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Recently, some vehicle manufacturers began installing cameras and radar designed to help drivers maintain a safe distance from other cars on the roadway. Soon, new technology may allow motorists to see other pedestrians, bicyclists, and other cars around a corner or on the other side of a hill. According to a Senior Researcher in General Motors’ Perception and Vehicle Control Systems Group, Don Grimm, a form of Wi-Fi may soon afford drivers with an opportunity to avoid more automobile accidents.

Vehicle-to-vehicle Wi-Fi technology would reportedly allow cars to communicate with and avoid one another without a network. In addition, roadside sensors that incorporate Wi-Fi technology may also be able to provide drivers with information regarding current roadway conditions, accident locations, traffic snarls, traffic signal status, and more. Grimm stated in-vehicle Wi-Fi has an advantage over radar and cameras because wireless technology can see and communicate in every direction.

As part of an automobile Wi-Fi pilot program, researchers at the University of Michigan recently joined forces with the United States Department of Transportation and eight vehicle manufacturers to test sensors in more than 3,000 automobiles in Ann Arbor Michigan. In addition, 29 roadside sensors were installed throughout the city. The data collected will reportedly be used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in order to determine whether to pursue motor vehicle Wi-Fi technology through legislative or other measures.

Similarly, General Motors recently began installing a pedestrian-detection application, Wi-Fi Direct, in select models of cars. The technology allows motorists to connect with pedestrians who have downloaded a smartphone application that runs whenever their cellular telephone is turned on. The application then alerts motorists with Wi-Fi Direct in their vehicles to the presence of those pedestrians. Although the technology is reportedly only capable of connecting to devices that are within about 650 feet of one another, the technology is reportedly designed for use primarily in urban areas such as Chicago.

Hopefully, new technologies will eventually reduce the often catastrophic injuries sustained by pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, and passengers who are involved in a crash with an automobile. Although the Illinois Vehicle Code requires all motorists to drive with care and stop for pedestrians who are crossing the street, accidents still happen. Inattentive, distracted, reckless, or simply negligent drivers cause thousands of car wrecks every year. In 2011 alone, nearly 1,000 individuals in Illinois and more than 200 people in Cook County were killed in an avoidable motor vehicle collision. If you were the victim of a car accident that was caused by another driver, you may be eligible to recover compensation for your damages. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you protect your rights.
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According to data collected by District 97 schools, 106 head injuries were experienced by area students while at school in 2011. Of those, the district classified only six injuries as one that required further medical treatment or evaluation. Most student injuries reportedly occurred in school gymnasiums, on playgrounds, and in cafeterias. The report was compiled in response to head injury concerns voiced by a group of parents whose children attend Irving school.

Last May, a group of parents reportedly gathered information from nurses who worked at the school using a Freedom of Information Act request. After compiling the data, the parents reported their findings to the District 97 school board. According to the parents, 7.5 out every 100 students at Irving Elementary School suffered a head injury while on the property. Most of the injuries allegedly occurred on an asphalt surface the Parent Teacher Organization has reportedly attempted to have removed for many years.

In response, District 97 Superintendent Albert Roberts stated he would investigate student head injuries obtained while at school. Although the school’s data is allegedly similar to that prepared by the group of parents, Roberts said most of the head injuries reported were minor and the vast majority of District 97 students have not suffered a head injury while at school. Still, he maintained that even one avoidable child injury is too many.

The District 97 school board is reportedly considering the removal of much of the asphalt on the Irving playground. A proposed soccer field will reportedly be installed in its place. At this time, the playground at another school, Longfellow Elementary, is scheduled to receive a renovation at the end of the current school year. According to the district’s report, Longfellow had the highest rate of child head injuries sustained while on the playground in the 5,800 student school district.

Since 2011, all school boards in Illinois are required to adopt a concussion policy in compliance with Illinois High School Association (IHSA) guidelines. In addition, the IHSA must provide all school districts, including elementary schools, with educational materials regarding the risks associated with youth head injuries. A school board’s head injury policy must also be provided in written format and signed by both parents and student athletes prior to participation in a school sporting event.

Even a seemingly mild concussion can be devastating and should always be taken seriously. Traumatic brain injuries in minors are often caused by pedestrian, car, and bicycle accidents as well as sporting events. Head injuries may cause dizziness, confusion, headaches, double vision, and mood swings. The victim of a traumatic brain injury that was caused by someone else may be eligible to recover compensation for any resulting disability, pain and suffering, medical expenses, and other damages. If your child received any type of preventable head injury, you should discuss your rights with a qualified personal injury lawyer.
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Despite that traffic fatalities in the United States decreased in 2010, pedestrian deaths reportedly rose by more than four percent and injuries rose almost 20 percent. Some reportedly believe distractions from the use of electronic devices likely contributed to the spike. Unfortunately, most police departments do not maintain data regarding so-called distracted walking.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 1,100 pedestrians throughout the nation were treated in a hospital emergency room for an injury that was sustained while using an electronic device such as a mobile phone last year. Tom Schroeder, Director of Data Systems at the Safety Commission, stated the number is a national estimate based upon data collected from about 100 hospitals. Schroeder believes the actual number of such injuries was likely much higher because many of the injured may have neglected to mention using an electronic device. Additionally, hospital staff may have failed to note such information in a victim’s file.

Like motorists who text behind the wheel, distracted walkers are often unable to focus on two things at once. Consequently, injuries often result. Examples of pedestrian injuries that were sustained while distracted include walking into a telephone pole while sending a text message, falling into a ditch while speaking on a mobile phone, falling off of a curb while texting, and being struck by a motor vehicle while playing a video game. A study conducted by researchers at New York’s Stony Brook University found that walkers who text are 61 percent more likely to veer off course than those speaking on a cell phone. In addition, a researcher at the Ohio State University found that pedestrians who were using a mobile phone were much more likely to step out in front of a car than those who were not talking on a telephone.

Jonathan Akins, Deputy Executive Director at the Governors Highway Safety Association, said although the dangers associated with distracted walking are apparent, a lack of data makes it difficult to fully examine the problem. Both local and state officials across the nation are reportedly having difficulty with determining how best to respond to the dangers associated with walkers who are distracted by electronic devices. Officials in Philadelphia are reportedly in the process of creating a safety campaign aimed at distracted pedestrians. The State of Delaware also instituted an educational campaign designed to encourage pedestrians to look up from their devices. Failed distracted walking bills were also previously introduced in the Arkansas, New York, and Illinois legislatures.

In order to avoid injury, pedestrians must be careful to remain aware of their surroundings. Still, no matter how careful a pedestrian is, they may still become the victim of a distracted, impaired, or otherwise negligent motorist. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, approximately 80 percent of pedestrian accidents in Chicago occur near an intersection. Additionally, about half of such accidents occur on an arterial roadway and most pedestrian crashes involve an automobile that is turning. Pedestrians between the ages of 15 and 18 and those over the age of 60 are most at risk of being injured by a car while walking. If you were hurt by a motor vehicle while walking, you should discuss your rights with a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer.
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A wrongful death lawsuit was recently filed in Cook County Circuit Court against the owners of a Marriott hotel and Marriott International. According to the complaint, a 66-year-old man allegedly contracted the bacterium that causes Legionnaires’ disease while dining at Chicago’s JW Marriott hotel in late July. The Irish tourist reportedly died as a result of the disease in August.

Legionella bacterium was reportedly found in a decorative fountain inside the lobby of the hotel. The fountain was allegedly removed from the building after at least ten hotel visitors became infected with the disease. Unfortunately, three of those infected died as a result of contracting the illness. According to the Chicago Department of Public Health, the same strain of bacteria was also found in the hotel’s pool, whirlpool, and both men’s and women’s locker rooms.

The lawsuit claims the deceased man somehow inhaled contaminated water vapor because the hotel failed to implement adequate measures to ensure the fountain remained free of Legionella bacteria. In addition, the complaint alleges that the hotel failed to ensure water used in the fountain was properly treated and kept at an appropriate temperature in order to combat bacteria growth. The lawsuit also states the hotel negligently failed to warn visitors of health and safety concerns associated with the contaminated fountain. A representative for the deceased man’s estate reportedly seeks compensation for his pain and suffering prior to his death. Additionally, the lawsuit asks for financial compensation to cover the costs associated with his medical expenses.

In Illinois, the family of someone who was killed due to another person’s negligent act may choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Pursuant to the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, the personal representative of a deceased person may seek financial compensation for the grief and pain endured by the victim’s family, funeral expenses, any medical costs incurred prior to death, loss of consortium, lost wages, and punitive damages where appropriate. Normally, punitive damages are only available when the party who caused the untimely death acted intentionally or outrageously. If you lost a close relative due to someone else’s carelessness or negligence, you should contact a skilled wrongful death attorney to discuss your right to recovery.
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A Cook County jury recently awarded a paralyzed former iron worker $64 million in damages as a result of allegedly unsafe working conditions at a DeKalb construction site. According to the injured Monee man, studs caused him to trip while he was walking on an iron beam 20 feet in the air at a warehouse that was being constructed for an electronics company in 2007. As a result, the worker reportedly fell, landed on his head, and broke his neck. He is now paralyzed from the chest down and purportedly requires round-the-clock care.

In his lawsuit, the paralyzed worker claimed that no safety harnessing equipment was installed in order to prevent his fall. He was left with limited arm movement and has purportedly undergone multiple surgeries in an effort to regain some movement in his hands and other body parts. The paralyzed man allegedly experiences constant and severe pain in his neck. Since the accident, his medical expenses have reportedly reached $5 million.

The jury’s verdict was the largest ever awarded to a paralyzed individual in the State of Illinois. Still, the jury found the electronics company only 80 percent responsible for the paralyzed man’s injury. The jury also found the worker 20 percent responsible for his harm. Under Illinois’ modified comparative negligence system, this means the worker’s award will be reduced by 20 percent. An attorney for the electronics company, which also acted as the general contractor at the construction site, stated the accident was caused by the injured man’s failure to follow his own employer’s safety requirements. He also said the company plans to appeal the allegedly excessive award.

Sadly, thousands of workers are hurt or killed in construction accidents every year. According to the nation’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, inadequate fall protection is one of the top two safety violations committed in the United States. Falls are also the number one cause of workplace deaths throughout the country.

Workplace accidents in Illinois are normally subject to state workers’ compensation laws. A third party such as general contractor or equipment manufacturer, however, may be held liable for any failure to implement or adhere to state or federal safety requirements. For example, the company that manufactured or sold a dangerous or defective piece of construction machinery may be held financially responsible for any injury that results from use of the product. Likewise, a general contractor at a building site has a duty to ensure a reasonable level of worker safety and to warn construction employees about possible safety hazards. If you were hurt in a construction accident, you should contact a skilled lawyer to discuss your options for financial recovery.
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Last month, a 32-year-old bicyclist was killed when he was struck and pinned beneath a tractor-trailer near Walter Payton Prep in North Chicago. According to the Chicago Police Department, the man was headed south in a bike lane near the intersection of Oak and Wells Streets when he swerved to avoid being hit by the door of a parked car. Instead, the man reportedly wound up directly in the path of a southbound semi-truck. Tragically, the bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

Both the truck driver and the man who purportedly opened his car door into the path of the bicycle rider remained at the scene of the fatal incident until police arrived. Although the crash is under investigation, the man in the parked car was allegedly ticketed for opening his door into traffic.

Several neighborhood residents stated the area is often clogged with both drivers and bicyclists. Chicago cyclist Charley Jordan said he has been involved in two accidents where a motorist failed to keep an eye out for bicycle riders. He stated he is careful to remain alert and obey all traffic laws in an effort to ensure his own safety.

In 2008, Illinois bike accidents reportedly killed 27 people and injured an additional 3,385. According to the Division of Traffic Safety at the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 577 bicycle accidents involving a car door in the Chicago Metro between 2009 and September 7, 2012. Such crashes reportedly occur most often on roadways that are heavily traveled by commuting motorists. Additionally, allegedly due to the number of bicyclists living in the area, more bicycle accidents that involved a car door occurred on the North Side of Chicago, in Hyde Park, and near the University of Chicago.

In Illinois, bicyclists are required to obey the same laws as motorists while traveling on roadways. Unfortunately, most crashes that involve an adult bicyclist are caused by motor vehicle drivers who fail to yield to bicycle riders at traffic signals and stop signs. If you were injured by a motorist while riding your bicycle, you should contact a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer as soon as possible in order to protect your rights.

Our office works on bicycle cases on a regular basis, and we have handled many dooring cases. Motorists swinging their vehicle doors open into traffic without looking for bicyclists has become an ongoing problem, especially in urban areas.
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The estate of a Blue Island 17-year-old who died in February 2011 following an allegedly routine root canal surgery has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against the Chicago-based dental chain where he was treated. The teenager reportedly sought treatment at a Dental Dreams office in Blue Island after he lost a filling while eating a piece of candy. Four days later, the boy purportedly began feeling ill. After his condition worsened, the teenager was taken to MetroSouth Medical Center where he died the following day.

According to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, the high school senior contracted sepsis as a result of the root canal procedure. Sepsis is a toxic infection that occurs after an infected patient’s bloodstream is overwhelmed by bacteria. Dr. Christopher Wenckus, Head of the Endodontics Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said it is extremely rare for a dental patient to contract sepsis following a root canal.

The wrongful death lawsuit claims the 17-year-old died as a result of negligence that was committed by his dentist. The case also accuses his dentist of using the wrong equipment on the boy and failing to adequately drain and seal his tooth. According to the lawsuit, negligence on the part of the teenager’s dentist created an environment that was not sterile and ultimately contributed to his fatal infection. Additionally, the young man’s dentist reportedly failed to provide the boy with a prescription for antibiotics following his dental procedure.

The dentist who performed the teen’s root canal was licensed to practice dentistry in the State of Illinois in 2010. According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s website, she has not had any professional disciplinary action taken against her in Illinois. The wrongful death lawsuit reportedly seeks an unspecified amount of damages as well as both medical and funeral expenses.

Medical malpractice occurs when a dentist, doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care professional fails to provide a patient with a reasonable standard of medical care. Additionally, medical malpractice may also result when a health care provider fails to properly diagnose or treat a patient’s medical condition. If you believe a medical professional provided you or a family member with negligent care, you should discuss your case with a committed medical malpractice attorney.
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A 44-year-old suburban Chicago woman who is both a firefighter and paramedic was reportedly killed by a 140 pound Mastiff at her home in Big Rock. The unsocialized dog was reportedly adopted by the woman and her husband about one week prior to the fatal attack so it would not be put to sleep by a relative. The mastiff allegedly had no history of aggression.

According to Pat Gengler, a Lieutenant with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, the woman’s husband called 911 after he found her lying at the bottom of the basement stairs. Sadly, the firefighter was dead before her husband arrived home. Officer Gengler stated four law enforcement officers were required to remove the large, muscular dog from the couple’s home. Although two other dogs were in the house at the time of the woman’s death, police believe the much larger mastiff was the only animal involved in the fatal attack. Unfortunately, the woman’s colleagues were the first emergency responders to reach the scene.

Following the attack, Kane County Animal Control took all three dogs into custody. Although no decision has been made regarding the fate of the three dogs, the mastiff will likely be euthanized. Officer Gengler stated the other two dogs in the home at the time of the woman’s death were like children to the couple. He also said the fate of the two smaller dogs, a boxer and a mixed breed, would be up to the woman’s husband.

Although thousands of people throughout Illinois keep dogs or other pets in their homes, some animals pose a safety threat to children, adults, and the community. A bite injury can be painful and expensive to treat as plastic surgery is often required to repair the damage. Still, the victim of a dog attack may be left permanently scarred or disfigured. In the most tragic cases, an animal attack may result in death. Unless an animal was provoked, the Illinois Animal Control Act holds the owner of a dog or other animal strictly liable for all pet attacks regardless of past dangerous behavior. If you were hurt by someone else’s pet, you should contact a skilled Illinois personal injury lawyer to discuss your rights.
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Living in a busy urban area can be very hazardous for pedestrians. Too often motorists fail to keep a proper lookout for people crossing the street, and sometimes the consequences can be deadly. This past weekend there were several accidents in the Chicago land area.

In one incident, a motorist hit two people on Friday night in the Ravenswood neighborhood. One pedestrian was killed and the other was left in critical condition, according to the Chicago Police Department.

The collision occurred around 6 PM in the 5000 block of North Western Avenue. Both pedestrians were rushed to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston. The pedestrian that died was an 85-year-old Evanston man.

In another accident, a 61-year-old pedestrian was killed in the Archer Heights neighborhood. The victim was hit while crossing the street early Saturday morning in the 5200 block of South Cicero Ave.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office later identified the pedestrian as a Chicago man who resided in the 6000 block of Mobile Avenue. He was initially taken to Advocate Christ medical Center in Oak lawn after the collision.

The driver in the Cicero Avenue collision has been charged with failure to show due care.

In a third collision, a 44-year-old male died Saturday night after being struck by a car in the Avalon Park neighborhood. The incident occurred in the 7900 block of S. Stony Island Avenue around 11:15 PM. He was hit by a 1997 Chrysler.

The pedestrian was taken to Christ Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The Medical Examiner’s Office later identified him as a resident of the 2700 block of S. Indiana Ave.

Police issued the motorist a ticket for failing to exercise due care.

It has not been reported if drugs or alcohol played a role in any of the above-mentioned accidents.
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The family of a temporary worker who died in December 2011 after he was sprayed with a citric acid solution at a factory in Bedford Park has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the owner of the factory. The man was allegedly burned when a hot chemical solution exploded from a tank he was cleaning at the Raani Corporation. The temporary worker was reportedly burned on approximately 80 percent of his body. He allegedly died as a result of his burn injuries three weeks after the industrial accident.

According to a lawsuit filed by the man’s relatives in Cook County Circuit Court, company managers refused to summon emergency rescue crews to the scene of the deadly workplace accident. The Raani Corporation is also accused of neglecting to wash the worker in a company safety shower and refusing to send the worker to the hospital. The lawsuit alleges the deceased man did not receive medical treatment until he was taken to an occupational health clinic by a co-worker more than half an hour after he was burned.

Because the Raani Corporation allegedly failed to report the worker’s death to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the organization began an investigation into the industrial accident following a referral from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. OSHA was established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Under the Act, employers in the United States are required to comply with federal health and safety laws and regulations designed to protect workers from avoidable workplace safety hazards. When an employee is seriously injured or dies as a result of a workplace accident, OSHA will normally investigate the incident.

Following the investigation, OSHA imposed $473,000 in fines for 14 safety violations allegedly committed by the company. The 14 violations included six willful violations, seven serious violations, and one other-than-serious violation. A willful safety violation occurs when an employer acts with plain indifference to employee health and safety or intentionally violated safety regulations. A serious violation occurs when a worker is substantially likely to be physically harmed by a safety violation that an employer knew or should have been aware of. An other-than-serious violation exists when an employer disregards a safety regulation, but the violation is unlikely to cause physical harm or injury to an employee.

As a result of the worker’s death, the Raani Corporation was placed in the OSHA Severe Violator Enforcement Program. Companies that are placed in the program are reportedly subject to targeted follow-up safety inspections in an effort to ensure future compliance with established safety laws and regulations. In February 2012, two follow-up inspections at the company reportedly resulted in 14 additional health and safety violations and more than $60,000 in fines.

Although most workplace injuries are subject to Illinois workers’ compensation laws, a third party such as a general contractor or equipment manufacturer may also be held liable for an employee’s injury. If you were hurt or lost a loved one in a workplace accident, you need a dedicated personal injury lawyer on your side.
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