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Chicago work accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have entered into an agreement to represent an Illinois public school teacher that was injured on the job. The accident happened at the end of September, 2010 when the Chicago high school teacher tripped and fell down approximately 8-9 concrete stairs while at work.

After the accident she was seen it the Advocate Christ Hospital emergency room. At the ER she was examined by nurses and physicians, and x-rays were taken. She sustained bilateral ankle injuries, back injuries, and injured her right wrist.

During the days following the accident her condition did not improve. She has since followed up with her primary care physician in Chicago. Her doctor referred her to physical therapy at Accelerated Rehabilitation.

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A new study that is been released by several victims groups is reporting that 60 percent of Chicago Roman Catholic parishes have had a priest at some point that was accused of sexually abusing a minor, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The study was released by such groups as Voice of the Faithful, African-American Advocates for Victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse and the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP).

Barbara Blaine, who is the founder and president of SNAP, is encouraging victims to speak up, and is asking victims to come forward and get help, contact police and expose predators, and to protect children and start the healing process.

The groups’ study found sex abuse accusations in the Chicago area against 97 priests from the years 1917 through 2009. 65 of the allegations have been reportedly confirmed by the Archdiocese of Chicago, while 32 other accusations were found in the news and in lawsuits.

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A Chicago CTA bus accident on South Lake Shore Drive has resulted in 37 passengers being taken to area hospitals, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Around 70 people were riding the Jackson Park Express bus going southbound when it crashed on Saturday night. The incident occurred around 6 PM near 2800 S. Lake Shore Dr.

The bus ran off the drive and hit several trees. Witnesses on the bus said the driver was having trouble steering and a passenger actually went to help her. They said she was trying very hard to pull the steering wheel and would not move.

After the bus came to a stop, many riders jumped off the bus through emergency windows. Several were reportedly bleeding from head wounds.

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Illinois injury attorneys at Abels & Annes have signed on to represent a 10-year-old minor that was injured in a Chicago area SUV vs. school bus crash. CBS news reported that the collision took place around 3 PM at hundred 147th St. and LaGrange Road on September 30, 2010.

The school bus was carrying around 20 students when a Cadillac Escalade may have ran a red light and struck the front end of the school bus. A total of nine students, including our client, were injured and taken to area hospitals. The bus was traveling with 3rd, 4th & 5th graders from High Point Elementary School in Orland Park.

Our plaintiff was transported to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. She sustained right ankle, head and neck injuries in the collision. Her pain has been ongoing since the accident, and she has been treating with her pediatrician in Palos Hills, Illinois.

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Chicago car accidents on the city’s streets and roads accounted for more than one-third of the state’s car accidents that involved serious injury and resulted in one-fifth of the state’s traffic fatalities, according to 2009 crash statistics released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

As we discussed on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog, the vast majority of car accidents in Illinois occur in urban areas, primarily in and around Chicago. A total of 243,189 accidents in urban areas injured 52,402 and killed 469. By comparison, 48,917 rural crashes injured 10,833 and killed 363.But taking a look at the high number of serious and fatal accidents that occurred on the city’s streets (as opposed to highways and freeways) may offer some clues for the defensive driver. A total of 117,683 crashes killed 166 people and injured more than 23,000.

The vast majority of accident statewide occurred in areas where there was no traffic control device. This typically means that someone pulled out of a parking lot or private drive and failed to yield the right of way. Or that someone turned in front of an oncoming vehicle or crossed the centerline. In fact, statistics show that rear-end collisions and turning accidents account for the vast majority of collisions.

No Controls: 156,286 accidents/451 fatalities Stop Sign/Red Flasher: 30,634/83 fatalities Traffic signal: 65,647 accidents/97 fatalities Lane Use Control: 28,261 accidents/144 fatalities RR Crossing gate: 435 accidents/2 fatalities Other RR crossing device: 201 accidents/8 fatalities

A total of 63 Illinois railroad crossing accidents killed 11 motorists and injured 30.

Other types of accidents

Vehicle overturned: 4,558 accidents/65 fatalities Pedestrians: 5,171 accidents/104 killed Bicyclists: 3,246 accidents/19 fatalities Animal: 19,558 accidents/ 6 fatalities Fixed object: 35,257 accidents/285 fatalities Parked: 34,653 accidents/13 fatalities Rear-end: 80,076/72 fatalities Head-on: 2,567/104 fatalities Sideswipe-same direction: 23,323/16 fatalities Sideswipe-opposite direction: 3,416/20 fatalities Angle: 31,210/109 fatalities Turning: 44,239: 78 fatalities Continue reading

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The Illinois Department of Transportation hopes to reach adult drivers through the creativity of their children as the department solicits artwork submissions for the Illinois Work Zone Safety Calendar.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers frequently report that car accidents are a leading cause of Illinois work injuries and nowhere are employees more at risk than construction workers on the roads in an around Chicago.This year’s theme is “See Orange. Slow Down. Save Lives” and contestants in Kindergarten through 6th grade are encouraged to enter artwork by November 15, 2010. The top 30 entries will be narrowed to 12 finalists, and those drawings will be displayed on the 2012 Illinois Work Zone Safety Calendar.

More than 9,100 students have participated since the contest began in 2005.

Work Zone Safety reports that 667 people were killed in road construction zones last year. Illinois road construction accidents claimed 31 lives.

Contest registration forms, release forms and instructions are available by clicking here.

Safety Tips for Driving in Work Zones

-Expect the unexpected: Slower speeds, changing lanes and people working near the flow of traffic are the norm.

-Slow Down: Speeding is a leading cause of serious and fatal accidents in construction zones.

-Don’t Tailgate: Allow a safe travel distance between you and other vehicles. This permits more time to react, and reduces the risk of a rear-end collision.

-Watch for Workers: And allow a safe distance between your vehicle and construction workers, machinery, barriers or other equipment on or near the roadway.

-Pay attention to signs: Constructions signs, instructions, warning signs and other directions are in place to help you navigate a construction zone safely. Observe signs and remain alert.

-Obey road crews and flaggers: Flaggers understand the obstacles and challenges to moving traffic safely through work zones. Watch for their signals and obey their directions.

-Stay Alert: By minimizing distractions, you stand a better chance of navigating a work zone safely. Leave the radio, cell phones and other distractions alone while in a work zone.

-Keep up with traffic: Traveling slower or faster than the flow of traffic can be dangerous. Merge when directed — don’t race up to the lane closure and then try to cut in line.

-Allow plenty of time: Make adjustments to your traveling schedule that take road construction delays into account. Expect delays and check the radio, TV and websites for the latest information.

-Stay Calm: Keeping your patience is the key to staying safe and keeping road crews safe in work zones. Remember that work crews are working hard to keep roads in passable shape and to make tomorrow’s commute better for you.
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An Illinois workers’ compensation attorney at Abels & Annes has agreed to represent a construction worker that recently was hurt on the job. The claimant was working as a laborer for a Chicago area construction company. He was on a South Side job site in July, 2010 when he tripped and fell on some large rocks.

After he fell, he started experiencing severe low back and ankle pain. He was seen a short time later at the South Suburban Hospital emergency room. At the ER, he was examined by physicians and x-rays were taken.

Over the next several days his pain remained. He then went to follow-up treatment with both an orthopedic physician and a chiropractor.

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Un abogado de herida en Illinois de Abels & Annes ha alcanzado un arreglo para un peatón de Chicago que fue golpeado y fue herido por un autobús de CTA. El autobús de Illinois contra el accidente pedestre sucedió el 25 de febrero de 2010 en la intersección de State Street y Lake Street en el Loop.

Nuestro cliente estaba cruzando la calle en un cruce peatonal en el momento del accidente. El acusado, un conductor de autobús de CTA, se movía en dirección norte por la calle State y entonces giró a la derecha en dirección este en la calle Lake. El conductor del autobús hizo la vuelta y falló de observar que nuestro cliente estaba en el cruce peatonal y golpeó al peatón.

El Departamento de Policía de Chicago investigó el accidente. El conductor de CTA fue multado por el fracaso por no ceder el paso a un peatón en un cruce peatonal. Luego se declare culpable en la corte de trafico y fue puesta en la supervisión del tribunal.

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Drive Safely Work Week is Oct. 4-8 as the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety work to reduce the number of Chicago car accidents and accidents elsewhere in the nation that are blamed on distracted driving or other poor driving habits.

“The statistics of distracted driving are staggering,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, noting that almost 6,000 people are killed and more than 500,000 are injured each year in accidents caused by distracted drivers. “If we are to succeed, each company must do its part to develop strong policies and educate its employees.”The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a crash; drivers who are text messaging are 20 times more likely to be in a crash. Traffic accidents are also a leading cause of Chicago work accidents.

This year’s campaign urges businesses and corporations to institute cell phone policies and to ban the use of cell phones while driving. The week-long campaign urges organizations to make time to discuss safe driving with employees and to encourage employees to use call-blocking technology and mass transit as ways to reduce the dangers of distracted driving.

The safety initiative is increasing the focus on truckers and the trucking industry. As we reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, the enactment of a federal ban on text messaging by all truck, train and bus operators is now in effect nationwide. Unlike the patchwork of laws aimed at prohibiting text messaging in passenger cars, the nationwide ban covers truck drivers and federal employees in all 50 states.

“I am thrilled that businesses across the country are making anti-distracted driving policies an integral part of their employee culture,” said Secretary LaHood. “Employers across America are doing the same to help us set an example and keep our roads safe.”

Drive Safety Campaign material for the workplace may be downloaded here.
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An Illinois injury attorney at Abels & Annes has reached a settlement for a Chicago pedestrian that was struck and injured by a CTA bus. The Illinois bus versus pedestrian accident happened back on February 25, 2010 at the intersection of State Street and Lake Street in the Loop.

Our client was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk at the time of the accident. The defendant, a CTA bus driver, was moving northbound on State Street and then took a right turn to headed eastbound on Lake. As the bus driver made the turn she failed to observe our client in the crosswalk and struck the pedestrian.

The Chicago Police Department investigated the accident. The CTA driver was ticketed for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. She later pled guilty in traffic court was placed on court supervision.

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