Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Illinois truck vs. pedestrian accident claims life of Chicago construction worker

September 18, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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.

Chicago bike accident attorneys to represent nine-year-old who was injured in collision

September 17, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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

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

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

Fire prevention effort highlights Chicago apartment injuries, landlord liability

September 16, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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.
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Technology could someday eliminate drunk driving car accidents in Chicago and nationwide

September 15, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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

The Boston Globe broke the story in the wake of criticism of the federal government for not doing enough to focus on driving safety issues aside from the aggressive campaign against distracted driving. As our Chicago injury lawyers reported recently on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog, alcohol continues to be involved in one-third of all fatal car accidents nationwide.Earlier this month the federal government reported the number of fatal Illinois car accidents declined to 911 last year, from the 1,043 reported in 2008. However, the percentage of fatal crashes involving alcohol actually increased from 34 percent to 35 percent.

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

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

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

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

“MADD is very excited about this,” said national spokesman J.T. Griffin. “This could really eliminate drunk driving in America.”
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Chicago workers’ compensation lawyers to represent injured medical assistant

September 14, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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

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

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

Chicago porch collapse injures 4

September 13, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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

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

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

Chicago pedestrian accident lawyer settles case for $162,000

September 13, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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

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

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

Teen Safe Driving Program credited with reducing Chicago car accidents

September 12, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined state officials on Friday in launching the program, which has become a model for other states seeking to reduce the risks associated with poor teen driving decisions.”In 2008, teens formed the largest proportion of distracted drivers in fatal crashes,” said Secretary LaHood. “Texting and talking on cell phones may feel like second nature to a tech-savvy generation, but the truth is, no one can talk or text while driving safely. I commend these young leaders and Operation Teen Safe Driving for helping to keep teens drivers safe.”

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

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

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

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

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

Here is the online application for Operation Teen Safe Driving.
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Chicago injury lawyers to represent bike accident victim

September 10, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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

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

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

Former Catholic Priest sentenced to four years in sex abuse case

September 9, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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

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

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