Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

CTA bus accident injures 11 in Chicago

May 3, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Eleven people were injured on Saturday night in a CTA bus crash on the far South Side, according to the Chicago breaking news center. The bus hit a viaduct after a passenger fell on the driver.

The passenger reportedly lost his balance. It was not stated if there were any factors leading to the CTA rider falling, such as bus overcrowding or erratic driving, which in my experience as a Chicago injury lawyer can be common causes of passengers losing their balance.

After the passenger fell on the driver, the bus swerved and hit a viaduct in the area of East 130th Street and S. Indiana Ave. The Incident occurred around 9:30 PM. All 11 of the injured were taken to local hospitals with no serious injuries reported.

Chicago bike accident on the North Shore injures 1

May 2, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Just after Chicago bicycle accident attorneys at Abels & Annes cautioned that as warm weather arrives, so does the increased risk of motor vehicle vs. bicycle collisions, there comes word that a bicyclist has been injured in Evanston. Tribune Local is reporting that the incident occurred near the South Boulevard CTA station on Friday afternoon.

A 32-year-old Chicago resident who was riding from Glencoe back to his residence was hit by a car turning to go westbound on South Boulevard from Chicago Avenue. The bike rider was knocked to the ground. He suffered abrasions to his knees, left elbow and knuckles. He was treated at the scene by paramedics.

The Evanston Police Department handled the crash investigation. After an investigation, police issued a citation to the driver for an improper right turn.

Spring brings beautiful weather, increased risk of Chicago bicycle accidents

May 1, 2011 | By Dave Abels

As the weather provides longer, beautiful days, many Chicago cyclists break out their biking equipment and hit the trail to enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer. One thing bicyclists don’t enjoy during their strolls through town are inattentive drivers. The Chicago area offers several of the nation’s best bike paths, according to a recent article posted by Yahoo! Sports.

Our Chicago cycling accident lawyers urge you to bike these trails safely and to be cautious of drivers who may not recognize or respect your presence on the road.Many bike trails take riders by beautiful scenery along paved paths. And many bicyclists ride closer to home, through densely populated areas. With the increasing popularity of bicycling as both a recreational activity and a fitness activity, more and more first time riders are hitting the outdoors hoping to make it a part of their routine for exercise, weight loss and stress relief.

The Chicago Bicycling Program is urging even more residents to get up and get moving on their bicycles to help promote happy and healthy lifestyles. The bicycling advocates promote the use of bikes as an effective form of transportation to help residents save money, stay healthy and help the environment.

Most riders use the natural lighting provided in the daytime hours for their rides. Because of this popular riding time and with the days getting longer, about 75 percent of bicyclist fatalities occurred between the hours of 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. This is also when the majority of motor vehicles are on the road — frequently trying to share the same space.

The most commonly injured were riders between the ages of 25 and 34, while the age group suffering the most fatalities were those between the ages of 45 and 54. Men are typically seven-times more likely to be killed and four-times more likely to be injured in a bicycle-motor vehicle accident than women.

Motorists and bicyclist are urged make a conscious effort to help one another on our roadways as we all work to reduce the number of accidents. As springtime gets under way, more and more of us will be hitting Illinois roads. Please practice alert driving when traveling. Cautious driving habits can help us bring down the number of bicyclist fatalities, as Illinois experienced 20 in 2009.

A printable Chicago bike trail map is available on the Chicago Bicycling Program website for your enjoyment and navigation.
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Chicago work injury attorney settles claim for Indiana resident

April 29, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Illinois workers’ compensation lawyers at Abels & Annes, working with co-counsel, have reached a $24,000 settlement on behalf of a machine operator that sustained injuries while working in Chicago. The claimant’s injuries took place in June, 2008 and February, 2009.

The machinery that the plaintiff worked with was extremely loud. This caused stereocilia of the inner ears (a form of hearing loss). The claimant also developed tinnitus from repetitive motion.

If you’ve been injured on the job in Illinois, contact a Chicago work comp lawyer at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney now.

Dooring to be tracked as cause of bicycle accidents in Chicago, elsewhere

April 28, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Hazards are inescapable for bicyclists — motorists, weather, road conditions and pedestrians can all serve as safety hazards. But there is one common risk we tend to overlook — dooring. Over the past several years Chicago bike accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have settled several cases on behalf of Illinois bicyclists that were injured by opening car doors.

As we recently reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog, officials have strengthened laws in Illinois to help keep cyclists safe. However, the Chicago Tribune reported that state transportation officials initially rejected pleas from cycling advocates to keep tabs on dooring incidents; advocates consider it to be one of the most common types of bike accidents in Chicago and elsewhere.Our Chicago personal injury lawyers urge bicyclists to keep an eye out for careless motorists. While the state has now agreed to track the issue, it will take more public awareness to reduce the number of instances in which a motorist carelessly opens a door into the path of a rider.

“We were never against collecting the data. There was never really any large effort to make us aware that doorings could be an issue,” IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell said.

A new article in the Chicago Tribune reports that a change ordered by Gov. Pat Quinn will now require that collisions caused by the doors of parked vehicles opening into the path of bicyclists be counted as crashes in Illinois. The new rule is effective immediately and requires that police departments across the state now record these dooring accidents on Illinois traffic crash forms.

“Anyone who rides a bike can tell you that dooring is a serious issue,” said Gov. Pat Quinn. “One of the best ways we can increase public safety is by making sure we’ve got the best and most comprehensive data possible. That’s why we’ve made this change.”

This new line of accident data will be incorporated into annual traffic reports created by the Illinois Department of Transportation. As dooring accidents often cause serious injury or death, recording the data will allow officials to create a policies and prevention initiatives.

“We hope to use the data to obtain funding for education safety so drivers as well as bicyclists know what the risks are and what the factors are to create safer roadways,” said Dan Persky, director of education at the Active Transportation Alliance.
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Illinois work accident lawyers keep taking on new clients

April 27, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Chicago work comp attorneys at Abels & Annes recently signed up two work injury cases. Both claims are being handled by Nicole Sommerfeld, an attorney who concentrates in handling Illinois workers’ compensation cases.

In the first claim, our client is a Chicago public school teacher. In February, 2011 while on school grounds she slipped and fell on ice. She injured her right knee in the fall.

After the accident she started treatment with an orthopedic doctor in the Western suburbs. Subsequently an MRI showed she had sustained a tear in her knee. She had to undergo surgery to repair the tear earlier this month.

Chicago work accidents frequently caused by distracted driving

April 26, 2011 | By Dave Abels

As we previous discussed on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The month hosted numerous events, put on by the National Safety Council (NCS) and FocusDriven, in attempt to help reduce the risks of a distracted driving car accident in Chicago and elsewhere in the U.S.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers hope that you take the message and practice safe, focused driving all year long. Distracted driving accidents can be prevented if drivers pledge to avoid distractions behind the wheel, which includes putting away their phones and avoiding distractions caused by GPS devices and other in-car systems.With the advancements and the popularity of technological devices, many drivers find it convenient to multi task behind the wheel. Nearly 5,500 people were killed in 2009 in accidents that reportedly involved a distracted driver. While distracted driving is commonly thought to be related to cell phone use and texting behind the wheel, it also includes distractions like eating, drinking and playing with the radio while driving.

“If drivers can go one month without using their phones while driving, they will find out – as many of us have – work still gets done. Many drivers realize most of the calls they thought were so important, really aren’t. It is our hope drivers will decide to make the change permanently. Doing so will make our roadways safer for everyone,” said Jennifer Smith, FocusDriven president and founding board member.

These distracted driving facts illustrate just how prevalent distracted driving is on our roadways:

-Nearly 1,000 fatal accidents reportedly involved a driver using a cell phone behind the wheel last year.

-Nearly 500,000 people were injured last year in motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted driving.

-An estimated 20 percent of 1,517,000 injury accidents involved reports of distracted driving in 2009.

-Drivers that use hand held devices are four times more likely to be involved in an accident.

-Driving while using a cell phone gives you the same reaction time as a legally drunk driver with the blood alcohol content level of at least .08.

-Drivers under the age of 20 are most likely to be involved in fatal accidents caused by distracted driving than any other age group.

As Distracted Driving Awareness Month comes to a close, everyone is urged to continue to practice focused driving habits. Employers are urged to enforce a no cell phone policy at their business in an attempt to help keep employees safe. To help you get started, the National Safety Council offers employers a Cell Phone Policy Kit, which includes everything you need to help keep your workplace free of distracted driving accidents. Numerous corporations, including DuPont and Goodyear, have created and are enforcing rules banning the use of cell phones while driving.

Employers are urged to enforce a no cell phone policy in the workplace as motor vehicle-related incidents are consistently the leading cause of work-related fatalities in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nearly 40 percent of on-the-job fatalities are associated with motor vehicles. On-the-job roadway motor vehicle accidents affect millions of works each year. In 2008, nearly 4 million workers in the United States were classified as motor vehicle operators.
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Surprise inspections target bus company after bus accidents in Chicago, elsewhere

April 25, 2011 | By Dave Abels

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) teamed up with its state and local law enforcement partners across the nation recently and conducted nearly 3,000 surprise passenger carrier safety inspections, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. These inspections come after a string of fatal bus accidents that we recently told you about on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog.

“Working side-by-side with our state and local law enforcement partners, we can ensure that every passenger bus company and driver operates as safely as possible,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “These strike force activities are one of the many effective tools we use year-round to raise the safety bar for commercial buses and drivers on our nation’s roadways.”Our Chicago personal injury lawyers understand that everyone is budgeting their money more consciously since the beginning of the recession. While many companies are now offering lower ticket rates to appeal to potential customers, could they come with a cost — in the form of older buses, less maintenance and lower pay for drivers.

“Safety is our number one priority,” said Secretary LaHood. “We will continue to use every resource at our disposal to shut down unsafe passenger bus companies that place motorists at risk and remove drivers from our roads who put passengers in harm’s way.”

Of the approximately 3,000 inspections carried out by the FMCSA, nearly 300 drivers and buses were yanked off the road for failing to meet safety standards. The fact that 1 in 10 buses had safety risks so serious they were not permitted to remain on the road should tell passengers all they need to know about the state of bus safety in America.

The feds are making an effort to strengthen passenger carrier safety nationwide after being criticized for the recent fatal bus incidents. Still, more needs to be done to keep these companies honest — and to make sure they are putting passenger safety ahead of profits.

Other agencies are contributing to the revamp of bus safety standards as well. The Obama Administration made much-needed improvements to motorcoach safety by creating and enforcing a new Motorcoach Safety Action Plan. In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed new regulations that require electronic on-board recorders and seat belts on every bus. These electronic on-board recorders aim to replace the antiquated system of having drivers track work hours with paper log books. The government also prohibited texting and cell phone use by commercial drivers who are operating a tour bus.

With the summer travel season upon us, we encourage you to do your best to ensure the bus company you choose can get you to your destination safely. More should go into your decisions about travel plans than the price of the ticket.
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1 dead in Chicago hit-and-run accident – police asking for help locating driver

April 21, 2011 | By Dave Abels

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.

Pay-as-you-drive Policies may leave you at risk in a Chicago Car Accident

April 19, 2011 | By Dave Abels

Some newer insurance policies are now rewarding drivers for driving fewer miles in their vehicles. New pay-as-you-drive policies, such as the one offered by State Farm, are now offering coverage based on the number of actual miles traveled instead of the amount of coverage you select, according to The Bellingham Herald.

While our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that everyone is dealing with the rough economy, we don’t recommend that your car insurance be an area you target for savings. As a general rule, motorists purchase as much coverage as they can reasonably afford.Some important considerations when purchasing insurance coverage are your coverage limits and whether or not you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. These by-the-mile policies may claim to save you money up front, but they could end up costing as you put on miles. With the new program, drivers are required to report the miles traveled to the agent in order to determine the amount owed for that insurance period.

The pay-as-you-drive policies are currently available in 32 states, including Illinois, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. The policy, offered by State Farm, is referred to as the Drive Safe & Save program, but it advocates less driving over actual safe driving.

“Now you’ve got 39 different mileage segments where you can fall under and potentially have savings in each of those segments if you are moving down in mileage,” State Farm spokesman Bob Devereux said.

Before the new insurance program was launched, the car insurance giant only offered two different types of coverage: those premiums ties to less than 7,500 annual miles traveled and those tied to more than 7,500 miles.

Regardless of coverage, it is important to speak with an attorney immediately after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. How you deal with insurance companies — including your own — could impact your ability to collect damages.
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