Recent Blog Posts
Common Injuries Suffered in Rear-End Collisions
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-end collisions make up approximately 28% of all annual car accidents throughout the United States. Rear-end collisions often result in serious injuries due to the fact that the passengers in the vehicle that is rear-ended rarely have time to brace for the collision. In many cases, rear-end collisions are strictly the result of negligent driving. If you or a family member are injured in a car accident caused by negligence, you are entitled to significant injury compensation.
Rear-End Collision Injuries
In the United States, roughly 2.5 million rear-end collisions occur each year, making rear-end collisions the most common car accident nationwide. Approximately 950,000 Americans suffer injuries in rear-end collisions, each and every year. Many of the injuries suffered in rear-end collisions, such as broken wrists, ribs, and knee injuries are common in all car accidents, but other injuries are more likely to occur in rear-end collisions. Injuries to the spine and back are increasingly common in rear-end collisions.
Most Common Significant Injuries Suffered in Vehicle Crashes
According to statistics compiled by the National Safety Council, approximately 2.2 million Americans suffered serious injuries in motor vehicle collisions throughout 2019. Despite the fact that motor vehicle collisions dropped in comparison to 2018, over 38,000 Americans lost their lives in collisions, throughout last year. While the vast majority of car accident injuries are non-fatal, many of them come with life-changing ramifications, including changes in quality of life as well as the financial security of your family. If you or a member of your family have been injured in a motor vehicle collision, it is time to speak with a knowledgeable legal professional.
Life-Changing Injuries
Car accident injuries can range from minor bumps and bruises to serious life-changing injuries, some of the most common severe injuries include broken bones, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Broken bones can occur in any type of motor vehicle collision, but are especially common in head-on collisions due to the impact of the crash. The most common bone fractures and breaks are arm or wrist injuries, broken ribs, and leg fractures. Arm and wrist breaks commonly occur due to the injured party attempting to brace themself for the collision, and the impact of the airbag deployment.
Seeking Compensation After a Motor Vehicle Collision
Hundreds of car accidents occur every single day, throughout the state of Illinois. Unfortunately, many of these collisions result in serious injury. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, upwards of 20% of all motor vehicle collisions result in some injuries to one or more parties involved. Throughout 2017 alone, approximately 66,889 motor vehicle collisions resulted in injury. If you or a loved one have been injured in an automobile accident, it is time to seek out the assistance of a seasoned legal professional.
Negligence Leading to an Accident
In many instances, automobile accidents are caused by driver negligence. The most common forms of driver negligence include driving over the speed limit, disregarding traffic signs, texting while driving, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In some cases, one negligent act can lead to a collision, this can occur when a driver recklessly passes a vehicle, follows another vehicle too closely, or fails to use their turn signal. If another party’s negligence leads to injuries to yourself or a family member, you may be entitled to injury compensation.
Seeking Workers’ Compensation After a Construction Site Accident
After suffering an injury in the workplace, there can be a lot going through a person’s mind. Questions surrounding medical bill payments and potential loss of work hours can leave a person and their family in a time of financial anxiety. In many cases though, your family may be entitled to workers’ compensation payments in the aftermath of a workplace injury. If you or a loved one have suffered an injury at work, it is time to seek out the guidance of a knowledgeable legal professional.
Life-Changing Construction Site Injuries
It is no mystery that construction sites present a number of dangers that are not present in the vast majority of workplaces, because of this worker injuries are incredibly common in the field. The most common construction injuries include slip and fall injuries, electrocutions, burns, and injuries to the eyes. Unfortunately, many of these injuries can be incredibly severe and even fatal. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), over 1,000 construction workers suffered fatal injuries throughout 2018. In all, construction site deaths accounted for approximately 21% of all private industry worker fatalities in 2018. If your loved one has been severely hurt or fatally injured in a construction accident, it is time to speak with an attorney.
Recognizing Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Placing a loved one into the custody of a nursing home facility can be one of the most difficult decisions a family can make. In most instances, the family can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their family member’s needs are being met by trained professionals. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. According to statistics compiled by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), approximately 10% of all Americans over the age of 60 have experienced elder abuse. If you believe that your loved one may be facing nursing home abuse, it is time to seek out legal guidance.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse can come in various forms including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Emotional abuse occurs when a nursing home staff member verbally berates, threatens, or harasses a resident. Physical abuse is the act of physically harming a resident, and sexual abuse occurs when an employee engages in any sexual behavior with a resident that cannot or does not consent to the act. It should be noted that patients with cognitive impairments such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease are common victims of nursing home abuse and negligence.
Seeking Compensation After an Accident Involving a Commercial Truck
When a large commercial vehicle is involved in an accident with a standard automobile, the results can be catastrophic. In the vast majority of these instances, the injuries suffered to the passengers of the standard motor vehicle can be long-term life-changing injuries or fatal ones. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), over 4,700 large trucks and busses were involved in fatal crashes throughout 2017. In many cases an accident involving a commercial truck only occurs due to the negligence of the operator or the trucking company itself.
Types of Negligence Leading to Commercial Trucking Accidents
With thousands of fatal commercial trucking accidents occurring throughout the United States each year, it is important to understand the leading factors of these collisions. First off, many of these collisions could be avoided if not for driver error. Driver error is one of the leading causes of commercial trucking accidents and can range from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving at reckless speeds, or texting while driving. In other cases, a driver may be looking to make some extra money and will drive over their legal hour limit causing them to be dangerously tired or attempt to drive up hazardous terrain without chains in order to save time on their load.
Are You a Victim of Sexual Abuse?
Sexual assault against an adult who can consent is a crime, but the sexual abuse of a child is an especially sensitive topic. This year, Illinois eliminated the statute of limitations on sex crimes no matter the age of the accuser. The statute of limitations for minors had already been eliminated in 2017. Facing sexual abuse as a minor has life-lasting damaging effects, and it may take a victim time to realize they have been abused. Here we will discuss how to recognize signs of sexual abuse.
Any kind of sexual contact with a minor is considered child sexual abuse. The age of consent in Illinois with a person of trust or authority is 18 years old. A person under this age cannot consent to any sexual activity. Sexual abuse is not only penetrative sex. It is illegal for an adult to participate in any of these acts with an underage child:
When to Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident
Having a lawyer is not a requirement for even the deadliest accidents, but it can be difficult to know when legal representation is needed. Car accidents happen every day, and most people can handle minor accidents with cosmetic damage only to the car themselves. When injuries occur, there is serious damage to the vehicle, and the accident was not your fault, you may want to consider calling an attorney.
From a recent release by the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 311,679 motor vehicle crashes in Illinois during 2017. Accidents with injuries accounted for 21.5% of all accidents, but fatal crashes only accounted for less than 1%. Approximately three people were injured a day in Illinois due to car accidents. One of the highest contributions to car crashes that year was speeding. It is considered negligent to go over posted speed limits on a roadway, and if that causes a car accident, then that driver may be able to be held liable if another driver is injured.
Why Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney?
While every qualified worker is entitled to apply for workers’ compensation benefits after a workplace accident, receiving benefits can be a different story. There can be red tape from employers and insurance companies that prevent injured workers from receiving the benefits they rightfully deserve. While reporting a workplace injury and requesting benefits does not require an attorney, seeking legal counsel is in the best interest of any person who is hurt on the job.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
A government program to assist workers if they are injured at work, workers’ compensation provides benefits to employees who cannot return to their job. Benefits include wage replacement and coverage for medical bills related to the injury. All employers in Illinois are required to have workers’ compensation insurance and refusing to comply results in fees and potential jail time.
Kinds of Neglect in Nursing Homes
Whether in assisted living or a nursing home, elderly people that live there still have rights. Unfortunately, the people who work for these institutions take advantage of their vulnerable residents and take away their rights and endanger their lives. Nursing homes are supposed to be safe places with specialized care for the elderly, but the World Health Organization reports that 2 out of 3 staff members admit to having committed an act of abuse. Refusing to take care of a patient, or taking advantage of them for personal gain, is negligence.
The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 was created to give a standard of care for nursing homes. Residents of nursing homes have the right to a safe environment free of abuse or fear. They also have the rights to:
- Privacy
- Accommodations for medical and social needs
