Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

A recent school bus accident in Illinois injured 13 kids on the Liberty High School volleyball team, according to Daily Herald. The driver of the bus has been cited for the accident. The accident happened just before 8:00 a.m. on Route 3 at Washington Street in Grayslake, Illinois.

Eleven of the players were transported to various local hospitals. Two additional students and the drivers of the vehicles were treated at the scene.

It all happened when the bus driver failed to yield when making a left-hand turn. He is scheduled to be in court in Round Lake Beach on November 23, according to officers.

Our Chicago bus accident attorneys understand that children across the country ride the big yellow school bus to and from school every day. These same buses are used to travel to sporting events and other school-related activities as well. We trust that drivers and the buses are safe for passengers and for motorists traveling among the fleet. Drivers, school districts and busing companies are responsible for the safety of students.

“District 128 is pleased to report that all of the students and the coach involved in this morning’s bus accident in Grayslake have been treated and released from area medical facilities and that no one suffered serious injuries,” said Director of Communications Mary Todoric.

Every year, there are more than 20 million students ride school buses to get to and from school, sporting events and other school-related activities. On the 450,000 school buses that travel through the U.S., too many people are injured in preventable accidents. About 12,000 kids are injured every year because of school bus accidents. Since 1990, there have been nearly 1,500 fatalities resulting from bus accidents in the U.S.

School bus statistics:

-Nearly 400 million people ride the bus every year.

-All these riders travel 30 billion passenger miles. Motorcoach riders make up about 950 million of these miles.

-In addition to the 450,000 school buses, there are about 30,000 commercial buses in the U.S. used for charters, tours, regular route services and special operations.

-The U.S. is the home of approximately 4,000 motorcoach companies.

Unfortunately, many school buses and commercial buses across the U.S. don't have seat belts.

If you're involved in an accident while riding on a school bus or a commercial bus, you may be able to file a claim against the busing company or against the school district or other responsible parties. You can experience more than physical pain from injuries sustained in a bus accident. You may be able to collect compensation for medical expenses, emotion distress and for pain and suffering.

Keeping your child safe is one of the most important jobs as a parent. We'd like to believe that this is the most important job for school districts and bus drivers as well.

Continue reading "Illinois Bus Accident Injures 13 High School Volleyball Players" »

An Illinois school bus crash that occurred Thursday morning on the South side of Chicago resulted in nine people being injured, and several hurt were special education students, the Chicago Tribune is reporting. All of the injured were taken to area hospitals after two school buses and a truck were involved in a traffic collision.

The three vehicle accident took place around 7 AM in the area of Ashland Avenue and 76th Street. Chicago Fire Department ambulances took five of the injured to Holy Cross Hospital, 2 to St. Bernard Hospital and 2 to Little Company of Mary Hospital. There were reportedly no life-threatening injuries, and all were in good to fair condition.

The two school buses involved were from two different companies contracted by the Chicago Board of Education. What caused the accident has not been reported.

Read the story as reported by NBC news here.

This is the second Chicago area bus crash this week involving two school buses. As Illinois injury lawyers from our office previously reported, 20 students were injured and hospitalized in north suburban Evanston on Tuesday when one school bus rear-ended another.

Bus accidents can be particularly dangerous to the passengers on board, as they are not typically seat belted and can be thrown around in a collision, sometimes resulting in serious injuries.

A 26-year-old woman has been killed in a downtown Chicago pedestrian collision, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The victim was crossing Columbus Avenue at East Illinois Street in the Streeterville neighborhood when she was struck by a tour bus just before 7 PM on Tuesday evening.

The pedestrian was crossing with a green light, but the driver did not yield as he turned onto Columbus. A witness to the accident believed the driver never saw the pedestrian, as he looked shocked and was crying afterwards. The driver reportedly told police he heard a bump, thought it was a curb, but then stopped the bus when he heard a second bump.

According to WGN-TV, other witnesses to the accident said they could tell that nothing could be done to help the victim, and that they were upset about what they had witnessed.

The woman was taken a short distance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead approximately 15 minutes later.

It has not been reported if an Illinois bus accident attorney is involved in the case yet.

Read the story as reported by the Chicago Tribune here.

For the second time in the last few months, a CTA bus crash has resulted in injuries on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, according to Fox news. The accident has injured five people, three of which were children. The incident occurred Wednesday evening around 6:30 PM near LSD and 43rd St.

The accident involved a number 6 Jackson Park express bus and one other vehicle. What caused the accident has not yet been reported, however the passenger vehicle was allegedly in back of the CTA vehicle and then struck the left side of the bus.

Five people involved in the accident were hospitalized. Three children were transported by ambulance to University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, reportedly in good condition. Two adults were transported to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in good condition.

12 people refused medical care. City officials did not say whether the injured were passengers on the CTA bus or in the other vehicle.

Chicago bus accident attorneys at Abels & Annes are currently representing an individual that was injured in October's CTA bus accident on South Lake Shore Drive. In that crash, a bus driver lost control, drove off the roadway and crashed. 37 people were injured in the accident.

A Chicago area school bus accident occurred on Thursday around 5 PM when a bus drove through a brick wall into a classroom in South Suburban Orland Park. Trib Local in Orland Park is reporting that the accident occurred at Central Junior High School, part of Orland School District 135. The bus was on school grounds for a volleyball game.

The crash reportedly occurred when the accelerator pedal stuck to the floor and would not release. By Thursday night maintenance crews started work to repair the damage.

The Orland Park Police Department is investigating the accident. No injuries have been reported and no children were on the bus at the time of the incident.

If the school bus driver was hurt in the accident, he or she will have a workers' comp claim under Illinois law. Whether the accelerator pedal stuck or the driver just loss control the bus will be irrelevant as far as a work injury claim is concerned. Workers' compensation is a no-fault law in the State of Illinois.

A trucker from Chicago, Illinois is been given a sentence of 30 days in jail for his role in an accident that occurred in Ohio, according to the Washington Post. His truck was involved in a collision with a special needs bus during a snowstorm. Four people were killed.

The 60-year-old Chicago resident apologized in court on Wednesday to the families of the victims. Three special needs adults and the bus driver died in the accident that occurred in January, 2010 on Interstate 70 in the area of Springfield, Ohio.

The Illinois truck driver pleaded no contest to four counts of vehicular manslaughter back in August. He was released yesterday after the hearing in court, pending appeal.

Investigating police officers gave the opinion that the truck driver was driving too fast for weather conditions when the truck lost control and struck the bus. The Springfield News-Sun reports that the special needs vehicle was moving eastbound on Interstate 70 near US Route 40. At that time the westbound tanker truck being driven by the defendant lost control and went into oncoming traffic. Roads were very slick at the time of the accident and the trucker was going 57 mph.

Today's newspaper reports do not state whether truck accident lawyers are involved in the case or if civil lawsuits have been filed.

An Illinois school bus crash in South suburban Orland Park has resulted in injuries to 12 people, including nine grade school students, according to CBS News in Chicago. The students were from High Point School, a school for third, fourth and fifth graders. The accident occurred around 3 PM at 147th St. & Lagrange Road, and involved a school bus and a car.

The bus had 20 students on board at the time of the accident. Nine were injured were taken to area hospitals. The injuries are reportedly non-life-threatening

School administrators reportedly came out to the scene to help police. The Orland Park Fire Department also responded. Some parents drove out to the scene of the accident to pick up their kids, while others were taken away by another bus.

Chicago area school bus accidents can often result in serious injuries. Seatbelts are typically not used on buses, and kids can get badly knocked around in a crash.

The cause of the accident has not yet been reported and is still being investigated. High Point School is part of Orland Park District 135.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Breaking News Center.

El Sun-Times informo que hubíeron heridas múltiples el sábado por la tarde en un choque en Chicago de carro vs. autobús de CTA en el lado sur. El accidente de automóvil de Illinois ocurrió cuando el conductor de un 1993 Buick Park Avenue choco el autobus por de tras.

El accidente sucedió alrededor de 12:45 P.M. en la 66th Street y Avenida Racine. El autobús fue número 44 Wallace/Racine que fue dirigido al sur en Racine, que fue parado en un semáforo, según una vocera para la Autoridad de Tránsito de Chicago.

Nueve pasajeros en total resultaron heridos y fueron trasladados a hospitales del área, incluyeron ocho del autobús y uno del carro. Se ha reportado que cuatro del los heridos fueron llevados al Hospital Jackson Park y dos fueron llevados a St. Bernard Hospital. Ninguna de las lesiones se supone que ponga la vida en peligro

Cinco ambulancias fueron enviadas a la escena del accidente de autobús de CTA. El conductor que trasero el autobús fue un residente de Chicago. La Policía de Chicago investigó el accidente y etiquetó al conductor trasero por conducer demasiado cerca y por dañar la propiedad de la ciudad.

Como un abogado de accidente de autobús en Chicago, les puedo decir que estando en un autobús de CTA involucrado en un accidente puede ser muy peligroso. Los pasajeros no son seatbelted y a menudo se paran si el autobús está lleno. Esto a veces puede causar heridas muy graves. Los abogados de herida de Chicago en Abels y Annes estan trabajando actualmente con varios reclamos y demandas para residentes de Illinois que han sido heridos en accidentes de autobús de CTA.

The Sun-Times is reporting that there were multiple injuries on Saturday afternoon in a Chicago car vs. CTA bus crash on the South Side. The Illinois motor vehicle accident occurred when the driver of a 1993 Buick Park Avenue rear-ended a bus.

The accident happened around 12:45 PM at 66th Street and Racine Avenue. The bus was a number 44 Wallace/Racine that was headed south on Racine that was stopped at a traffic light, according to a spokeswoman for the Chicago Transit Authority.

Nine passengers in total were injured and taken to area hospitals, which included eight from the bus and one from the car. It is being reported that four of the injured were taken to Jackson Park Hospital and two were taken to St. Bernard Hospital. None of the injuries are supposed to be life-threatening.

Five ambulances were sent to the scene of the CTA bus accident. The driver that rear-ended the bus was a Chicago resident. The Chicago Police Department investigated the accident and ticketed the rear ending driver for driving too closely and damaging city property.

As a Chicago bus accident lawyer, I can tell you that being on a CTA bus involved in an accident can be very dangerous. Passengers are not seatbelted and are often standing if the bus is crowded. This can sometimes lead to very serious injuries. Chicago injury attorneys at Abels and Annes are currently handling several claims and lawsuits for Illinois residents who have been injured in CTA bus accidents.

Fewer Chicago bus accidents and trucking accidents should result from distracted driving as a result of a federal ban against text messaging that is now in place nationwide, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced at the nation's second annual Distracted Driving Summit in Washinton, D.C.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood also announced the law is being extended to train operators and those in-state truckers engaged in hauling hazardous materials.

Additionally, employer-backed anti-distracted-driving campaigns will enroll another 1.5 million motorists in the workplace within the next year. And a pilot program in Connecticut and New York -- called "Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other" -- has been proven to increase compliance in much the same way as seat belt campaigns like "Click it or Ticket it."

All of the measures are part of an aggressive push by the federal government to combat the dangers of text messaging and other forms of distracted driving. As our Chicago accident lawyers continue to report, recent statistics suggest about 5,500 motorists were killed and 500,000 were injured last year in accidents caused by distracted driving. Only speeding and drunk driving were responsible for more carnage on the road.

“We are taking action on a number of fronts to address the epidemic of distracted driving in America,” said LaHood. “With the help of the experts, policymakers, and safety advocates we’ve assembled here, we are going to do everything we can to put an end to distracted driving and save lives.”

The laws aimed at truckers, bus drivers and train operators are important because they create a uniform standard. Part of the concern over laws governing text messaging and cell phone use by drivers is that they create a confusing patchwork of legislation from state to state and even city to city.

Meanwhile, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, an entity created by the government to work with private sector businesses, announced that nearly 1,600 U.S. businesses have instituted distracted driving policies covering 10.5 million workers with another 550 organizations adopting plans that will cover an additional 1.5 million workers in the next year.

“I am thrilled that businesses across the country are making anti-distracted driving policies an integral part of their employee culture,” said Secretary LaHood. “President Obama led by example last year by banning four million federal workers from texting behind the wheel. Employers across America are doing the same to help us set an example and keep our roads safe.”

The "Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other," campaign also proved that the combination of law enforcement efforts and public service announcements improved compliance with local cell phone ordinances in Hartford and Syracuse. Each municipality issued about 5,000 tickets during a two-week enforcement blitz. Subsequent observation reported a decline in cell phone use and text messaging of between 38 and 68 percent.

Continue reading "Prevention of Chicago car accidents to target trucks, buses, trains and automobiles" »

A significant reduction in the number of Chicago car accidents, as well as serious and fatal traffic accidents elsewhere in Illinois, made the state the safest it has been since 1921, according to 2009 traffic statistics released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

A total of 911 traffic fatalities were reported in Illinois last year and 89,090 were injured. Those figures indicate about 3 people are killed and 244 are injured every day on Illinois roads. Total economic cost was $5.3 billion.

Each fatality cost $1.3 million. An incapacitating injury cost $66,900, while a nonincapacitating injury cost $21,700.

Fatal Accidents in Illinois
-911 motorists were killed in 832 fatal crashes.
-25.7 crashes occurred at intersections.
-77.2 percent occurred on dry roads.
-48.3 percent occurred in daylight.
-56.4 occurred on urban roads.
-31.7 occurred in a crash with a fixed object.

Illinois Pedestrian Accidents
-111 pedestrians were killed in 2009.
-5,231 were injured.
-One in five fatal pedestrian accidents involved a senior citizen; 1 in 20 involved a child under the age of 15.

Illinois Motorcycle Accidents
-A total of 3,846 motorcycle crashes were reported.
-130 riders were killed and 3,152 were injured.

Illinois School Bus Accidents
-133 school-aged children were injured in school bus accidents.
-78 drivers were injured in school bus accidents.

Illinois Semi Accidents
-64 people were killed in tractor-trailer accidents in Illinois.
-3 fatality victims were occupants of tractor-trailers, while 55 were occupants of other vehicles.

Illinois Train Accidents
-One-fourth of fatal train accidents happened at crossings with gates.
-Three-quarters of fatal train crashes happened at crossings with other types of traffic control devices, including signs and flashing lights.

Illinois Work Zone Accidents
-31 people were killed in Illinois work zone accidents in 2009.
-5 of those killed were construction workers.

Continue reading "Fewer Chicago car accidents contribute to historic statewide reduction; nearly 250 a day still injured in Illinois car accidents" »

Illinois school bus accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have settled a lawsuit that stems from a June 4, 2008 collision in the Western suburb of Woodridge.

At the time of the accident, our client was a passenger on a Pace bus that was rear-ended by a school bus. The accident happened at 63rd and Woodard. Several other passengers were injured in the bus accident.

The accident was investigated by the Woodridge Police Department. After interviewing the parties involved, they issued the school bus driver a citation for driving too fast for conditions.

Our client was taken by ambulance to Hinsdale Hospital after the accident. There, she was treated for back and neck injuries. X-rays taken at the hospital that were negative for fractures.

Over the next several days, her pain only got worse. She sought follow-up treatment with a chiropractic physician in Bolingbrook, Illinois. There, our client underwent a course of treatment that lasted just under two months. Her pain resolved by the time of her last appointment.

The case settled for $9,500 within weeks after filing a lawsuit.

If you or your child has been injured in an Illinois school bus accident, contact the Chicago personal injury lawyers at our office for free consultation. To speak directly to a lawyer now, call 312-924-7575.

- A Chicago car crash involving an ambulance injured a fire department paramedic and a patient early Monday morning on the Northwest Side, the Breaking News Center reported.

The ambulance was on a transport run to Resurrection Medical Center when it was struck in the 6000 block of West Foster Avenue. The 46-year-old driver of the other vehicle was also injured and taken to the hospital. He was cited for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.

- A Chicago bus accident involved two other vehicles and injured three people just after 7 a.m. Monday. The fire department reported the crash happened near the intersection of Lawrence and Elston avenues.

- A Chicago motorcycle accident seriously injured a man Sunday night when his motorcycle hit a guardrail on the Dan Ryan Expressway. He was thrown over the rail and landed on a residential street beneath the bridge. The rider was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious condition.

- A Chicago train accident claimed the life of a 35-year-old Wisconsin woman early Sunday. The woman was struck by a train in suburban Glenview about 3 a.m.

Through Sunday, a total of 299 people have been killed in Illinois traffic accidents, compared to 325 people killed during the same period last year, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

A Chicago bus accident has left seven people hurt on the Northwest Side of Chicago, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The bus vs. car crash occurred in the 3800 block of North Pulaski in the early afternoon on Thursday.

Five ambulances responded to the accident. All seven injured were taken to area hospitals. One person was in serious to critical condition.

It is being reported that the accident happened when a car in a middle lane hooked a right turn in front of the bus. The Jefferson Park District of the Chicago Police Department is handling the crash investigation.

Click here to read the story as reported by ABC News and by WGN News.

A CTA bus hit a school building in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood on Monday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Twelve people were taken by ambulance to area hospitals as a result of the Chicago bus crash.

The CTA is stating that just after 4 p.m. a westbound number 66 bus was in an accident with another car and that after the initial collision the bus hit a building known as the Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy. The bus vs. car accident occurred at 3645 W. Chicago Avenue and ten ambulances were called to the scene.

Two of the injured were in serious to critical condition. The cause of the bus accident has not yet been reported. It has also not been reported if students were ever in danger as a result of the collision.

Click here to read the story as reported by WGN.

Illinois recorded the fewest traffic fatalities since 1923, according to an exhaustive report on 2008 traffic fatalities released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes are taking a look at the report in a series of blog here at our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog and our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog.

"We believe these reductions are evident that Illinois' traffic safety efforts are working," Gov. Pat Quinn said.

While the statistics are encouraging, the simple fact remains that traffic fatalities are a leading killer both in Illinois and nationwide. For most of us, riding in a motor vehicle is the most dangerous activity in our lives.

In 2008, 1,043 people were killed and more than 94,000 injured in Illinois traffic accidents, the vast majority occurred in an around Chicago. But, perhaps because of the poor economy, fewer motorists were on the road: the state reported a 1.6 percent decrease in traffic.

Highlights of "2008 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics"

Cost
-Total estimated cost of Illinois traffic accidents in 2008 was $6.2 billion
-Each fatality was estimated to cost $1.2 million
-An incapacitating injury was estimated to cost $67,500
-A nonincapacitating injury was estimated to cost $21,800
-A property damage crash was estimated to cost $7,800

Fatal
-1,043 people were killed in 950 fatal Illinois crashes in 2008
-There was an average of 1.1 deaths per fatal crash
-25.2 percent of fatal crashes occurred at intersections
-74.2 percent of fatal crashes occurred on dry roads
-48.2 percent of fatal crashes occurred during daylight hours
-55.7 percent of fatal crashes occurred on urban roads
-29.8 percent of fatal crashes occurred with a fixed object

Alcohol
-44 percent of fatally injured drivers who were tested, tested positive for alcohol
-49.3 percent of fatally injured drivers ages 16 to 24 who were tested, tested positive for alcohol

Pedestrian Accidents
-135 pedestrians were killed in 2008 and 5,423 were injured
-About 9 percent were under 15 years old
-About 15 percent were over the age of 65
-About 40 percent had a positive blood-alcohol content

Motorcycle Accidents
-There were 4,901 motorcycle crashes in 2008, though the number of fatalities decreased by 14 percent

School Bus Accidents
-No school bus passengers were killed; 123 were injured
-No school bus drivers were killed;99 were injured

Tractor Trailer Accidents
-115 people were killed in semi accidents
-5 of the persons killed were truck drivers while 99 were occupants of another vehicle

Train Accidents
-38.5 percent of fatal train crashes happened at crossings with gates
-53.8 percent happened at crossings with control devices other than gates, including flashers and warning signs

Work Zone Accidents
-There were 31 fatal crashes in work zones in 2008 in which 31 people were killed
-Two of the persons killed were road construction workers

Deer
-There were 24,209 crashes involving deer
-Two deer crashes involved fatalities

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an accident, call the Chicago injury lawyers and Illinois wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free appointment to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.

A Tuesday morning Chicago bus accident on the city's Southwest Side, injured 10 passengers and the driver, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Chicago Transit Authority bus was a northbound Ashland Express bus that reportedly struck a light pole on the 2500 block of South Ashland Avenue at about 7:30 a.m., the Chicago Fire Department reported. The accident injured 10 passengers and the driver. Two were in serious condition, eight were in fair condition and one was reported in good condition.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reported as many as 10 ambulances responded to the bus accident. The Transit Authority is investigating, however the cause of the accident has not been reported.

According to the Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics at the University of Michigan, more than 300 fatal bus accidents occur each year in the United States. A recent study in 2006 found 9 fatalities in Illinois, including 5 transit busing deaths and two deaths as the result of a school bus accident.

That same year, busing accidents also killed 89 pedestrians and 12 bicyclists.

A suburban Chicago man recently died in a crash with a school bus full of college students from the University of Wisconsin at Madison on Dec. 6. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the chartered bus was taking 17 students from UW’s German Club home from Chicago’s Chirstkindlmarket, traveling along Interstate 90 just outside Chicago. A sedan entered the highway, immediately veered across traffic lanes and ended up sideways in the path of the bus. The crash killed the driver instantly, the article said. Luckily, no one on the bus was seriously hurt and no other vehicles were involved.

The article doesn’t give a cause for the accident, but given the description of the accident and details in the article, weather looks like an important factor. Unfortunately, Illinois has seen several weather-related traffic deaths in the last few weeks, including one that killed two elderly parishioners from an Edgewater church. Life must go on even when the roads are snowy or icy, but drivers should be aware of the danger. The Illinois Department of Transportation maintains a page with tips for safe winter driving.

As a Chicago bus accident lawyer, I happen to know that bus accidents are statistically rare. According to research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, buses were involved in just 0.5% of all accidents in 2006; only “other vehicles,” such as motor homes and tractors, have lower accident rates. The numbers for intercity buses are even lower -- 0.1% of fatal crashes. Part of this may be because buses are driven by professionals with special licenses, which means drivers have special training. They are also generally at work when they drive, which gives almost everyone an incentive to behave better than they might when driving on their own time.

However, that’s not to say that bus accidents aren’t very serious. Basic physics means that a bus is likely to seriously hurt a smaller car and its driver in an accident, especially one at highway speeds. Furthermore, the lack of seat belts or other safety technology on most buses may put bus passengers at risk as well. In some cases, this can translate to serious injuries -- head injuries, broken bones, spinal damage or even death. At Abels & Annes, our Illinois auto accident lawyers handle accidents with buses -- school buses, transit and charter -- as well as more the common traffic accidents with cars, trucks, SUVs and motorcycles. If you or someone you love has been hurt in this type of accident and you believe it was caused by someone else’s negligence, please contact Abels & Annes today for a free consultation.