Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog
If you live in or work in Chicago, chances are that you are painfully aware of the blizzard that hit the city over the weekend. Now that the storm system has moved east, officials are able to confirm that the storm was the fifth largest multi-day blizzard to hit the city in recorded history.
The snow began to fall on Saturday evening and continued without a break until approximately 7:30 a.m. Monday though some areas felt the storm’s impact beyond that time frame. O’Hare Airport recorded 19.3 inches of snow over the multi-day storm while Midway Airport reported 18.4 inches as of Sunday night. In addition to the amount of snow that fell, conditions were worsened by a significant wind in the area that caused blowing and blustery conditions, burying some areas of roads that had been previously cleared by emergency crews and making some areas impassable.
Commuters across Chicago awoke this morning to varying conditions on the local roads and expressways. At this time, no serious car accidents have been reported coming into the city but several minor incidents have occurred and many vehicles can be seen off the roads’ surfaces, stranded in ditches or along medians. Officials are encouraging all commuters to take their time making it to work today and to be prepared for slow, congested conditions throughout the city as many areas still need to be plowed.
The commute may be long for those who choose to take public transportation as well. While both the CTA and Metra were optimistic about their ability to run on-schedule today, both agencies have reported spotty delays that are affecting mostly the inbound commutes. The CTA’s Yellow Line has been slowed due to a mechanical issue on one of the trains and Metra’s busiest line, the BNSF, was experiencing inbound delays of nearly an hour in some situations. At least one train was cancelled and another was being stopped due to the poor weather conditions.
Chicago Public Schools are closed today as are many private and charter schools in the area which means that many children will be at home today with parents or other guardians. Those who are looking to get their kids out of the house for an activity may find the roads challenging until the late afternoon today or possibly after the evening rush hour so the risk of an accident will persist for some time.
Winter weather is an unavoidable phenomenon in Chicago and across Illinois but that does not mean that car accidents must happen as a result. The weather rarely is the sole cause of a collision but most often combines with actions taken or not taken by a driver to create a dangerous situation that may lead to an impact. Whether a motorist is following too closely, driving too fast for conditions, or fails to appreciate how treacherous the roads are, car accidents may happen today and may leave victims injured.
If you have been hurt in a winter weather accident and you need answers, call the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. and let us walk you through the legal fallout of your crash and your options. We keep an attorney standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to take your call and to provide you with a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation so there is no risk on your part. Call us today toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and let us help you seek the relief you deserve. A financial recovery may enable you to recover for the medical bills you incurred and will incur in the future, your pain and suffering, and the wages you missed while you were unable to work, among other damages, and may return you to your financial pre-injury state.
Prior Blog Entry:
Driver Loses Control, Strikes Home in Morgan Park, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published January 30, 2015.
Resource:
This weekend’s blizzard fifth largest; good luck on that commute, by Quinn Ford, Chicago Tribune, published February 2, 2015.