Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

Three women were killed last Monday and a dozen injured in an Illinois semi accident authorities believe may have been caused by a distracted trucker.

The Chicago Tribune reported the accident happened on I-57 north of Mattoon when the tractor trailer crashed into a group of cars slowing for construction. The chain-reaction collision involved at least 9 vehicles, many of which were completely destroyed. The Coles County coroner's office reported there women -- ages 61, 68 and 80 -- were killed after the SUV they were traveling in was crushed by the truck.

Cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police. Police tested the blood and urine of the 55-year-old Louisiana truck driver but have no indication that drugs are alcohol are involved. However, a state police Captain said the crash was likely caused by driver inattention.

A patrol captain also said the driver had "discrepancies in his log book." Truck drivers are required to obey strict safety regulations, including hours on the road and hours of rest, to help insure the safety of other motorists.

One of the SUVs rolled into the median where it caught fire. Another was crushed beyond recognition. Somehow, an 11-year-old girl was able to crawl out of the wreckage. Injury victims were taken to hospitals located throughout the area, including Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana and Sara Bush Lincoln Health Center in Coles County.

The women who were killed were members of a Baptist church group traveling to Amish country. The Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette reported that two others were critically injured.

The highway was closed for nearly 8 hours.

Lawmakers are targeting excessive speeders in an effort to reduce Illinois car accidents.

The measure has the support of some professional truck drivers, who cite aggressive and speeding drivers as a cause of Illinois trucking accidents, according to Land Line Magazine, a professional trucking publication.

Last month, the Chicago Tribune reported the results of an investigation that determined nearly two-thirds of motorists cited for speeding in excess of 100 mph, were given court supervision, a form of probation that kept the citations off their driving records, prevented them from having their driver's licenses suspended and kept their insurance rates from increasing.

At least 1,100 motorists caught traveling 100 mph or faster in Illinois during the last five years were given such breaks.

This week, House lawmakers unanimously passed a measure that would prohibit judges from allowing court supervision in cases where a motorist is convicted of driving at least 40 mph over the limit. The Senate unanimously passed a slightly different version.

As we reported in November on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog, speeding drivers cost an average of $44,193 a minute in speed-related accidents nationwide.

Speed facts:
-Risk of death or serious injury doubles for every 10 mph over 50 mph that a vehicle is traveling at the moment of impact.
-On average, more than 30 people a day, or 1,000 people a month, die in speed-related crashes, making speeding a cause or contributing factor in about one-third of nationwide traffic fatalities each year.
-One-third of fatal crashes involving young motorists, ages 15 to 24, involve speeding.

Continue reading "Truckers back law punishing excessive speed as means to reduce Illinois car accidents" »

A motorist has been charged in connection with a fatal Chicago drunk driving accident involving a semi on the near West Side, the Sun-Times reported.

The car's driver was charged with two counts of drunk driving this week, in connection with the crash, which occurred shortly after 2:30 a.m. last Thursday at the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Canal Street. The 2005 Ford Taurus crashed into the cab portion of the UPS semi.

The 21-year-old driver of the Taurus was traveling West on Roosevelt Road at a high rate of speed when it collided with the truck as it attempted to turn across traffic, police reported. A 25-year-old passenger in the car was transported to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead at 3:35 a.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

The driver was charged with two counts of misdemeanor driving under the influence and cited with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, as well as driving a vehicle without insurance.

Police said the driver's blood-alcohol level was .16 -- twice the legal limit in Illinois.

The Chicago Fire Department was called to the scene, where emergency crews had to extricate some of the victims from the wreckage.

Two other victims were taken in serious to critical condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital; three were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, Rush University Medical Center and the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago.

The police Major Accident Investigation Unit continues to investigate.

A Chicago semi accident seriously injured four people on the Dan Ryan Expressway, according to the SouthTown Star.

The accident involved two semis and a car and occurred about 10:30 p.m. Monday in the southbound local lanes near 63rd Street. The lanes were closed to traffic until early Tuesday morning as work crews cleared the scene, the Sun-Times reported.

A semi rear-ended a car as it slowed while approaching slower traffic, according to Illinois State Police. The semi was then struck by another semi, which caught fire.

The driver of the second semi was cited for following too closely.

A woman and three men were injured in the crash. One victim was taken in serious to critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn; one was taken in serious to critical condition to the University of Chicago Hospitals.

The other two were taken in good to fair condition, to the University of Chicago Hospitals and St. Bernard Hospital.

In 2008, there were 14,632 Illinois trucking accidents, which claimed 115 lives and injured 2,940, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Chicago trucking accidents account for the vast majority of Illinois semi accidents. More than 12,000 of the accidents occurred in urban areas.

Unconfirmed reports that tailgating led to road rage between two truckers, which ended in a stabbing on the Edens Expressway, is an extreme example of the dangers of follow too closely. Whether tailgating turns out to be the deadly cause of this incident, following too closely slows your reaction time and can lead to a serious of fatal accident.

As many as 25 percent of Chicago car accidents are caused by a rear-end collision, according to state and federal estimates.

Police charged a Wisconsin man with murder last week for allegedly stabbing another trucker on the Edens Expressway near suburban Northfield, the Sun-Times reported.

Reports indicate the two truckers may have been cutting each other off in traffic before pulling over to fight.

An article in the Chicago Tribune listed several techniques area motorists use to try to combat tailgaters:

-Pumping the brakes
-Slowing down until the tailgater passes
-Activating emergency blinking lights
-Changing lanes or moving over
-Pulling off to the side of the road

"Swallow your ego and move over," even if you have to turn off a two-lane road," Roy Lucke, research manager of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety told The Tribune."How much time are you really going to lose if you go over onto a shoulder or onto a side street or a parking lot? Thirty seconds? You let the idiot go by, and you can go back on your way."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates rear-end collisions account for about 1 in 4 crashes, causing 2,000 deaths and almost 1 million injuries each year.

Snowfall, icy roads and winter weather are contributing to Chicago car accidents as we head into the weekend.

With snow continuing to fall in the Chicago area on Thursday, the Illinois State Police put an emergency snow plan into effect -- telling drivers who had accidents not to call 911 unless there were injuries.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes encourage everyone to drive safely and allow plenty of time. Safe winter driving tips can be found here on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog and our sister site, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog.

About 8 to 12 inches of snow was expected in the area, ABC News reported.

In Chicago, the Department of Streets and Sanitation already announced Wednesday that the Snow Command Center will use ground sensors and closely watch nearly 1,000 cameras positioned throughout the city. Drivers are also advised to pay close attention to winter parking restrictions to avoid getting towed, ABC7 News reported.

Up to a foot of snow is expected in the Chicago area and as many as 500 flights could be cancelled, according to The Sun-Times.

Elsewhere in Illinois, a suburban teenager died in an Illinois car accident Thursday morning on Interstate 57 that is being blamed on icy roads and winter weather, WJBD radio reported.

The Marion County coroner said the 17-year-old Aurora teen was a passenger in an SUV that slammed into the rear end of a slow moving semi in the southbound lanes of I-57, about a mile south of the Salem exit.

The Illinois semi accidentoccurred just before 8 a.m. Thursday morning. The victim's mother, father and younger sister were being transported to St. Louis University Hospital.

The fire department reported that three of the passengers had to be cut from the vehicle.

Continue reading "First winter storm a dangerous time for Chicago car accidents" »

A new law beginning Jan. 1 will allow Illinois semis to travel 65 mph on many state highways, leaving opponents of higher speeds concerned about the increased risk of Illinois trucking accidents.

Earlier this fall the Chicago trucking accident lawyers at Abels & Annes reported the state ranks sixth-highest in the nation for fatal semi accidents.

The faster trucks comes as the federal government is phasing in better braking standards for semis amid consideration of a reduction in rest requirements for truck drivers. Trucks are heavily regulated because of the danger posed to much smaller passenger vehicles in an accident.

The Illinois Department of Transportation reported that 14,362 Illinois semi accidents killed 115 people last year and injured about 3,000. Of the 115 killed, five were truck drivers and the rest were victims in passenger vehicles, pedestrians or bicyclists.

Last year, some 380,000 large trucks were involved in traffic accidents that killed 4,229 motorists. Another 90,000 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

ABC7 reported that the law will affect about 1,800 miles of road in the state. Lawmakers have passed the speed limit increase on three previous occasions but those efforts were vetoed by Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Abels & Annes blogged about the new law this summer on Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog. The law will not impact highways in the immediate Chicago area. Supporters of the measure argue it is safer for trucks to be traveling with the flow of traffic at the same speed as everyone else; opponents contend faster-moving rigs could increase the risk of Illinois semi accidents.

The issue has made news as far away as Evansville, where NBC14 reported the Illinois Department of Transportation is in the process of replacing signs at a cost of about $75,000 to display the new speed limit, which will also apply to campers and those hauling trailers.

This summer, Ohio changed its law to 65, Cleveland.com reported. Previously, large commercial vehicles had been restricted to 55mph in that state as well.

Nine states -- Arkansas, California, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Texas, and Washington -- still retain lower speed limits for large trucks, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Texas and Utah allow semis to travel as fast as 80 mph.

Meanwhile, the federal government is looking at a measure that would reduce by an hour the amount of rest truckers are required to have between shifts-- from the current 11 hours to 10 hours.

And in July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued new braking requirements, which the federal government estimates will save more than 200 lives a year and reduce property damage by more than $169 million a year.

The new standard requires that a tractor-trailer traveling at 60 miles per hour come to a complete stop in 250 feet. The old standard required a complete stop within 355 feet.

The new regulation will be phased in over four years beginning with 2012 models.

Continue reading "Illinois trucking accident lawyers monitor increased speed limit, pending legislation" »

Illinois' 2008 traffic fatality clock logged 1,115 Illinois traffic crashes per day. Eleven people an hour were injured and 3 people a day died in fatal Illinois traffic accidents, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation's 2008 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics report.

This is the second blog looking at the newly published information. The Chicago injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes published the first blog in the series on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog last week.

The study reported 10.1 million vehicles registered to 8.7 million licensed drivers traveled over 100 billion miles in 2008. There were 408,258 traffic accidents reported in Illinois during 2008, which caused 94,021 injuries and claimed 1,043 lives.

The Illinois State Police announced last week a campaign to reduce the number of Illinois traffic fatalities by at least 100 through the end of the year, dropping the state total below 1,000. Currently, Illinois is one of 10 states that reported more than 1,000 road deaths last year.

Breakdown of Illinois vehicles:
77 percent passenger cars
17 percent trucks, buses and recreational vehicles
4 percent motorcycles

The highest numbers of fatalities were among passenger cars (850) and pickup trucks (200). However, a high number of fatalities were reported as a result of Illinois trucking accidents (113) and Illinois motorcycle accidents (131).

The state has a good chance of dipping below the 1,000 mark -- 781 fatalities had been reported as of Nov. 10, compared to 883 in the prior year. But November and December are traditionally two of the deadliest months on the road, with holiday travel, Illinois drunk driving crashes and winter weather combining to increase road hazards.

Continue reading "More than 1,000 Illinois car accidents a day injured 11 people an hour in 2008" »

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.

The federal government is poised to reduce by an hour the length of time long-distance truckers can stay behind the wheel, with the hope of reducing trucking accidents.

CBS 2 used a Chicago trucking accident that occurred four years ago as an example: A sleepy, fatigued, and perhaps drugged trucker slammed into 27-year-old Graham Brown's small sedan.

While Brown can walk, he has lost the use of his left hand and arm and has undergone 22 surgeries.

Earlier this month the Chicago trucking accident lawyers at Abels & Annes reported that the 136 fatal Illinois trucking accidents in 2008 ranks the state sixth-highest in the nation for fatal semi accidents.

Last year, some 380,000 large trucks were involved in traffic accidents that killed 4,229 motorists. Another 90,000 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Federal Department of Transportation is soon expected to pass a measure that will require truckers to stop and rest after 10 hours on the road. Currently, they can run for 11 hours without rest.

However, the Brown family takes issue with how the current measure is enforced -- with truckers who fill out written log books that can easily misrepresent hours spent behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound semi. The family has joined other safety advocates who want black boxes, data recorders with GPS, installed in the nation's trucks.

Continue reading "Reduction in Illinois trucking accidents could come from mandated rest breaks" »

A total of 136 fatal Illinois trucking accidents occurred in 2008, ranking the state among the worst in the nation for fatal trucking accidents according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which continues to release data based on last year's accident statistics.

Overall, trucking fatalities declined slightly; the nation's 9 million semis drove 226 million miles and were involved in 4,066 fatal crashes, compared to 4,633 fatal crashes in 2007.

The Chicago trucking accident lawyers at Abels & Annes are often called to represent clients injured in Chicago car accidents involving semis, dump trucks, buses or other large commercial vehicles.

Trucking companies and truck drivers are heavily regulated because of the dangers they pose to motorists in an accident. An 80,000 pound semi can weigh 20 times more than a passenger vehicle. Four of every 5 multi-vehicle trucking accidents involved a fatality, compared to just over half of multi-vehicle crashes involving only passenger cars.

Compared to automobile drivers, truckers involved in fatal crashes were less likely to have derogatory driving records, like DUI convictions or suspended licenses, but were more likely to have been cited for speeding and just as likely to have been involved in previous crashes.

Illinois ranked 7th in the nation behind California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas in the total number of fatal trucking accidents.

Last year, some 380,000 large trucks were involved in traffic accidents that killed 4,229 motorists. Another 90,000 were injured. Nationwide, large trucks account for 4 percent of road traffic. In Illinois, nearly 10 percent of the state's traffic comes from large trucks. California and Texas were the two states with the most trucks on the road.

In 2008, one out of every nine traffic fatalities resulted from a collision involving a large truck. In 3 out of every 4 cases, the person killed occupied a vehicle involved in an accident with the truck. The trucker was killed in 26 percent of the accidents.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious or fatal Illinois trucking accident, the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes offer free consultations to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a distracted driving summit in Washington, D.C. Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in an effort to combat car accidents caused by distracted driving, specifically the use of cell phones and text messaging while behind the wheel.

Earlier this summer the Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes blogged about Illinois' leadership role in banning the use of cell phones and text messaging while driving -- the state's new text-messaging ban was one of fewer than 10 tough new distracted-driving laws passed out of more than 170 that were introduced nationwide last year, according to a report by the New York Times.

Illinois' text-messaging ban (as well as a law banning cell phone use in school zones and road construction sites) became law last month and takes effect Jan. 1. Violators face a fine and repeated violations can lead to license suspension.

The City of Chicago already has a law in place prohibiting drivers from using cell phones.

The federal government estimates more than 4,000 people a day are in an auto accident as a result of distracted driving.

"If it were up to me, I would ban drivers from texting, but unfortunately, laws aren't always enough," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. "We've learned from past safety awareness campaigns that it takes a coordinated strategy combining education and enforcement to get results."

LaHood called the summit a "crucial first step in our efforts to put an end to distracted driving."

In June, the Chicago personal injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes wrote about distracted driving as part of its Safe Driving Series.

Nationwide, 80 percent of accidents are attributed to distracted driving -- more than 1.5 million drivers will get into an accident this year because of driver distraction.

From a California commuter train accident that killed 25 people, to a Florida trucking accident that claimed the life of a former lawmaker's daughter, high-profile incidents attributed to text messaging continue to make news.

The American Trucking Association has pledged its support for the summit with the hope of reducing truck accidents attributed to distracted driving.

"Improving driver performance by eliminating distractions, including those caused by text messaging, will greatly improve the safety of all motorists," ATA president Bill Graves said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation promises concrete steps will be taken following the summit.

"The bottom line is, distracted driving is dangerous driving," LaHood said. "I plan to announce a list of concrete steps we will take to make drivers think twice about taking their eyes off the road for any reason."

Continue reading "In effort to reduce car accidents, federal distracted driving summit planned" »

Chicago personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes reached a $60,000 settlement today for a client who sustained personal injuries in a February 4, 2009 truck accident.

On the afternoon of the occurrence the plaintiff was driving her vehicle southbound on I-94 just south of I-290 in lane number 3. The defendant was driving his semi-truck southbound on I-94 just south of I-290 in lane number 2. The car crash occurred when the truck driver switched lanes into the plaintiff's lane and struck her vehicle. The rear passenger’s side of the defendant’s trailer struck the driver’s side of our client’s vehicle. Her car was totaled as a result of the damage caused by the auto accident.

We alleged in the claim that the trucker failed to keep a proper lookout, improperly changed lanes, failed to yield the right of way, was driving at an excessive rate of speed, and failed to exercise due care for the safety of those in the area, including the Plaintiff.

Following the truck accident the plaintiff had an immediate onset of back and neck pain. She was transferred from the scene of the accident to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital’s Emergency Department. She was given pain medication and instructed to seek follow up treatment.

Over the next two days our client's pain and discomfort got much worse. Her pain became so bad that she sought medical care from West Suburban Hospital’s Emergency Department on February 6, 2009. There she reported increasing neck pain, mid/upper/lower back pain, headaches, lower abdominal pain and left flank pain. A history was taken, she was examined and diagnostic tests were performed. She was given more pain medication and instructed to follow up with her physician.

Due to her ongoing complaints of pain and discomfort the plaintiff sought treatment from an orthopaedic physician beginning on February 11, 2009. She complained of neck and back pain and stiffness as well as left wrist pain. The doctor found muscle spasms and muscle stiffness upon examination and prescribed a course of physical therapy. An MRI was ordered, which showed injuries to her low back and neck.

The physician determined that our client reached maximum medical improvement as of March 25, 2009 and discharged her from his care. Despite being discharged she continued to suffer from periodic pain and discomfort both in her lower back in her neck for several months.

As a result of her injuries our client incurred over $18,000 in medical bills and she also missed a week of work.

The accident case settled for $60,000 without a lawsuit being filed. The Cincinnati Insurance Group insures the defendant.

On the South Side of Chicago, five firefighters and two others were injured when a vehicle and a fire truck collided on Saturday around 5 p.m., according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The car crash occurred at 67th Street and Jeffery Avenue as the Chicago Fire Department engine was responding to an alarm on South Brandon Avenue.

The fire truck was eastbound on 67th when it was reportedly hit by a car. The engine then hit a pole.

5 firefighters were injured and taken by ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Trinity Hospital, and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. One was in serious-to-critical condition.

The male driver and female passenger of the other vehicle were taken to Northwestern, and the passenger is in critical condition. The driver, a Chicago resident, was ticketed by the Chicago Police Department for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, no insurance and damage to city property.

In this type of case, hopefully the injured passenger has an auto insurance policy of her own, as it appears the driver of her car was uninsured. If insured, the passenger can make an uninsured motorist claim against her own policy. The Chicago car accident lawyer that represents her will also take a close look at the police report and interview witnesses to see if there is any liability on the part of the fire department.

Also see the story as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, and see ABC News for an accident photo.

Six people were injured-- three of them young children -- in a Chicago trucking accident on Thursday.

The accident occurred when a car trying to enter the Bishop Ford Expressway collided with a semi-tractor trailer truck, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

A gold Buick LeSabre was rear-ended as it tried to merge onto the expressway at 130th Street. The Buick lost control and was hit by the trailer of the truck, pinning the victims.

A Fire Department spokesman reported that the accident occurred at about 10 a.m. and blocked the southbound lanes near where a chemical spill closed the same stretch of road on Wednesday.

In that incident, a trooper with the Chicago State Police noticed a semi leaking corrosive liquid, which forced the highway's closure, according to the Sun-Times.

It is the latest in a series of incidents on the Expressway: On July 10, a construction worker was struck by a drunk driver in an accident on Bishop Ford, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In Thursday's trucking accident, the victims of both cars were taken to MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island and Roseland Community Hospital.

Three of those injured were in good to fair condition and three were in fair to serious condition when first taken to the hospital, according to authorities.

While police reported the Buick tried to merge improperly, a Chicago car accident lawyer could help the victims determine their rights. While the Buick driver is at least partially at fault, all the passengers in that car will have a good personal injury case. Also, if the truck driver was injured, he or she may have a work injury case and a claim against the other driver's insurance carrier.

In the second accident, the construction worker would have a case against the driver that hit him and also can pursue a workers' compensation case for getting hurt on the job.

A teenage driver has filed a personal injury lawsuit after an Illinois trucking accident left her paralyzed.

Jessica Baker, 19, filed suit last week against 12 people and companies involved in the muli-car collision on I-270 on Feb. 4, 2008 which left her 2001 Saturn trapped beneath the semi.

The Chicago trucking accident lawyers and car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes encourage anyone who has been in an accident with a semi or large commercial vehicle to seek the advice of a qualified attorney. This case illustrates the serious injuries and complex issues such a case presents to an injury victim seeking compensation for damages.

This lawsuit involved the tractor owner, Nicholae Valeanu who was driving the tractor, Stoughton, which owned the trailer being hauled, and nearly a dozen other defendants.

According to the complaint filed in Madison County Circuit Court, defendant Valeanu was driving a tractor-trailer in front of Baker when he rear-ended a Chevrolet Impala, which caused a chain-reaction collision that also involved an Air Products and Chemical's trailer.

Baker collided with the rear of Valeanu's trailer because she could not see the accident unfolding in front of him, the lawsuit states, according to the The Record of Madison/St. Clair.

The lawsuit claims the trailer Valeanu was hauling was not equipped with a properly affixed rear impact guard, which is designed to prevent cars from traveling underneath the trailer during a rear-end collision.

The suit alleges that the fasteners connecting the rear-impact guard were corroded and damaged due to normal wear and were not durable enough to withstand the impact.

"Due to the failure of the fasteners and the height of the Stoughton Trailer frame, the windshield, roof and upper A-Pillars of Jessica's 2001 Saturn struck the rear of the Stoughton Trailer," the complaint says. "The trailer impact to the upper A-Pillars of Jessica's 2001 Saturn with the rear of the Stoughton Trailer frame deformed the upper A-Pillars rearward and downward pulling the roof panel downward allowing the trailer to ride over and compress the roof panel into occupant survival space such that Jessica's head came into contact with the roof headliner and panel, breaking her cervical spine and lacerating her head."

Because of the injury to her cervical spine, Baker was paralyzed and remains a quadriplegic, she claims.

She contends that her paralysis could have been avoided if the rear impact guard was properly attached to the back of the trailer.

"Had the rear impact guard on the Stoughton Trailer been attached with adequate fasteners that could withstand at least as much force as the rear impact guard itself, excessive underride would not have occurred," the complaint says.

Baker was wearing her seatbelt and the airbag deployed, but the lack of adequate safety features on the trailer made the safety equipment in Baker's automobile largely ineffective, the lawsuit claims.

In addition to Valeanu, Bronnbauer, Stoughton Trailer, Kleinschmidt and Air Product and Chemicals, other defendants in the suit include Motor City Express, Challenger Motor Freight, James Group International, James Group International II, Inc., James Group Midwest, STI Holdings and Kevin M. Ryan.

Motor City Express, James Group International, James Group International II, James Group Midwest and Challenger Motor Freight agreed to provide tractor trailer transportation. At the time of the collision, Valeanu was driving a tractor trailer for the companies, according to the complaint.

STI Holdings manufactured the vehicle Valeanu was driving at the time of the collision, the complaint says.

Ryan was driving a 2007 Freightliner tractor and a compressed gas trailer for Air Products and Chemicals, which was the trailer initially stopped on the Interstate, the suit states.

Baker is seeking a judgment in excess of $500,000.

Continue reading "Illinois trucking accident lawsuit seeks damages for teenager left paralyzed" »

The tough economy is forcing people to reduce their automobile insurance, increase their deductibles, shop for cheaper coverage and, in some cases, even cancel their insurance.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes urge motorists to carry as much uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage as they can afford. Reducing expenses by reducing auto insurance is shortsighted at best -- the cost is minimal compared to the expense of being hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver.

The Insurance Research Council reports that a recent survey found 15 percent of those surveyed said they had increased their deductibles or reduced their coverage in order to reduce their premium costs.

Nine percent of those surveyed said they canceled or did not renew vehicle coverage in response to the economic downturn.

Encouragingly, the survey found most homeowners and drivers have continued their insurance coverage, even if they shopped for a lower rate.

"These findings confirm that most Americans recognize the importance of maintaining essential insurance coverage on their homes and cars," said Elizabeth A. Sprinkel, senior vice president of the IRC. "But they also show that Americans are willing to shop and reevaluate their insurance needs in order to reduce insurance costs."

And a proposal awaits the signature of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn that would make failure to carry auto insurance a criminal offense, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Current law allows for a fine of up to $1,000 and license suspension of up to 6 months.

Chicago car accident attorney Dave Abels was recently interviewed about the new law and blogged about the inadequacy of the state's mandatory minimum insurance of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident.

The new law is tougher, but still not tough enough.

Here is the big problem with the insurance law in Illinois. The minimum coverage is still $20,000 per person, and $40,000 per occurrence. No amount of money is going to bring a loved one back or make a family whole again, but $20,000 is a slap in the face. (I have handled car accident death cases where the victim incurred over $500,000 in medical bills before passing away).

Continue reading "Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes urge motorists to maintain proper car insurance " »

A Chicago truck driving faces vehicular homicide charges and a wrongful death lawsuit for a Pennsylvania trucking accident that killed a woman last fall. The family is also suing Vidov Trucking of Indiana.

Pennsylvania state police charged the truck driver this week. Authorities say his container truck was too high when it struck an overpass, knocking the container onto an SUV and killing the driver, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Morning Call reports the driver was charged with homicide by vehicle and related offenses and the family of the victim, Michelle LaMaze, has filed a civil lawsuit seeking damages.

Authorities report the container the trucker was hauling exceeded the 13 feet 6 inch height limit when it struck the overpass.

The truck driver reportedly told police that he did not measure the container, did not know how high it was and could not say how fast he was traveling at the time of impact. Police also report that the container was not properly fastened to the semi and that the truck was not permitted for an oversize load, which would have required it to be re-routed to avoid low overpasses.

He also told police he could not detail his route or report his destination because he was relying upon a GPS system, according to the Morning Call.

Continue reading "Chicago truck driver faces charges, lawsuit from fatal trucking accident" »

In Chicago, Illinois a driver was killed in a three vehicle accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway early Friday morning. The accident happened in the southbound lanes around 4:20 a.m. The motorist killed was driving a minivan that hit a semi truck after the truck slammed on its brakes to avoid an accident. The trucker braked because a car in front of the truck had just hit the left side retaining wall and came to a complete stop in the center lane.

The Illinois State Police responded to the accident and are handling the investigation. Three lanes were initially closed after the accident, and two lanes remained closed for the morning rush hour. No tickets were reportedly issued.

If the family of the minivan driver retains a Chicago Car Accident Lawyer, they would likely pursue a claim against the driver in front that lost control and came to a stop on the expressway. While liability could be disputed, an insurance carrier would likely pay on the claim due to the severity of the accident. A claim against the truck driver's insurance carrier would be investigated as well.

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An elderly man from the southern Chicago suburb of Orland Park has been killed in a motor vehicle accident, according to the Southtown Star. It is alleged that his car ran a red light and was hit by a commercial truck in the intersection.

The car crash happened at 80th Ave. and Wheeler Drive on Thursday at around 3:45 pm when a southbound box truck slammed into a Toyota Corolla. The driver, Walter Zyck, 91 was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where he later passed away from his injuries.

His car incurred serious damage and emergency workers had to extricate him from the vehicle. The Orland Park Police Department is investigating the accident and they are reportedly asking anyone who witnessed the occurrance to call (708) 349-4111.

As a Chicago Car Accident Lawyer, here is what I want to know: Were there any witnesses to the accident? Were there red light cameras at the intersection? If not, how do we know what actually happened? The trucker is stating the victim ran the red light, but his testimony will not be admissible in court (under the Illinois Dead Man's Act).

It has not been reported if the victim's family has retained a Chicago Injury Lawyer, but if no witnesses to the crash have been identified, it would be a good idea to seek legal counsel.

Two older women from Chicago were killed and two others injured in an accident that authorities attribute to snowy conditions on the road. According to the Elgin Courier-News, the women were driving south when their car slid on the pavement and landed in the path of northbound traffic, where it was hit by a semi truck. The truck driver was not injured, but two of the women in the car, both 70, were killed. Two others were hospitalized in critical or serious condition in Rockford.

Unfortunately, this sort of tragedy is a common outcome of an accident between an ordinary passenger car and a large truck (a semi, tractor-trailer or 18-wheeler). Trucks are many times the size and weight of a passenger vehicle. In an accident, simple physics means their greater weight brings greater force to the collision. Their bumpers also tend to be so much higher that cars’ bumpers can’t do their job -- absorbing some of the shock of the impact. Rather, trucks’ bumpers are very frequently at the same level as the torsos, necks or heads of the people in the cars.

This can be disastrous for the occupants of the smaller vehicle, who are frequently killed or very seriously injured in accidents with trucks. According to the federal Department of Transportation, only 6% of fatalities in multi-vehicle trucking accidents in 2007 were the deaths of people inside the trucks. That’s true regardless of who was at fault for the accident. Statistically, truck drivers are much safer drivers than average, but when they do make mistakes, the consequences for the victims are very serious.

In this case, the facts suggest that the crash truly was an accident. But in cases where a truck driver’s bad decisions caused or contributed to a serious crash, victims have the right to hold the trucker -- and any trucking company at fault -- legally and financially responsible for the results. That includes hospital bills and other medical costs, any funeral costs, missed work and other expenses, as well as compensation for a wrongful death or permanent disability. To learn more from our Chicago truck accident attorneys, please contact us online as soon as possible.