Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Suburban Chicago pedestrian accident results in death of Michigan resident – hit and run driver flees the scene

December 13, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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.

Chicago injury lawyer blasts Sheriff’s report pertaining to deadly Illinois car crash

December 12, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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.

Illinois school bus accident injures two students

December 11, 2010 | By Dave Abels

A Chicago area school bus crash has resulted in injuries to two students, according to the Lagrange Patch. The Illinois bus accident took place Friday morning just before 8 AM in Western Springs.

The school bus was rear-ended by a Chevy van after the bus stalled at the intersection of Howard Avenue and 40th St. The vehicle was from Lyons Township and was transporting 24 students from LTHS North Campus to the Technology Center of DuPage. Two students were injured and sent to an area hospital.

The injured children sustained back injuries in the accident and were taken by ambulance to Adventist Lagrange Memorial Hospital. They were released later the same day. None of the other students were reportedly injured.

New government rules could reduce risk of Chicago pedestrian accidents involving children, the elderly

December 9, 2010 | By Dave Abels

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced new rear-window visibility rules aimed at reducing the risk of pedestrian accidents in Chicago and elsewhere, particularly those involving young children or the elderly.

Our Chicago injury lawyers frequently report on the dangers of pedestrian accidents in the city. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 4,300 people died in pedestrian accidents in 2008 and 69,000 were injured.Illinois pedestrian accidents claimed 135 lives — 52 of those in Chicago. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports another 3,379 people were injured in Chicago pedestrian accidents in 2008.

“There is no more tragic accident than for a parent or caregiver to back out of a garage or driveway and kill or injure an undetected child playing behind the vehicle,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The changes we are proposing today will help drivers see into those blind zones directly behind vehicles to make sure it is safe to back up.”

In 2008, a total of 270 children under the age of 14 died in pedestrian accidents, accounting for about 1 in 5 fatalities for the age group. Pedestrian accidents claimed more than 800 people over the age of 65.

The new government regulations would expand the field of vision for all passenger cars, pickups, minivans and buses. Manufacturers would likely achieve compliance by installing backup cameras and in-car monitors in all new vehicles by 2014.

“The steps we are taking today will help reduce back-over fatalities and injuries not only to children, but to the elderly, and other pedestrians,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “And while these changes will make a difference, drivers must remember that no technology can, or should, replace full attention and vigilance when backing up. Always know where your children are before you start your car and make sure you check that there is no one behind you before you back up.”

The government estimates nearly 300 deaths and 18,000 injuries occur each year as a result of backover accidents. About half of those crashes involve children under the age of 5, while one-third involve an elderly adult over the age of 70.
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Designated drivers can help reduce risks of Chicago car accidents caused by drunk driving

December 8, 2010 | By Dave Abels

Our Chicago car accident attorneys encourage revelers to make arrangements to get home safe this holiday season. If you are going to be drinking, don’t drive. And make sure friends and loved ones also have made arrangements for safe transport home.

Companies and safety organizations are offering professional designated drivers this holiday season in an effort to reduce the risks of Chicago car accidents caused by drunk drivers.

The Chicago Tribune reports the “Fans don’t let fans drive drunk” campaign at Soldier Field and a company called ‘Be My Designated Driver” are two such efforts. That company charged $45 plus tip to take a customer and several friends home from a Lincolnshire party recently.Parents should take special care to speak to their teenagers and young drivers about the importance of making good driving decisions this holiday season and not drinking and driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 11,000 deaths resulted from drunk driving accidents last year — or one death every 45 minutes. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports there have been a total of 373 alcohol-related traffic crashes in the state so far in 2010.

The SouthTown Star recently reported that the night before Thanksgiving — Black Wednesday — is the busiest night of the year and kicks off the holiday season. Increased patrols, sobriety checkpoints and other efforts by law enforcement will be aimed at reducing the risks associated with Chicago drunk driving accidents and serious and fatal car accidents elsewhere in Illinois.

We encourage you to celebrate responsibly to help ensure the safety of you and your family, as well as other motorists on the road.
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Mother of four children missing after deadly Illinois car crash

December 7, 2010 | By Dave Abels

After being involved in a fatal Chicago area auto accident, an Illinois woman has disappeared after walking away from an accident that killed her husband, according to ABC news. An extensive police search is underway.

The 40-year-old woman, who was believed to be a passenger at the time of the accident, has been missing since Sunday morning. LaSalle County Sheriff’s deputies found a car that is been an accident on a rural road with the woman’s husband in the driver’s seat.

Police found evidence that the woman was able to exit the vehicle and go up to the roadway, but from their deputies have no idea what happened. Footprints were seen going away from the car and one of the woman’s shoes was located at the scene.

Chicago area pedestrian accident takes life of elderly woman

December 6, 2010 | By Dave Abels

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.

Video series aims to drive home risk of Chicago car accidents caused by distracted driving

December 5, 2010 | By Dave Abels

The U.S. Department of Transportation is rolling out a video series “The Faces of Distracted Driving,” just in time for the holidays as authorities hope to reduce the number of distracted driving car accidents in Chicago and nationwide.

Our Chicago injury attorneys urge you to share these messages with family and friends, particularly with young drivers as we head into the holiday season. Accidents are frequently caused by many types of distracted driving behaviors, including cell phone use, text messaging, eating, distractions caused by other passengers or pets in the vehicle and distractions caused by activity outside the vehicle, such as a previous accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 5,474 people were killed and 448,000 were injured in accidents caused by distracted driving last year.

“Statistics never tell the whole story — behind these numbers are children, parents, neighbors and friends. They are families torn apart by senseless preventable tragedy,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “They will all tell you the same thing — no message or call is worth the risk.”

Only speeding and drunk driving are blamed for more deaths.

“These numbers show that distracted driving remains an epidemic in America,” La Hood said.

The first videos in the series include:

-A 13-year-old girl who was riding home from school when her school bus was struck by a semi. She died when rescuers were unable to get her out of the burning wreckage. The bus was stopped at a bus stop when it was hit by the truck, which was traveling at 70 mph. The driver was talking on his cell phone.

-A 58-year-old woman was walking with a friend when she was struck by a 19-year-old who was driving 70 mph. There was no attempt to brake. The at-fault driver was cited for inattentive driving and fined $173.

-A 16-year-old teen was killed when she lost control of her car and drove across the center line, striking a pickup truck head on. Her father had warned her about the dangers of distracted driving but she was texting at the time of the crash.
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Drug impairment frequent cause of Chicago car accidents

December 4, 2010 | By Dave Abels

The number of drivers who tested positive for drugs in the aftermath of a fatal crash has increased in the last five years, according to a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Like drunk driving accidents, drug involvement frequently leads to impairment which can contribute to serious and fatal car accidents in Chicago and the surrounding area.Serious and fatal accidents involving the allegations of drug use require an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer. Some drugs remain in a driver’s system long after their ability to impair driving ability. For instance, marijuana remains in a person’s system for about a month. As the government points out, the presence of drugs in a driver’s system does not mean that he or she was impaired at the time of the crash.

But a first-of-its-kind analysis came to a startling conclusion: About 1 in 6 drivers involved in fatal accidents tested positive for drugs. Of the 21,798 drivers killed in crashes last year, 63 percent were tested for drugs. Eighteen percent of those tested had drugs in their system.

Drug use among fatally injured drivers has also increased in state reports, from 13 percent in 2005 to 18 percent in 2008.

The study includes tests for narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens and other types of mood-altering substances. Drugs included illegal narcotics, prescribed medications and over-the-counter drugs.

Authorities are urging drivers to take the side effects of medication seriously and to take responsibility for avoiding the dangers of driving impaired even when prescription or over-the-counter medications are responsible.

“Every driver on the road has a personal responsibility to operate his or her vehicle with full and uncompromised attention on the driving task,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “Today’s report provides a warning signal that too many Americans are driving after having taken drugs, not realizing the potential for putting themselves and others on the highway at risk.”

As part of the battle, the federal government’s Drug Evaluation and Classification program has trained 1,000 instructors and 6,000 police officers in 46 states to recognize symptoms of impairment by drugs other than alcohol.

“If you are taking any drugs that might impair your ability to drive safely, then you need to put common sense and caution to the forefront, and give your keys to someone else,” Strickland said. “It doesn’t matter if its drugs or alcohol, if you’re impaired, don’t drive.”
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Chicago priest sex abuse attorneys taking note of $30 million East Coast verdict

December 2, 2010 | By Dave Abels

Church sex abuse lawyers in Delaware have obtained a $30 million verdict for a victim after a jury found that St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic parish was grossly negligent in failing to properly supervise former priest Francis Deluca, according to delawareonline.com. The victim, when a teenager in the 1960s, was repeatedly abused by the priest.

The parish is responsible for 3 million of the $30 million in damages awarded to the plaintiff, but they could owe more money soon. The jury has not yet ruled on potential punitive damages in case. The presiding judge has ordered the jury to return to court next week to hear further testimony before determining a possible punitive damage award. Often punitive damages are worth much more than the initial compensatory verdict.

On the witness stand, the 58-year-old victim reportedly told the jury in this case was not about money and just wanted to get the truth out and to be compensated for losing his childhood.