Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

Five Vehicle Crash in Chicago Hurts 11

October 21, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Studies routinely show that a majority of American drivers – over 80 percent – consider themselves to be better than average while behind the wheel, less dangerous, and less likely to be involved in an accident than others. Yet even if the perceptions of these drivers were correct, the safest motorist in the world can still be involved in a crash if another on the road is acting in a negligent manner.

Failing to obey traffic laws, driving while distracted, and failing to check for traffic are some main reasons that car accidents occur in Chicago. Lawyers in the city are used to hearing from drivers every year who did nothing wrong but were injured nonetheless, becoming a victim of another’s negligence.

When a motor vehicle accident leaves one or more people injured, those individuals may be able to bring a civil claim for their damages against the person or entity who caused the crash. Most often, this is another driver who in some way failed to act with the safety of others in mind and whose actions led to an impact with another vehicle. Yet not every collision is due to a driver’s error with some crashes caused by an improperly designed or manufactured car or tire, a poor road design, or bad maintenance performed on a vehicle, leaving it faulty and dangerous.

Police are still trying to sort out a five car collision that occurred on Sunday morning in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood around 2:15 a.m. At this time, it appears that one driver attempted to make a u-turn in the area of Armitage and Western Avenues, placing the vehicle in the midst of oncoming traffic and causing a collision that involved five separate vehicles. In all, 11 people sustained injuries and needed medical treatment at local hospitals but it appears that none were critically injured with all expected to survive.

U-turns allow a driver to reverse direction without changing roads or making a more traditional three point turn. Though they may provide some convenience, u-turns can pose a significant threat to public safety which is why they are restricted in many areas ans prohibited in others.
Continue reading

Glenview Garbage Truck Accident Leaves 3 Dead

October 16, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Truck accidents occur every day in Illinois with some resulting only in minor damages and others causing serious injuries. The type of truck involved and the nature of the crash may vary but as a group, these accidents result in greater vehicular damage, more significant injuries, and more fatalities than accidents that do not involve trucks, making truck accidents some of the most dangerous collisions possible.

Most trucks are large, heavy vehicles with wide turning radii, significant momentum, and limited visibility. When a truck accident occurs, many assume that a semi truck was involved but in truth, truck accidents can involve many types of other vehicles, including work trucks like garbage trucks.

Following a truck accident, victims in another vehicle may seek advice from a Chicago truck accident lawyer to learn whether or not they may be able to bring a claim for their damages, including any medical bills they will incur. If the truck driver or truck owner was responsible for the crash, often these victims have a valid claim for a financial recovery.

In truly tragic accidents, one or more victims may lose their lives, leaving behind friends and loved ones who suffer losses too great to ever be made right and just.

One such collision occurred in Glenview on Tuesday afternoon when a garbage truck and a car collided, causing the car to roll over and become trapped under the truck. The car then caught fire, damaging the vehicle as well as the garbage truck near Harlem Avenue and Harrison Street. All three people inside the car were killed.

Police are still investigating the incident and have not yet determined how the two vehicles collided or whether any citations will be issued.

Lake Forest Crash Leaves 1 Dead, 2 Others Injured

October 11, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Illinois drivers owe the passengers in their car a duty to drive safe and carefully, using caution while behind the wheel and avoiding unnecessary accidents. Yet despite this duty, many Chicago-area car crashes continue to occur, injuring drivers and passengers alike as well as others on the road, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

When a negligent driver injures a passenger, a personal injury lawyer can help that passenger obtain a financial recovery for his or her damages including any medical bills that passenger was forced to incur. In some cases, multiple claims may be possible to enable a victim to receive the maximum recovery available but these claims must be made within a certain period of time following a crash.

Some car accidents are due to a driver’s negligence while others may be caused by road conditions. In a Lake Forest crash on Thursday morning, alcohol is suspected to be a factor.

The one-car collision took place on Route 41 shortly before 3:00 a.m. Police believe that a single vehicle left the road near a bend and struck several trees before rolling over, trapping three men inside the car. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and removed the men and transported two to area hospitals for treatment while the third man, a 20-year-old, was killed at the scene. At this time, it is not clear whether the man that was killed was a driver or a passenger in the car.

It is illegal for any driver in Illinois to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of an intoxicating substance, including alcohol, and those drivers that do drive under the influence may be subject to serious criminal charges. In the event that a drunk driver causes a collision that results in death or serious bodily injury, that driver may be charged with a felony and face several years incarcerated in prison as a result.

The liability for a negligent driver can continue if the victims of the accident bring a civil claim for compensation against the driver that caused an accident. These claims can be brought against a driver’s insurance company, against a driver personally, or both, depending on the accident and what injuries resulted. A claim can be made for past expenses incurred and often can also include future medical expenses that are anticipated, like future surgical or nursing costs that will be required in the future.
Continue reading

Impaired Driver Injures 8 in Chicago Rollover Crash

October 7, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A one vehicle rollover crash on Sunday left eight people injured and in need of medical treatment. Authorities now believe that the driver of the vehicle, a 22-year-old woman, was impaired at the time of the crash.

The accident occurred on I-57 near 111th Street in Chicago at approximately 9:30 p.m. with witnesses reporting that a minivan traveling on the highway struck a guardrail and rolled over following the impact, coming to a rest on the highway and in the lanes designated for southbound traffic.

It is not clear how many people were inside the minivan at the time of the crash but eight people, including six children, were hurt in the accident. The children were ages seven, five, four, two, and eight-month-old twins but it is not known whether some or all of the children were related to the driver.

The driver of the minivan has been charged with driving under the influence as well as child endangerment for her role in the accident but she may face additional charges as police are still investigating the crash.

Illinois law is clear that anyone driving while under the influence of an intoxicating compound, including alcohol and/or drugs, is in violation of the law and may face criminal charges as a result. This crime increases in severity when an accident results and one or more persons is seriously injured or killed.

Despite the risks posed by driving drunk, it has been described as the most commonly committed violent crime in America with hundreds of thousands of Americas driving drunk every year. In Illinois, drunk driving often leads to fatal accidents where one out of three drivers killed between the ages of 25 and 34 was drunk in 2011.

Illinois police do their best to arrest drunk drivers before a collision occurs but driving drunk is so widespread in the state that this is a difficult task to undertake. Nationally, an average drunk driver has driven drunk more than 80 times before his or her first arrest and between 50 and 75 percent of convicted drunk drivers continue to drive on a suspended license. This means that preventing drivers from operating a car drunk and not tolerating drunk driving behavior has to be a priority for all in society as these individuals threaten everyone on the road with their actions.
Continue reading

Driver Charged in Fatal Glenview Crash

October 3, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A 28-year-old Glenview man has been formally charged for his part in a fatal collision last Sunday that left a Motron Grove man dead and a woman injured. The defendant driver is currently in jail in lieu of a $600,000 bond and is facing charges of reckless homicide, driving under the influence, and improper lane usage.

The collision that gave rise to the charges occurred on September 22 on Milwaukee Avenue, near the intersection with Zenith Drive and Castilian Court in Glenview, shortly before 3:00 p.m. Police believe that the defendant was under the influence of an unspecified intoxicant as he was driving his vehicle in the area, leading him to cross into a lane for opposing traffic and striking a second vehicle in a head-on collision.

The driver of the second vehicle was killed upon impact and a passenger in his vehicle was injured but is expected to survive. Officials transported the female passenger to an area hospital where she has been evaluated and treated for her crash-related injuries, the extent and nature of which are not currently known.

If the charges alleged thus far are proven true, the defendant in this case may face a serious sentence in prison in addition to other potential penalties, including the loss of his driver’s license, a felony record, community service, and fines. But many people do not realize that the extent of a negligent driver’s liability does not end with criminal prosecution but rather may also include a civil claim by any victims who were injured as a result of an accident. In cases where a victim is killed, the victim’s surviving family members may have the right to bring a claim for their damages and for the loss of their loved one.

Driving impaired by an intoxicating compound is illegal in Illinois and is a serious threat to public safety. Intoxicating compounds often include alcohol and/or drugs but in actuality can be anything that influences a driver’s ability to control or operate a vehicle. This means that driving under any substance that impairs your ability to function may be a violation of Illinois laws and may place a driver at risk for criminal penalties. Yet despite these strict interpretations, may motorists continue to drive when they shouldn’t.

Impaired Teen Driver Flees Scene of Fatal Chicago Pedestrian Crash

September 30, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Police have reported that a Tuesday night collision that left a pedestrian dead and three others injured resulted after they were following a young driver who ran multiple stop signs. The driver, a 17-year-old male from Hazel Crest, Illinois, reportedly had marijuana in his system at the time of the fatal crash and police had attempted to pull him over before the crash occurred.

The teen was driving near 83rd Street and Blackstone Avenue on Tuesday night and may have been under the influence of drugs when he reportedly ran six stop signs before causing a crash with another car. The impact from the collision pushed the teen’s vehicle towards a group of pedestrians where the car hit three people, killing one and injuring the other two. The driver of the second car also was injured and remained at the scene of the crash until help arrived but the teen allegedly panicked, climbed out of a window in his car, and ran away on foot. Police found the young man a short while later as he hit in a yard approximately one block from the site of the collision.

The teen was apprehended and a blood test revealed the presence of marijuana in his system, leading to charges of reckless homicide, aggravated driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and leaving the scene of an accident. Police have stated that the teen did not possess a driver’s license and therefore was not authorized to drive.

Adding to this crash may have been police involvement and their attempt to stop the teen before a collision occurred. Officers first noticed the young man ignoring stop signs and attempted to pull over the driver, limiting the threat he posed to others on the road. Yet the man did not stop and continued to drive, reportedly running more stop signs until the collisions occurred. Police have stated that there was not an active pursuit and that their actions did not contribute to the collision with the officer on the scene turning off his lights as the teen reportedly sped off to avoid apprehension.

Adding to the tragic nature of this crash was the fact that the victim, a 32-year-old Chicago resident, was out with a couple of friends to celebrate his birthday.

Illinois law makes it very clear that every driver must be properly licensed before they are allowed to drive a vehicle and that no driver is allowed to operate a car under the influence of an intoxicating substance, including marijuana. Yet the allegations against the young driver in this case suggests that he did both, possibly leading to his actions of ignoring stop signs which in turn caused a collision that left a man dead. But the young man reportedly continued to break the law as he fled from the scene of a collision that resulted in serious bodily injury or death, a felony in Illinois, and hid from officers approximately one block from the scene. This may have compounded the severity of the injuries caused by the crash and certainly lead to increased criminal allegations against the young driver.
Continue reading

Suspected Drunk Driver Kills Passenger in Oak Brook

September 26, 2013 | By Dave Abels

Police in Oak Brook believe that the driver involved in Sunday’s one car fatal collision was drunk at the time of the crash and that man has since been charged with aggravated driving under the influence causing death.

The charges stem from an early morning crash where a 49-year-old driver left the road near 31st Street and Spring Road and crashed his car. The man had a 48-year-old male passenger who was killed in the crash and who was a resident of Hinsdale. The victim was a lawyer who leaves behind a wife and two children.

The driver survived the collision and was transported to an area hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries. He has since been released and arrested in connection with the crash with authorities alleging that his blood alcohol content was greater than the legal limit of 0.08 in Illinois. The driver is facing a $750,000 bail at this time.

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal in the state of Illinois and all other states for that matter, yet every year, thousands of drivers take to the roads after they have been drinking. The same excuses are always offered by those that get caught – that they were just buzzed, only had a few drinks, had no other way to get home, were only going a short distance, or even that they drive better when drunk because they are more cautions – but these excuses are never a reason to drive while under the influence. Statistically drunk drivers are much more likely to cause a crash than those who avoid alcohol, making these drivers a hazard to themselves and to others on the roads. As this instance illustrates, a drunk driver poses a danger to him or herself as well as to any passengers in the driver’s car.

Drunk drivers face the possibility of criminal sanctions if they are arrested and if an accident results, those penalties may include serious jail time. In addition to any criminal offenses, a driver under the influence may face a civil claim by a victim or a victim’s families for any damages incurred, including any necessary medical bills, as a result of an accident that was the drunk driver’s fault.
Continue reading

Driver With Blood Alcohol 3 Times Legal Limit Causes Crash, Kills Child

September 24, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A 27-year-old Chicago man has been charged in an accident that left a 2-year-old girl dead on Friday night, according to local authorities.

The man was reportedly driving near the 5700 block of South Morgan Street on the city’s south side just before 6:30 a.m. The driver allegedly ran a stop sign and struck a 2-year-old girl who was walking in the area with her great-grandmother, on the way to daycare for the day. After hitting the child, the driver continued down the road and ran through several construction markers before striking a parked car and coming to a stop.

The damage to the man’s vehicle left it inoperable so police say the man fled on foot. The man did not make it very far before he was apprehended in connection with the collision and taken into custody where he has been charged with reckless homicide, aggravated driving under the influence causing death, and driving without a license or insurance, all of which are aggravated by the incident involving a construction scene. Police stated that the man’s blood alcohol content was 0.252 at the time of the crash which is more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 in Illinois.

The 2-year-old victim was transported by ambulance to Comer Children’s Hospital but her injuries were too severe and she was pronounced dead as a result of the crash.

If the facts alleged are proved to be true, this truly tragic crash need not have ever happened. A driver who chooses to operate a car while under the influence of alcohol breaks the laws of Illinois and also places the safety of those in the area at risk. Studies have routinely shown that a drunk driver is less careful, slower to react, and more likely to cause a collision than a sober driver, meaning that other motorists, pedestrians, a bicyclists may all be in danger of being the victim of a drunk driver’s negligence.

Children can be victims of drunk driving accidents and unfortunately multiple children in Illinois die every year as a result of these crashes. In some cases, a child victim is inside the same car as a drunk driver. In other accidents, the child is in a separate vehicle that is hit by a drunk driver. And still in other situations, like the one on Friday, a child is walking or riding a bicycle when she becomes an accident vehicle.

Drunk drivers face criminal penalties for their actions but they may also face civil penalties by the way of a claim brought on behalf of accident victims. In the case of a child who is hurt by a driver, a parent or guardian may be able to make a claim on the child’s behalf against the responsible driver for monetary damages for the benefit of the child. This claim make seek compensation for medical bills that were incurred or pain and suffering experienced by the child as well as other damages that might arise.
Continue reading

Bartlett Man Killed In Motorcycle Accident

September 20, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A Wednesday morning motorcycle crash claimed the life of a 24-year-old Bartlett man, according to local authorities. The accident happened near the 600 block of West Lake Street in Bartlett shortly after 10:00 a.m. though it is not clear if any other vehicles were involved.

The driver survived the initial crash and was transported to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates for emergency medical treatment but unfortunately the man did not survive.

There are about 240,000 registered motorcycles in the state of Illinois which means a large number of Illinois residents own and likely use those motorcycles on a regular basis. With motorcycle use increasing in the state, drivers are likely to see more and more bikes on local roads and highways. With an increase in motorcycle ridership unfortunately has come an increase in motorcycle accidents, some of which result in serious injuries and others that end in death.

Nearly 4,000 motorcycle accidents occur in Illinois every year and the majority of those result in some type of injury. Unlike a car or other passenger vehicle, there is nothing surrounding the driver of a motorcycle meaning that a biker is likely to contact the ground, another car, or a fixed object directly with his or her body. The human body is not designed to sustain such impacts and as a result, injuries are common. Many bikers choose to wear protective gear, including leather and helmets, to reduce the chances of a fatal crash but a biker can only do so much. Whenever a motorcyclist rides the roads, their safety is in the hands of other drivers and one negligent act can lead to a catastrophe.

Distracted driving poses some of the greatest threats to motorcyclists on Illinois roads even though it is against Illinois to be distracted behind the wheel. The increasing prevalence of smart phones, tablets, in-car technology, and an increased pace of life leaves many drivers attempting to multitask while behind the wheel. While it might seem like no big deal to some drivers, sending a text message or checking an email is a common cause of car accidents across the nation and claims the lives of thousands every year.

After an accident involving a motorcycle, many drivers claim that they simply did not see the biker until it was too late. Yet this is never a valid excuse as every driver is charged with the duty to watch for traffic at all times, including motorcyclists. Anyone who causes an accident that results in injuries or even death may be financially liable for the damage they incur to the extent of and possibly in excess of any automobile insurance they carry.
Continue reading

School Bus Driver Arrested in West Chicago Suspected of Driving Drunk

September 17, 2013 | By Dave Abels

A 42-year-old South Elgin woman was arrested Friday for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. What made this incident particularly distressing to many parents was that the woman was a school bus driver and was driving her assigned route at the time she was arrested.

It is unclear at this time whether any children were on the bus but authorities have stated that the woman was pulled over after a school employee reported that the employee smelled alcohol on the school bus driver’s breath. The driver was pulled over in West Chicago where police officers performed a field sobriety test, leading to her removal from the bus and arrest by the officers.

At this time, the school bus driver has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and bond has been set at $100,000. If the woman is convicted, she could face up to three years incarcerated in prison as well as being labeled a convicted felon.

Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is very dangerous and puts the lives of all other drivers at risk. For this reason, Illinois makes it illegal to drive a motorized vehicle under the influence of alcohol and it presumes that drivers are drunk when their blood alcohol levels are 0.08 or higher. However, merely having a BAC below 0.08 does not mean that a motorist is not under the influence; in fact, any driver who is affected by alcohol can be cited for driving intoxicated, regardless of what his or her BAC is at the time of arrest.

School bus drivers are held to a different, and higher, standard than average drivers on Illinois roads. There is no leniency when it comes to school bus drivers and alcohol. Illinois law forbids any school bus driver to operate a bus while there is any alcohol in his or her system, and a violation of this prohibition is breaking the law. The rules are much stricter when it comes to school bus operators because of the nature of their jobs and those who ride as passengers. A fully loaded school bus can easily carry in excess of 50 students, all of whom place their safety and security in the hands of the driver. With so many people on board, it would be easy for an accident to turn catastrophic in a moment. Decreasing the risks faced by these children decrease the odds of a school bus accident and increase the chances that all children will remain safe while traveling to and from school.

On average, there are over four school bus accidents every day in Illinois, many of which result in injuries to the children on board. As a child is not driving the bus and is otherwise not in control of the bus’s movement, the children hurt in these accidents tend to be innocent victims. After a crash, a parent might face expensive medical bills for treatment of their child as well as the devastation that an accident can cause.
Continue reading