigation.

It has not been reported if an Chicago pedestrian accident lawyer is involved in the case yet.

A man is been killed in an Illinois truck versus car crash that occurred in downstate Murphysboro, Illinois on Tuesday, CBS news is reporting. The collision occurred at the intersection of Country Club Road and Route 13 in front of a Walmart around 9:30 AM.

After the truck crash, the 72-year-old driver of the car involved in the accident, who is a Murphysboro resident, was transported by ambulance to an area hospital and pronounced dead less than an hour later. The driver of the box truck was not seriously hurt.

The accident reportedly occurred when the car turned left in front of the truck, however the traffic signals at the intersection were not described in the news story. Further, it's being reported that the truck driver was cited by the Illinois State Police for logbook violations.

The Illinois State Police, Murphysboro Police Department, Murphysboro Fire Department, and Jackson County Sheriff's Department all responded to the scene of the accident and assisted in the crash investigation. Traffic on Route 13 had to be narrowed to one lane due to the accident.

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

An Illinois truck versus pedestrian accident has resulted in the death of a 44-year-old man in the Bridgeport neighborhood, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The accident happened just before 3 PM on Wednesday in the 2800 block of S. Archer Ave.

The pedestrian was hit by a Chicago Department of Transportation truck. The city employee remained at the scene until police arrived. The Chicago Police Department issued the driver tickets for operating a vehicle in reverse and for striking a pedestrian. The name of the truck driver has not been released. It was also not reported whether the truck involved was out clearing snow after this week's blizzard.

The pedestrian victim died at the scene of the accident, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. An autopsy is scheduled for today. The name of the victim has not been released.

The Chicago Police Department's major accident investigation unit is handling the investigation.

It has not been reported when the city driver is scheduled to appear in traffic court or if a Chicago pedestrian accident attorney is involved in the case yet.

A deadly Chicago-area auto accident has resulted in two deaths in the Northwest suburbs, according to WLS 890 AM. The collision occurred Thursday night in Hoffman Estates and the Illinois state police are reporting that a motorist involved fled the scene.

Hoffman Estates Police responded to an accident involving at least two vehicles on Golf Road just after 7:30 PM. At the scene they found one of the automobiles engulfed in flames. One victim, a 62-year-old Hoffman Estates resident, died at the scene. A second victim, age 32 of an unknown address, was pronounced dead less than an hour later at St. Alexis Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.

Autopsies on Friday found both victims died of multiple injuries sustained in a car accident, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Shortly after the accident on Friday evening the Illinois state police issued an alert for a blue four-door Subaru that was involved in a hit and run accident in Hoffman Estates. Anyone with information regarding the accident should immediately call the Hoffman Estates Police Department or the Illinois state police.

The cause of the deadly Chicago-area car accident has not been reported.

A deadly Illinois pedestrian accident has left one person dead and police searching for the driver that fled the scene, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The accident occurred Saturday morning in Gage Park, according to police.

Chicago Police were called to the 5200 block of S. Western Ave. just after 3:30 AM. There they found the pedestrian victim, a 21-year-old resident of the 6300 block of S. Kostner Avenue, lying on the ground. Police believe he been struck by a car behind the collision threw him into the air, landing on a parked car and then coming to rest on the ground.

The victim was rushed to Cook County Hospital and was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

Chicago police are looking for a green vehicle with possible headlight damage. The vehicle may also have damage on the front and right side, according to a police spokesperson.

The Chicago Police Department's major accidents investigation unit is handling the investigation. Anyone with information should immediately contact the team at 312-745-4521.

In a case like this, our condolences go out to the victim and his family. As far as a civil case is concerned, the chances of catching the driver and that driver having valid insurance is very remote. Typically, once a Chicago personal injury lawyer gets involved in the case, they will explore the option of setting up a hit and run / uninsured motorist claim against the pedestrian victim's own auto insurance policy. Click here to read more about Chicago hit-and-run claims and Illinois uninsured motorist cases.

A three vehicle Illinois car crash has caused the death of three motorists in downstate Alexander County, according to the Chicago Tribune. The wreck occurred back on December 20, 2010 on Illinois Route 3 near Thebes, Illinois.

The car crash occurred when a vehicle driven by a 20-year-old Wisconsin resident and a pickup truck driven by an 18-year-old Missouri resident sideswiped each other as they were headed in opposite directions. The Missouri driver then hit a van head on that was occupied by a 54-year-old female driver and a 76-year-old passenger, both from Cairo, Illinois.

The driver of the van and the Missouri motorist died in the accident. The passenger in the van passed away four days later from injuries sustained in the accident. The Wisconsin driver survived, but her condition has not been reported.

It has not been reported what hospitals the victims were treated at or if any Illinois injury lawyers are involved in the case yet.

Read the story here as reported by the Carmi Times and The Southern.com.

The Illinois State Police are handling the crash investigation. Details as to the cause of the two vehicles sideswiping, such as one of the motorists crossing the center line, have not been disclosed.

An Aurora man was killed on Friday morning in a Chicago area truck vs. pedestrian accident, according to the Beacon-News. The collision occurred in an Aldi grocery store parking lot in Batavia. A semi-tractor was backing up to a semi-trailer and the driver failed to observe a pedestrian walking behind him around 10:45 a.m.

The truck driver planned on moving the trailer from one spot to another in the lot, which is located in the 1200 block of North Kirk Road. The vehicle backed over the pedestrian victim.

The 53-year-old pedestrian was taken by ambulance to Delnor Hospital in Geneva where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The Batavia Police Department is handling the investigation. The truck driver, age 46 from Sandwich, Illinois, has not yet been issued any traffic citations.

It has not been reported if a Chicago pedestrian accident attorney is involved in the case yet.

Click here to read the story in the Kane County Chronicle.

A Michigan man, age 30, died early Sunday morning in a Illinois hit-and-run accident, according to WGN news. The deadly collision occurred in west suburban Aurora around 4:30 AM.

Aurora police received a 911 call about a hit-and-run accident and proceeded to Butterfield Road just W. of Eola Rd. Police investigated and learned that a pedestrian was walking eastbound with another person on Butterfield Road when he was struck from behind by a motor vehicle heading east on that same street. The driver stopped briefly, but then fled the scene before the police and fire department arrived.

The vehicle is being described as a dark-colored sedan and was last seen traveling eastbound on Butterfield. The driver is a Caucasian male, approximately 5 foot 9 inches, 165 pounds, dark hair, and in his early to mid 20s. He has multiple tattoos on his arms and neck, and a pierced right ear.

Before the accident, the two pedestrians were walking back to their car after running out of gas. The victim was rushed by ambulance to Provena Mercy Hospital where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

Anyone with information regarding the accident should immediately call the Aurora Police Department at 630-256-5330, or call Aurora area crime stoppers at 630-892-1000. The call to crimestoppers is anonymous and callers can qualify for a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

This was the second fatal Illinois pedestrian hit-and-run accident that occurred on early Sunday morning. As our Chicago pedestrian accident attorneys reported yesterday, a woman who was walking home from a store in downstate East St. Louis was struck and killed. The driver fled the scene and is currently being sought by police.

As our Illinois auto accident attorneys previously reported, a teenager from the southwest side was killed in a collision with an Evergreen Park police vehicle back on October 5, 2010. Now the Chicago accident attorney representing the victim's family has responded publicly to a sheriff's report and a toxicology report obtained by the Southtown Star.

In a article published on Friday, the Southtown reported that the teenager killed in the accident had trace amounts of THC (the main ingredient in marijuana) in his system and that a Sheriff's reconstruction report found the teenage driver had failed to yield to an unmarked police car, causing the police car to strike the driver side of the teenager's vehicle.

The plaintiff's personal injury attorney points out in the article that the Sheriff's report was not critical at all of the officer's conduct when the police vehicle was traveling 90 mph just 2.2 seconds before the crash. The police car was only able to reduce its speed down to 59 mph before impact. Further, the attorney states that the Sheriff's report makes no mention of emergency lights or sirens because the police officer did not have them activated at the time of the accident.

The police vehicle was traveling 90 mph at the intersection of 95th St. and Central Park Avenue to pull over a vehicle for speeding.

The Cook County Sheriff's Department also released a toxicology report stating that there was enough THC in the teen driver's system "to have him be considered impaired" at the time of the collision. The report was prepared by a doctor from the St. Louis University Toxicology Laboratory.

Attorney Paul Salzetti is representing the family of the victim in the wrongful death lawsuit. The case was filed on October 15, 2010 in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Law Division, case number 2010-L-011830. The law firm of Querry and Harrow is representing the defendant police officer and the Village of Evergreen Park.

An 89-year-old woman from Palos Park was killed on Friday in an Illinois pedestrian accident, according to WLS-AM 890. She was struck by her neighbor's minivan.

The Chicago area car vs. pedestrian accident occurred in the area of Southwest Highway and Route 83. The elderly woman was taken by ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn were she was pronounced dead a short time later.

The accident occurred as the victim was going to her mailbox at her housing complex. At that time she was struck by an 80-year-old neighbor who was driving a Dodge Caravan. The elderly driver, who lives in the same housing complex, did not see the pedestrian walking. Both the driver and the pedestrian reside at Edelweiss on the Lake.

The pedestrian was reportedly found underneath the minivan. The results of an autopsy on Saturday showed the victim died of multiple injuries sustained in the collision . Her death is been ruled an accident. The Palos Park Police Department is handling the crash investigation.

Our Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers would like to remind you that as winter weather arrives in Northern Illinois, drivers have to be very diligent in keeping a lookout for pedestrians and bicyclists. It is dark out for the evening rush-hour, and when you add bad winter weather to the equation it can create dangerous conditions.

According to IDOT, in 2009 111 pedestrians were killed and over 5,000 were injured in the state of Illinois. Nearly 21% of those pedestrians killed were age 65 or older.

A Chicago auto accident that occurred on the South Side on Friday around 2 PM has resulted in the death two passengers and the 32-year-old female driver being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, according to a story in the Chicago Tribune. The crash occurred when the driver of an Oldsmobile Achieva reportedly ran a stop sign while moving eastbound on W. 111th St. in the Roseland neighborhood. The vehicle then crossed the centerline to go around another vehicle, loss control and struck a tree. The Oldsmobile then flipped on its side, hit a light pole and then finally came to a stop.

The victims were 13-year-old boy and a 34-year-old woman, who were both riding in the backseat. They both died at the scene of the Chicago accident, according to a fire Department spokesperson.

The at fault driver was reportedly treated at an area hospital for minor injuries and then released. Another passenger also sustained minor injuries.

The driver, a South side resident, has been given a traffic court date of December 14. The Chicago Police Department's investigation is reportedly ongoing. Due to the fatalities, it is very possible that the criminal charges could be upgraded to felonies.

Read the story as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times here. They are reporting that two additional women, ages 37 and 25, were taken by ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition.

A Chicago area pedestrian vs. car accident has claimed the life of the 58-year-old Joliet woman. She was struck and killed while out on her morning walk early Thursday morning, according to Tribune Local in Joliet. The collision occurred around 6:45 AM as the pedestrian was crossing N. Larkin Ave. in the area of Mayfield Avenue on the west side of Joliet.

At that time a 23-year-old male driver in a pickup truck collided with her, according to a spokesperson from the Joliet Police Department. The driver was not cited after the accident, however the case is still under investigation. It is being reported that neither drugs, alcohol and/or speeding played a role in the accident.

The motorist was northbound on Larkin at the time of the collision. The victim was rushed by ambulance to Provina Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet where she was pronounced dead within hours of the accident.

The Joliet Police Department is handling the crash investigation. It was not reported whether the victim was crossing at an intersection or mid-block. The driver of the pickup truck is a resident of Camby, Indiana (near Indianapolis).

There is no word as to whether an Illinois pedestrian accident lawyer has been retained by the victim's family to look into a possible civil claim against the driver of the pickup truck.

Three separate Chicago area auto accidents resulted in three deaths late Thursday evening and early Friday morning, according to WGN TV. The crashes all occurred just hours apart.

The first accident occurred on Interstate 65 just South of Interstate 80 around 11:45 PM. A tow truck driver was changing a tire on a semi truck when a Land Rover rear-ended the tow truck. The tow truck driver was crushed between his truck and the semi truck.

The tow truck driver was a highway service worker employed by a service company that was called out by the driver of the semi truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his identity has not been released.

The at fault driver of the Land Rover was injured and taken to Methodist Hospital. The driver's injuries are reportedly non-life-threatening. The driver of the semi truck was not hurt.

The crash investigation was handled by the Indiana State Police.

The next two deadly Illinois crashes were both single vehicle accidents. The first occurred just after midnight on the Dan Ryan Expressway. A 34-year-old woman loss control of her Chrysler Pacifica in the northbound lanes around 26th Street and hit a concrete barrier head-on.

About an hour later a motorist heading northbound on Interstate 55 loss control of his car and struck a wall just before entering the Dan Ryan Expressway southbound ramp. The accident occurred around 1:15 AM. The driver was taken by ambulance to Stroger Hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later.

Read the story as reported by the Southtown Star here.

The Illinois State Police handled both single vehicle crash investigations.

A 38-year-old Bolingbrook resident was killed in an Illinois motorcycle accident on Friday, according to Tribune local. The collision occurred just before 3:30 PM on Route 53. The motorcyclist was rushed by ambulance to Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital and was pronounced dead at 4:07 PM.

The Chicago area accident occurred when a northbound Saturn on Route 53 struck the motorcycle rider while turning left to get onto North Beaconridge Drive. The Bolingbrook Police Department is handling the crash investigation, and police representatives indicate charges could be filed when the investigation is complete.

The driver of the Saturn and a passenger, who are also Bolingbrook residents, were both injured and take to Bolingbrook Hospital. They were both treated and released.

Under Illinois law, the driver turning left as the duty to yield to oncoming traffic (625 ILCS 5/11‑902). In my experience as a Chicago personal injury lawyer, is common for left turning drivers to sufficiently look out for oncoming cars, but then fail to notice smaller vehicles such as motorcycles or bicycles. It is also common for left turning drivers to forget to look for pedestrians.

Un accidente de auto en el sur del estado de Illinois reclama la vida de un residente, 28 años de edad de Chicago, según el Herald Review. El accidente sucedió temprano el sábado por la mañana cerca de Mattoon, Illinois cuando otro conductor cruzó la línea central en Interstate 57.

El conductor que causó el accidente fue dirigido supuestamente con rumbo al sur en un Chevy Aveo y cruzo la línea central después de desviarse por no pegarle a un animal en el camino, y luego golpeó la víctima que iba hacia el norte en un Chevy Lumina. Inmediatamente después de que el Aveo golpeó el Lumina, un camión transportando dos remolques le choco por detras al Lumina.

De algúna manera el impacto causó que la puerta del lado del conductor se separara del vehículo. La víctima con sinturón, fue expulsado de su vehículo. El entonces fue desbordado por otro camión.

La policía Estatal de Illinois esta manejando la investigación. El choque ocurrió en el Condado de Coles. Nadie más result herido en el choque, incluyendo una mujer de 22 años de edad y un niño de un año de edad que viajaban con la víctima.

El News-Gazette informa que el conductor que causó el accidente fue multado por el uso impropio de carril.

Todavía no se sabe si hay abogados de accidente en Illinois involucrados en el caso.

A downstate Illinois auto accident as claimed the life of a a 28-year-old Chicago resident, according to the Herald Review. The accident happened early on Saturday morning near Mattoon, Illinois when another driver crossed the centerline on Interstate 57.

The driver that caused the accident reportedly was headed southbound in a Chevy Aveo and crossed the centerline after swerving to miss an animal in the road, and then struck the victim's northbound Chevy Lumina. Immediately after the Aveo hit the Lumina, a semi truck hauling two trailers rear-ended the Lumina.

The impact somehow caused the driver side door to detach from the vehicle. The victim, who was seat belted, was ejected from his vehicle. He was then run over by a second semi truck.

The Illinois State Police are handling the investigation. The crash occurred in Coles County. No one else was injured in the crash, including a 22-year-old woman and a one-year-old child that were riding with the victim.

The News-Gazette is reporting that the driver that caused the accident was ticketed for improper lane usage.

There is no word if there are any Illinois accident lawyers involved in the case yet.

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.

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.

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.

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" »

A Chicago personal injury and wrongful death law firm has been retained by the husband of the SeaWorld trainer who was killed by a whale in February, according to NBC2 in Orlando.

Dawn Brancheau was pulled into a pool and drown by a whale named Tilikum. Some media reports indicated the animal had a history of aggression.

Earlier this week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a $75,000 fine against SeaWorld in connection with the trainer's death. OSHA is the federal body charged with investigating serious and fatal work accidents. The government agency found SeaWorld committed a "willful" violation, meaning the company demonstrated indifference and intentional disregard for the safety of employees.

When a worker is injured, a Chicago injury attorney should always be consulted to ensure that your rights are protected.

The NBC station quoted an Orlando attorney as saying the case would be difficult to win because an employee can only sue for wrongful death in Florida if they fit into a narrow exception to the worker's compensation statute where they show that the employer knew there was virtual certainty of injury or death to an employee.

The question is whether working with this killer whale meets the exception under the law.

"SeaWorld recognized the inherent risk of allowing trainers to interact with potentially dangerous animals," said Cindy Coe, OSHA's regional administrator in Atlanta, Ga. "Nonetheless, it required its employees to work within the pool walls, on ledges and on shelves where they were subject to dangerous behavior by the animals."

OSHA found the animal in question was one of three killer whales previously involved in the death of an animal trainer in 1991 at Sea Land of the Pacific in Canada. SeaWorld had reportedly forbidden trainers from swimming with the whale because of its past behavior but still permitted park employees to touch the whale and remain in close proximity during training and live shows.

"All employers are obligated to assess potential risks to the safety and health of their employees and take actions to mitigate those risks," said Les Grove, OSHA's area director in Tampa, Fla. "In facilities that house wild animals, employers need to assess the animals under their care and to minimize human-animal interaction if there is no safe way to reliably predict animal behavior under all conditions."

O'Connor & Nakos is the Chicago personal injury law firm that was hired by the family.

Police are searching for a hit and run driver that killed a bicyclist in Stone Park, a northwest suburb of Chicago, according to Chicago Breaking News. The victim, a 47 year old woman who lives in the 1700 block of North Mannheim Road was struck and killed Monday night.

The accident occurred in the 1800 block of Mannheim when she was hit by a southbound vehicle. The driver fled the scene of the accident. It is being reported that police are possibly looking for a Chevy with front end damage.

The victim, Marina Gonzalez, was rushed to Loyola University Hospital in Maywood and was pronounced dead a short time later.

CBS News is reporting that Stone Park detectives have interviewed several persons of interest.

Anyone with information regarding the bike accident should immediately contact the Stone Park Police Department at 708-450-3215.

An Illinois medical malpractice lawsuit has been filed against North Suburban Glenbrook Hospital, according to the Lake County News-Sun. The lawsuit was filed by the family a 56-year-old lake Forest man who died while a patient at the hospital in Glenview, Illinois.

The patient developed an infection in his hip earlier this year. He underwent surgery at Glenbrook Hospital and developed kidney failure. His kidney failure required dialysis but the hospital allegedly failed to monitor his fluid levels appropriately, according to attorney Patrick Salvi, who is representing the family.

The lawsuit also alleges the patient received blood, but not dialysis in late December. He went into cardiac arrest and died a short time later. The attorney states that the plaintiff's autopsy showed a fluid overload to be the cause of death.

The family has filed a lawsuit in Cook County, Illinois against Glenbrook Hospital and five doctors who treated the patient at the hospital. Glenbrook Hospital is a NorthShore University HealthSystem hospital.

The victim was a partner at a Chicago investment firm when he past away on January 2, 2010.

Continue reading "Chicago area medical malpractice lawsuit filed against suburban hospital" »

A man from Aurora, Illinois has been found guilty in a criminal court bench trial of reckless homicide and aggravated drunk driving for hitting and killing a pedestrian and his dog in Batavia in 2009, according to the Daily Herald . He was found not guilty of first degree murder. The sentence on the DUI charge is 3 to 14 years and sentencing is scheduled for July 23rd.

The defendant had reportedly drank and smoked marijuana prior to taking a car without permission. The car belonged to the girlfriend of a friend.

The victim was walking his dog before going to work at an auto parts store when he was hit. He was taken to St. Charles Hospital and died a short time later.

The Batavia police officer that did the accident reconstruction estimated at trial that the defendant was going 50-56 mph when he skidded onto a sidewalk and hit the pedestrian. The car then came back on the street and struck an SUV.

After the accident, the defendant fled on foot but was arrested by police a short time later.
Police obtained a blood sample from the defendant that showed his BAC was .106, which is above the Illinois legal limit.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Breaking News.

The deadly assault of a Chicago customer in a CVS drugstore is under investigation and the store manager will not be allowed to return to work until the probe is completed, the Breaking News Center reported.

The customer was suspected of shoplifting.

"We are investigating this unfortunate incident and are fully cooperating with police," CVS spokesman Michael DeAngelis said. He refused to discuss company policy regarding the handling of customers suspected of shoplifting, according to the Tribune. The store manager declined to comment.

Chicago police have indicated they will not charge the employee, who put the 35-year-old customer in a chokehold. The customer's death has been ruled a homicide by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

The victim's ex-wife expressed anger and frustration over his death as a result of a minor shoplifting allegation. She said the man was accused of stealing toothpaste and crayons and disagreed with the decision by police not to press charges.

"How's it accidental?" Balboa said. "You're choking the [expletive] out of somebody. He should be fired. He should be facing criminal charges. You don't take someone's life over toothpaste."

The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. Saturday at the CVS Pharmacy located in the 2600 block of South Pulaski Road. Authorities say he was chased out of the store and fell unconscious during a struggle with the employee in an alley next to the building.

Our law firm recently settled a case against a Chicago area store in a similar incident. In our case, a store employee chased down an alleged shoplifter outside the store and repeatedly struck our client with a blunt object. Our plaintiff sustained multiple facial fractures and head injuries.

It has not been reported if the victim's family has yet retained a Chicago injury lawyer to pursue a civil case against CVS.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and NBC News.

A driver has been accused of driving while intoxicated and reckless homicide after causing a fatal Illinois auto accident that killed a woman and injured 3 others, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. One of the injured was an 11 month old child.

The defendant, a 36 year old Chicago resident, reportedly ran several stop signs at a high rate of speed and rear-ended another car. When police arrived at the scene they had to use a Taser to take the driver into custody, and he is now hospitalized under police watch.

The accident occurred at 30th and Drake Street on the Southwest Side around 2 p.m. on Friday. Two of the injured were taken by ambulance to Stroger Hospital and two others were taken to Mount Sinai.

Alicia Pedroza, age 58, of Chicago was pronounced dead shortly after the accident at Stroger Hospital. She was one of the four in a Kia that was rear-ended and knocked into a 3rd vehicle. The driver of the 3rd car was not hurt.

The Chicago Police Department's Major Accidents Investigation Unit and Harrison Area detectives are handling the investigation.

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

An Illinois pedestrian accident has claimed the life of a woman that was struck by a minivan in Lombard on Monday night, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Another pedestrian was critically injured.

The accident happened when a Jewel semi truck that was traveling eastbound on Roosevelt Road collided with a minivan that was headed northbound on Main Street. The minivan then lost control and rolled over, hitting a man and woman walking on the sidewalk.

The male pedestrian's legs were pinned under the minivan and bystanders came to his rescue, lifting the van off of his legs and freeing him. Both victims were rushed to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. The female pedestrian died Tuesday morning.

The accident is being investigated by the Lombard Police Department. It has not been reported if any traffic tickets were issued or which driver caused the crash.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Breaking News Center.

UPDATE: There is now video showing that the gates were not down and the lights were not activated during last Friday's fatal Chicago area train crash, according to NBC News. The video is from the Amtrak train involved in the collision. It is also being reported that Canadian National crews had been working within a mile of the crash earlier that day and accidentally disabled the warning system and gates.

Witnesses to Friday's train accident that killed a dance instructor in Cook County are saying that the crossing gates and warning lights were not working when an Amtrak train came barreling through, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. One of the witnesses was an Assistant Cook County State's Attorney who works in the Old Orchard Courthouse.

The prosecutor stated that she was right in front of the SUV that was hit at the University Park railroad crossing, and that she was very close to being hit herself. She said there was no way for the SUV driver to know the train was coming and that the first warning of the danger was the train blowing its horn. She went on to say that no one was trying to go around a gate or beat the train, and that no one knew the train was there.

The tracks are reportedly owned by the Canadian National Railway Company who has sent investigators to the scene. A Will County sheriff's police spokesman stated that part of the problem is the tracks are too close to a stop sign at Governor's Highway, and that drivers can get caught on the tracks while approaching it.

Click here to read the entire story.

The family of a man killed in a Chicago bus accident last month has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Chicago Transit Authority.

The suit claims that the 53-year-old Justine Street man was exiting a No. 9 Ashland bus March 18 when it pulled away from the West Harrison street bus stop before he was safely on the curb, according to FOX News.

However, the Chicago Breaking News Center reports the victim was trying to catch the bus when he fell.

The man fell under the bus and was fatally run over by the rear tires, according to the suit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

A CTA spokeswoman said the driver had been removed from service following the accident, which is standard procedure. She said preliminary indications are that the bus was proceeding toward a green light when the man fell and was struck.

The lawsuit claims the driver failed to check the mirrors before pulling away, failed to make sure the victim was safely on the curb and failed to stop the bus after the man fell. The man's sister is named in the suit, which is seeking more than $50,000 from the CTA.

The victim is survived by four sisters and a brother, according to the suit.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for a 23-year-old former West Rogers Park man in connection with a Halloween hit-and-run Chicago car accident that claimed the life of a 25-year-old DePaul University student.

The suspect, who doesn't have a driver's license, may have fled to Mexico, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported.

As reported last fall on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, the woman was struck at Cullom and Lincoln avenues, as she walked home about 3 a.m. on Nov. 1 after a long night of work bartending at Bowmans Bar & Grill.

Family of the victim said the arrest was a relief. Police said at a press conference that the defendant quit his job at a North Side food store after telling his boss he was leaving for Mexico to care for a sick mother.

Police served a search warrant on the defendant's home in December, following a tip about the suspect's possible identity from someone watching the news.

Authorities reported finding a silver vehicle with front-end damage and physical evidence linking the defendant to the scene.

The defendant, who obtained a driver's permit in 2003, has a previous accident and a citation for driving without a license on his record, according to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for the driver responsible for a north side hit-and-run Chicago car accident on Nov. 1.

The parents of the young waitress who was killed at Lincoln and Cullom avenues announced the reward, according to WGN9News. She was walking home from her nearby bartending job when she was struck by a vehicle that did not stop, according to police.

Surveillance video from Bowman's Bar and Grill may have captured the vehicle seconds before the accident that killed Rachel Gilliam, WGN9News reported.

In addition to making an appeal for the driver to turn himself in, the victim's mom is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the driver responsible.

ABC7 reported that police are looking for a silver four-door car that struck the 25-year-old DePaul University graduate without stopping as she walked home from work at about 3:30 a.m. on Halloween Night.

The young woman's co-workers and friends at Bowman's have been active in raising reward money and have hired a private investigator in the hunt for the runaway driver.

Chicago car accident lawyers blog recently chronicled a rash of hit-and-run Chicago pedestrians accidents being looked into by police.

If you think you can help, contact the Chicago Police's Major Accidents Division, at 312-745-4521. Please reference case #HR-619777.

Authorities are investigating two Chicago subway accidents recently involving C.T.A. Blue Line trains.

A person died October 25th in the afternoon after being hit by the Blue Line train in the loop, according to WGNtv.

Police were conducting a death investigation shortly after 1 p.m. at the Monroe Street subway station. Northbound and southbound trains temporarily operated on a singled track between Grand Avenue station and the Racine Avenue station, bypassing Monroe.

On October 27th in the morning, a woman was rushed to the hospital after falling onto the tracks at about 8:45 a.m. in the Dearborn Street subway station. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in stable condition, according to The Sun-Times.

The woman was not struck by a train. Power was shut off to the line between the Lasalle and Clark stations but was restored after she got back to the platform, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported.

More than 700 people died in collisions with trains in 2007, according to the Federal Railway Administration, about 450 of those were pedestrians. Through the first nine months of 2009, 28 people have died in Illinois railway accidents.

Each year, there are an average of more than 140 train accidents in Illinois, resulting in 40 fatalities. Many of these fatalities involve pedestrians who fall onto the tracks or are struck by trains.

A total of 11,773 of the nation's 37,261 traffic fatalities were caused by drunk drivers, according to a comprehensive look at drunk driving released in time for the holiday driving season by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Chicago drunk driving accident lawyers and the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes encourage everyone to do their part in preventing drunk driving accidents as we head into the heart of the holiday season.

In Illinois, of the 1,043 people killed in traffic accidents, one in three (362) were legally drunk and one in four (252) had a blood alcohol level of almost twice the legal limit (.15) or higher.

While drunk driving deaths decreased nearly 10 percent from the 13,041 deaths recorded in 2007, the new statistics are startling confirmation that one-third of all traffic deaths are the direct result of drunk driving.

The statistics represent an average of one drunk driving death every 45 minutes.

Included in the deaths were 692 non-occupant fatalities, which usually means a bicyclist or pedestrian death.

Over 70 percent of drunk driving fatalities occurred at night and 55 percent occurred during the weekend.

One in every 7 drivers killed in a drunk driving accident were under the age of 21 (and thus not even old enough to drink). One-third of drivers ages 25 to 34 who were killed in fatal accidents were intoxicated. One in four drivers 35 to 44 who were killed were intoxicated.

In recent months, the Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog at Abels & Annes has reported on the dangers of nighttime driving, the increasing number of women arrested for DUI, and a report that found 1 in 7 weekend nighttime drivers tested positive for alcohol or drugs.

Continue reading "One drunk driving death every 45 minutes -- Illinois drunk driving accidents a continuing problem" »

Doctors delivered a newborn boy after a pregnant woman was killed in a Chicago car accident on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old woman died when two vehicles collided and one of the vehicle careened into her and three other pedestrians on the city's West Side, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The West Cortez Street Woman was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. The newborn infant is listed in extremely critical condition, according to the hospital.

A hospital spokeswoman said doctors were able to save the unborn child and believe the pregnancy was six or seven months along.

"The baby suffered injuries (from the crash) in addition to being premature," a spokesperson told The Tribune. The child's condition was described as "extremely critical."

Doctors reported it would be sometime today before they knew whether the infant had a chance to survive.

The car accident happened on Wednesday around 12 pm when a Ford van eastbound on Washington and a Chrysler Town and Country minivan southbound on Kostner, collided, according to police.

The Chicago Sun-Times said four pedestrians were struck during the accident and the driver of the Chrysler van had been cited.

According to the Sun-Times, the 39-year-old van driver was cited for failure to stop at a red light, driving with a suspended or revoked license and no insurance. It was unknown whether he will face further charges in connection with the woman's death.

In this case, due to the fact that the at fault driver had no insurance, the family of the victims will be able to pursue an uninsured motorist claim against their own auto insurance policy.

The Chicago Daily Herald is reporting that aggravated DUI charges have been filed against a Chicago resident for his role in a deadly car accident that occurred just after 2:00 a.m. in Park Ridge, Illinois on Sunday morning. A man and a woman were killed in the Chicago area car crash. Four others were injured.

The collision happened at Oak Street and Riverside Drive, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Emergency workers rushed to the crash site and found two vehicles. One car was heavily damaged with one person inside and another vehicle was damaged and came to rest 75 feet from the intersection with 5 people inside. All six of the injured were taken by ambulance to area hospitals by the Park Ridge Fire Department and three other assisting fire departments.

The victims were a 25-year-old man from Des Plaines and a 37-year-old woman from Morton Grove, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. Both were passengers in a Mercedes that was traveling eastbound on Oakton when it collided with a northbound Nissan that was on Riverside.

The Park Ridge Police Department Major Crash Unit is investigating the accident. There has not been a fatal car crash in Park Ridge since May 14, 2009, according to the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate.

The Daily Herald stated that autopsies were scheduled for Monday by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Click here to see an accident photo provided by ABC News.

More car accidents happen on Saturday and Sunday morning between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. than any other time of the week. It is by far the most dangerous time to drive. Many of the crashes involve drugs and/or alcohol.

Authorities and the media are asking some tough questions after a fatal Chicago car accident last Thursday was allegedly caused by a man sentenced to six years in prison for reckless homicide in 2006 but was nevertheless out of jail and on the road with a valid license.

As reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, the Thursday car accident in Crestwood was caused after the 52-year-old driver slammed into a group of cars parked at an intersection.

Authorities reported the driver was speeding. Four people were injured in the crash and a 55-year-old father of two was killed.

The driver faces charges of reckless homicide, aggravated driving under the influence of drugs and failure to reduce his speed to avoid an accident -- his speed has been reported at 100 mph at the time of the accident.

In 2006, the man was driving through Chicago's West Side, again at speeds of 100 mph, when he slammed into another vehicle, killing 28-year-old Ewa Kwiatowska, according to the Southtown Star.

The newspaper reported that he pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and was sentenced to six years in prison but was paroled last year.

He was back on the road with a valid license, despite only being halfway through a prison sentence for killing someone while behind the wheel.

Meanwhile, the Cook County Clerk of Circuit Court's Office and the office of Secretary of State Jesse White, which regulates driver's licenses in Illinois, are arguing about how and why this man's driver's license was not revoked.

A spokesman for White said his office relies on electronic updates to the state's driver's license system. The automated approach, used in 88 of the state's 102 counties, results in 5,000 updates per day -- about one-third of that volume comes from Cook County.

While there is much finger-pointing about why this driver's license was not suspended, there seems to be little mention of why he was out on parole less than 3 years after his conviction.

Nor has there been much discussion or what can be done to prevent drivers -- licensed or unlicensed -- from recklessly destroying lives behind the wheel of an automobile.

In Australia, where unlicensed driving has been studied extensively, a report found that almost 4 of every 5 accidents involving an unlicensed driver were the fault of the unlicensed driver.

A study of U.S. drivers by the AAA Foundation, titled Unlicensed to Kill, found that 13.8 percent of all fatal crashes involved an unlicensed driver.

The report concluded that more than 7,000 fatal crashed each year involve a driver who had their licensed suspended within the preceding three years.

A 62-year-old woman died Wednesday and 9 people were hospitalized after a van rear-ended a Chicago Transit Authority bus in a South Side Chatham neighborhood.

The Chicago bus accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the CTA southbound No. 4 Cottage Grove bus was stopped at 83rd Street and Cottage Grove, where it was rear-ended by the van at about 4:40 p.m., according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The woman, a van passenger, was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office reported.

A Chicago fire media affairs spokesman reported 10 people were injured -- three were hospitalized in critical condition while seven others were reported in stable condition. Victims were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, Advocate Trinity Hospital, Jackson Park Hospital, Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Centers in Evergreen Park and South Shore Hospital.

Police reported that five of the injured were occupants inside the van.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reported the van belonged to an adult day care center and the van's driver was issued multiple citations.

The Chicago Transit Authority reports an average of 26.5 million monthly rides this year, or about 1 million boarding per day. The Cottage Grove bus is the busiest in the system, with about 22,000 riders per day.

A Cicero man was sentenced to 7 years in prison this week for causing a fatal Chicago car vs. bicycle accident last year while driving drunk, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The 50-year-old man pleaded guilty at the Cook County courthouse in Maywood in connection with the Chicago drunk driving accident. He had been charged with one count each of aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of an accident involving death or injury.

He admitted to running a red light in his van on Roosevelt Road about 8:30 p.m. on July 23, 2008, where he struck a 49-year-old woman crossing Roosevelt on her bicycle. He left her lying in the street, severely wounded with broken bones and a head injury and fled the scene because he did not have a driver's license, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The victim, Wilma Bradford, 49, of Cicero, survived for six months in a coma before dying in January as a result of her injuries.

Police found the hit-and-run driver in the attic of his home about an hour after the crash. Blood and urine samples taken four hours after the crash showed he had cocaine in his system and a blood-alcohol content of .06, just under the legal limit of .08.

His license was suspended because at the time of the accident and he had just been convicted of misdemeanor driving under the influence, according to Assistant State's Attorney Jamie Santini.

It has not been reported if the family of the victim is pursuing a civil wrongful death action against the driver.

Continue reading "Cicero driver sentenced to prison for killing bicyclist in Chicago drunk driving accident" »

A Burlington High School student died Friday afternoon in a Chicago area auto accident on Randall Road near the intersection of Red Gate Road in St. Charles Township of west suburban Kane County.

A 16-year-old teen from unincorporated Elgin, was transported to Delnor Hospital in Geneva, where he was pronounced dead, according to The Chronicle.

He was northbound on Randall Road near Red Gate Road in a 2000 Toyota Camry when he hit a 2004 Lincoln Navigator almost head-on as it turned left onto Red Gate, according to the Kane County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating the crash.

The driver of the Lincoln Navigator and a small child who was a passenger in the Lincoln were transported to Delnor with non-life threatening injuries.

The Illinois car crash happened shortly after noon and shut down Randall between Crane and Bolcum roads.

No citations have been issued, however if the SUV was turning left, a ticket and other charges could still be issued. Under Illinois law, it is generally the duty of the driver turning left to yield to oncoming traffic.

The Daily Herald reported the victim was a student at Central High School in Burlington, which was on early dismissal Friday because of a teacher in-service day.

Also see the story as reported by The Courier-News.

A 35-year-old man faces numerous charges after a fatal weekend Chicago DUI accident.

The accused driver faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident, driving without insurance and failure to stop at a red light, according to the Chicago Tribune.

ABC7 reported the victim, a 30 year old man from Chicago, died as a result of his injuries after his vehicle was struck by the defendant's truck at about 2:30 a.m. The crash happened at West Cermak Road and South Damen Avenue on the city's Southwest Side.

Authorities say the victim was pronounced dead at Stein Institute. The accused drunk driver and a 20-year-old female passenger in his truck were treated for injuries at a local hospital, according to the Tribune.

The accident was investigated by the Chicago Police Department.

Earlier this month we blogged about the high numbers of nighttime DUI accidents reported by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Seven in ten Illinois drunk driving accidents are reported between midnight and 3 a.m.

In August, a federal study found 1 in 7 nighttime weekend drivers were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

An alarming new federal report shows the battle against drunk driving is far from over: 1 in 10 binge drinkers got behind the wheel of an automobile the last time they drank heavily, driving away from a bar, restaurant or nightclub after downing five or more drinks and putting everyone in their path in danger.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and drunk driving accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have blogged this year --both here and on our sister site www.chicagocaraccidentlawyersblog.com --about the increase in drunk driving cases against women, the high rate of night and weekend car accidents caused by drunk drivers, and the overall dangers of drunk driving.

One out of every three fatal crashes in 2008 was alcohol related, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In this latest study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 percent of 14,000 binge drinkers surveyed admitted to driving after their last bout of heavy drinking.

All had five or more drinks; half admitted to having seven or more drinks; 1 in 4 admitted to consuming at least 10 drinks before driving. The report highlighted the need to do a better job of preventing bars and restaurants from serving intoxicated patrons.

Illinois' Dram Shop laws permit injured parties to attempt to recover damages from restaurants or bars who serve intoxicated patrons who cause serious injury or death to an innocent party. in other words, Chicago car accident victims who are injured by a drunk driver can sometimes make a claim, not only against the at-fault driver, but against the establishment that severed the alcohol.

Dr. Timothy Naimi, of the CDC's alcohol program, attributes binge drinking to more than 11,000 deaths a year. He called Dram Shop laws "among the most disregarded laws in the country."

"The drinking location is really important," Naimi said. "We're trusting these licensed establishments to serve responsibly, and more than half of the intoxicated people who drive have been drinking in these places."

Continue reading "Binge drinking research - DUI drivers too often endanger Illinois residents" »

In the third deadly car crash this week in Kane County, Illinois an elderly woman has been killed, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. Four others were injured in the car crash that occurred in Lily Lake, Illinois on September 13, 2009.

The victim was a resident of Woodstock, Illinois and she was pronounced dead when she arrived by ambulance at Delnor-Community Hospital in Geneva. She was riding as a rear driver's side passenger in a Ford Escape.

The fatal car accident occurred at about 1:45 in the morning near Illinois Highway and Empire Road, involving an SUV and a 1990 Buick Regal. The Kane County Sheriff's Department is handling the crash investigation. This is the 3rd fatal accident they have investigated in the past week.

The driver of the Buick was ejected from her vehicle and was taken to Delnor-Community Hospital. The driver of the SUV and 2 other passengers were all taken to area hospitals.

The Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team is also working crash investigation. It has not been reported which vehicle was at fault or if drugs or alcohol were involved. Route 47 was closed for several hours due to the accident.

Also see 1 dead, 1 hurt in Kane County traffic crash.

A Schaumburg couple was killed on Labor Day when their motorcycle was hit by a car in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The deadly motorcycle accident took place in unincorporated Cook County near Palatine, Illinois. The Chicago Sun-Times reported the husband was driving the motorcycle when it was struck by a vehicle exiting a gas station parking lot at Quentin and Dundee roads shortly before noon.

The 65-year-old husband was pronounced dead about 2:30 p.m. on Monday at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, according to the Chicago Tribune. His 54-year-old wife was pronounced dead about an hour later.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Department is handling the crash investigation. The driver of the car that collided with the motorcycle, a 61-year-old Palatine woman, was ticketed for failure to yield from a private driveway, according to the Daily Herald. Whether the charges will be increased due to the fatalities has not been reported.

Over the past two years there has been a 22 percent increase in Chicago-area motorcycle accidents. Last year, there were 2,663 motorcycle accidents in the Chicago area. That's a dozen motorcycle accidents a day during the 5-month riding season.

Too often Chicago motorcycle riders are hit and seriously injured or killed by a motorist that fails to yield. Earlier this summer, www.chicagopersonalinjurylawyerblog.com posted "10 Things Every Driver Should Know About Motorcycles."

The federal government reported this week that the smallest number of employees ever recorded died as a result of work injuries in 2008.

But that was not the case in Illinois -- where the number of employees killed on the job actually increased. The government acknowledged the numbers could be lower because of a poor economy, record unemployment, a change in record keeping (that records injuries per hours worked rather than per employee) and even delayed or under-recorded fatalities because of lower staffing levels at the various reporting agencies.

Employees are being asked to do more to keep their jobs in the present economy, to make up for laid off workers or eliminated positions. But companies and employers still have an obligation to provide a safe work environment. Chicago workers' compensation attorneys and work injury lawyers at Abels & Annes offer free appointments to discuss your rights if your or a loved one has been injured on the job.

Illinois joined just 14 states where the the number of workers who died on the job increased, from 185 in 2007 to 193 in 2008:
- Transportation accidents killed 62 employees
- 38 died as a result of assault or acts of violence
-34 died from contact with objects or equipment
-29 died in falls
-23 died from exposure to harmful substances or environments
-7 died as a result of fires or explosions on the job.

Last year's skyrocketing nationwide unemployment rate may have played a part in the reduced rate of fatal work accidents--the government reported significant drops in dangerous jobs like construction, which were also hit hard by the economic downturn.

A total of 5,071 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2008, down from a total
of 5,657 fatal work injuries reported for 2007. It is the smallest number recorded since current recording began in 1992.

The numbers indicate 3.6 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers, down from 4.0 in 2007.

Continue reading "Illinois fatal work injury accidents increase in 2008 -- nationwide, fatalities decrease " »

On the Northwest Side of Chicago a pedestrian was hit and killed by a semi truck while crossing the street, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The pedestrian vs. truck accident happened at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Ashland Avenue around 10:30 p.m. in the Wicker Park neighborhood.

The victim, a 59 year old male Chicago resident, was taken to Cook County Stroger Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.

The Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Unit is handling the crash investigation. No tickets had been issued to the truck driver as of this morning, however the investigation is most likely not yet complete. What exactly caused the accident has not been reported. Whether tickets are issued could depend on if there were independent witnesses to the accident.

As for a civil lawsuit against the truck driver and the trucking company, it is a good bet that the family of the victim will retain a Chicago personal injury lawyer to investigate a potential case.

Also see the story as reported by NBC News.

The past 24 hours was a dangerous time to be on the roads on the North Side of Chicago. In addition to the pedestrian accident in Wicker park, there was a motor vehicle accident on the Kennedy Expressway involving 3 motorcycles and a car, and there was a rollover SUV accident on the Edens Expressway in Skokie early Sunday where two people were killed.

The crash on the Kennedy caused all three lanes to be shut down for a period of time and backed up traffic for miles, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. Two of the motorcycle riders were taken to Stroger and the 3rd was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A women in the car was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

A Chicago, Illinois car accident that was caused by a wrong-way driver on I-55 has left one person dead and another injured, according to the Chicago Tribune. The woman killed was a 38 year old North Side resident.

The car crash happened in the northbound lanes of the Stevenson early Saturday morning near South Halsted Street. The female victim was a passenger in a northbound Toyota that was struck by a driver of an Audi headed the wrong direction, according to the Illinois State Police.

The Chicago Fire Department had to remove her from the car and transport her to Northwester Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later. The driver of the Toyota was also taken to Northwestern.

The wrong way driver was arrested after the accident, but what he will be charged with has not yet been reported. It has also not been disclosed if drugs or alcohol played a role.

Click here to see an accident photo at ABC News.

In Seaside Heights, New Jersey, a well known American Idol contestant, Alexis Cohen, was killed over the weekend in a pedestrian vs. car accident, according to MSNBC. The man who hit her fled the scene and was later caught by police. Cohen's body was found in the street after the collision.

CBS News is reporting that Cohen, age 24, sustained abdomen, chest and head injuries after she was struck by the car early Saturday.

The person who allegedly hit her, Daniel Bark, age 23, has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving. He was arrested on Sunday in New Jersey and is being held on $35,000 bail. If found guilty, he could receive up to 15 years in prison.

Cohen was not known for her vocals, but for her audition antics. She lost her temper after she was rejected by the judges, and Simon Cowell said she was "a bit possessed" like she was channeling voices. Click here to see her audition from American Idol Season 7.

See also Arrest Made in Hit-and-Run Death of Ex-'American Idol' Contestant as reported by Fox News.

A 58-year-old Lincolnwood man has died in a Chicago car accident after being rear-ended by a hit-and-run driver Tuesday afternoon on the Kennedy Expressway.

William Nanz, was involved in a crash on the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) near North Kostner Avenue and was pronounced dead at 2:49 p.m. Tuesday at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Nanz suffered a heart attack following the crash. However, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported the coroner has determined that Nanz died as a result of spinal injuries suffered in the crash.

That report said Nanz had a history of heart disease which the medical examiner's office said contributed to his death, but he died primarily from injuries from the crash, according to results of the completed autopsy.

Nanz was driving north Kennedy when he slowed for traffic and was rear-ended, causing his vehicle to hit the wall, according to Illinois State Police.

The vehicle that rear-ended Nanz reportedly slowed down before striking the vehicle Nanz was driving, but it did not stay on the scene and State Police are investigating the incident as a hit-and-run.

Witnesses reported seeing a black sport-utility vehicle leaving the crash site and state police are investigating whether it was involved in the crash.

In this instance, the family could seek the assistance of a Chicago car accident attorney to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the hit-and-run driver. If the driver is not located, the family could seek compensation through Nanz's own insurance policy by making a hit-and-run claim.

The at-fault driver also faces possible criminal charges for leaving the scene of an accident.

About 5,000 boaters are expected to request some type of on-the-water assistance this holiday weekend as the country braces for the busiest day of the year for recreational boaters, according to the Boat Owners Association of the United States.

The Chicago personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes urge boaters to follow the proper safety precautions so everyone on the water can have a safe holiday weekend.

Now through Labor Day is the height of boating season in the Chicago area and with it comes the chance for serious accidents. Two people died and a third went missing in separate boating accidents last weekend, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

A 15-foot fishing boat capsized on the Little Calumet River near East 127th Street and South Michigan Avenue. The Coast Guard found one boater dead and later suspended the search for a second boater believed to be missing.

Several hours later, two people fell off a sailboat in Dusable Harbor at 401 N. Lake Shore Drive, authorities said. Both were rescued but one of the boaters was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

In both cases, high winds were reported in the area.

This holiday weekend, Jack Manley of TowBoatU.S. Chicago advises boaters to keep an eye on fuel-hungry generators as well as battery charge levels, but alcohol and excessive speed after dark are safety issues.

Here are Five Lessons Learned about July 4th boating from the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety:

1. Plan Ahead: Ensure you have enough fuel; make sure all navigation lights and hand held spotlights are in working order. It's a good idea to check the engine and mechanicals, such as fan belts, battery connections, fuel filters and engine fluids ahead of time. Don't invite more guests aboard than your vessel can safely handle. Keep an ear to the weather forecast on VHF radio.

2. Avoid Alcohol: Combined with the effects of a hot sunny day, alcohol will leave an operator impaired when they can least afford it - navigating at night in heavy boating traffic. It's okay to party - just save it until after you've put the boat to bed and you're back at the dock, homeport or beach (dry land). The captain is also ultimately responsible for everyone's safety aboard.

3. Life Jackets: Ensure kids have the right sized life jacket, and it would be wise to have the crew wear life jackets on the way home after the show. For adults, inflatable life jackets will keep you safe without compromising comfort.

4. Navigation: Know where any security zones exist. Go slow, post extra lookouts, and don't make sudden course changes unless necessary. When departing an anchorage pay attention to other vessel's anchor lines and understand where they lie just below the water's surface. Never take a shortcut home after dark.

5. Chill: Don't let crowded harbors or long boat ramp lines get you down. Simply prepare for a wonderful evening of fireworks, knowing it will take you a while to get safely home. Having lots of patience and giving lots of courtesy will make it memorable.

Continue reading "Chicago boating accident lawyers caution holiday boaters" »

In Rockford, Illinois a woman was killed Friday night after a Canadian National Railway Co. freight train derailed, according to the N.Y. Times. The victim was in a car waiting for the train to pass by. The rail cars were carrying ethanol, and when 18 cars derailed there was a large explosion. Hundreds of people from nearby homes had to be evacuated.

At one point 14 train cars were on fire, and 5 were still burning the next morning. The flames lasted though Saturday. 74 cars on the train were carrying ethanol.

Three other people at the scene were able to flee from their cars and survive, however they were severely burned. They were taken to area hospitals for treatment. The woman who died, Zoila Tellez of Rockford, also tried to flee, but only made it 20 feet and then collapsed.

The Chicago area train crash being investigated by the Federal Railroad Administration, Canadian National, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Associated Press has reported that the NTSB was taking a look at high water levels in the area of the crash as a possible cause. There was heavy rainfall in the Chicago area during the days prior to the derailment.

It has not been reported if the estate of the the deceased or the burn victims have retained personal injury lawyers to pursue a civil claim

In Romeoville, Illinois an elderly husband and wife were killed Thursday afternoon when their car was hit by an Amtrak train after they allegedly went around a descending crossing arm and started across the tracks, according to the Naperville Sun. The train accident occurred at New Avenue and Romeo Road around 1 pm.

The couple, Harry C. Hoffman, age 74 and his wife, Doreen J. Hofman, age 64 died at the scene. The damage to the vehicle was so bad that the police are not yet able to state who was driving the car. One occupant was ejected from the vehicle and the car was badly damaged and knocked several hundred feet down the tracks.

There are several issues related to the train crash being reported. First, while the gates descended there was still a green light for traffic, which police are speculating may have confused the driver. Further, witnesses are reporting that the car made a right turn on to the tracks as the gates were still descending, not after they were already down.

It is likely that Chicago train crash lawyers will soon be involved. The attorneys that handle the case will likely retain train safety experts to help them determine the causes of the accident.

One issue that I am curious about is the the fact that the couple's car was hit while the gates were still on the way down, or had just gotten down, by a train traveling at a high speed through a congested suburban area. (Were the gates dropping too late? Was the train speeding?) Further, I would like to know more about the traffic lights and whether the crossing is confusing to drivers.

It is being reported that this deadly accident is not the first train vs. motor vehicle collision at this crossing.

Continue reading "Chicago bound Amtrak train hits and kills Joliet couple" »

An Illinois bus accident has claimed the lives of two young men after the double-decker open-air bus they were riding in passed beneath an overpass.

Justin Sleezer of Yorkville and Cameron Chana of Clarendon Hills were killed when their heads struck the Interstate Highway 57 overpass on Illinois Highway 16 in Mattoon. Fifty passengers, mostly students from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, were returning on the rented bus from a day of boating at Lake Shelbyville, about 200 miles South of Chicago.

Many on the bus were members of Sigma Pi fraternity, however a fraternity member told the Chicago Tribune the trip was not organized by the house.

Witnesses indicated the two young men killed were among the tallest in the group, although it is unclear whether they were standing or sitting on the top deck of the bus when it passed beneath the overpass. Passengers said the driver never told those on the upper deck to sit down or warned them of other safety precautions.

The bus driver took the victims to Lincoln Health Medical Center in Mattoon and they were later transported to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana where they were pronounced dead.

Mattoon Police Chief David Griffith said the investigation is ongoing and police are looking at whether any regulations were violated.

While it has not been reported if any Illinois accident lawyers are involved in the case yet, the families of the victims may have a strong wrongful death claim against the bus company.

On the West Side of Chicago, one man was killed and two others were injured on Sunday in a rollover car crash, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. The accident occurred around 7:30 am in the 3900 block of West Division Street.

The victim, Francisco Delgado, age 42 of Chicago, was a passenger in a 2002 Nissan Xterra that was reportedly speeding when it ran a red light at Pulaski and Division, and then hit a northbound 2005 Taurus. The Nissan then hit a pole and rolled over.

Delgado was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital after the accident and pronounced dead a short time later. A woman in the other car was treated for injuries at St. Mary's Hospital.

The Chicago Police Department is investigating the accident and trying to determine if drugs or alcohol played a role. Criminal charges are supposedly going to be filed against the at fault driver, who was seriously injured in the accident.

There is no word as to whether Chicago personal injury lawyers are involved in the case yet.

A Chicago Police Officer has been charged with the hit and run death of a teenage bicycle rider, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The charges include reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident involving death or injury, and aggravated DUI.

The car vs. bike accident occurred in the 8000 block of South Ashland on Friday at 1:30 am. The victim, 13 year old Trenton Booker, was riding his bicycle when he was hit by an off duty police officer who was driving his Dodge Charger the wrong way on a one-way street.

The officer has been relieved of his police powers and he was arrested after the accident. Further, a Chicago Police Department internal investigation has begun. The officer is a 39 year old narcotics officer who has been with the police department for 17 years.

The victim was going to graduate from 8th grade in June.

In Chicago, Illinois a car crash late Monday night on the Dan Ryan has resulted in the death of one man, and DUI charges for another, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The deadly auto accident occurred when a northbound Ford Crown Victoria changed lanes around 79th Street and struck a Cadillac that was in the far right lane of the expressway.

The driver of the Cadillac lost control, skidded and struck a concrete wall head on. The airbags in the car reportedly did not deploy. The victim, Justin Hopkins, a 30 year old Chicago resident, was pronounced dead later the same evening at Stroger Hospital.

The 34 year old driver of the Crown Victoria was charged with DUI by Illinois State Troopers investigating the accident. Additional charges are reportedly being considered. The alleged DUI driver and his two passengers were not injured in the accident.

It has not been reported if the victim's family has yet retained an accident lawyer to investigate the case. The Estate will have a case against the at fault driver, and the lawyer that gets involved will also investigate a potential products liability case. The attorney may hire an expert to find out whether there was something defective about the airbag system in the vehicle and determine why it did not deploy.

In Chicago, Illinois a pedestrian was fatally hit by a taxi last Sunday, according to the Lake Oswego Review. The victim, Robert Deighton, 42, a resident of Lake Oswego, Oregon was walking when a taxicab came out of a driveway and hit him. He was rushed by ambulance to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and was pronounced dead shortly after the collision.

The cab driver was ticketed by Chicago Police with failing to yield when coming out of a driveway. He has a June court date. The police department's Major Accident Investigation Unit is handling the investigation.

It has not been reported if the family of the victim has retained an injury lawyer to pursue a wrongful death claim against the cab driver's insurance carrier.

A Chicago woman died last Monday from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash in Janesville, Wisconsin, according to the Gazette Xtra. The crash occurred last Saturday on a highway ramp connecting Interstate 90 & 39 to Highway 14 East.

The 42 year old woman was riding as a passenger on a motorcycle when the driver, also a Chicago resident, exited the interstate by mistake. When the driver braked and down shifted, he lost traction and the motorcycle hit the ground.

Both were taken by ambulance to an area hospital for medical treatment. The motorcycle driver was treated and released. Alcohol was not a factor in the accident. The Wisconsin State Police are handling the investigation.

In this type of case, the Estate of the passenger can make a claim against the motorcyclist and his liability insurance carrier. While the crash occurred in Wisconsin, it is likely that the lawsuit will be filed in Cook County, Illinois. Both people involved in the accident were from Chicago, and the personal injury lawyer that gets involved in the case will likely prefer to file suit here.

In Chicago, Illinois, a two year old boy died Saturday afternoon after being hit by a car in an alley, according to the Chicago Tribune. The pedestrian accident took place in the block of 7200 South Sacramento Avenue around 4:45 p.m.

The child was taken by ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and was pronounced dead around 90 minutes after the accident.

The driver, a 40 year old Chicago woman, was ticketed by the Chicago Police Department for failing to keep a proper lookout for a pedestrian in the road. The exact facts as to how the accident occurred have not been reported.

The NHTSA reports that in 2007, children 14 and under accounted for seven percent of pedestrian fatalities in the United States (306 out of 4,654 deaths). Of those child fatalities, 187 (61%) were male children. Nearly 100 of the children killed were ages 1-3. Eighty percent of the child pedestrian deaths took place at at non-intersection locations. In the same year, around 70,000 pedestrians were injured nationwide, and 14,000 of those injured were children 14 and under.

Two people were killed on the Southeast Side of Chicago in an auto accident early Sunday morning, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. The crash involved 3 cars moving eastbound in the 3200 block of 106th Street on the Cal City Bridge. One of the vehicles struck another vehicle while trying to pass it, lost control and hit a steel gate on the bridge.

The vehicle then caught fire and was engulfed in flames. Two males were killed in the fire. They were reportedly in their 20s and have not yet been identified.

The vehicle that was struck by the passing car then lost control and hit a 3rd vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle refused medical attention and the driver of the third car was taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital for treatment.

In Chicago, Illinois, just days after an off-duty detective rear-ended and killed two people in a car accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway, Police Superintendent Jody Weis is saying that he is going to change how the department handles cops that drive while intoxicated, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. A new policy is now in place that notifies a watch commander whenever there is a possible cop DUI. The watch commander must then go out to the scene of the occurrence. The policy is to apply to both on duty and off duty officers.

Fifteen officers were arrested last year for DUI, compared with eight in 2007. Some of those arrests were well publicized. As for last week's accident, the detective's blood alcohol level was allegedly three times the legal limit. He has been charged with reckless homicide, DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.

Last week's accident received more unwanted attention this week when the Judge set bond in the amount of $500,000. There were protests at the Courthouse when this occurred, as family and friends of the victims felt the officer received preferential because of his employment. The detective has posted bail and will appear in Court again on May 1, 2009.

In Chicago, Illinois a deadly car crash early Friday morning has resulted in criminal charges against an off duty detective from the Chicago Police Department, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. The auto accident happened on the Dan Ryan and resulted in the deaths of two people after their car burst into flames.

The collision occurred when Joseph Frugoli, 41, rear-ended a vehicle that was disabled on the side of the expressway. His blood alcohol content was allegedly three times the legal limit of .08. He has been charged with reckless homicide, aggravated driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident. He is scheduled to appear for his bond hearing Sunday morning and in currently in police custody.

The police department has started an internal investigation and the detective has been relieved of his police powers. Reportedly, the detective was walking away from the crash scene when he was apprehended.

Andrew Cazares, 23, of Summit, Illinois and Fausto Manzera, 21, of Chicago were the victims in the accident. The crash took place around 3:30 a.m. near 18th Street in the southbound lanes of the Dan Ryan. Cazares had pulled his Dodge over to the side of the highway, possibly for a flat tire, when a Lexus SUV driven by the detective slammed into them.

Click here for an accident photo.

This is the second deadly hit-and-run car crash in the news over the past several days where the at fault driver tried to walk off from a deadly accident. In California, a minivan ran a red light and killed LA Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart. The defendant fled the scene on foot and was captured by police a short time later.

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 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.

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.

Pedestrian deaths have recently increased in Chicago, Illinois, according to the Chicago Tribune. This is occurring even as the City has taken on new safety programs over the last several years such as countdown signals and red light cameras. There were 56 pedestrian deaths in Chicago last year, up from 49 in 2007, and 48 in 2006.

The Chicago Department of Transportation has put forth several theories for the increase, such as bad pavement markings and signage, and construction projects. They also state that there has been an increase of pedestrian traffic in Chicago.

The Tribune story lists pedestrian accident hot spots in the Chicago; intersections that for some reason are more prone to be the location of a collision. Intersections along Lake Shore Drive, Stony Island Avenue, Madison Street and Ashland Avenue are likely to have pedestrian accidents. The intersection of Chicago Avenue and Cicero Avenue is listed as a particularly dangerous location.

As a pedestrian in Chicago, it is a good idea to be as defensive as possible. Whenever possible, cross in a crosswalk, obey the walk signs, and always keep an eye out for traffic, even when you are rightfully and lawfully crossing the street.

Our law firm has represented many pedestrians who were in a crosswalk with the right-of-way that were hit by negligent drivers. In my experience, it is most common that pedestrians are hit by drivers making a right or left turn at an intersection when the driver fails to notice the pedestrian.

Abels & Annes currently represents a pedestrian who was hit by a car and and barely survived, suffering severe injuries. He was hit directly in front of a well marked pedestrian crossing sign.

If you are a pedestrian that has been hit and injured by a motor vehicle, contact Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

A Chicago area resident has been killed in a pedestrian vs. auto accident that occurred this past Saturday, according to the Chicago Tribune. The collision took place at 87th Street and Cicero Avenue in Oak Lawn, a suburb just south of the Chicago city limits.

It has not been reported how the accident took place, however an arrest has been made by the investigating police department. This strongly indicates that the driver was at fault.

Every year there are thousands of traffic accidents involving pedestrians in the State of Illinois. For example, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reports that in 2004 there were 5,694 pedestrian accidents throughout the State, and that 155 fatalities resulted from those collisions.

IDOT states that pedestrians involved in accidents (as opposed to vehicle occupants) are much more likely to be injured or killed. Pedestrians are 8.7 times more likely to be injured and 23.1 times more likely to be killed as compared to people riding in vehicles. And, while pedestrians are only involved in 1.3% of the accidents in Illinois, they account for 12.7% of the fatalities.

Pedestrian accidents also occur more often in congested areas. Of the 5,694 pedestrian accidents in 2004, 77% occurred in Cook County, and 97% happened on roads that have been classified as urban.

If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident, contact our office for a free consultation. Our law firm often handles these types of claims, and we just settled a case against Allstate Insurance this past week.

A car accident in the Chicago area has resulted in the death of a 43 year old woman, according to the Southtown Star. The woman's husband was driving the vehicle at the time of the December 23, 2008 accident.

The car crash occurred when the driver lost control of a 1994 Pontiac Bonneville, spun the car, came to a stop perpendicular to traffic in the northbound lanes, and was then hit by a passing semi truck.

The Southtown Star is reporting that there are DUI charges pending against the husband, but no charges have yet been filed. The husband was treated for minor injuries at the scene.

The deadly auto accident is being investigated by the Illinois State Police.

In this accident, the estate of the wife will be able to make a claim against the husband's auto insurance policy for his negligence. While many people assume otherwise, this type of claim is not barred by Illinois law. Our law firm recently represented an Illinois family in a similar case.

It has not been reported if there is any liability on the part of the semi truck driver. The accident reconstruction done by the state police could possibly show that the truck driver was speeding, or that the accident was avoidable for some other reason.

If you or a loved on has been injured in an Illinois car crash or truck accident, call Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In Kane County, Illinois a motor vehicle accident where a car hit a house has resulted in the death of a passenger, according to the Kane County Chronicle. The car accident occurred just before 1:30 am last Friday morning in the 600 block of East Chicago Street in Elgin.

Both the driver and passenger were taken to Sherman Hospital in Elgin. The passenger, Marcelo Martinez-Ayala, 26, of Carpentersville, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The driver was not seriously injured.

The accident is being investigated by the Elgin Police Department. The cause of the accident has not been reported.

Car accidents involving collisions with houses are more common than you would think. This year one such accident was reported in the Rock Island area and another was reported in downstate Illinois.

Last year our law firm settled a case where a woman was injured while at home in the South Suburbs of Chicago when an elderly woman lost control of her car and crashed into her house. Our client was hit while she was laying in bed.

In Chicago Heights, Illinois a man was killed by a crane accident at a steel plant, according to the Chicago Tribune. The victim, Heladio Ramirez, 32, a Calumet City resident, was operating a crane on Monday at Highway Steel Inc., when part of the crane fell and hit him. He was taken to St. James Hospital and Health Center in Chicago Heights, Illinois and he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The cause of the accident has not been reported. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

According to the United States Department of Labor, 5,488 workers were killed on the job last year throughout the country. 392 workers were killed in manufacturing jobs, and 20 of those workers were killed in primary metal manufacturing jobs, such as iron and steel mill occupations.

Further, according to CraneAccidents.com, there were 176 reported crane accident deaths in the United States in 2007, up from 109 deaths in 2006.

In Chicago, Illinois a Monday night motorcycle accident resulted in the death of a Richton Park resident, according to the Southtown Star. The accident happened on the North Side of Chicago on Lake Shore Drive near Belmont Avenue and it involved a car and a motorcycle.

The accident backed up traffic for miles and northbound vehicles were diverted at Belmont for an hour. The Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Unit is handling the crash investigation. It has not been reported what caused the accident.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, motorcycle fatalities have greatly increased in the United States from 2,161, fatalities in 1996 to 4,810 fatalities in 2006. The NHTSA also states that there were 88,000 people injured in cycle accidents in 2006, as compared to only 55,000 in 1996.

It was not reported whether the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet in the Chicago accident on Monday. The NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,658 motorcycle riders' lives in 2006, and that 752 more lives may have been saved if helmets were used.

On Saturday afternoon a woman was killed in an auto accident on the Southwest Side of Chicago, according to the Southtown Star. The woman, a 73 year old Chicago resident, was riding as a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in a collision with another vehicle at 43rd and Cicero Ave just before 3:30 p.m. One of the vehicles overturned in the accident.

She was taken to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn and was pronounced dead shortly after the crash. Others involved in the accident were not seriously injured.

While it has not been reported who was at fault in the car accident, due to the fact that the Chicago woman was a passenger, her family will have a good claim against the driver that caused the collision.

In Chicago, Illinois a woman was killed under her stalled car when it was hit from behind while she was looking under the hood, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The auto accident happened on South Lake Shore Drive, just a few miles south of Soldier Field during the Bears game today.

The car stalled around 2 p.m. When the woman went to lift up the hood, the vehicle behind her slowed, and that slowing vehicle was rear-ended and knocked into the stalled car. The woman was pinned under the car, and she was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Part of Lake Shore Drive was shut down and traffic was diverted during the police investigation.

Click here to read the entire story.

In Chicago, Illinois a pedestrian was fatally struck by a hit & run driver early this morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The pedestrian vs. auto accident happened on the West Side as a 43 year old woman was crossing the street at 4700 W. Chicago Avenue just after 1:30 a.m.

The pedestrian was hit by a blue and white conversion van. The vehicle continued eastbound on Chicago Ave. after the accident and did not stop.

She was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.

Anyone with information regarding the accident should contact the Chicago Police Department. The police department's Major Accident Investigation Unit and area detectives are investigating the collision.

Click here to read the entire story.

In West Chicago, Illinois one person was killed and four others were injured in a car crash Thursday afternoon, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, Inc. The accident happened in the 1200 block of West North Avenue near it's intersection with Conte Parkway. The person who died was reportedly ejected from a vehicle.

The crash involved four vehicles and the injured parties were taken to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Illinois. Three of the injured only had minor injuries, and one person suffered more severe injuries.

North Avenue was closed for several hours due to the accident. The West Chicago Police Department is investigating the collision. The cause of the accident has not been reported.

Click here to read the entire story.

In the Chicago suburb of Burbank, Illinois a bicyclist has been killed in a hit-and-run accident. The accident happened on September 28, 2008 at about 3 a.m. in the 6300 block of West 87th Street.

The victim, Richard Horvath, 53, was struck while riding his bike just 3 doors away from his residence. A witness thought the offender was driving a white Chrysler, however, Burbank police have recovered pieces of what they believe is part of a white Dodge Ram pickup truck at the scene.

Horvath was rushed to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and when he arrived he had no vital signs. He was resuscitated and lived about 23 hours before passing away.

The Burbank Police Department is investigating the accident and anyone with information regarding the hit-and-run should contact them at (708) 924-7300.

In Chicago, Illinois a woman lost control of her car, drove over a curb, and stuck and killed her sister who was standing on a nearby sidewalk, according to NBC news. The accident happened late Thursday night just after she started her car and tried to shift gears without removing a Club theft deterring device from the steering wheel, causing her to lose control of the vehicle.

The deadly collision happened in the 5400 block of West Ferdinand in front of the victim's home. The woman was pinned and dragged over 15 feet.

She was taken by ambulance to Stroger Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. An autopsy is scheduled.

Click here to read entire story.

A 19 year old SIU college student from the West Side of Chicago has been killed in a downstate auto accident on Interstate 57, according to the Chicago Tribune. The crash occurred when the driver for the VH1 reality show "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels" allegedly fell asleep, crossed the highway median, and struck the student's SUV.

A passenger in the SUV, who was also a 19 year old student at Southern Illinois, and a Belleville resident, was also killed in the crash. The Illinois State Police are handling the crash investigation. The driver for the TV show was reportedly ticketed for driving with a suspended license and other traffic violations.

Click here to read the entire story.

A woman from the South Side of Chicago was stuck and killed early this morning after being hit by a car, according to the Chicago Tribune. The pedestrian vs. car accident happened just after 2 a.m. at Stoney Island and 93rd Street. The victim was Jessica Newton, age 46, a resident of the 10000 block of South Rhodes.

Newton was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn after the accident. She was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

The Chicago Police Department is investigating the accident and no further details are available yet.

An airplane owned by Chicago-based BlueSky Taxi crashed Thursday evening in Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin, killing all three people on board, according to the Lakeland Times. BlueSky is a charter plane company. The plane was a single engine Cirrus model SR22 that was carrying three Milwaukee residents from General Mitchell International Airport to Lakeland Airport.

The plane crashed just southwest of the Lakeland Airport at a time when there was a low cloud ceiling and rainy conditions. The cause of the crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Click here to read the entire story.

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

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

Click here to read the entire story.

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

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

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

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

Click here to read the entire story.

In Chicago, Illinois a pedestrian was killed early Sunday morning in a hit and run accident. The accident happened at 68th Street and Stoney Island, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The pedestrian, a 35 year old Chicago resident, was crossing the intersection on foot when he was struck by a dark vehicle around 1:30 p.m. The vehicle then fled the scene. The pedestrian was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.

TheChicago Police Department is investigating the hit and run accident and they have made no arrests. Anyone with information regarding the fatal collision should contact the Chicago Police Department.

Click here to read entire story.

A 62 year old Chicago resident was killed on Wednesday in Lakeview as she crossed a street in a crosswalk, according to the Chicago Tribune. The hit-and-run accident happened at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Belmont Avenue when a U-Haul rental truck ran a red light and hit a car headed south on Sheridan. The truck then hit a pedestrian in the crosswalk, and then the occupants of the truck fled the scene on foot. A witness at the scene said the truck was out of control.

The pedestrian, Anca Ramniceanu, 62, who lived in the area of the accident was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and died shortly after arrival at the hospital.

The only description of the two men that fled the scene was that one was wearing a red shirt and a baseball hat. Anyone with further information is encouraged to contact the Chicago Police Department. Police should also be able to track down who rented the truck by obtaining records from U-Haul.

A pedestrian was killed on the South Side of Chicago on Sunday in a hit and run accident, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The collision occurred around 4 a.m. at 85th Street and Stoney Island. When police came to the scene they found the pedestrian lying in the street.

The victim, a 36 year old Chicago resident, was transported to Jackson Park Hospital and pronounced dead within an hour of the accident. The Chicago Police Department Major Accidents Investigation Unit is handling the matter. Chicago police state that the vehicle that hit the pedestrian fled the scene and that they put a description of the vehicle out over police radio. Tinley Park police stopped the vehicle on Sunday morning and there is now a woman in custody. No charges had been filed as of Sunday night.

The parents of a teen killed when a semi truck slammed into a CTA train station in Chicago have filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Cook County against the truck driver and trucking company, according to the Associated Press. The lawsuit alleges that the 64 year old truck driver was driving too fast for conditions, ran a red light, and failed to use his horn to warn of impact.

The driver, who is from Metamora, Michigan, received a traffic ticket for the April 25 accident, but no criminal charges have been filed.

The accident happened when the driver crashed his semi truck into the CTA Red Line train station at Cermak Road on the South Side during the evening rush hour. One other woman was killed and twenty one others were injured, according to the Chicago Tribune and various other news sources.

The truck had just come off the Dan Ryan Expressway near Chinatown when it crashed into the train station and traveled several steps up an escalator. Some witnesses believed the truck was going 40 - 50 mph when it hit the station. Chicago Police Department officials have stated that the two women killed were pedestrians walking near the CTA station.

The cause of the truck crash is still unknown. The truck driver was taken to Stroger Hospital where he tested negative for alcohol, but then he refused a urine test and asked to be discharged from the hospital, stating that he had no insurance to cover treatment. He was then released into the custody of the Chicago Police Department.

A Chicago Fire Department official stated that twenty one injured were taken to area hospitals, and eleven of those were in critical condition. Four people had to be cut out of the escalators at the station by rescue workers.

In Chicago, Illinois a semi truck crashed into a CTA Red Line train station at Cermak Road on the South Side during Friday's evening rush hour. Two women were killed and twenty one others were injured.

The truck had reportedly just come off the Dan Ryan Expressway exit ramp near Chinatown when it crashed into the train station and traveled several steps up an escalator used to take people to the train platform. Some witnesses on the scene stated the truck was moving at 40 - 50 mph when it plowed into the station. Chicago Police Department officials state that the two women killed may have been pedestrians walking near the CTA station.

The cause of the truck crash is still unknown. The truck driver was taken to Stroger Hospital where he tested negative for alcohol, but then refused a urine test and asked to be discharged from the hospital, giving the reason that he had no insurance to cover his treatment. He was released into the custody of the Chicago Police Department.

A Chicago Fire Department official stated that twenty one injured people have been taken to area hospitals, and eleven of those were in critical condition. Four people had to be cut out of the escalators at the station by rescue workers. Family members searching for loved ones who may have been injured can call the Red Cross at 312-729-6200 to find out what hospitals they may have been taken to.

In Chicago, Illinois a bicycle rider has been killed as a result of a collision with a motor vehicle in the Logan Square neighborhood, according to the Chicago Tribune and several other news sources. The accident happened early Sunday morning when the bicyclist was turning left from westbound Logan Blvd. to proceed south on Western Avenue.

The bike rider was hit by an eastbound car that was traveling through the intersection on a yellow light that was turning red. The driver, a 29 year old woman, was given a ticket for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. The bicyclist, a Logan Square resident, was later pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center on the North Side.

Continue reading "Fatal Bicycle Accident on the North Side of Chicago" »

In Chicago, Illinois on the far South Side, an auto accident has claimed the life of a woman, and two others were sent to the hospital this afternoon, according to NBC 5 News. The accident is being described as a pin-in crash.

The car accident happened around 3:25 p.m. in the 11200 block of South Ewing Avenue in Chicago. The woman was reportedly dead on arrival at an area hospital. Two others injured in the crash were taken to local hospitals, one to Trinity Hospital and the other to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. The severity of their injuries has not yet been reported.

The crash involved two vehicles, and one of the cars may have rolled over. The cause of the car accident is still not known.

An auto accident involving two sport utility vehicles near the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Illinois has resulted in the death of a Park Ridge resident and injuries to three others, according to the Associated Press. The car crash occurred around 8:30 am this morning and involved a 2001 Infiniti QX4 and a 2003 Ford Explorer.

John Moore, 87, of Park Ridge was
killed in the collision. He was a passenger in the Infinity.

The driver of the Infinity, an Arlington Heights woman, was injured in the crash. The occupants of the Ford Explorer, a 44 year old Schaumburg woman and a three year old girl, were also injured. The three were treated at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

Police are still investigating the crash, and it has not been reported who was at fault or if charges are going to be filed.

On Monday night an 8 year old child was hit and killed by an SUV on the South Side of Chicago just before 10 p.m., according to the Chicago Tribune and several other news outlets. The driver of the SUV, Theresa Alexander of Chicago, has now been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent driving and driving without insurance. The SUV vs. pedestrian accident occurred in the 5600 block of Princeton Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood.

The boy, Tishaun Fields, reportedly was crossing the street when he was hit by a northbound Jeep Grand Cherokee. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital.

The Chicago pedestrian accident was initially thought to be a hit and run, but the driver returned to the scene shortly after the collision according to police. The Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Unit is handling the crash investigation. The driver is scheduled to appear in traffic court on May 15. There is no word yet if the charges will be upgraded to felonies.

A husband and wife riding on a motorcycle were killed, and two others were injured, in a chain reaction crash involving three vehicles in Macoupin County, Illinois, according to the Edwardsville Journal. The couple from Brighton, Illinois were westbound on a motorcycle on Illinois State Route 16 in Shipman, Illinois when a pick-up truck struck them on Monday afternoon.

The Central Illinois accident happened when a pick-up truck that was attempting to make a left hand turn was rear-ended by an eastbound SUV being driven by a teenager. The pick-up truck was knocked into the path of the westbound motorcycle and then the collision occurred. The motorcycle and the pick-up truck both reportedly burst into flames after the crash. The Shipman Fire Department responded to the accident and extinguished the fire.

The husband and wife on the motorcycle were pronounced dead at the scene. The other two drivers in the accident were taken to area hospitals and their injuries have not been reported. The Illinois State Police are investigating the accident and no tickets have yet been issued.

On Monday night an 8 year old boy was struck and killed by an SUV on the South Side of Chicago just before 10 p.m., according to the Chicago Tribune and several other news outlets. The pedestrian accident happened in the 5600 block of Princeton Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood.

The child, Tishaun Fields, reportedly was crossing the street when he was hit by a northbound Jeep Grand Cherokee. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital.

The driver was reportedly in police custody as of early Tuesday, but no charges have yet been filed and no tickets have been issued. The Chicago Police Department Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating the accident and they have stated she may face charges of drunken driving and striking a pedestrian in the roadway, according to NBC 5 News. The pedestrian accident was initially thought to be a hit and run, but the driver returned to the scene shortly after the collision according to police.

A Chicago truck driver who caused a rear end collision on a tollway in 2003 that resulted in the death of eight women was sentenced to four years in prison this past Thursday for reckless homiside, according to the Northwest Herald and several other news sources. The truck crash occurred in October, 2003, near the Marengo-Hampshire toll plaza on Interstate 90 in McHenry County, Illinois. The truck, driven by a 54 year old driver, struck a 25-seat bus in which the eight women were passengers from behind as the bus slowed for traffic.

At trial in November, 2007 McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather found the driver guilty of eight counts of reckless homicide and also failing to maintain his truck’s brakes. Crash scene investigators testified that the truck was at least going 60 mph when it collided with the bus. The accident also occurred in a 45-mph construction zone.

The eight women killed were from the Chicago area and were returning from a day-trip at a Rockford garden. The driver was taken into custody after sentencing, as he had been out of custody on a $40,000 bond. He will only have to serve 18 months of his 4 year sentence if he receives crdeit for good behavior.

On Wednesday last week a car that was stopped in traffic on Northbound Illinois 53 in the area of Rolling Meadows, Illinois was rear-ended by a semi-trailer truck and then pushed into another truck, according to the Chicago Tribune. As a result of the truck accident, the driver of the car, Janet Cummings, 41, of Lake in the Hills, died Saturday at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

The driver of the truck was ticketed with driving too fast for conditions and for driving without insurance. The Illinois State Police investigated the accident.

As shown by this Illinois motor vehicle collision, injuries resulting from truck accidents can be very deadly. The difference in size between a semi truck and a car can result in grave injuries to people inside average size cars. The United States Department of Transportation reported that in 2003 alone there were 4,986 fatalities and 122,000 injuries in large truck accidents throughout the United States.

Continue reading "Chicago Area Truck vs. Car Crash Results In Death Of Lake In The Hills Resident" »

In Chicago, Illinois personal injury lawyers were recently awarded a nice verdict in a premises liability wrongful death case, according to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. The fatality happened as a result of a fire in an apartment building owned by the defendants. The deceased, a tenant in the building, died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Cook County lawsuit alleged that the defendant failed to have smoke detectors in common areas of the building. The defense argued that the decedent was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol at the time of the fire.

Prior to trial the Estate demanded $910,000 to settle the case, and the defendants made no offer. The jury awared $1,353,249 (10% off 1,503,610 for comparative fault). The trial was in front of the Honorable Susan Ruscitti Grussel, Cook County Case No. 03 L 11032.

The plaintiff was represented by Kirk A. Moyer of Chicago. The defendants were represented by Alton Haynes and Brian O'Neill, and John F. Brennan.

Continue reading " Chicago, Illinois Premises Liability Attorneys Receive Good Verdict" »

In Winnebago County, Illinois a woman was killed in a car crash when the vehicle she was a passenger in lost control and flipped over, according to NBC 13 News. David Garrison, 59, of Rockford was driving south on Springfield Avenue on Thursday night when he lost control of his car, left the roadway, and rolled over.

Darcie Eckhardt, 45, of Rockford was the passenger. She reportedly died at the scene. Garrison has been ticketed with improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

An auto accident on the Southwest Side of Chicago claimed the life of four people early Wednesday morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and various other news sources. The car accident took place in the 2800 block of Columbus Avenue just after midnight.

A father, 46; his son, 28; and his nephew, 28 were killed when a car crossed the center line and hit their vehicle head on. The father was driving a Toyota Camry eastbound on Columbus at the time of the crash.

The driver of the car that allegedly crossed the centerline was also killed. Five other people in the car, including a 20 month old child, were injured. The child was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago.

The father and his son and nephew all worked together at McCormick Place as forklift operators and they were on their way home from an evening shift. All three men were members of Teamsters Local 714.

A woman from Elgin was killed in a pedestrian accident on the South Side of Chicago early Sunday morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Ashley Brown, age 23, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead just before 2 a.m.

Brown was involved in an accident around 1:20 a.m. at 75th and State Street in Chicago. Brown and another woman were struck by a vehicle as they were crossing the street on foot, according to Chicago Police. Both were taken to Northwestern Hospital and the other woman reportedly suffered a broken leg.

The women were reportedly struck by a Dodge Magnum, which is a large sport wagon. The vehicle fled the scene of the Chicago accident. The Chicago Police Department major accident investigation unit is working on the case. The Dodge Magnum is not a common vehicle, and anyone with information regarding the accident should contact the Chicago Police Department.

Continue reading "Chicago, Illinois Hit & Run Pedestrian Accident Claims Life Of Elgin Woman" »

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last year a Chicago, Illinois car crash early Thanksgiving morning resulted in the death of 2 people, and the off duty Chicago police officer that caused the collision was charged with DUI, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The DUI charges against the officer were dismissed last week at a preliminary hearing, as Judge Donald Panarese said there was no indication Officer John Ardelean, 34, was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

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

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

A Chicago, Illinois resident who rear-ended a semi-truck, killing her passenger, has been sentenced to prison by a judge in Van Buren County, Michigan, according to mlive.com. The car / truck crash happened by the Interstate 94 westbound entrance ramp in Mattawan, MI. on February 23, 2007.

The car accident occurred when the driver, a Chicago, Illinois resident, drove around a police roadblock and then struck the back of a truck that was stopped in traffic. Her passenger, Karl L. Shaw, 27, also from Chicago, was killed in the auto collision. Traffic was backed up because of a truck fire.

Beyond the fact that the defendant was driving while intoxicated, a speed-sensing device in her 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt showed she was moving at 103 mph just before the impact.

On January 2, 2008, the driver pleaded no contest to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing death. She was sentenced to a term of 22 months - 15 years in prison by Circuit Judge William Buhl, and she will receive credit for time already served.

Un residente de Chicago fue matada en un golpe pedestre de accidente de auto en el Norte el martes pasado, segun el Chicago Sun-Times y el Chicago Tribune. El accidente de auto sucedio en la esquina de Foster y la Avenida Lincoln. El conductor giraba supuestamente a la derecha de Lincoln para ir hacia el este en la Foster cuando la peatón alegada caminó del encintado y fue golpeada por el coche que daba vuelta. Angelina Romero, del 2400 oeste de la Avenida Winona fue la peatón que fue golpeada en el choque. Ella fue apresurada para Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center en Chicago en la condición crítica, donde ella murió el martes en la noche.

El conductor del coche no fue publicado ninguna multa y la Policía de Chicago ha sido citada por el Tribune diciendo "El conductor tuvo el derecho de vía. ... Ella dio un paso en el sendero del vehículo".

Aquí está el problema: Según miembros de la familia de la víctima, no hay testigos independientes al accidente. La policía parece haber tomado inicialmente la palabra del conductor como la verdad, pero el Departamento de Policía de Chicago la Unidad Mayor de Accidentes esta investigando el choque, y será interesante saber lo qué se contiene en el informe.

Aún más, si este asunto acaba en la corte civil, el conductor del coche será impedido de testificar a cómo el accidente sucedió bajo el Acto de hombre Muerto de Illinois. También, bajo la ley de Illinois, un conductor tiene un deber para mantener una mirada fuera para peatones y para rendir a peatones en una caminata cruzada. Este accidente sucedió en un cruce de Chicago que tiene el tráfico pedestre pesado.

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the family of a Chicago Area woman who died from injuries sustained in a November 25, 2007 Arkansas bus crash, according to the Times-Herald of Forrest City, Arkansas. The bus was traveling from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, Texas. The lawsuit was filed earlier this month in Brownsville, Texas by Alfonso Macias Sr., the husband of Maria del Carmen Fuentes Macias of Plano, Illinois. She past away in a Memphis , Tennessee hospital on December 16, 2007 from injuries sustained in the bus crash. The lawsuit lists Dallas based Tornado Bus Co. and the driver of the bus as defendants.

Earlier this month the bus driver was arrested by the Arkansas State Police and charged with 4 counts of Reckless Homicide after toxicology reports from Tapia showed evidence of amphetamine use at the time of the bus crash.

Raul Lopez of West Chicago, Illinois was also on the bus and died at the accident site. They were on a Tornado Bus Co. bus with 45 other people. The fatal motor vehicle collision happened on a rainy night on Interstate 40 in northern Arkansas when the bus crossed a median, hit a pickup truck, and then hit a larger commercial truck. Lopez, another passenger, and the driver of the pickup truck died on the scene.

Another Chicago area man, Marcos Valencia, of south suburban Crete, Illinois was also seriously injured in the bus crash. He was taken to a Memphis hospital for surgery.

A friend of CBS morning news anchor Randy Salerno has been charged with a crime in connection with the Eagle River, Wisconsin snowmobile accident that ended Salerno's life. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Scott D. Hirschey, 44, was charged with one count of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, a felony in Wisconsin. Hirschey's blood alcohol content has not yet been reported. The legal limit is .08 in Wisconsin.

The accident happened around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday night just outside Eagle River, Wisconsin and Salerno was pronounced dead at the scene. Salerno was a passenger on a snowmobile driven by Hirschey. Hirschey reportedly hit an embankment which launched the vehicle in the air, striking several trees.

Once the sheriff's department finishes their investigation, the case will most likely be handed off to Vilas County District Attorney Albert Moustakis for prosecution. Moustakis is a former Chicago area lawyer who has a reputation of being tough but fair. Moustakis was also well known in Evanston, Illinois as the head coach of the high school's varsity hockey team for several years. He relocated to Eagle River in the 1990s.

Salerno, 45, had been with CBS News since 2004. He was previously a reporter and anchor with WGN for 12 years. He also worked at stations in Albany, New York and Peoria. He won a local Emmy Award for his work on the 2004 broadcast of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Salerno is from Crystal Lake, Illinois. He lived there with his wife Irene, and their 3 children.

Two siblings from Elgin, Illinois were killed in an auto accident on Thursday when their car was hit by a semi-truck in Huntley, Illinois, according to the Chicago Tribune. Sergio Espinosa, 52, was driving with his sister, Rosalinda Rodriguez, 57, westbound on Oak Creek Parkway at Illinois 47 just after 2:30 p.m. when a truck heading north on Illinois 47 struck the driver's side of their car. The vehicles came to rest around 200 feet from the intersection which is controlled by a traffic light. The police are trying to determine who had the green light and if speed played a role in the accident.

If there are no independent witnesses to the accident, and determining who had the green light could be difficult to do.

A Chicago, Illinois news anchorman has died from injuries sustained in a snowmobile accident, according to several news outlets, including CBS News in Chicago. Randy Salerno, a morning anchor for CBS News, was killed Thursday night in a snowmobiling accident in Eagle River, Wisconsin. Salerno was a passenger on a snowmobile when the driver lost control and struck several trees. Investigators are stating that alcohol and speed may have contributed to the accident.

The accident happened around 11:30 p.m. in the Township of Blum Lake, Wisconsin and Salerno was pronounced dead at the scene. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Vilas County Sheriff's Department and the Vilas County Coroner's office are investigating the accident. The driver of the snowmobile was taken to an area hospital, but no other information has been released on the driver's condition.

Salerno, 45, had been with CBS News since 2004. He was previously a reporter and anchor with WGN for 12 years. He also worked at stations in Albany, New York and Peoria. He won a local Emmy Award for his work on the 2004 broadcast of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Salerno is from Crystal Lake, Illinois. He lived there with his wife, Irene, and their 3 children.

A Chicago resident was killed in a pedestrian knock down auto accident on the North Side this past Tuesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune. The auto accident happened at the corner of Foster and Lincoln Avenue. The driver was reportedly turning right from Lincoln to go Eastbound on Foster when the pedestrian allegedly stepped off the curb and was hit by the turning car. Angelina Romero, of the 2400 block of West Winona Avenue was the pedestrian that was struck in the collision. She was rushed to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago in critical condition, where she died Tuesday night

The driver of the car was not issued any tickets and the Chicago Police Department has been quoted by the Tribune as saying "The driver had the right of way. ... She stepped in the path of the vehicle."

Here is the problem: According to family members of the victim, there are no independent witnesses to the accident. The police seem to have initially taken the word of the driver as the truth, but the Chicago Police Department Major Accident Unit is investigating the crash, and it will be interesting to find out what is contained in the report.

Further, if this matter ends up in civil court, the driver of the car will be barred from testifying as to how the accident happened under the Illinois Dead Man's Act. Also, under Illinois law, a driver has a duty to keep a look out for pedestrians and to yield to pedestrians in a cross walk. This accident happened at a Chicago intersection that has heavy pedestrian traffic.

The police might initially side with the driver, but it is a pretty safe bet that Chicago personal injury lawyers are going to get involved in this case.

A Cook County Resident, Lester Cooperwood, 48, died on Sunday night when the car he was riding in as a passenger lost control and struck a steel CTA viaduct near 4600 West Lake Street in Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune. Cooperwood was riding in the front seat of a Dodge Stratus that was being driven by a 41 year old man who lives at the same address as the victim in the 1700 Block of North Lorel Avenue.

The driver suffered lacerations and bruising and was taken to a Chicago area hospital. The driver was also charged by the Chicago Police Department with with DUI, improper lane usage, driving without a license and no insurance.

Cooperwood was pronounced dead at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Chicago, Illinois a short time later due to injuries sustained in the accident.

From a Chicago personal injury lawyer's perspective, the family of the Cook County passenger has a right to bring a wrongful death claim against the driver of the car, but here it appears the at fault party had no liability insurance. If the victim, or a household family member had a valid auto insurance policy, then the family should be able to make an uninsured motorist claim.

Continue reading "Chicago, Illinois Passenger Killed When Car Hits CTA Viaduct" »

In Henry County, Illinois a fatal single vehicle car crash has left 2 people dead, according to Galesburg.com. A 61 year old male lost control of his car on a slick road while driving north on Illinois 82 near Illinois 17 on Monday afternoon. He drove into a ditch and hit a tree. The driver and his 57 year old wife, who was a passenger, were pronounced dead at the scene. The couple's 10 year old grandson was also in the car and was not seriously injured. He was taken to OSF St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg, Illinois. The couple was reportedly headed to Geneseo, Illinois. The Henry County Sheriff's Department is investigating the deadly accident.

Illinois car crash deaths are way down this year, according to an article recently published by the Chicago Tribune. 16 people have died in fatal Illinois auto accidents as of January 11, 2008, which is down from 37 last year. As of today's date of January 21, 2008 the number of fatals is 38, which is down from 71 at this time in 2007, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). There have been 12 fatal auto accidents in Chicago and 15 deadly car crashes in all of Cook County, Illinois.

Last year 1,245 people were killed in motor vehicle collisions in Illinois, which is actually the lowest number of fatal accidents since 1924. That is an amazing statistic if you consider how few cars were on the road back then as compared to 2007. The state's goal is to keep the number of auto accident related deaths in Illinois below 1,000. Illinois is currently on pace for only 660 fatalities.

Continue reading "Illinois Auto Accident Deaths Down So Far This Year" »

Less than 2 months after a jury awarded the family of former Chicago Blackhawk Keith Magnuson 9.5 million in a wrongful death auto accident lawsuit, the at fault party, former NHL player Rob Ramage was sentenced to 4 years in prison. The case stems from a fatal drunk driving accident that killed the former Chicago Blackhawk in 2003. The two former NHL players were traveling from a funeral together outside of Toronto, Canada when the accident took place.

A judge in Ontario, Canada sentenced Ramage for impaired driving causing death, and banned him from driving for five years after his release. Ramage played 15 years in the NHL as a defenseman with eight teams, and was on Stanley Cup winners with the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens.

Magnuson played in the NHL from 1969-1979, and all of his 589 career games were with the Chicago Blackhawks. He went to the Stanley Cup twice with the Hawks in 1971 and 1973, both times losing to the Montreal Canadiens. He was also captain of the Blackhawks for several years.

A construction worker was killed on Monday at the Trump Soho in New York City when a wooden mold used to set concrete collapsed and he fell 42 floors to his death, according to the New York Times. The worker who died in the construction accident was decapitated in the fall and landed in an alley on the west side of the site. Another worker was thrown from the 42nd floor, but was caught by a safety net on the 40th floor.

The cause of the work accident is still under investigation. The New York City Buildings Department has issued a stop work order on the project until the General Contractor, Bovis Lend Lease, can show that work will continue in a safe manner. Bovis was issued four safety violations as a result of the accident. There have been 11 previous building code violations at the project site.

This accident happened just weeks before the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago is scheduled to open. Five floors of the hotel are scheduled to open on January 30, 2008, according to the Chicago Tribune. The hotel will occupy floors 14-27, and the remaining levels are supposed to gradually open through the spring.

What is interesting is that as the hotel operates, there will still be a large construction project going on overhead as crews work to complete the 92 story tower. You have to question if Chicagoans will feel safe entering the hotel in light of the N.Y.C. accident. The hotel was originally scheduled to open December 3, 2007 but Trump was delayed in obtaining a city occupancy permit due to still having to complete fire safety work.

Continue reading "Deadly Construction Accident at the Trump Soho in N.Y.C. - Should Chicago Be Nervous?" »

A Chicago rollover auto accident killed a 19 year old last Friday night on the Dan Ryan Expressway, according to several news sources. The accident happened at the Cermak exit near Chinatown just after 10 p.m.

The van in the Cook County motor vehicle accident reportedly had numerous occupants and Maria Hernandez, 19, was killed when the driver, age 27, lost control, rolled over and ejected Hernandez from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead shortly after the auto accident at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.

Illinois State Police have charged the driver with DUI, no insurance and no seat belt. The State Police indicate the DUI will be upgraded to a felony.

Four other passengers were taken to Michael Reese Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Continue reading "Chicago, Illinois Rollover Car Crash - Teen Dies On Dan Ryan" »

A deadly auto accident in Park Ridge, Illinois has led to a Chicago man being charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the Chicago Tribune. The collision resulted in the death of a passenger in another car.

A 28 year old Chicago resident was driving eastbound on Devon Avenue on Christmas Eve when he rear ended a Mitsubishi that was stopped at a red light. The crash happened on the border of Park Ridge and Chicago at Canfield Road and Devon. The at fault driver's car then struck a daycare center on Devon.

The passenger/victim was Justin Prendergast, 20, of Chicago. He was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where he died from injuries sustained in the accident. The driver of the Mitsubishi and two other passengers were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Continue reading "Park Ridge, Illinois Wrongful Death Car Crash - Chicago Resident Charged With DUI" »

A 59 year old Chicago resident was killed in a pedestrian accident after she was hit by a CTA bus on Monday afternoon, according to the Chicago Tribune. Ludwika Szynalik of the 3300 block of North Natchez was struck on West Addison Street near her home. She reportedly was a passenger of the bus. The 152 Addison bus was westbound at the time of the accident.

The bus accident victim was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge and was pronounced dead later in the evening. The bus driver was ticketed, but it has not been reported what the ticket was for. No details have been released as to what caused the accident. A Chicago Police Department major accident investigation is underway. The fact that the driver was ticketed is a strong indication that a wrongful death claim may be investigated.

Personal injury lawyers always have to be careful when pursuing claims against the CTA. There is a one year statute of limitations and a six month CTA notice requirement. If involved in a CTA accident, it is best to hire an accident lawyer as soon as possible so they have adequate time to comply with the six month notice provision and the shortened statute of limitations.

Continue reading "Chicago Illinois Wrongful Death Accident - CTA Bus Hits and Kills Pedestrian" »

After an auto accident that left one Chicago resident dead, Illinois State Police are searching for a white Cadillac, according to WBBM Newsradio 780. The wrongful death crash took place on I-90 at the State Street / Illinois 30 entrance ramp in Elgin, Illinois

The white Cadillac entered the highway and immediately swerved into the middle lane and caused a Honda Civic to move into the left lane. The Civic then crashed into a Nissan, and then an O'Hare shuttle bus slammed into the Civic, killing the driver of the Civic, 24 year old David Nazario of Chicago. Nazario was seat belted at the time of the collision. No one else was injured in the accident.

Anyone with information regarding the crash should call the Illinois State Police at (630) 241-6800.

From a personal injury lawyer's perspective, it is likely that the driver of the Cadillac will not be found. If the driver is never caught, the family of the victim will then be able to make a hit & run, uninsured motorist claim on the victim's own insurance policy.

A Chicago Area woman has died from injuries sustained in a November 25, 2007 Arkansas bus crash, according to the Chicago Sun Times. She is the second Fox Valley resident to die as a result of the wrongful death bus crash in route from Chicago to Dallas, Texas.

Arkansas State Police have reported that Maria Del Carmen Fuentes past away on Saturday in a Memphis, Tennessee hospital. Raul Lopez of West Chicago, Illinois was also on the bus and died at the accident site. They were on a Tornado Bus Co. bus with 45 other people.

The fatal motor vehicle collision happened in the rain on Interstate 40 in northern Arkansas around 10 pm on a Sunday night when the bus crossed a median, hit a pickup truck, and then hit a larger commercial truck. Lopez, another passenger, and the driver of the pickup truck died on the scene.

Raul Lopez was a father of 4, grandfather of 5, and worked in manufacturing. His mother lives in Mexico, and he usually drove there, but no one was available to make the trip with him. Lopez thought his vision was not good enough to drive at night, so he took the bus.

Another Chicago area man, Marcos Valencia, of south suburban Crete, Illinois was also seriously injured in the bus crash. He was taken to a Memphis hospital for surgery.

In a Chicago, Illinois auto accident a person was killed and another was seriously injured when a motor vehicle struck a building near the Lincolnwood and Chicago border on Friday, according to the Chicago Suntimes. The car hit a building located in the 3800 block of West Devon Avenue. The Chicago Police Department, Major Accident Investigations were called to the scene.

No further information as to how the accident happened, or the identities of the driver and victims has been released. It was reportedly a "pin-in crash".

In this type of case the family of the deceased will have a wrongful death claim against the driver who struck the building. The second injured person would have a personal injury claim as well.

Our firm recently handled a similar bizarre case where our client was at home in bed in a South suburb of Chicago when an elderly neighbor lost control of her car, crashed thourgh the wall of the house, and struck the plaintiff. The case settled out of court. The only issue in this type of case is typically damages, as there is no issue as to who is at fault.

Continue reading "Chicago, Illinois Pedestrian Accident - Car Crashes Into Building, Kills 1, Injures Another" »

A deadly Cook County car crash has resulted in a DUI guilty plea, according to the Southtown Star. The motor vehicle collision occurred on September 9, 2007 when the 27 year old defendant ran a red light at Western Avenue and 31st Street. He struck a car being driven by Minerva Santiago who died as a result of the crash.

The DUI driver had a blood alcohol content of .194, more than twice the legal limit of .08. Prosecutors from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office allege the defendant had about 20 beers before the accident, and further has no valid driver's license.

The defendant plead guilty to aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol without the benefit of a plea agreement with prosecutors. He can be sentenced anywhere from 3 - 14 years by Cook County Circuit Judge James Linn.

Minerva Santiago was a superintendent the Cook County Department of Corrections. After the accident she was dead on arrival at Mount Sinai Hospital.

From the view of a wrongful death attorney, here the estate of the victim can bring a claim against the defendant in civil court. However, the first question that comes to mind is whether Ortiz even has valid auto insurance to cover the crash. I ask this because the state's attorney's office indicated he did not have a valid driver's license. If the defendant had no insurance, a personal injury attorney would then look to make an uninsured motorist claim against Santiago's own policy.

2 Illinois residents died in a deadly auto accident last Saturday just South of Staunton, Illinois on Illinois Route 4, according to the State Journal Register. The driver, age 25, and his passenger, age 23, of Gillespie, Illinois were pronounced dead at the scene. The vehicle, a Pontiac Grand Am, was Southbound when it crossed the centerline, went into a ditch on the East side of the road, and hit a telephone pole.

The Madison County Sheriff's Office did state that speed was a factor in the accident, and that alcohol was not. The road was wet, but it is unknown if it was icey. Toxicology reports are still pending and there was only one passenger in the car.

While it is not fun to talk about when there are fatalities, from a wrongful death lawyer's view, the estate of the passenger has a wrongful death claim against the estate of the driver. If the driver was uninsured, the family of the passenger would be able to make an uninsured motorist claim against the passenger's own policy, or any household family member's policy.

Continue reading "Illinois Single Vehicle Car Crash Kills 2 " »

A Chicago resident was hit and killed by a car in Skokie on Thursday night, according to the Chicago Tribune. The pedestrian vs. auto accident happened after dark at 7:30 p.m. in the 3900 block of Golf Road near the Springfield Avenue intersection.

No traffic tickets were issued by the Skokie Police, as they say the pedestrian crossed in the dark without a crosswalk. The driver never saw the pedestiran, and did not know what he hit until after he pulled over.

The pedestrian was Jaime Villanueva, 44, of Rogers Park. He was taken to Evanston Hospital and pronounced dead at 9:08 p.m. Police state that location is very dark at night and they are still trying to determine why the pedestrian was in the road.

While the newspaper report indicates the police blame the pedestrian for this auto accident, it will be interesting to see if further investigation shows anything different, or if personal injury lawyers get involved on behalf of the pedestrian's family. While it was dark out, and there is no crosswalk at that location, the pedestrian obviously cannot give his side of the story.

Continue reading "Skokie Illinois Pedestrian Accident Kills Chicago Resident" »

A Rockford, Illinois auto accident has resulted in the death of a 13 year old girl, and others were also injured, according to Rockford's NBC 13. The accident occurred in icey conditions on Sunday near the Rockford Chicago Airport around 11:30 on Eastbound Kishwaukee Road. A 20 year old woman lost control of her car and slid into a vehicle traveling the opposite direction. Her 13 year old sister was in her car and died at the scene.

A mother and daughter in the other car were seriously injured, but they are expected to be ok. They were taken to Swedish American Hospital. Police are saying that this weekend's weather played a factor in the accident.

From a personal injury lawyer perspective, the Estate of the 13 year old will have a claim against the sister. The fact that they were family members in no way bars wrongful death claims in the State of Illinois. The injured women in the other vehicle also have a claim against the driver that hit them. Bad & icey weather is also not a defense. A driver in Illinois has a duty to not drive too fast for road conditions.

Outside O'Fallon, Illinois last Friday an Illinois State Trooper lost control of his squad car and collided head on with another vehicle on Interstate 64. Two witnesses have stated that before the auto accident the police car was traveling at an excessive rate of speed without its siren on, according to the Belleville News Democrat. The motor vehicle accident killed two sisters, Jessica Uhl, 18, and Kelli Uhl, 13 of Collinsville, Illinois.

One witness stated the trooper passed by her before the accident traveling at more than 100 mph. A few seconds later the trooper crossed the median and slammed into a Mazda driven by Jessica Uhl. Illinois State Police Officials stated the officer was responding to another accident on Illinois 4 when he was cut off by another car and forced onto the grassy median.

Illinois State Police are still investigating the car crash and reviewing video taken from the State Police Car.

Injury lawyers that filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of former Chicago Blackhawk defenseman Keith Magnuson have moved forward to trial, according to CBC Sports. The lawsuit is pending in St. Louis County, Missouri Circuit Court. The defendant in the case, Rob Ramage, played defense for the Toronto Maple Leafs for several years.

The case stems from a 2003 car crash where Ramage allegedly collided with 2 other cars. He was recently found guilty of various forms of DUI charges in criminal court and is scheduled to be sentenced in January, 2008. Ramage himself underwent hip surgery as a result of the motor vehicle collision. Maguson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Magnuson played in the NHL from 1969-1979, and all of his 589 career games were with the Chicago Blackhawks. He went to the Stanley Cup twice with the Hawks in 1971 and 1973, both times losing to the Montreal Canadiens. He was also captain of the Blackhawks for several years.

A Chicago area resident has died in a bus accident in Arkansas. He was traveling to visit his mother when a bus he was a passenger on collided with a pickup truck and an 18 wheeler, according to Chicago SunTimes.com. Raul Lopez, 58, was on a Tornado Bus Co. bus that was traveling from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, Texas. He was 1 of 47 people on the bus.

The motor vehicle collision happened in the rain on Interstate 40 in northern Arkansas around 10 pm on Sunday night when the bus crossed a median, hit the pickup, and then hit the larger truck. Lopez, another passenger, and the driver of the pickup truck died in the crash. Arkansas State Police are still investigating the crash, which seriously injured several more people.

Lopez was a father of 4, grandfather of 5, and worked in manufacturing. His mother lives in Mexico, and he usually drove there, but no one was available to make the trip with him. Lopez thought his vision was not good enough to drive at night, so he took the bus.

Another Chicago area man, Marcos Valencia, of south suburban Crete, Illinois was also seriously injured in the bus crash. He was taken to a Memphis hospital for surgery was was still in critical condition as of Monday.

Click here to read entire story.

A Chicago, Illinois car crash early Thanksgiving morning resulted in the death of 2 people, and the off duty Chicago police officer that caused the collision has been charged with DUI, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. As of Saturday, the families of the deceased have already hired a Chicago wrongful death lawyer to represent them. The motor vehicle collision occurred in the 2900 block of North Damen when the officer who was traveling northbound in his SUV crossed the center line and struck a southbound Pontiac.

The two men that were killed were ages 22 and 21, and they were life long friends from Cicero, Illinois. The officer, age 33, is assigned to the Belmont district, and is being relieved of his duties from the Chicago Police Department. He is scheduled to appear in traffic court in January, 2008. The charges could be upgraded, and that decision will be made by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

This is the second time this week that an off duty Chicago Police Officer has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol as related to fatal motor vehicle accidents.

A Lake County, Illinois single vehicle auto accident has left two men dead after they were ejected from the automobile. The accident happened on Illinois 145 near Edwards Road in North Suburban Antioch, Illinois. The driver of an SUV lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line, and rolled over in a ditch on the east side of the road.

One passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was pronounced dead at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. The driver, who was wearing a seat belt, only sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from Victory Memorial Hospital in Lake County.

Lake County Sheriff’s Dept. and the Antioch Police and Fire Dept. were at the scene of the accident, and the Lake County Sheriff is investigating the cause of the crash. It has not been disclosed if the passengers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The driver has received a ticket for driving too fast for conditions.

David Abels & Associates has handled many single car accident injury cases, some involving very serious injury and/or death. From an injury lawyer's perspective, a single car crash case can be easier to handle as compared to other auto accidents, as there is usually no issue as to who is at fault. Typically the accident is caused by a driver who is traveling too fast for conditions. The only real issue is damages. (Although there could be a comparative fault issue if the victims were not wearing seat belts). In this case we are talking about the worst type of damages, that being the death of two people.

Click here to read entire story.

A recent Cook County verdict in a wrongful death auto accident case may send a strong message to insurance companies. On September 28, 2007 a jury at the Daley Center in Chicago awarded the Estate of Rosetta Frazier, deceased $250,000 in a personal injury lawsuit. The deceased was a passenger in her own car when the defendant driver of the vehicle lost control and rolled over. The plaintiff was ejected from the car and died from her injuries.

Prior to trial at the Daley Center in Chicago, counsel for plaintiff demanded $20,000 to settle, and there was no offer from the defendant. You may be asking yourself why the plaintiff's demand was only $20,000 on a death case. In Illinois, the minimum coverage for an auto insurance policy is $20,000 per person, and $40,000 per occurrence. The insurance company normally would only be responsible for the first $20,000 of the verdict. However, here the attorney for the plaintiff, Debra Crystal of Harvey L. Walner & Assoc. has indicated she will attempt to collect the entire amount against the insurance company on a bad faith claim. She is alleging the insurance company acted in bad faith by not paying out the $20,000 policy and failing to protect the defendant from a verdict far in excess of the insurance policy. She will attempt to punish the insurance company for not paying on the claim prior to trial.

Continue reading "Illinois Auto Accident Verdict Should Send Message to Insurance Carriers" »

A Chicago, Illinois car crash took the life of a teenage girl whose identity has not been released. According to CBS News in Chicago, the teenager was killed when an SUV struck a pole on the South Side of Chicago on November 7, 2007. The one-vehicle accident near 74th St. and Maryland Avenue, Chicago, Illinois according to Chicago Police Department officials.

The teenager was believed to be about 16 years old and was a passenger in the vehicle. A second occupant in the car was hurt and taken to nearby Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. A firefighter also went to Christ Hospital because of getting hydraulic fluid in his eyes while taking victims out of the car.

Over the years, David Abels & Associates has handled many single car accident injury cases, some involving very serious injury and/or death. From an injury lawyer's perspective, a single car crash case can be easier to handle as compared to other auto accidents, as there is usually no issue as to who is at fault. The only real issue is damages. In this case we are talking about the worst type of damages, that being the death of a young woman who had her whole life in front of her.

Another issue that can come up in singe car accidents is when a passenger is injured and an immediate family member was the at fault driver. The issue is whether you can make a claim against your own family member for damages. In many states the answer is no you cannot, or there may be limitations as to such actions. However, in Illinois the answer is yes, you can make a claim against a family member such as your spouse or parent.

I recently wrote about a Chicago, Illinois car crash that left 5 people dead. (See Chicago, Illinois Auto Accident Kills 5 People 11/2/07 entry below). The accident was caused by a 29 year old man driving a Volvo at a high rate of speed going the wrong direction on the Eisenhower Expressway on October 28, 2007. The driver crashed head on with an oncoming BMW, caused a large explosion and instantly killed the 4 occupants of the car.

A week later the first wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in Cook County, Illinois. The family of Frida Perez Escalante, 27, one of the occupants killed in the BMW has filed suit against the Estate of Frederick Sy, 29, the driver that caused the accident.

A Chicago, Illiois school bus driver that caused a bus accident that left one pedestrian dead and injured eight others was sentenced to 6 years in prison for reckless homicide and aggravated DUI. He admitted drinking prior to the crash and his blood alcohol limit was nearly 3 times the legal limit, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. The accident was earlier this year on May 21.

The driver in the bus crash was Jerry Moncrease, 71, and the victim was Antoine Bolden, 22, a father of 3. Moncrease was employed by Bryden Transportation. Cook County prosecutors said the school bus was traveling as fast as 70 m.p.h. when it hit an SUV on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois at the intersection of Garfield Boulevard and Wentworth Avenue. The crash involved multiple vehicles and Bolden was a pedestiran killed as he was crossing the street.

Bolden's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County seeking damages in excess of $50,000 against Moncrease and Bryden Transportation. My clients have inquired in the past as to why "an amount greater than $50,000" is asked for in many lawsuits. That is the minumum amount to file your case in the Law Division of the Court. Even though this lawsuit may be worth millions, the complaint will usually only ask for an amount greater than $50,000.

At the time of the fatal accident, Bolden was on his way to see his 7 month old twin boys at a hospital who have health problems and were born 3 months premature. Bolden also had a 21-month-old daughter. While any accident that causes a death is a terrible event, these circumstances are particularily tough. It is likely that Bolden was the provider of income for his three children.

Sometimes auto accident deaths may be worth millions of dollars, but in reality the at fault party may only have a small amount of insurance. An individual driver in Illinois is only required to carry an insurance policy of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per occurrence. In this event, we are dealing with a bus company, so it is likely that there will be millions in insurance coverage. This type of money will be badly needed for the family to survive over the many, many years to come without their father.

A Chicago, Illinois car crash left 5 people dead on the Eisenhower Expressway on October 28, 2007. A 29 year old man driving a Volvo was speeding down the highway in the wrong direction and crashed head on with an oncoming car. The auto accident resulted in a fireball explosion and instantly killed the 4 occupants of the car.

The Volvo driver was identified as Frederick Sy, 29, of Chicago, Illinois. He was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The occupants of the other car, a BMW, were badly burned and not immediately identified. Dental records are needed to identify the driver and 3 passengers. The Cook County medical examiner's office has released the identity of one occupant of the BMW as Martha Gonzalez, 24. Frida Perez, 27, and Luis Munoz, 30, were also in the car according to family and friends.

The Illinois State Police are not sure why the driver entered the expressway going the wrong direction. Some witnesses estimate the Volvo was traveling around 100 mph, but Illinois State Police investigators have not yet made a final determination of speed.

Frederick Sy was a graduate of Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, Illinois and was a licensed physical therapist employed at the River Grove branch of AthletiCo.