Posted on September 22, 2023 in Car Accidents

Many people assume hiring an attorney is unnecessary for a small fender-bender. However, even minor car accidents in Illinois can lead to injuries and financial burdens requiring experienced legal help. Here is guidance on when to retain counsel after a less serious collision.

Injuries May Not Appear Serious at First

Even low-speed, minor crashes can cause painful soft tissue injuries like whiplash or aggravate preexisting conditions. These injuries are often not immediately apparent and worsen over time. Having a lawyer ensures you receive proper medical documentation of developing symptoms if they persist.

The Other Driver May Blame You

While the accident may seem obviously the other driver’s fault to you, they will likely downplay their responsibility when insurance gets involved. Skilled counsel deals with these disputes and proves your innocence through evidence like crash site analysis and police reports. Do not assume the insurer will see it your way.

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 Posted on August 24, 2023 in Personal Injury

A motorcycle ride can be a fun and exciting way to see Illinois. But it can also be dangerous. Motorcycle accidents claim the lives of thousands of people each year and even more are injured. Even if the crash is not fatal, these accidents usually result in serious injuries because of the lack of protection the motorcycle provides. Injured motorcyclists may want to work with an Illinois personal injury attorney to protect their rights.

How Can You Prove Negligence in a Motorcycle Crash?

If you get hurt in a motorcycle accident in Illinois, state law requires it be proved that someone else was acting carelessly. You have to prove that the injuries or fatalities were caused by another person not driving responsibly or safely.

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 Posted on July 28, 2023 in Personal Injury

When dealing with a personal injury case, documentation is vital. Among the most valuable forms of documentation is the police report. A comprehensive and accurate police report serves as a crucial piece of evidence, playing an instrumental role in validating claims and ensuring fair outcomes for all parties involved. In the wake of your injury, contact an experienced attorney to ensure all appropriate documentation detailing the facts of your injury, including the police report, can be effectively gathered and used to benefit and support your pursuit of compensation in a personal injury case.

Ensuring an Objective Account

A police report serves as a neutral third-party, objective account of the incident. In many cases, a police report may be a critical piece of evidence in personal injury cases involving car accidents. Officers respond to the scene, assess the situation, talk to witnesses, and document their findings. Since police officers are trained to gather and analyze evidence, their reports carry substantial weight in court. By providing a detailed account of the incident, a police report helps establish a reliable and credible record of events independent of the involved parties’ testimonies. 

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 Posted on June 07, 2023 in Car Accidents

Drunk driving continues to be a problem in Barrington and across the nation. A significant percentage of car accidents resulting in serious and fatal injuries are caused by intoxicated drivers. Illinois law allows drunk driving car accident victims to file a personal injury claim and pursue financial compensation for their damages.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a drunk driving accident, it is important to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced attorney can help you seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

How Does a Drunk Driver Accident Injury Claim Work?

When you file a claim for an injury caused by a drunk driver, you will not have to prove that the other driver was negligent or reckless. Illinois considers a drunk driver to be negligent "per se." The police report showing that the driver was under the influence will establish negligence. However, this does not mean that the process of recovering compensation will be easy.

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 Posted on May 08, 2023 in Personal Injury

Dogs can be loving companions, but they are also animals with sharp teeth and powerful jaws. When a dog attacks somebody, it often goes for the person's face and neck. The tissues on our face are fragile and can be easily cut and torn, leading to nerve damage, loss of functioning, and disfigurement.

If you, your child, or another family member suffered facial injuries because of a dog bite, you should be aware of your legal rights in this situation. Injuries caused in a dog attack fall under the legal doctrine of strict liability in the state of Illinois. This means that the dog's owner may be liable for your injuries. The owner may be required to reimburse you for financial losses such as medical bills as well as compensate you for the non-financial suffering resulting from the attack.

Illinois Dog Bite Laws

In some states, a dog owner may be able to avoid legal responsibility for a dog attack if the owner had no reason to believe the dog was dangerous. This is sometimes referred to as a “one-bite rule” because the owner is not typically liable the first time their dog bites someone.

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 Posted on April 18, 2023 in Personal Injury

When accidents involving pedestrians occur, the results are often catastrophic. Pedestrians who are struck by vehicles may suffer broken bones, internal organ damage, traumatic brain injury, or even paralysis. These injuries often lead to long-term medical needs with a massive price tag. Pedestrian accident victims may need surgery, home healthcare, physical therapy, and years of follow-up care. If you or a loved one were hurt in a pedestrian accident, you may be able to recover financial compensation for your damages. 

Gather Evidence and Documentation

Collecting and preserving any evidence and documentation related to the accident is crucial to support your claim. This can include photographs of your injuries, witness statements, and medical records. Having this information at your disposal can help clarify the circumstances surrounding the accident and strengthen your case.

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 Posted on March 06, 2023 in Work Injuries

Some U.S. industries are inherently more dangerous than others. For example, individuals who work in the logging, commercial fishing, and construction industries are more likely to suffer work-related harm than many others, simply because their job duties often involve embracing a heightened risk of occupational accidents and injuries.

However, anyone can be hurt while they are on the job. Office workers regularly slip and fall, healthcare professionals get attacked with alarming frequency, and agricultural and factory workers often sustain crush-related harm.

Regardless of the type of accident that impacts an individual worker, it is important for them to understand that they may be entitled to one or more types of compensation as a result of their circumstances. If you have sustained occupational injuries as a result of an accident, you may have been led to believe that filing for workers’ compensation is your only option at this time. Depending on the nature of your circumstances, you may be entitled to far more compensation than the workers’ comp system alone will provide.

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 Posted on February 06, 2023 in Car Accidents

Car accidents occur in Illinois and across the world for countless reasons. Sometimes, it does not matter how careful you are behind the wheel, mistakes by other drivers can lead to a collision. If you are involved in a car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your vehicle damage, medical expenses, and other losses. We will break down the common types of car accidents in the state of Illinois below.

Driver Error

Driver error is one of the leading causes of car accidents in Illinois. Distracted driving is a major issue, as it can easily lead to collisions. Some of the types of distracted driving are:

• Texting, talking on the phone, and checking social media

• Eating while driving

• Looking for something in the car

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 Posted on January 10, 2023 in Personal Injury

We all rely on the work of truckers, from getting food to the grocery stores to medications on pharmacy shelves. Trucks move some 70 percent of all sellable merchandise nationwide. But being on the roads does not come without risk. In 2020, about 4,840 fatal crashes involved large trucks. What makes these truck accidents so dangerous is their mere size and the cargo they carry. Sometimes that can include pallets, objects, and even dangerous chemicals that wind up on the road. If you are involved in an accident and injured due to a truck driver’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation.

When Cargo Becomes a Road Hazard

When truck drivers operate their vehicles carelessly and negligently they are dangerous to other drivers on the roads. A big part of their responsibility is to ensure that their cargo does not shift or spill out of the truck onto the roadway and pose a hazard. The cargo must be secured so it does not move around, even at high speeds. In a truck crash, a trailer door may open, and cargo can spew across the highway. Drivers on the road may not be able to react in time and stop, causing a chain-reaction crash. Loose or shifting cargo can also lead a truck to become unbalanced and difficult for the driver to control. 

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 Posted on December 08, 2022 in Car Accidents

‘Tis the season when many people will tie a Christmas tree to the roof of their cars to bring home. But what happens if your Christmas tree falls off of your car and causes serious injuries to someone? Research from AAA shows that 44 percent of Americans admit transporting a tree unsafely, and 16 percent say they have had a Christmas tree fall off of their vehicle on the way home. You have to remember that once you drive off the lot with the Christmas tree it is the driver’s responsibility to make sure it does not wind up being a hazard on the road.

Secure Cargo or Face Negligence Allegations

If the tree flies into oncoming traffic and causes an accident, anyone who is injured in the crash can file a lawsuit against you and sue for damages. Remember, if your vehicle does not have a roof rack, tying a tree to the roof of your car is probably not a good idea. Improperly fastened cargo can lead to serious legal consequences. If someone is harmed as a result of your falling Christmas tree you could be sued for negligence. 

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