Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

An Illinois truck crash on Illinois 394 has claimed the life of a 49-year-old woman, according to Fox news. The incident occurred on Friday around 6 PM during the evening rush hour.

A semi truck driver traveling north on the highway somehow lost control and drove cross the grassy center median into oncoming southbound traffic. This occurred just as the vehicle passed Glenwood Lansing Road.

After the truck entered the southbound lanes it collided with an SUV, which burst into flames, killing the driver. She has been identified as Mary Lacy. There were no passengers in the SUV. The truck came to a stop in the middle of the southbound lanes. The driver, a Valparaiso Indiana resident, was reportedly not hurt.

The Illinois State Police are handling the investigation and crash reconstruction. They're trying to figure out what caused the trucker to lose control.

It is being reported that several sand barrels were hit by the truck. The barrels were being used to mark a construction zone. The Fox news story is speculating that the truck driver possibly drifted off the side of the road, struck a guardrail and then lost control, driving across the median and into oncoming traffic.

Once the state police investigation has been completed, they should be able to determine if speed played a role in the crash.

Police are reportedly speaking with the trucker. They will also be checking his log books to see if fatigue may have been a factor, and they will also investigate whether he was on his cell phone or texting. There was supposedly no evidence of drugs or alcohol playing a role.

It has not been reported if a Chicago personal injury law firm is involved in the case yet or if there is a civil lawsuit on file.

After the crash, both sides of the highway had to be shut down for a period of time.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, in the year 2010 alone there were 10,343 accidents involving tractor-trailers. Of those truck accidents, 84 resulted in fatalities and 1,836 resulted in injuries.

The State of Illinois further reports that semi truck accidents made up 9.8% of all fatal crashes last year. The number of fatal tractor-trailer crashes increased by over 35% from the year 2009, with the number of fatalities going up by 50%, from 64 in 2009 to 96 in 2010.

Continue reading "49-year-old woman killed in deadly Chicago-area truck accident" »

A Chicago-area motorcycle crash that occurred on Friday night on Interstate 88 has claimed the life of an Aurora resident, according to the Beacon News. A witness to the accident is saying that an Illinois state trooper caused the accident.

The victim, age 29, was riding to Chicago with two friends who were on two separate motorcycles. According to state police, around 9:15 PM in the area of Winfield Road, one of the bikers swerved in front of the other, and that led to the second biker taking evasive action.

But a friend of the motorcyclist killed is stating that a state trooper was the main factor in causing the accident. The witness is saying that the motorcyclists were cut off by a police car. The witness was reportedly riding around 150 feet behind the accident.

He says that, for reasons unknown, the police vehicle passed motorcycle riders, and then hit the brakes. This caused the victim to swerve, but he was unable to complete the maneuver, and was ejected off of his bike. He might have then been hit by a passing truck. The rider next to him was able to pull his cycle over to the side of the interstate.

Witnesses also said that the state police car did not have lights or sirens activated. The other bikers did not know the vehicle was a police car until it passed them by.

A spokesperson for the Illinois State Police is stating that the accident is still under investigation and that no further information is being released yet. They are also saying it is also unknown yet if drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident. However, the victim's friends and stated that he had not been drinking and that he was wearing a motorcycle helmet.

To make matters worse, it is being alleged that when the victim's wife arrived at the scene, she started to run towards the victim and was then tackled by police, causing minor injuries.

It is further being reported that friends and family of the deceased have called in a branch of the NAACP to help fully investigate the occurrence. Other than the fact that the victim was African-American, there is no other reason given as to why the NAACP was contacted, and no other indication that race played a role in the state trooper's alleged actions. Further, it was nighttime and the victim was wearing a helmet, so it is unclear as to how the state trooper would have known the race of the motorcyclist.

It has not been reported if a Chicago motorcycle accident lawyer is involved in the case yet or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.

Continue reading "Deadly Illinois motorcycle accident – witnesses say state trooper at fault" »

Two people have died in an Illinois car crash caused by a man who drove his red Porsche the wrong way down an Illinois tollway. The man had allegedly been arrested for DUI twice in the past, the Chicago Tribune is reporting. Police are still trying to figure out why the man was driving recklessly and why there was U.S. currency flying out of the care before the accident.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the collision occurred near Lisle, Illinois on I-88, in between I-355 and Route 53, during the early evening on Saturday. The 43 year-old driver of the Porsche was heading east when he used an emergency vehicle turnaround to enter the westbound lanes, and continued to head east. Soon after, the Porsche collided with a 2004 Toyota Corolla carrying three people, killing two and placing one in critical condition.

Illinois State Police identified the two victims as a 37 year-old woman and her 74 year-old father. A 42 year-old passenger is in critical condition. The family was on their way to a mosque when the crash occurred, and other family members headed to the same destination were close enough to hear the collision and make an attempt to pull the victims from the wreckage.

The Chicago Tribune later reported that witnesses saw money flying out of the Porsche as it was driving down the road. One witness said that when she passed by the driver, she saw the man grab a handful of cash from his passenger seat and throw it out the window. She also saw multiple cars pull off to the shoulder of the road in what she assumed was an effort to pick up the ejected money.

The man’s previous DUI arrests were drug, not alcohol related, the Tribune article stated, although he was convicted in 2010 for transporting open alcohol containers after police found three empty beer cans in his car. The man had been a practicing dentist in Naperville, Illinois, but had quit around a year ago because he said he was losing money. On July 28 of this year, his mortgage company filed foreclosure documents on his Naperville, Illinois home.

No matter how many precautions you may take while driving, there are always factors beyond your control that can cause serious injury or death, such as the wrong way motorist in this accident.

It has not been reported if a Chicago injury lawyer is involved in this case yet or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.

It has been a dangerous week of Chicago area motorcycle crashes as a string of collisions have the claimed the lives of five people.

A 37 year-old woman was killed in Dolton, Illinois after a man driving a Ford SUV failed to yield to her before taking a left turn, causing her to collide into the SUV. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the motorist involved in SUV vs. motorcycle crash, who was driving with his 16 year-old nephew, exited his vehicle, removed his license plate, and attempted to leave the scene after the accident. A group of residents were able to restrain the man until police arrived, however, and he was soon placed under arrest.

According to 2008 nationwide statistics from the NSTSA, these types of accidents, where an automobile driver taking a left turn fails to yield to an oncoming motorcyclist, accounted for 41% of all fatal accidents involving a motorcycle and another car. This type of collision is particularly dangerous because the rider’s momentum continues as their vehicle comes to a sudden halt, resulting in them being launched headfirst into the street at a high velocity.

In another incident, a 26 year-old man and a 23 year-old woman were killed in Wheeling after the motorcycle they were riding lost control and struck a utility box. The Chicago Daily Herald is reporting that prior to the crash, Buffalo Grove police attempted to pull over the man and his passenger after they sped away from a gas station on the 200 block of Milwaukee Avenue. After seeing the officer’s emergency lights, the pair sped away at what was described as a high rate of speed. As is protocol, the officer did not pursue the riders and alerted the Wheeling police that a speeding motorcycle was headed their way.

Soon after, at about 3:07 a.m., Wheeling police responded to a crash at the intersection of Milwaukee Road and Center Avenue where the riders were found dead. It appears that the riders, who were not wearing helmets at the time, were traveling at a right rate of speed when the driver lost control. Police are still working on reconstructing exactly how the crash occurred.

The Chicago Tribune reported on two other accidents where motorcyclists were killed as well. The first occurred in Glenview, Illinois when a 26 year-old man failed to obey a stop sign on Magnolia Street before attempting a left turn onto East Lake Avenue. A driver traveling eastbound down the center lane struck the rider, who was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. The other accident reported in the Tribune involved a 51 year-old man who died after rear-ending a car on the Dan Ryan expressway and losing control of his vehicle.

Summers are traditionally a dangerous time for riders in Illinois. After the long winter, motorcyclists come out in droves to take advantage of the state’s warm weather and lack of mandatory helmet laws. In fact, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the number of registered motorcycles in Illinois has risen 76% since 1999 to go along with the 26% increase in fatalities during that same period.

While motorcyclists cannot control the negligence of automobile drivers on the road, there are a number of things they can do to hopefully reduce their injuries:

• WEAR A HELMET! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that wearing a helmet saved the lives of 1,829 riders in 2008
• Drive defensively and do not assume other drivers can see you or are aware of your presence. The NHTSA reports that the majority of multiple-vehicle motorcycle accidents happen because the motorist does not see the rider
• Make sure your lights are functioning so people can see you
• Don’t drive too fast. Even experienced riders can lose control

Continue reading "A rash of Illinois motorcycle accidents leaves 5 riders dead " »

A fatal Illinois auto accident that occurred early Sunday morning in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood has resulted in a 16-year-old minor being charged with first-degree murder, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting. The teenager crashed a stolen Range Rover while being chased by police, striking and killing a Chicago 911 dispatcher who was driving home from work.

The minor is being charged as an adult with first-degree murder, burglary, DUI, failing to stop at a red light, and disobeying a stop sign. The teen's name is not being released.

The tragic incident started when officers conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of W. Blackhawk St. and Elston Avenue around 6:15 AM for a red light violation occurred at Elston and Webster. When police got out of their vehicle, the driver reversed towards the officers and hit a police supervisor's vehicle.

Chicago police then pursued the Range Rover, which was a stolen vehicle that is owned by a resident of Bellwood, Illinois. The driver sped north on Elston, then turned onto W. Cortland St., turned north on N. Ashland Ave., and next went west on Armitage to Damen Avenue.

The driver made a few more turns and then collided the victim when he disregarded the stop sign at North Hoyne Avenue and Armitage. The police chase lasted between 1.5 to 2 miles.

The victim, a 42-year-old woman, was later identified as a 911 dispatcher who was heading home from her place of employment at the time of the crash. She was rushed to Illinois Masonic Medical Center where she was pronounced dead less than an hour after the accident. An autopsy is scheduled to take place on Monday.

Accident witnesses are stating that the 911 dispatcher's car hit a fire hydrant after the impact with the Range Rover. The SUV hit a parked car after the first impact. The teenage driver tried to flee the scene of the accident through an alley, but was caught by police and arrested.

The minor was taken to an area hospital after the collision, and will remain in police custody. Witnesses report the teenager sustained a head injury in the accident.

There were no passengers in either vehicle, and no one else was injured.

The investigation is being handled by Grand Central Area detectives and the Major Accident Investigation Unit of the Chicago Police Department. The defendant is to appear in criminal court on Monday at Branch 66, 26th and California.

Click here to read the story as reported by NBC news and Fox news.

Continue reading "16-year-old boy faces murder charges after causing deadly Chicago car crash" »

An Illinois taxi vs. pedestrian collision has left one person dead and two others injured when a cab driver lost control on the morning of June 27, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The incident occurred just before 8:50 AM in the 300 block of E. Illinois Street.

The cab driver reportedly lost control, fatally striking a pedestrian and crashing into a parking garage. The taxi driver and his passenger were both injured when the vehicle hit the garage in the Streeterville neighborhood. Witnesses and police are stating that the passenger was female and she had to be cut out of the backseat. As Chicago fire department personnel worked to extricate her from the vehicle, the male pedestrian's body was laying in the street under a sheet.

The two injured people were taken by ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious to critical condition.

The accident was picked up on surveillance video from a nearby business. The pedestrian victim is shown walking eastbound on Illinois. The taxicab then skids off the road towards the pedestrian and the garage, and then the victim disappears from view.

A 23-year-old Chicago Tribune employee was at scene the to witness the crash. He stated he saw a Checker cab going fast on Illinois Street. The taxi then may have been cut off by another, swerved and hit the pedestrian on the sidewalk on the north side of the street.

NBC news is reporting that the cab driver is 71 years old and does not have a great driving record. He has received more than 30 traffic tickets between 1988 and 2010. The moving violations include failing to obey red lights, stop sign violations, speeding, obstructing traffic and improperly changing lanes.

The victim, a man in his 50s, was a dishwasher at Navy Pier seafood store and a resident of Rogers Park.

The Chicago Police Department handled the crash investigation. They issued citations to the cab driver for driving too fast for conditions and failing to show due care to a pedestrian.

This same intersection is the location where a fatal tour bus vs. pedestrian accident took place in May. The bus was turning and struck a pedestrian in the crosswalk. The driver was later charged with DUI.

The summertime can be dangerous for pedestrians in downtown Chicago. Just days after the June 27 accident, more pedestrians were injured on July 1 on Michigan Avenue, according to the Tribune.

Two pedestrians were hit in the crosswalk by a driver headed in the wrong direction. The collision took place around 5:15 PM in the 200 block of N. Michigan Ave.

The woman was reportedly in her 80s and was driving southbound in the northbound lanes. The pedestrians hit were a 35-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman. After the collision with the pedestrians, the motorist struck a northbound vehicle, and the northbound vehicle was then knocked into a third vehicle.

The pedestrians were taken by Chicago Fire Department ambulance to Northwestern Hospital. One of the injured was in serious to critical condition. The 80-year-old motorist was also taken to Northwestern, but her injuries were not reported.

It has not been reported if a Chicago car accident attorney is involved in either of the above cases, or if any civil lawsuits are on file yet.

An Illinois car crash on the Northwest Side of Chicago has claimed the life of two people and injured four others on Sunday morning, according to WGN news. The collision involved to vehicles crashing into a PLS Check Cashiers store.

The victims fatally injured in the accident were a 57-year-old man from Elmwood Park and a 57-year-old woman from Streamwood. Both were taken by ambulance to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and pronounced dead a short time later. The two were on a cleaning crew that were finished working downtown and on their way home.

The two vehicles involved in the accident were a beige Hyundai and a black Honda. The Honda hit a streetlight pole before both vehicles struck the store. The cause of the deadly Chicago accident has not been reported.

Rescue personnel rushed to the scene around 5:25 AM, with everyone listed as seriously to critically injured. Six ambulances were sent to the accident location.

Two of the injured were taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, one to Cook County Hospital and one to our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center.

Read the story in the Chicago Tribune here.

A Chicago area car crash that occurred in March, 2011 and caused the death of a 56-year-old Lake Barrington woman has now resulted in reckless homicide charges being filed against a 40-year-old man from downstate Illinois, according to Tribune Local.

The victim was getting into her vehicle at a car wash back on March 24 when a car being operated by the defendant southbound on US Route 12 left the roadway in the area of Honey Lake Road and crashed into the woman and a second vehicle. The second vehicle was then knocked into a third parked in front of it.

The victim and two other people were taken by Lake Zurich Fire Department ambulances to Good Shepherd Hospital. She later died from injuries sustained in the accident.

The defendant has been charged with reckless homicide and three counts of driving under the influence of drugs, all felonies. He allegedly had cannabis in his system at the time of the accident.

The defendant was arrested by the Lake Zurich Police Department last Thursday and is being held on a $1 million bond. Both the Lake County State's Attorney's Office and the Major Crash Assistance Team of Lake County assisted in the investigation. The state's attorney's office approved the criminal charges.

The Carmi Times is reporting that the defendant was traveling around 67 mph at the time of the accident. Further, police recovered marijuana from within the vehicle.

It was not reported if a civil lawsuit has been filed or if an Illinois personal injury lawyer is involved in the case.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Republic.

Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers previously reported that a 75-year-old man was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver at the intersection of Kimball Avenue and North Avenue on April 1. Now comes word that a 38-year-old West Side resident has been charged with a felony count of leaving the scene of accident causing death, according to ABC news.

The charge was announced by Chicago police officials on Wednesday. Fox News is reporting that the hit and run driver had previously been cited for driving without insurance, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and failure to give information.

The pedestrian victim was crossing the intersection in the Humboldt Park neighborhood just after 8 PM when he was fatally hit. Police later located the defendant and the vehicle and the 4700 block of W. Washington Blvd.

An autopsy determined the victim died from multiple injuries in the collision. The death was ruled an accident.

The hit-and-run driver was scheduled to appear in bond court on Thursday.

It has not been reported if a pedestrian accident attorney is involved in the case or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.

Read the story in the Chicago Tribune here.

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.

A head-on collision on the West Side of Chicago has claimed the life of two people and injured nine others, according to the Chicago Tribune. The collision occurred in the 1200 block of S. Kostner Ave. in the Lawndale neighborhood on early Saturday morning.

Reportedly a 2003 Mazda SUV that was northbound on Kostner crossed the centerline and struck a 1995 Ford Probe. The impact caused the Mazda to flip over, injuring all 11 people inside. Two of those occupants died. The victims were a 19-year-old Chicago resident and a still unidentified woman in her 40s. One of the victims died at the scene, and the other passed away a short time later at a hospital. Two others remain in critical condition at Mount Sinai Hospital.

The driver of the SUV, a 39-year-old Chicago woman, has now been charged with several counts of aggravated DUI. The specific evidence of intoxication was not reported. The driver was charged with a total of 10 felonies.

Click here to read the story as reported by ABC news and the Chicago Sun-Times.

A Chicago area accident has resulted in the death of a woman, and criminal charges against an alleged drunk driver, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting. The accident occurred on Monday just after 5 AM at Balmoral Park Racetrack in Crete, Illinois.

Will County prosecutors allege a 41-year-old man was intoxicated when he drove his truck into a horse on the track, killing a woman that was riding it. They allege the motorist drank approximately five or six shots while at a barn at the track prior to the collision.

The victim, age 25, died from head injuries, while another woman riding on the horse, age 21, sustained a fractured leg which required surgery to repair.

The driver allegedly had a blood-alcohol level of 0.147, almost twice the legal limit. He has been charged with four counts of aggravated DUI. A Will County Judge set the defendant's bond at $500,000 and he faces up to 14 years in prison.

It is also being reported that the defendant may have been engaged to the victim, however the victim's family has stated that is not true.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Tribune and NBC News in Chicago.

It has not been reported if a civil lawsuit is been filed or if a Chicago personal injury lawyer is involved in the case yet.

A deadly Chicago pedestrian accident on the North Side has claimed the life of a 75-year-old man, according to the Chicago Tribune. The collision occurred in Logan square just after 8 PM last Friday evening at the intersection of Kimball Avenue and North Avenue.

The victim was transported by ambulance to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in critical condition and pronounced dead less than an hour later.

After the accident the driver involved fled the scene. Chicago police located the car in the 4700 block of W. Washington Blvd. The Chicago Police Department's major accident investigation unit is now involved and a man has been taken into police custody.

As the weather warms up in the Chicago land area, drivers have to be on the lookout for more and more pedestrians in crosswalks and at other locations. In the year 2009 alone, 111 pedestrians were killed in Illinois accidents, and 13 of those pedestrians were age 75 and older, that according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

It was not reported if an Illinois pedestrian accident attorney is involved in this case yet.

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

Anyone with information regarding the collision should contact the major accident investigation unit at (312) 745-4521.

An auto accident in the north suburbs of Chicago has resulted in the death of a high school student, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The teen victim was riding as a passenger when the vehicle he was riding in lost control on a curve and ran into a tree.

The deadly Illinois accident took place early Thursday morning in Arlington Heights around 12:40 AM when a Hyundai moving south 400 block of S. Windsor Dr. lost control and left the road. The vehicle was only moving slightly above the 25 mph speed limit, but police say the street was wet from a recent snow.

The Arlington Heights Police Department responded to the scene of the accident, and they reportedly had to cut off the roof of the vehicle in their attempt to rescue the passenger. The16-year-old was transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The news story does not report when the teenager passed away.

The driver of the vehicle, also age 16, sustained minor injuries in the crash. Drugs and alcohol did not play a role in the accident. Both of the teens were wearing seatbelts and the vehicle's airbags properly deployed.

The teenage victim is an Arlington Heights resident.

A multiple vehicle car crash in Southern Illinois has caused the death of one person and injured four others, according to CBS news. The collision occurred Wednesday afternoon just before 3 PM on Interstate 57 in Union County, Illinois.

Local officials are saying that a 56-year-old man from Anna was pronounced dead at the scene. He was riding as a passenger in a pickup truck.

Illinois state police are stating that the accident occurred when a Camaro struck a cattle trailer from the rear around mile marker 39. The truck lost control, separated from the trailer and ended up in the median.

The truck was occupied by a driver and two passengers, one of which was killed. Another passenger, age 74, was transported by helicopter to a Cape Girardeau hospital for medical attention. The nature of that passengers injuries have not been reported. The 50-year-old driver of the rear ended truck was seriously injured and taken to an area hospital.

The Camaro driver and his three-year-old passenger were taken to an area hospital with no serious injuries. Illinois state police ticketed the 26-year-old driver with failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident, speeding, driving with a suspended license, failure to wear seat belt, and failure to secure child in a car seat.

It has not been reported if an Illinois personal injury lawyer is involved in the case yet.

An Illinois pedestrian collision has resulted in the death of a three-year-old boy in Bridgeview on Tuesday afternoon, according to WGN news. The deadly incident occurred when a family member backing out of the driveway rolled over him.

The collision took place in the 8100 block of S. Odell Avenue around 12:45 PM. The child was taken by ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and pronounced dead a short time later. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

The Bridgeview Police Department is handling the investigation, and they have reportedly brought in an outside accident reconstruction team to assist them. Police are saying that it is doubtful that charges will be brought against the driver.

The article goes on to report that, according to kidsandcars.org, at least 50 children nationwide are involved in back over accidents each week. Out of those 50 children, two are killed and 48 are seriously hurt.

An Illinois auto accident that occurred Friday afternoon around 5 PM on Route 66 just south of Pontiac, Illinois has resulted in the death of one person and injuries to several others, according to visitpontiac.com. The accident was a head-on collision between an SUV and a car.

When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, three of the four injured were unconscious. There were 3 occupants in the SUV and one in the car. The driver of the car was helicoptered to OSF in Peoria. The others were taken by ambulance to OSF St. James Hospital in Pontiac.

An accident reconstruction unit from the Illinois State Police has been sent to the scene for an investigation. Pontiac Police, Pontiac Fire, Duffy Ambulance, Livingston County Sheriff's Police, Illinois State Police, Saunemin Fire and SELCAS Ambulance all responded to the scene of the accident.

Pantagraph.com is reporting that the victim that died in the accident was a backseat passenger in a northbound vehicle.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Pontiac Daily Leader.

An Illinois pedestrian accident has claimed the life of a man in his 30s on Thursday night, according to the Chicago breaking news center. The pedestrian victim was killed while standing on the side of Interstate 55 Near Damon Ave.

Police have located the hit-and-run vehicle but have not stated whether they are questioning anyone in connection with the accident. The Illinois State Police are handling the crash investigation.

The pedestrian accident occurred just after 10 PM as the victim was standing on the right shoulder near his vehicle in the northbound lanes. He was transported by ambulance to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.

It is not been reported if a Chicago pedestrian accident attorney is involved in this case yet. Unfortunately, in hit and run accidents, even if the driver is located, in my experience most of the time they are not insured. The Illinois personal injury lawyer that gets involved in the case could very likely pursue a hit and run / uninsured motorist claim against the driver's own policy.

An Illinois pedestrian accident has resulted in the death of the 76-year-old woman who was hit and killed by a minivan in the parking garage at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights on Wednesday morning, according to Tribune Local. The pedestrian victim was reportedly walking in a marked area for pedestrians at the time of the accident.

The woman was struck by a red Chrysler van that was being operated by a 59-year-old driver from Mount Prospect. The pedestrian became trapped under the vehicle and rescue personnel from the fire department and hospital staff tried to treat her while others tried to lift the vehicle and free her. Once she was able to be removed she was taken a short distance to the emergency room with multiple injuries and she died a short time later.

It is being reported that surveillance cameras are helping police reconstruct the accident scene. No traffic citations or criminal charges have been filed against the at fault motorist, but the Arlington Heights police investigation is still ongoing.

It is not been reported if a Chicago pedestrian accident attorney is involved in the case yet. As the weather warms up in Chicago, more and more pedestrians will be on the street and Illinois motorists have to keep a proper lookout for them. The Illinois Secretary of State's office reports that in the year 2008 alone 135 pedestrians were killed in the State of Illinois and nationwide over 4,500 pedestrians were killed and approximately 60,000 were injured.

A Chicago area car crash has claimed the life of a 49-year-old man from Elgin, according to WGN. The accident occurred on Monday and involved multiple vehicles in the area of 500 block of East Lake Street in Streamwood, Illinois.

The crash occurred around 2:15 pm. The victim was taken by ambulance to Saint Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates where he was pronounced dead around 6:15 pm.

When police responded to the accident scene, they found 4 vehicles had been involved and there were several victims with injuries. Some involved had to be extricated from their cars. A part of Lake Street had to be closed in both directions for a period of time after the crash.

The Streamwood police are handling the investigation and the cause of the accident has not been reported yet.

It is being alleged that the Clerk of Lynwood was driving while intoxicated when he caused an accident while driving the wrong way on Route 394, and now an Illinois car accident and wrongful death attorney has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a victim's family.

The defendant's vehicle reportedly struck two cars while driving the wrong direction on Illinois Highway 394 last Friday, which resulted in the death of a 32-year-old mother of 4 children from Chicago. The lawsuit alleges the clerk was careless and negligent when he drove a 2008 Ford Taurus the wrong way.

The victim's family is being represented by Attorney Joe Vitu of Chicago. The lawsuit was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

The Illinois State Police have reportedly charged the defendant with DUI and disobeying a traffic control device. No additional charges have been filed yet by the Cook County States Attorneys Office, however it is very possible that the criminal charges will be upgraded to felonies.

Click here to read the story as reported by CBS News and NWI.com.

An off duty Bolingbrook police officer was killed in a Chicago area car crash this past Sunday, according to Tribune Local. The collision occurred in Oswego, Illinois while he was on the way to religious services with his wife around 8:30 AM

The officer was riding as a passenger at the time of the accident and his wife was driving. The car lost control and left the roadway, hitting a tree and rolling over. The victim was ejected from the vehicle. His wife only sustained minor injuries.

The officer was taken by ambulance to an Aurora hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.

The incident took place in unincorporated Oswego near Stewart and Woolly roads. The Kendall County Sheriff's Department is handling the crash investigation. What caused the vehicle to leave the road and crash has not been reported.

An Illinois car accident has left a 17-year-old Iraqi refugee dead, according to the Chicago Tribune. A Chicago resident has been arrested and charged with a felony after his involvement in the early Sunday morning collision.

The at fault motorist was driving north on Artesian Avenue near North Shore Avenue in an SUV when he allegedly failed to obey a stop sign, according to Chicago police. The SUV hit a Nissan Maxima traveling west on North Shore Avenue. The SUV continued north, struck two parked cars and hit a tree before coming to a stop.

The passengers included the 20-year old driver, 17-year-old victim, and four other teenagers. All of the passengers in the SUV had to be removed from the vehicle by responders to the scene and all were injured.

The teen fatally injured was pronounced dead at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge a short time later. The driver of the Maxima was not hospitalized after the car crash.

The SUV driver was charged with one felony count of aggravated driving under the influence/accidental death as well as a misdemeanor DUI charge. He also received a citation for failing to stop at a stop sign.

The teenage victim, an Orthodox Christian, fled from Iraq to America with her family to avoid religious persecution about five years ago.

It has not been reported if a Chicago accident lawyer is involved in the case yet or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.

Read the story as reported by ABC News and WGNtv here.

The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a truck driver that may have been involved in an Illinois hit-and-run bicycle accident, according to the Chicago Tribune. The accident occurred on Monday around 5:50 PM. The victim and a seriously damaged by were found next to the eastbound lanes in the 300 West block of Pershing Road on the South Side, which is in the Wentworth Gardens neighborhood.

Chicago police believe the bicycle rider was hit by a semi tanker-truck that had a red extended cab. They also report that the truck was traveling at a high rate of speed heading eastbound.

The victim was a 65-year-old male, address still unknown, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Autopsy reports show the bicyclist died from multiple injuries sustained after being hit by a motor vehicle.

Chicago police are asking anyone with information about the accident to immediately contact the major accident investigation unit at 312-745-4521.

It is not been reported if a Chicago bike accident lawyer is involved in the case yet. As far as a civil case is concerned, we can only hope that the truck involved in the accident is located. This would enable the victim's family to make a claim against the truck driver's commercial insurance policy. If the truck is not located, the attorney representing the victim's family would explore the possibility of making an uninsured motorist / hit and run claim against the victim's own auto insurance policy.

A 25-year-old female passenger has been killed in an Illinois auto accident that occurred early Sunday on the near west side of Chicago, according to the Sun-Times. The single car crash took place in the 1600 block of West Harrison Street around 1:50 a.m.

The accident occurred when a 23-year-old male driver hit a tree. The driver is in critical condition at Stroger Hospital and another passenger, a four-year-old boy is in stable condition at University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital.

The female passenger that was fatally injured was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County and pronounced dead less than an hour later.

The Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Unit is handling the investigation. Charges are reportedly pending against the 23 year old driver.

The female that died in the accident is a resident of Fargo, North Dakota.

It has not been reported if a Chicago personal injury lawyer is involved in the case.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Tribune and WGN TV.

An Illinois auto accident has caused the death of a woman from Tinley Park, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The Chicago area motor vehicle accident took place on Wednesday in the 18800 block of South Oak Park Avenue. Details as to what caused the crash of not been reported.

The woman, age 30, who resides in the 16800 block of S. Cicero Ave. passed away around 8 PM on Thursday at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. An autopsy was scheduled to take place on Friday morning.

It has not been reported if a Chicago injury lawyer is involved in the case yet.

In other Illinois accident news, SJ-R.com is reporting that 15 people were injured in a downstate bus versus semi truck accident on Interstate 55 in Montgomery County early Wednesday morning. The bus driver, a 56-year-old Chicago man, was ticketed for failing to reduce the to avoid an accident. The bus driver and 13 passengers received medical treatment at St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield.

The Illinois State police are handling the investigation. They are reporting that the truck was merging onto Interstate 55 southbound when the bus hit the back of the trailer.

A 21-year-old Chicago resident was killed in a car crash that occurred in Rock County, Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon, according to JSOnline. The woman was riding as a passenger in a car being driven by a 48-year-old Chicagoan on Interstate 39. The motorist was allegedly driving too fast for weather conditions, drove into a median and then hit some trees.

The traffic accident occured just before 2 PM and the interstate was reportedly very icy at the time of the accident. The 21-year-old Chicago victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and another passenger, age 17, were taken to Mercy Hospital in Janesville for medical treatment. Their injuries are supposed to be non-life-threatening.

The Wisconsin State Patrol handled the accident investigation

State authorities in Wisconsin urged motorists to stay off the highways if possible on Sunday because of hazardous travel conditions. Several highways were closed in different parts of the State due to severe winter weather. There was a seven car accident on I-94 that shut down the interstate for 3 1/2 hours.

In East St. Louis, Illinois a pedestrian versus motor vehicle accident has resulted in the death of a woman. BND.com is reporting that the collision occurred shortly after 1 AM on Sunday at the intersection of 26 Street and Cleveland Avenue. Police are asking for help as they are still trying to figure out what happened.

The victim has been identified as a 56-year-old East St. Louis resident. It is believed she was going home from the store when the accident occurred. After the collision, the driver involved fled the scene of the accident.

The East St. Louis Police Department is searching for someone in the area that was driving a light-colored SUV. Anyone with information pertaining to the accident should immediately contact police. Call either the East St. Louis Police Department at 482-6700, the Illinois state police at 346-3990 or call Crimestoppers at 866-371-Tips. Crimestopper tips are anonymous and can pay up to $1,000.

A deadly Southern Illinois car crash that occurred back on May 8, 2010 has resulted in a motorist being charged with aggravated DUI, according to TheTelegraph.com. The 30-year-old driver, a resident of Carlinville, Illinois, has been charged with an information that was filed in Macoupin County Circuit Court. A judge has set bond at $100,000.

The charges allege that the defendant was driving a 2007 Chevy Malibu eastbound on Illinois Route 108 when he drove off the road and rolled the vehicle several times. Four occupants in the car were ejected and one of the passengers, a 27-year-old Bethalto resident, died at the scene.

The driver and two other passengers were taken by ambulance to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. The extent of their injuries have not been reported.

Police were initially unsure as to who was driving the vehicle. After investigation by the Illinois State Police (District 18) and the Macoupin County Sheriff's Department, they determined that the defendant was driving. The facts that led to that determination were not reported.

It was also not reported whether an Illinois car crash lawyer is involved in the case or if a wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the victim's family against the driver.

An Illinois personal injury lawyer has filed a lawsuit on behalf of an Oak lawn man who died in a Chicago car vs. pedestrian accident that occurred last Thanksgiving, according to the Neighborhood Star. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Circuit Court of Cook County. The victim's mother has been named special administrator of the estate for the purposes of the suit.

The accident reportedly occurred when the victim was trying to push his disabled vehicle and 6500 block of Cicero Avenue around 3 AM. At that time an alleged drunk and speeding driver struck the pedestrian.

The victim was rushed by ambulance to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where he passed away several hours later. Four other people were hurt in the accident, and five ambulances responded to the crash.

The defendant, a 31-year-old South Side resident, was criminally charged with felony aggravated DUI, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and leaving the scene of an accident.

Also listed as a defendant in the civil lawsuit is a tavern (and its owners) where the driver was allegedly drinking alcohol prior to the crash.

The Illinois pedestrian accident lawyer that is representing the victim's family was not named in the newspaper article.

A motorist that crossed an interstate median has caused an Illinois truck versus car crash, killing himself and a truck driver, according to ksdk.com. The deadly auto accident occurred Wednesday on Interstate 64 in Clinton County.

The Illinois State Police are handling the crash investigation and they are reporting that a car traveled across the median near milepost 36 and headed eastbound in the westbound lanes until it slammed head-on into a semi truck. The wrong way driver, a 39-year-old St. Louis resident, was rushed to a nearby hospital and died a short time later.

The truck driver, a 29-year-old woman from Florida, passed away at the scene of the accident. Her husband, who was riding as a passenger, survived the accident and was taken to nearby St. John's Mercy Hospital with serious injuries.

State police do not know what caused the driver to travel into oncoming traffic. The crash investigation is ongoing.

stltoday.com is reporting that after the collision the truck left the road, struck an embankment and then caught on fire. The trucker was trapped in the vehicle and died in the fire.

The collision occurred just before 5 AM and it shut down part of the highway for around 12 hours.

A Chicago area auto accident has claimed the life of a 17-year-old teenager from Winfield, Illinois, according to the Chicago Tribune. The DuPage County crash took place Saturday evening around 9 PM in unincorporated West Chicago. The driver was pronounced dead just after 4 AM on Sunday.

The teenage driver was traveling in a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta eastbound on Garys Mill Road. Just after he passed Indian Knoll Road a 1997 Ford F-150 pickup truck exited a residential driveway and the Volkswagen then struck the rear portion of the truck.

Winfield Fire Department rescue personnel responded to the accident rushed the teen driver to Central DuPage Hospital. There, he was placed on life support and later passed away. The exact nature of the injuries that caused him to die were not reported.

The accident was investigated by the DuPage County Sheriff's Department. It is not known if citations or other charges were issued to the pickup truck driver.

If the newspaper account of the accident is correct, the victim's family could have a civil claim against the driver of the pickup truck. A motorist exiting a residential driveway has the duty to yield to vehicles on the roadway and not enter the street until it is safe to do so.

The accident is reportedly still under investigation.

Click here to read the stories reported by the Wheaton Sun.

A Cook County Circuit Court Judge has set bond at $200,000 for a defendant due to his alleged involvement in a fatal Chicago area DUI auto accident, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The accident occurred early Saturday morning by the westbound Arlington Heights Road exit ramp on the Jane Addams Tollway.

The defendant, 21-year-old man from Hoffman Estates, has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after he was released from Northwest Community Hospital. The accident resulted in the death of his passenger, a 20-year-old man who was also from Hoffman Estates.

The defendant appeared in Rolling Meadows branch court. Assistant State's Attorneys said that witnesses to the crash observed the defendant driving a Toyota Camry at a high rate of speed and then roll over as it approached the off-ramp. The victim, a former Conant High School athlete, was pronounced dead a short time later at Northwest Community Hospital.

It is not been reported if Illinois personal injury attorneys are involved in the case yet or if a civil lawsuit is been filed on behalf of the victim.

Illinois pedestrian accidents claimed the lives of two people in separate accidents last night in the Chicago area, according to WGN news.

One of the deadly pedestrian hit-and-run crashes occurred in suburban Des Plaines. A teenager was found around 6:20 PM on Friday evening in the area of 906 E. Algonquin Rd. lying in the westbound lanes traffic just East of S. 3rd Ave.

The driver involved in the collision left the scene of the accident before police arrived. The pedestrian was taken by ambulance to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where he was pronounced dead just after 6:30 PM.

The Des Plaines Police Department is asking for help locating the hit-and-run driver. Anyone with information about the accident is being asked to call police at 847-391-5400. Or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers. The pedestrian victim was only 17 years old.

In a second fatal Chicago pedestrian accident, a 35-year-old woman was killed while she was walking the 7300 block of S. Racine Avenue in Chicago around 2:15 AM. The victim was a Chicago resident who lived in the 8600 block of South Aberdeen. The victim was taken by ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where she was pronounced dead a short time later.

The driver that struck the pedestrian was reportedly in police custody and charges are pending. There is no word as to whether Chicago injury attorneys are involved in either case yet.

Chicago injury attorneys have resolved a case that stems from a deadly 2008 truck versus car accident that took place in Huntley, Illinois, according to the Northwest Herald. The accident involved a semi truck driver was under the influence of drugs. A woman was killed in the Illinois truck crash, and her husband and son were severely injured.

The accident happened back on October 31, 2008. The family was stopped in their pickup truck on Route 47 in the area of Interstate 90 waiting to make a turn. At that time their vehicle was rear-ended by a semi truck that was being driven by a 32-year-old driver from Spring Grove.

The truck was reportedly going around 60 mph at the time of impact. The crash pushed the family's pickup truck into an Illinois Department of Transportation dump truck.

The Father was hospitalized for a month with a spinal fracture, facial fractures and respiratory issues. The son suffered two fractured legs, a laceration across his forehead and other head injuries.

The trucker is currently incarcerated, having been sentenced to 45 months in prison. The driver allegedly had smoked marijuana within 12 hours of the accident and there was enough drugs in his system to cause impairment.

The civil lawsuit further alleged that the truck was overloaded, it's left rear turn signal was not working, half of its brakes were out of adjustment, and some brake pads were unsafe due to oil or grease. Also, the suit alleged the trucking company failed to comply with federal regulations by not performing random drug screens on it's drivers and not performing background checks or obtaining copies of each of their driver's driving records.

The lawsuit settled for a total of $6.5 million, which included 4.7 million for the death of the mother, 1.5 million to compensate for her husband's injuries, and $300,000 for injuries to her son. The plaintiffs were represented by John Perconti of Levin & Perconti in Chicago.

A Chicago area hit-and-run pedestrian accident has resulted in the death of a woman and another person being injured, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The accident happened early Monday morning in North Aurora.

Police responded to an accident near State and Grant Streets just after 2 AM involving two vehicles and 2 pedestrians. By the time police arrived, the driver that caused the accident had fled the scene.

It was reported to police that two victims, a man and a woman, were found lying in the street. The male victim was age 22 from North Aurora, and the female was also age 22, from Cicero. The couple was reportedly standing outside the female victim's 1997 Chevy Cavalier when the hit-and-run driver sideswiped a parked vehicle and hit the two pedestrians.

The two injured victims were taken by North Aurora Fire Department ambulance to Provina-Mercy Hospital. The female pedestrian was pronounced dead a short time later and the male is still hospitalized.

Just after 5 AM, a 30-year-old man from Aurora went to the Aurora Police Department and turned himself in for his involvement in the accident. The driver was then transported to the North Aurora Police Department for questioning. His vehicle, 2004 Dodge work van, is being held by police. The name of the hit-and-run driver has not been released.

Anyone with additional information regarding this accident is being asked to call the North Aurora Police Department at 630-897-8705 and ask for traffic investigator Dan Cyko.

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 auto accident has resulted in the death of a man from Peoria Illinois, according to the Chicago Tribune. The crash occurred this past weekend in Will County on Interstate 55.

The victim from Peoria, age 44, died shortly after his Ford Mustang was involved in a separate accident with a Toyota. Just before 7 AM the driver rear-ended a Toyota Camry. After the accident his car was stopped in the left lane of the Interstate.

Unfortunately, the Peoria resident remained in his car while the occupants in the vehicle ahead of him got out to inspect damage. At that time, another Toyota Camry driven by 28-year-old St. Charles resident rear-ended the Mustang with great force, causing it to move forward and strike the occupants of the first Camry.

The driver sitting in his Mustang died at the scene. The three occupants outside their vehicle were were taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Hospital and Silver Cross Hospital.

The Illinois State Police responded to the accident and handled the investigation. The driver of the second Camry involved was ticketed with failure to reduce speed, driving too fast for conditions and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

The investigation is ongoing.

Due to the fact that the driver of the second Toyota Camry did not have insurance, the Illinois personal injury attorneys that get involved in the case will look to set up an uninsured motorist claims on the injured parties' own auto policies. Click here to read more about Illinois uninsured and under-insured motorist claims.

Un accidente de auto en el área de Chicago que implica un carro de policía de Evergreen Park ha resultado en la muerte de un adolescente del sudoeste, según el Southtown Star. El choque sucedió en la intersección de Central Park Avenue y 95th Street en Evergreen Park, alrededor de 9:30 P.M. el martes por la noche.

El vehículo de la policía iba con rumbo al este en 95th en la búsqueda de un vehículo con velocidad exceso cuando chocó el carro de la víctima. El conductor adolescente de Chicago iba hacer una izquierda en la calle 95th oeste de Central Park. Todavía no se ha informado a qué velocidad el vehículo del oficial movía o si luces y sirenas de emergencia fueron activadas.

El adolescente fue trasladado por ambulancia a Christ Medical Center en Oak Lawn, donde fue pronunciado muerto un par de horas despues. Un pasajero en el vehículo del conductor también resultó herido y fue trasladado a Little Company of Mary Hospital. La severidad de sus heridas no se ha informado. El policía también fue llevado a Little Company of Mary Hospital.

La Policía del Condado de Cook estará manejando la investigación del accidente. Los diputados revisarán cintas de video tomadas por el carro de policía para determinar lo que sucedió. La Calle 95 fue cerrada varias horas para una reconstrucción del accidente.

No se ha informado si hay algún abogado de herida de Chicago involucrado en el caso todavía.

A Chicago area auto accident involving an Evergreen Park police car has resulted in the death of the teen from the Southwest Side, according to the Southtown Star. The collision took place at the intersection of Central Park Avenue and 95th St. in Evergreen Park around 9:30 PM on Tuesday night.

The police vehicle was headed east on 95th in pursuit of a speeding vehicle when it hit the victim's car. The Chicago teen driver was making a left onto westbound 95th from Central Park. It has not yet been reported how fast the officer's vehicle was moving or if emergency lights and sirens were activated.

The teenager was taken by ambulance to Christ Medical Center in Oak lawn where he was pronounced dead a couple hours later. A passenger in the driver's vehicle was also injured and taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital. The severity of his injuries has not been reported. The police officer was also taken to Little Company of Mary.

The Cook County Sheriff's Police will be handling the accident investigation. Deputies will reportedly be reviewing videotapes taken by the police car to determine what happened. 95th Street was closed for several hours for an accident reconstruction.

It is not been reported if there are any Chicago personal injury attorneys involved in the case yet.

Click here to read the story as reported by NBC 5.

An Illinois auto accident on S. Lake Shore Dr. has claimed the life of a 22-year-old passenger, according to NBC news. The crash occurred in the area of Hyde Park just after 12 PM on Saturday.

A 20-year-old woman was driving the car when lost control and hit a light pole. The vehicle was headed northbound and the payment was wet at the time of the occurrence. Both driver and passenger were rushed by ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The passenger died a couple hours later at the hospital. The victim was a resident of the 7000 block of S. South Shore Drive.

The at fault driver was ticketed by the Chicago Police Department for driving without insurance. The major accident investigation unit is handling the accident.

As far as a civil claim is concerned, due to the fact defendant was reportedly uninsured, hopefully the victim was covered by his own policy of auto insurance. It is not been reported if the Chicago car accident attorney is involved in the case yet. When a lawyer gets involved, one thing he will look to do is set up an uninsured motorist claim on the passenger's insurance policy. He will also look to verify whether there was any insurance covering the at fault driver.

Click here to read the story as reported by WGN news.

A woman from Chicago was killed a week ago Sunday in an Illinois car crash that occurred in suburban Glendale Heights, according to the Daily Herald. The accident took place around 9 PM at the intersection of Bloomingdale Road and North Avenue.

The victim, Lual Mang, 67, was riding as a passenger at the time of the accident. Glendale Heights police ticketed the driver of the car she was riding in with disobeying a traffic control device and driving without insurance.

The passenger was rushed by ambulance to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood were she was pronounced dead a short time later.

As far as a negligence claim is concerned, hopefully the victim had her own policy of auto insurance. If she did, her family will be able to bring in uninsured motorist claim with her own auto carrier. The insurance carrier of the victim will essentially step into the shoes of the uninsured party and pay on the claim. It was not reported if a Chicago injury lawyer is involved in the case yet.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Click here to read more about Illinois uninsured motorist claims.

The Chicago Daily Herald is reporting that a man from Carpentersville, Illinois has been arrested and is being held in jail due to his alleged involvement in a DuPage County hit-and-run car accident that occurred early on Sunday in West Chicago. The accident resulted in the death of a 27-year-old Schaumburg resident.

The victim was headed northbound on Route 59 in a 2001 Ford escort when the defendant, who was headed eastbound in a 2003 Ford Explorer, disobeyed a traffic signal. The crash was hard enough to cause the Explorer to flip over. The accident victim was rushed to Central DuPage Hospital where he passed away a short time later.

There were six occupants in the Ford Explorer and they all fled the scene of the accident before police arrived. All of the occupants were found at a home in West Chicago shortly after. The investigation is being handled by the West Chicago Police Department.

The defendant has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death, however police are indicating that charges could be upgraded pending the results of alcohol testing. The DuPage County Judge has set bail at $600,000.

It is not been reported if DuPage County car accident attorneys are involved in the civil end of the case yet.

A Chicago area car accident on the Tri-State Tollway (I-80/294) has resulted in the death of to motorists, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting. The deadly Illinois accident occurred when a car that was going the wrong way on the Tollway hit an SUV head-on near East Hazel Crest.

The collision happened early Sunday morning around 3 AM. The at fault car was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes, according to the Illinois State Police. The vehicles collided near the Indiana state line. A witness to the accident stated the car going the wrong way was traveling around 90 miles per hour.

The driver moving in the right direction, 24-year-old Mohammed M. Musa of Chicago, died at the scene. The at fault driver was taken to Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest and he was pronounced dead a short time later. No one else was injured. It has not been reported if alcohol or drugs played a role in the accident.

Click here to read the story as reported by Fox News in Chicago.

On Friday evening there was a fatal pedestrian accident in Chicago and police are asking for help in finding a hit and run driver. The Chicago Breaking News Center is reporting that the van vs. Chicago pedestrian accident occurred in the Calumet Heights neighborhood around 9:15 p.m.

A 24 year old pedestrian was hit crossing the street at 9100 S. Stony Island. The driver that hit him fled the scene in a red or burgundy Chevy conversion van that has a gray stripe on the side of it. The driver is reportedly an African American male in his 20s.

The pedestrian victim, who was a Chicago resident, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and pronounced dead a short time later.

Anyone with information related to the accident is asked to immediately call the Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Unit at (312) 745-4521.

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

Police are investigating a trio of hit-and-run Chicago auto accidents, two of which involved police officers, the Breaking News Center reported.

Two officers were injured early Friday near 35th and Halsted streets when a vehicle ran a red light. The officers swerved to avoid a collision, but lost control and struck a parked car. The other car did not stop. Both officers were taken to Stroger Hospital with injuries.

The officers had been responding to a 911 call from an off-duty officer who was in an accident with a vehicle that reportedly failed to yield the right-of-way near 47th and Ashland Avenue. That car also fled the scene.

Meanwhile, police continue to investigate a hit-and-run Chicago car accident that killed a Bellwood man and injured four others on the West Side, the News Center reported.

A 19-year-old passenger was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The accident occurred near the intersection of Keeler Avenue and Jackson Boulevard shortly before midnight. The car he was riding in was struck by another vehicle and crashed into a light pole. Four others, ages 18 to 20, were also injured, according to police.

The other vehicle fled the scene following the crash.

The remaining passengers were taken to Stroger Hospital, including one passenger who was listed in critical condition.

The overnight crashes are the latest in a rash of hit-and-run accidents in Chicago. Police are looking for two other hit-and-run drivers involved in separate Chicago pedestrian accidents on Wednesday, which killed one elderly pedestrian and seriously injured another.

The most common reasons a driver flees the scene include:
-Drunk or impaired driving
-Drivers who are unlicensed or have a suspended or revoked license
-Self Preservation
-Aggressive Driving

As we frequently report, drunk driving is an epidemic blamed for as many as one-third of all traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

But an often overlooked cause is driving without a license, or drivers who are on the road despite having their license suspended or revoked. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's report Unlicensed to Kill, found at least 1 in 5 fatal accidents nationwide involved one or more drivers who did not have a valid license.

A Chicago car crash on the Southwest Side has resulted in the death of a pedestrian and several others being injured, according to WGN News. The car accident occurred near Archer and Kedzie around 3:45 p.m. and involved 4 cars and three pedestrians. The pedestrian was reportedly run over by a van involved in the crash.

The pedestrian was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and dies a short time later. The others hurt were taken to Sinai, Stroger Hospital, and Saint Anthony Hospital. One of the victims seriously injured was a child.

The at fault driver arrested at the scene. Witnesses to the accident are saying that the van that caused the accident was going around 60 mph right before the crash and was weaving in and out of traffic, according to NBC News.

According to data compiled by the Illinois Department of Transportation, from 2004-2008, an average of 158 people died every year in Illinois pedestrian accidents. Most of these fatalities occurred in urban area. In those same years, on average 5,973 pedestrians were hurt.

The case of a man convicted of killing two teenagers in an Illinois car crash while text messaging and driving at 125 mph is a horrific example of the dangers of distracted driving.

Add in the fact that it was an Illinois State Trooper and it becomes clear that state and federal authorities continue to struggle in convincing motorists of the dangers of distracted driving. As we reported in March on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, the federal government is pushing for a nationwide ban on text messaging behind the wheel. Illinois passed its law, which went into effect Jan. 1, prohibiting all drivers from texting while driving and making it illegal to use hand-held cell phones in school zones and construction sites.

Hand held cell phone use by drivers has been prohibited within the City of Chicago since 2005.

The Illinois trooper pleaded guilty last month to reckless homicide and aggravated reckless driving counts, according to The Daily News Tribune. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years of probation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted driving is responsible for 1 in 4 traffic accidents nationwide. The agency has found that driver inattention in the three seconds before a crash is a leading cause of accidents and near-accidents and that drivers using cell phones are four times more likely to be involved in an accident.

Yet an investigation by the New York Times last year, in its series "Driven to Distraction" found that drivers largely ignore research that continues to show the dangers of cell phone use while driving. The series won a Pulitzer Prize earlier this month, journalism's highest honor.

A $24 million lawsuit has been filed against the trooper and Illinois State Police by the mother of the two teenagers killed in the crash.

The trooper was going 126 miles an hour while responding to a crash. Court documents show he was talking on his cell phone and e-mailing from the car computer. Ironically, the New York Times reported earlier this year that police and ambulance drivers may be among the most distracted drivers on the road. Modern emergency vehicles include sophisticated radios, on-board computers, navigation systems and cell phones and emergency responders are typically exempt from the laws prohibiting text messaging or cell phone use by drivers.

Continue reading "Trooper found guilty in fatal Illinois auto accident caused by distracted driving" »

A Libertyville woman faces up to 14 years in prison after admitting in court that she was driving with drugs in her system when she caused a fatal suburban Chicago Motorcycle accident.

The 26-year-old woman pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence in Lake County Circuit Court, according to the Daily Herald.

Authorities contend that she was driving a Dodge minivan east on Cage Road in Wauconda Township at about 10:30 p.m. last June 9, when the van crossed the centerline and struck a westbound Harley-Davidson driven by a 49-year-old McHenry man.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The defendant was taken to the hospital for blood tests, which revealed the presence of heroine and a generic form of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in her system.

She was also charged with possession of a controlled substance after drug paraphernalia in the van tested positive for cocaine. In addition to a potential for 14 years in prison, she will be eligible for local jail time and probation at her sentencing, scheduled for May 26.

She remains in Lake County Jail on $250,000 bond.

As we reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, spring is an especially dangerous time for Illinois motorcycle accidents as motorists get accustomed to watching for riders on the road. In 2008, a total of 121 riders were killed in Illinois. Almost 100,000 motorcycle riders are seriously injured in traffic accidents on the nation's roads each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Four women were killed in a Chicago car accident early Saturday morning after their car slammed into a tree in the South Side's Englewood neighborhood, the Tribune reported.

Police and paramedics responded to the crash at 2 a.m. on the westbound side of Garfield Boulevard near Morgan Street. Police said the car may have been speeding when it went off the road and struck a tree.

One woman was pronounced dead atStroger Hospital while two others were pronounced dead at Holy Cross Hospital, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. A fourth victim, identified as the driver, was also taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

KWQC News reported a fifth victim remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The women were all reported to be in their 20s or 30s. The car, a silver Pontiac sedan with temporary plates, remained in the grassy area well into the early morning hours, its front-end mangled and its right side wedged against a tree. The vehicle's roof was missing and its engine sat in the grass at the front of the car.

Police believe the Pontiac went off the road, knocked over a small tree and then struck a larger tree 30 or 40 feet from the roadway. Wreckage from the car was strewn over several hundred feet, including a tire that came to rest more than 100 feet from the car.

Police cordoned off the roadway and the Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating the crash.

As of Saturday March 6, a total of 109 fatal Illinois car accidents had claimed 122 lives in 2010, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. A total of 139 Illinois traffic fatalities occurred during the same period last year.

Police are looking for the vehicle responsible for a suburban Chicago hit-and-run accident that killed a bicyclist, according to ABC7 News.

Family members of the 61-year-old man gathered at the scene of the Chicago bicycle accident over the weekend to pray and ask for help in locating the suspect in the fatal hit-and-run crash. The victim was hit while riding his bicycle in suburban Ford Heights, near Cottage Grove and 11th Street.

The accused driver fled and left the man lying at the side of the road.

A citizen found the man at about 9 p.m. The victim was taken to St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights and then airlifted to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, where he died as a result of his injuries, the Park Forest News reported.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office is seeking the suspect. Authorities reported evidence found at the scene indicates that the vehicle involved is a 1996 to 2002 Chevy van of unknown color. The sheriff's office asks anyone with information to please contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Investigations Section at (708) 865-4896.

The Illinois Department of Transportation reported more than 3,810 Illinois bicycle accidents occurred last year, killing 27 people and injuring 3,385. Three-quarters of injured cyclists were male.

As first reported on Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog last fall, police continue to deal with high numbers of Chicago pedestrians being struck and seriously injured or killed by hit-and-run drivers.

A suburban Chicago car accident claimed the lives of four boyhood friends over the weekend, when their car flipped over and struck a tree in Crest Hill.

The black Lexus ES 330 flipped over and hit a tree about 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning near the 2000 block of Weber Road, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The men, ages 22, 27, 30 and 32, all died at the scene. Family and friends say the four grew up in Romeoville and were all close friends.

Three men were inside the car, while the fourth was ejected, according to NBC Chicago. Authorities indicated speed was a possible in the crash. Investigators are also examining the possibility of an equipment malfunction, which is standard procedure. The crash reconstruction could be complete in several weeks.

Illinois is off to a tough start in 2010. As reported on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, the 928 people killed in Illinois traffic accidents in 2009 was the lowest in nearly a century of reporting.

But the Illinois Department of Transportation reported 60 fatalities in January 2010, one more than occurred in January of last year.

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.

Two men died last weekend in separate Chicago hit-and-run accidents as police continue to battle drivers who fail to stop after pedestrian accidents.

CBS2 reported a 47-year-old Texan and a 60-year-old grandfather were killed in the latest crashes and in both cases the drivers fled the scene.

The 60-year-old grandfather was struck down before dawn last Saturday on Cicero Avenue near Roosevelt Road, where his granddaughter erected a memorial on Sunday. The granddaughter expressed frustration, saying he might have been saved with proper medical attention.

Police are looking for a red or dark-colored vehicle with extensive front-end damage.

West of that crash scene, at Ogden and Lombard avenues in Berwyn, a seasonal construction worker was killed shortly after 6 a.m. last Sunday.

"We believe somebody saw this vehicle or may know who was driving this vehicle. We're asking them to come forward," said Berwyn Police Detective Roger Montoro. "We're positive a newer model Dodge Charger, black in color. We're totally positive of that."

Police believe the car has a missing hood ornament and front-end damage.

At least five other pedestrian accident have claimed lives or led to criminal charges in the past few weeks.

Last week, a 36-year-old woman was killed after being rundown in a crosswalk and thrown into the path of an oncoming CTA bus.

On Oct. 2, a Waukegan man was charged with killing a pedestrian in a Chicago hit-and-run accident; a week earlier, a man was charged in a drunk driving accident that killed a man at the state line.

In August, our sister site, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, reported on the city's efforts to reduce pedestrian accidents at night by stationing undercover officers in crosswalks.

Accidents data for Cook County and the surrounding area continues to show that pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents are a leading cause of injury and death in Chicago traffic fatalities. Through September, more than 1 in every 3 of Chicago's 110 fatalities involved a bicyclist or a pedestrian.

Hit-and-run drivers account for a large portion of traffic fatalities -- more than four people a day die in an accident where the at-fault driver does not stop, according to a report by AAA. Each day, another 72 are injured by hit-and-run drivers.

Anyone with information regarding a Chicago hit-and-run accident is encouraged to contact the Chicago Police Department immediately.

An August car accident that killed a Chicago motorcycle rider has resulted in felony DUI charges against the car's driver.

The 47-year-old North Ashland Avenue woman has been charged with aggravated DUI in connection with the Chicago car accident that killed a North Side motorcyclist, ABC7 reported.

The case made news after a nurse sued the city after she reported being arrested by police for failing to give a blood test to the woman charged, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Chicago motorcycle fatality happened shortly before 3:30 a.m. at the intersection of Ashland and Wilson, claiming the life of a 24-year-old North Campbell Avenue man, who died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center six days later as a result of his injuries.

Police reported that the accused driver stated she did not see the motorcycle as she turned eastbound on Wilson from Ashland and accused the motorcyclist of running the red light.

She admitted drinking wine after officers smelled alcohol and reported she had glassy eyes, according to The Sun-Times. A motorist reported the woman's car was swerving from side to side before the accident.

Police reported she was placed in custody for driving under impairment after refusing to complete field sobriety tests.

A nurse filed a lawsuit the following Monday, alleging she was arrested for not performing the blood test. Blood ultimately was drawn at the hospital for a blood-alcohol test at 7:30 a.m., according to police.

The nurse's lawsuit claims she told police she could not perform the test until the accused driver was officially admitted as a patient and that she was unable to perform her duties as an emergency room staff member while being detained by police, according to The Sun-Times report.

In the Chicago Northwest suburb of Park Ridge, Illinois a man and a woman were killed in a deadly auto accident early Sunday morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Four others were hurt in the car crash.

The accident took place at Oak Street and Riverside Drive around 2:10 a.m. Emergency response workers arrived at the crash site and found one damaged car with one person inside and another vehicle 75 feet from the intersection with 5 people inside. All six involved were taken to area hospitals by the Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Niles and North Maine fire departments.

The victims have been identified as Younan Chalabi, 25, of Des Plaines and Christine Merza, 37, of Morton Grove, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. Both were passengers, and therefore played no role in causing the accident.

The Park Ridge Police Department Major Crash Unit is investigating the cause of the accident. It has not been reported if alcohol or drugs were a factor.

The Daily Herald is reporting that the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct autopsies on Monday.

Statistically, Saturday and Sunday morning between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. is the most deadly time to be on the road.

An Ohio man faces charges in connection with a weekend Chicago drunk driving accident that claimed two lives.

The 27-year-old Cleveland man had a blood-alcohol level of .148 -- nearly twice the legal limit -- when the car he was driving slammed into another car, killing two South Side men, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Cook County prosecutors report the man had just gotten into another car accident before Saturday night's fatal crash. Prosecutors allege the man downed a bottle of Arbor Mist and three vodka martinis, struck a car at 62nd and Ashland, and took off at a high rate of speed after berating the victimized motorists.

Authorities reported that the man weaved in and out of traffic before running a red light at Ashland and 59th and slamming into another car. That crash claimed the lives of a 27-year-old driver and his 28-year-old passenger, both of whom were pronounced dead on arrival at Holy Cross Hospital.

A third passenger was hospitalized at Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition.

The defendant was jailed and remained in custody after bail was set at $500,000.

Authorities reported that the at-fault driver left a bar at 82nd and Ashland after twice being offered a ride to his destination, which he refused. He faces two counts of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated DUI, according to police. He also is charged with disobeying a traffic-control signal, negligent driving and driving without insurance.

The accident occurred shortly after 2 a.m., according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

Last Month, Illinois warned of the high number of drunk drivers out at night, particularly on the weekend. In August, a study reported 1 in 7 weekend nighttime drivers tested positive for alcohol or drug use.

Click here for more information, safety tips and other coverage of Chicago drunk driving accidents.

As a result of a Chicago car crash, a 16 year old teenager has died, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The accident took place on Wednesday in the Garfield Park neighborhood around 6:30 p.m. and the teen died a day later. Several others were hurt.

The car accident happened in 300 block of North Hamlin Avenue. The boy who died was a backseat passenger in an Oldsmobile headed south on Hamlin that was being driven by a 20 year old. There was also an 18-year-old passenger in the car. The Olds hit head on with a northbound Saturn. The Saturn was occupied by a 37 year old female driver and a teenage passenger.

Chicago paramedics initiated an EMS Plan 1 response that immediately sends five ambulances to the accident site. All 3 in the Oldsmobile were taken by ambulance to Mt. Sinai Hospital. The two in the Saturn were also taken by ambulance to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. The Cook County medical examiner's office says the 16 year old pronounced dead at 2:16 p.m. on Thursday.

The Chicago Police Department Major Accident Investigation Unit is handling the investigation, and it has not been reported which vehicle caused the accident or if either driver was issued a citation.

Also see the story reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

A motorist from the far southwest Chicago suburb of Essex, Illinois was killed Saturday evening in a car crash, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The accident reportedly happened when the driver of another vehicle ran a stop sign at an intersection near Wilmington, Illinois.

The deadly auto accident occurred around 6:50 p.m at the intersection of Illinois Highway 129 and Stripmine Road. The 34 year old victim and his wife were traveling southbound on Route 129 in a Hyundai when the driver of a westbound Chrysler 300M failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with them.

The Illinois State Police are handling the car accident investigation. The at fault driver, a 43 year old Oak Forest resident, was ticketed for disobeying a stop sign and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. There was no indication that drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash, however lab tests were taken as a precaution and the police are awaiting results.

All three people involved in the automobile accident were taken by ambulance to Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Illinois. The victim was pronounced dead around 8 p.m. The Will County coroner's office plans to conduct an autopsy Monday.

Continue reading "Chicago area driver killed in car accident" »

A new federal study released last month found one in every seven nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for drugs.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes urge weekend drivers to remain on the lookout for erratic drivers. Studies have long shown drivers are most likely to be drunk and driving between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.

While the study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found the percentage of motorists driving drunk continued to decline, the study for the first time tested for drug use and the results were sobering:
- 16.3 percent of nighttime weekend drivers were drug positive.
- Marijuana (8.6 percent)
- Cocaine (3.9 percent)
- Medications (3.9 percent)

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said he is concerned about the prevalence of drivers who use drugs.

“I’m pleased to see that our battle against drunk driving is succeeding,” said Secretary LaHood. “However, alcohol still kills 13,000 people a year on our roads and we must continue to be vigilant in our efforts to prevent drunk driving.”

The percentage of drunk drivers identified in the survey has fallen from 7.5 percent in 1973 to 2.2 percent in the most recent survey. This study was the first to measure for the presence of drugs.

“This troubling data shows us, for the first time, the scope of drugged driving in America, and reinforces the need to reduce drug abuse,” said Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. “Drugged driving, like drunk driving, is a matter of public safety and health. It puts us all at risk and must be prevented.”

The NHTSA is conducting further research to assess how drug traces correspond to driver impairment since some drugs can remain in the body for days or even weeks.

Among the findings of the latest roadside survey:

- The percentage of male drivers with illegal BAC levels was 42 percent higher than the percentage of alcohol-impaired female drivers.

- Drivers were more likely to be illegally drunk during late nighttime hours (1 a.m. to 3 a.m.) than during daytime or early evening hours.

- Motorcycle riders were more than twice as likely as passenger vehicle drivers to be drunk (5.6 percent compared with 2.3 percent).

- Pickup truck drivers were the next most likely to have illegal BACs (3.3 percent).

Continue reading "Chicago car accident alert - one in seven weekend-night drivers test positive for drugs" »

An auto accident in the northern suburbs of Chicago has resulted in the death of a Northbrook resident and felony charges against a Gurnee resident, according to the Northbrook Star. The accident occurred on May 22nd in the 100 block of LeBaron Street in Waukegan when a 22 year old driver left the roadway in a Chevrolet Silverado and hit a parked semi-trailer.

His passenger, Andrew Galo, age 22, was pronounced dead at the scene from head injuries. The driver was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge for medical treatment. His injuries were reportedly not serious.

The driver has since been charged with reckless homicide, DUI and speeding. Bond has been set at $100,000. The Waukegan Police Department handled the crash investigation.

In the Chicago area there were two separate motorcycle crashes this weekend that resulted in fatalities, according to the Chicago Tribune. One collision took place in Oak Forest, Illinois on Saturday night. The accident occurred on I-57 when a southbound motorcyclist took an illegal U-turn and hit 3 northbound bikers.

Two of the northbound motorcycle riders, Michael Adams, age 47 of Kankakee and Sean Darke, age 34 of Chicago, were killed. A female passenger, Brianna Moore, age 20 of Calumet City, died later in an area hospital. Another female passenger was seriously injured. The motorcyclist who caused the crash survived and was ticketed with disobeying a traffic control device.

The Illinois State Police investigated the accident. It has not been reported if drugs or alcohol were involved. Additional charges are possible once the case is reviewed by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

Earlier the same day, two bikers were killed in a Kane County crash. Six others were reportedly injured. The accident occurred when a car hit a group of motorcycle riders. Wade E. Thomas, 44, and Denise A. Thomas, 45, died in the Kane County motorcycle crash.

In the western suburb of LaGrange, Illinois a pedestrian was hit and killed today by a car while she was lifting her baby stroller onto a curb, according to WQAD.com. She was carrying her 2 year old daughter in the stroller. She was also carrying her 4 month old son who sustained a broken leg in the accident. The daughter was not injured.

The victim, Cari Cook, age 30, of Countryside, Illinois was reportedly crossing an intersection with her children and had made it to the other side when she was hit. She was rushed to an area hospital and pasted away a short time later.

The LaGrange Police Department is investigating the accident. It is reportedly not a hit-and-run, however no one has been charged or arrested. Witnesses are still being interviewed.

In Chicago, Illinois an alleged drunk driver has caused a car accident that left one dead and 7 others injured on the South Side, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. The car crash happened Sunday night just before 8 p.m. at 43rd Street and Western Avenue.

The collision involved three vehicles and was reportedly caused by an intoxicated driver who ran a red light. The DUI driver, a 38 year old male, was northbound on Western in a 1999 Chevy Cavelier when he struck a westbound Lexus on 43rd. The Lexus driver, a Chicago Heights resident, was killed. After the initial impact, the Lexus struck a Toyota that was stopped at the light.

Seven others involved in the car accident were injured and taken by ambulance to Mt. Sinai Hospital, St. Anthony Hospital and Stroger Hospital. The alleged DUI driver was arrested and additional charges are reportedly pending.

Click here to read more.

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.

Click here to read the entire story.

A Lake Zurich, Illinois motorcyclist was killed by an Illinois driver who was distracted because she was painting her nails at the time of the accident, according to UPI.com. Anita Zaffke was on her bike stopped at a yellow light when she was rear-ended by an unidentified driver of a Chevy Impala.

The victim was thrown from her motorcycle and died from chest & abdominal injuries a short time later at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. The Lake County Sheriff's Department is investigating the car vs. motorcycle accident, and they have stated that it appears the motorcycle rider did nothing wrong and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The driver was ticketed with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. More serious charges are likely once the accident is reviewed by the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

Click here to read the entire story.

In Chicago, Illinois a Lynwood woman, who was allegedly intoxicated, lost control of her car and crashed nearly two months ago, according to NWI.com. The accident resulted in the death of her passenger, a Chicago resident. Earlier this week in criminal court at 26th and California, bond was set at $200,000.

The bond is a "D Bond", which means the defendant must post 10 percent of the bond to be released. Her next court date is set for May 18th for a preliminary hearing.

The car accident took place back on February 28, 2009 just before 3 am. (Statistically, 12 am - 3am is the most dangerous time to be on the road). The defendant was driving southbound on the Bishop Ford Expressway near 111th Street when she lost control of her car, drove into the left median, flipped over, and hit a tree.

Paramedics on the scene smelled alcohol. The defendant later was tested and she had a blood alcohol level of .19, over twice the legal limit of .08. The Illinois State Police investigated the accident. The defendant was not criminally charged until this past weekend. She was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

The passenger in the car, Michael Mayfield, a 42 year old Chicago resident, was taken by ambulance to Roseland Community Hospital where he died an hour later. It has not been reported if the family of the victim has retained a Chicago wrongful death lawyer to pursue a civil claim against the defendant's insurance carrier.

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.

In Chicago, Illinois a two vehicle rollover crash on Interstate 57 last Friday night resulted in the death of a 53 year old man, and criminal charges against one of the drivers involved, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The auto accident took place around 11:00 p.m. in the southbound lanes near Halsted Street.

One person died at the scene and two others were transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with serious injuries. The victim, a South Side resident, was pronounced dead at Christ Medical Center less than an hour after the crash. An autopsy the next day determined that the he died from cervical injuries.

The Illinois State Police are handling the crash investigation. One of the drivers has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence, both felony charges.

The car crash allegedly took place when one vehicle was speeding and attempted to pass another. The collision involved a Chevy pickup truck and a Ford Expedition. The pickup truck reportedly struck the Expedition, causing both vehicles to flip over. The victim who died was ejected from one of the vehicles.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 200,000 and 300,000 vehicles rollover every year in the United States. Rollover crashes can cause fatal and catastrophic injuries. For example, in 2004, 33% of all auto accident deaths occurred in vehicles that rolled over. That same year, 10,553 people were killed in rollovers, 8,565 were killed in single car rollovers, and 15,312 were ejected from vehicles in rollovers.

In Houston, Texas five children drown when a car lost control and went down an embankment into the Green Bayou, according to CNN. The accident happened Saturday when the driver of a Lincoln Towncar veered off the road after being distracted by an incoming cell phone call.

The driver of the car was the father of four of the children killed. He and an adult passenger were able to get out of the car and rescue a 10 year old girl. However they were not able to save three boys that were ages 4, 6, and 7, and two girls that were ages 1 and 3.

It is also being reported that the driver did not pass a field sobriety test at the scene and was taken to a police station for a blood sample. If the driver was DUI, serious criminal charges will likely be filed.

The car was located by police divers in 9 1/2 feet of water after searching for 2 hours. The currents were so fast that police could only touch the car, but not open the doors.

This deadly accident helps illustrate the dangers of cell phone use while driving. A momentary distraction can cause a driver to lose control of a vehicle. We recently posted an article about a study that showed drivers using cell phones are more distracted than other drivers. Hand held cell phone use has been banned in the City of Chicago and many other parts of the United States.

The same danger could be said about text messaging and internet use. Chicago lawmakers are currently looking to ban those activities as well.

An auto accident has taken the life of Nick Adenhart, a rookie pitcher for the LA Angels, according to the Los Angeles Times and many other news outlets. The car crash occurred on April 9, 2009 just hours after Adenhart pitched six scoreless innings in his first game against the Oakland As.

The collision took place when a minivan ran a red light and struck a sports car that Adenhart was traveling in as a passenger. Two others in the vehicle were also killed. He was riding in a red Mitsubishi sports car. After the van hit them, the sports car crashed into a utility pole. One passenger in the sports car survived and is in an area hospital.

The driver of the minivan ran from the scene on foot and was caught by police a short time later. As the at fault driver was allegedly intoxicated, prosecutors in Orange County filed three counts of murder charges on Friday. He was also charged with leaving the scene of the accident and DUI. It is being reported that the defendant's blood alcohol level was over three times the legal limit.

The minivan was allegedly going between 50 and 65 m.p.h when it ran the red light. The posted speed limit was 35 m.p.h. The defendant's license was suspended at the time of this crash as a result of a prior drunk driving case. If convicted of all counts, he could be sentenced from 55 years to life in prison. He is in custody and will appear in court on Monday.

Hit-and-run accidents have been a theme in the news this week. In Chicago, Illinois there was a similar car accident on Friday when an off-duty detective from the Chicago Police Department slammed into a disabled car on the side of the Dan Ryan Expressway. He reportedly tried to flee the scene on foot and was also allegedly driving while intoxicated.

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.

A pedestrian was hit and killed by a car in Chicago last Saturday while walking across the street near his Chicago home, according to Chicagobreakingnews.com. The victim was Berthel Walters, 69, a South Side resident who lived on the 800 block of East 46th Street.

The accident occurred at approximately 6:30 a.m. when the pedestrian was walking in the area of the 3000 block of South Moe Drive. He was hit by a 2000 Dodge Ram pickup truck. The pedestrian was taken from the scene of the accident to a local Chicago area hospital where he was pronounced dead at approximately 11:00 a.m.

The driver of the pickup truck was also a Chicago resident. As a result of the accident, she was cited for striking a pedestrian in the roadway. Under Illinois law, drivers have a duty to use due care to avoid hitting pedestrians.

This accident occurred just days after our law firm reported that pedestrian deaths in Chicago, Illinois are on the rise. In 2008 there were 56 pedestrian deaths in Chicago, which increased from 49 in 2007.

If you are a pedestrian who has been hit and and injured by a motor vehicle, or if you have lost a loved one who was killed in an automobile collision, please contact attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

A Chicago resident has been killed in a car crash that occurred at Racine and Garfield Blvd. on the South Side, according to the Chicago Tribune. The collision occurred on February 8, 2009 at around 9:30 am.

The victim, age 65, was driving southbound on Racine when his car was struck by a driver that was westbound on Garfield who allegedly ran a red light. The impact caused the victim's vehicle to hit a pole.

The at fault driver, a Hoffman Estates resident, was ticketed with running the light and failure to yield. The accident was investigated by the Chicago Police Department.

In this type of case, the family of the victim has the right to bring a civil claim against the at fault driver. Hopefully the defendant has a significant insurance policy, as this was a terrible accident that resulted in the death of a driver.

Unfortunately, most drivers do not carry enough insurance to cover a serious loss. The State of Illinois only requires drivers to have $20,000 in auto insurance, which is not nearly enough to help the family of a victim to start to recover from a difficult loss.

The best way to protect yourself against a driver with minimal insurance, or no insurance, is to acquire a good auto insurance policy for yourself and your family members. You might be surprised to find how little it may cost to go from a smaller insurance policy to a larger one with significant uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious accident, contact Abels & Annes for a free consultation.