Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

A Chicago resident who allegedly caused a fatal car crash in Park Ridge on December 25, 2007 has been sentenced to five years in prison and fined $1,900, according to the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate. Branko Curcic, age 30, pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI. He has been in custody since the time of the car accident and he will serve his remaining time at the Dixon Correctional Center. He was sentenced by Cook County Judge Garritt E. Howard.

The auto accident happened in Park Ridge at the intersection of Devon and Canfield just after 12:00 a.m. The defendant was eastbound on Devon when he rear-ended a Mitsubishi that was stopped at a red light. After hitting the vehicle, Curcic's car then crashed into a childcare center at that location.

There were four occupants in the Mitsubishi and one of the passengers, Justin Prendergast, 20, of Chicago was killed in the accident. His family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Cook County, Case No. 2008-L-012975. The case is still pending and a trial date has not been set. The family is represented by a personal injury law firm located in Chicago.

An ambulance that was stolen in Chicago caused a multiple vehicle accident today in Evanston, Illinois, according to the Chicago Sun-times. The ambulance was being driven recklessly at a high rate of speed with it ran a red light at the intersection of Dempster Street and Chicago Avenue, striking several cars. As many as eight people were reportedly injured. A total of six vehicles were involved.

The ambulance was taken from a nursing home in Chicago. At one point it struck a parked car and kept on going. Witnesses said the vehicle was moving very erratically and thought the driver might have been impaired. The ambulance was privately owned.

Two cars hit were totaled. The driver of the ambulance allegedly got out of the vehicle after the accident, yelled that he hated God, and fled the scene on foot. Witnesses ran after the man and cornered him until Evanston police arrived. He was treated for injuries and arrested. The accident occurred around 3 pm and the intersection had to be closed for several hours.

In this type of accident involving multiple injuries and a stolen vehicle, the ambulance company's insurance policy most likely will have a stolen vehicle exclusion and they will not cover the loss. The accident lawyers for the injured victims will need to set up uninsured motorist claims for their clients against their own auto insurance carriers.

If you have been injured in a Chicago area car crash, contact our office to discuss your potential claim. Call 312-924-7575 to speak to an accident lawyer now.

On the South Side of Chicago, a car crash involving two vehicles on the Dan Ryan Expressway caused both sides of the interstate to shut down, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Six people were injured in the Illinois car accident, and four were critical, when a SUV collided with a van in the northbound lanes of Interstate 94 around 71st Street just after 3 a.m. on Sunday. The van rolled over in the accident.

Six ambulances were called to the scene of the accident where they addressed the injuries sustained to the people involved in the accident. Of the four people critically injured, two were transported to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital in Cook County, and two were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The two other people injured in the accident went to St. Bernard Hospital.

The cause of the crash has yet to be determined and is still being investigated by the Illinois State Police.

According to Fatality Analysis Reporting System Encyclopedia (FARS), there were 37,248 fatal motor vehicle accidents throughout the United States in 2007. Further, they reported that the deadliest time to be driving a car is between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

If you have been hurt in a car crash, contact Chicago auto accident lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

On the South Side of Chicago, two separate car crashes hurt four people this morning, according to Chicago Breaking News Center. Both collisions were in the northbound lanes of Lake Shore Drive. One accident that involved two cars occurred at 31st Street and LSD at around 6:15 am. The second accident took place a few minutes later around 27th Street. Both the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Fire Department responded to the accidents.

Three people in the first accident were reportedly seriously injured and taken by ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. One other was injured and transported to Mercy Hospital. There were no injured reported in the 2nd accident.

The accidents caused a huge traffic backup and the police had to close the drive at 31st Street and divert cars off the highway until the accident could be cleared.

The cause of the crashes has not been reported.

Two Chicago Police Officers that were responding to a battery call on the Northwest Side early this morning were struck by a drunk driver, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The driver, a Chicago resident, was charged with DUI, negligent driving, making an improper left turn, and no proof of insurance.

The police officers were moving eastbound on Irving Park Road in the area of North New England Ave. when the defendant pulled off of a side street. The at fault driver was in a Ford Taurus and the police car was traveling with emergency lights and siren activated.

Both officers were injured and taken to local hospitals. One officer suffered a shoulder injury and the other sustained neck and back injuries. The officers were treated at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge and Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center. They are both said to be in good condition.

The officers in this case both have a good civil case against the at fault driver. However, here there is a good indication that the DUI driver was uninsured. While the officers will be able to collect benefits for their injuries under their union agreement, they should both look into making uninsured motorist claims under there own personal auto insurance policies, as there could be coverage available.

If you have been injured in a Chicago area car accident by a drunk driver, or a negligent driver, contact attorneys at our office for a free consultation.

Chicago Auto Accident Attorneys from Abels & Annes have reached a policy limits settlement for an Illinois resident. The case arises out of an automobile accident which occurred on February 7, 2008 at about 10:00 a.m. The plaintiff was westbound on Armitage, just west of Keeler, in the City of Chicago. Our client stopped for traffic in front of him. As he was at a stopped,another driver rear-ended his car with great force. The impact was so substantial that it pushed his stopped vehicle into the vehicle stopped in front of him.

Our client was seen at West Suburban Hospital Emergency Department on February 9, 2008. He was complaining of shoulder and neck pain following having been rear-ended in this automobile collision. His pain had been increasing over the two days since the collision. A history was taken and an exam was performed. Muscular spasms were found. He was instructed to not work and was prescribed pain medication and instructed to seek follow-up care.

On February 12, 2008 the plaintiff sought follow up care with a chiropractic physician in Chicago. He was suffering from headaches and neck pain that radiated to his left shoulder/arm and low back pain. He had suffered injuries when he was rear-ended, and his symptoms had progressively worsened over time. Diagnostic tests were ordered and a course of therapy was prescribed. He was instructed to stay off work. The doctor ended up keeping him off work through February 24, 2008, during which time period our was “totally incapacitated”.

Despite the course of therapy the plaintiff did not improve. As a result, he was sent to a board certified neurologist for a consultation. The doctor's assessment was positive for a possible upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. Based upon this Dr. Osman ordered an EMG which was positive for a left C5/C6 cervical radiculopathy.

Despite an additional course of therapy, our client had no improvement in his condition. A cervical MRI was performed on April 3, 2008. The MRI diagnosed C5-C6 and C6-C7 cervical disc herniations that indented the thecal sac.

Based upon his medical condition he was referred to board certified anesthesiologist for consultation and care. He first saw the doctor on April 7, 2008. Based upon his cervical radiculopathy, the doctor prescribed a course of cervical epidural steroid injections. He underwent epidural injections on April 10, 2008, June 19, 2008 and July 17, 2008.

On September 8, 2008 the doctor determined that Mr. Rios had reached maximum medical improvement from this significant injury. At the time of discharge one doctor noted that our clilent will likely experience exacerbations in the future, is more susceptible to future injury and will likely require additional care and treatment in the future as a result of the injuries he suffered in this collision.

Throughout the course of the plaintiff's treatment, and up through the present time, his pain and discomfort have been exacerbated by sitting, standing, walking, bending, turning his head and using his left arm. His injuries have significantly inhibited his activities of daily living ever since the collision. Furthermore, his pain and muscle spasms interrupted his sleep on a nightly basis for months and continue to interrupt his sleep on a regular basis.

Despite the treatment he has undergone, our client continues to suffer from pain and discomfort in his neck, left shoulder/arm and lower back. This pain has greatly affected Mr. Rios’ life. As a result of his injuries he is unable to engage in many activities he enjoyed prior to the collision, and those activities he can engage in cause him pain and he cannot participate as fully as he did prior to the collision.

His pain is aggravated by prolonged sitting, standing and walking as well as turning his head and use of his left arm. Any activities that involve turning, twisting, or bending at the neck are difficult and painful. Furthermore simple activities such as household chores, shopping and a wide variety of activities of daily living are limited and painful.

As a result of his injuries our client was unable to work from February 10, 2008 through February 23, 2008. At the time He was employed by Advanced Auto Parts where he earned $12.50 per hour. He missed a total of eighty (80) hours of work for a lost wage claim totaling one thousand dollars.

Our client's medical bills and lost wages were already paid by workers' compensation insurance. He also previously received a work comp bodily injury settlement that was obtained for him by our law firm. The current settlement is for an additional $20,000, the defendant's insurance policy limits. Our client had no auto insurance of his own, so we are unable to make an under-insured motorist claim for him. Founders Insurance is paying on the claim.

Illinois Car Accident Attorneys from Abels & Annes have resolved an injury claim for a Bartlett woman who was injured in a 2007 accident. The crash occurred at Aurora Avenue and Indian Trail in Aurora, Illinois when the defendant was Southbound on Aurora Avenue and his foot slipped off of the brake and struck a vehicle, knocking said vehicle into our client's car. My client was hit from the rear. After the first impact, the defendant lost control again and the plaintiff for a second time.

Shortly after the collision the plaintiff had pain and discomfort in her neck and left hand, with complaints of dizziness. That evening her pain increased and she had difficulty sleeping.

The pain did not resolve on it’s own and she sought medical care at Saint Alexius Medical Center on 3/24/07 with the abovementioned complaints. A history was taken and our client was examined. X-rays were ordered and pain medicine was prescribed. The x-rays indicated cervical muscle spasms. The ER doctor diagnosed her with cervical strain.

Over the next several days her pain remained and she sought treatment with a medical doctor. When she saw the doctor she had complaints of neck pain and she was examined and the X-rays from the ER were reviewed. The doctor recommended to her that she seek chiropractic treatment if her pain remained.

Over the next week her pain increased. On 4/19/07 she sought treatment with a chiropractor. At that time she had complaints of neck pain, back pain, headaches, dizziness, ear ringing, and numbness in her right big toe. She said her pain was 8 on a scale of 10. The doctor examined her, reviewed the x-rays, and prescribed a course of physical therapy. She was diagnosed at that time with cervical strain/sprain, cervicocranial syndrome, dorsal sprain/strain, dizziness, and sprain/strain of the great toe.

Over the next 2 months the plaintiff went to physical therapy on twenty-three occasions. The therapy consisted of chiropractic adjustments and manipulation, electric stimulation, heat treatment, electrodes, myofacial release, massage, and manual traction.

On 6/25/07 my client was discharged from therapy, however, at that time the doctor noted that the client was still having neck and back pain, headaches, and numbness of the great toe of the right foot. He advised her to return if her condition should exacerbate.

The case settled for $14,000. Nationwide Insurance paid on the claim.

A single car accident on the South Side of Chicago just before 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night has resulted in the death of it's driver and severe injuries to three passengers, according to WBBM News Radio. The SUV, a Chevy Blazer, crashed into a viaduct. The vehicle was moving northbound on South California Avenue, just south of its intersection with West 31st Street at the time of the accident. At least two of the men involved in the accident were reportedly trapped in the SUV. The viaduct, which is just north of the Chicago River, supports railroad tracks.

Emergency crews responded to the scene where they found the SUV wrapped around the support of the viaduct and they then extracted two of the occupants. The driver and one passenger were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital. The other two passengers were taken to Stroger Hospital. The driver was pronounced dead a short time after the accident. The passengers were reportedly in critical condition.

From the perspective of a Chicago personal injury attorney, it has been my experience that passengers riding in an at fault vehicle sometimes mistakenly believe that they do not have a claim. For example, in the above case, while it is tragic that the driver past away, the three injured passengers can still make a claim against the driver’s insurance company. Further, because all three passengers' injuries were severe, the driver may not have enough insurance to cover the loss. If that is the case, the passengers will have the right to make an under-insured motorist claim against their own insurance policies.

Attorneys from our firm often handle and successfully resolve injury cases resulting from injuries to car accident passengers. Just today our law firm interviewed a passenger who suffered severe lacerations as a passenger in a Chicago auto accident. Unfortunately, the client has significant injuries and there is only minimum insurance coverage of $20,000 available.

If you are a driver or a passenger that has been injured in an auto accident, please contact Abels & Annes for a free consultation.