Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Chicago woman hurt in work accident during filming of Transformers 3

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:55:25 -0600

A 24-year-old Chicago woman was seriously injured in a work accident while employed as an extra on the movie "Transformers 3"

The Sun-Times reports the Little Village resident suffered a serious head injury in a stunt involving several cars during filming Wednesday night in Hammond, Indiana. The Indiana State Police reports an object struck her after it smashed through the windshield of her 2006 Toyota. She was flown to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.

Relatives said she remained hospitalized in stable condition after undergoing surgery. They said she was excited to be in a movie; her normal day job is working as a teller at Second Federal Savings in the Little Village.

In a case like this, a Chicago area work injury lawyer should be consulted to ensure that the injured worker's rights are protected and that she obtains the compensation she deserves for medical bills, injuries and lost wages.

The Chicago Tribune reported that the scene being filmed involved motorists traveling along a busy highway as explosions rocked the opposite lane. The paper said the incident happened about 7 p.m. and involved a metal object that crashed through the windshield and struck the woman in the head. Her car continued on, scraping along the concrete median barrier for about a mile before coming to a stop.

Police report a cable pulling vehicles snapped and may have resulted in the accident. She was one of about 100 extras on the scene of Wednesday's shoot. The extras were paid a minimum wage plus $25 a day for the use of their car.

Read the L.A. Times report here.

Fatal Chicago pedestrian accident, bicycle accident reported on Sunday

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:01:36 -0600

A Chicago bicycle accident claimed the life of a rider on the Dan Ryan Expressway Sunday night, according to CBS 2.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reports the accident happened in the northbound lanes near 55th Street. The 28-year-old rider was struck and killed by a Sports Utility Vehicle, according to Illinois State Police.

The accident happened shortly after 9 p.m. and police were trying to determine why the rider was on the freeway.

Also on Sunday, a Chicago pedestrian accident claimed the life of a man in his late teens or early 20s. The man was apparently pinned between two SUVs in the Logan Square neighborhood shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday. The Breaking News Center reported that the accident happened in the 2400 block of North Ridgeway Avenue.

The victim was apparently struck by a black Oldsmobile SUV, which then pinned him against a GMC Yukon.

It has not been reported if a Chicago pedestrian accident lawyer or a bicycle attorney are involved in either case yet.

While the number of fatal accidents has been in decline in Chicago and throughout the state, pedestrian and bicycle accidents remain a significant threat in Chicago. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 3,484 pedestrian accidents were reported in 2008, injuring more than 3,200 and claiming 52 lives.

A total of 1,726 bicycle accidents were reported in Chicago, killing 5 riders and injuring nearly 1,500.

Suspect in Chicago school bus sexual assault had prior history of abuse allegations

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:38:58 -0600

A driver charged with sexual assault on a Chicago school bus had been the subject of a previous allegation made by a teenage girl, the Breaking News Center reported.

The 27-year-old driver remains in Cook County Jail on $750,000 bond after being charged in January with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault. He also faces charges of kidnapping and unlawful restraint.

In March 2009, a 17-year-old special education student said the defendant took her to a secluded area and sexually assaulted her. Two months later, he reportedly threatened to kill her for reporting him to police. At that time, he was reportedly fired but nevertheless was able to renew his permit to drive a school bus. On Jan. 8, he allegedly attempted to assault another school girl while driving a bus.

The mothers of the teenage girls are livid that the man was permitted near students even as the first allegations were being investigated. The Chicago school system contracts with about 20 busing companies, which employ hundreds of drivers to run more than 2,000 daily routes. These companies are largely charged with policing themselves and numerous complaints of sexual assaults on Chicago school buses have surfaced in the past several years.

Earlier this year, Chicago sex abuse lawyers at Abels & Annes filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against First Student Bus Company. That lawsuit alleges a 67-year-old bus driver sexually assaulted a female student despite having previously been dismissed as a bus driver from another company after female students complained of sexual harassment.

In this case, the Jewel's Bus Co. driver has denied the allegations against him. The defendant is related to the bus company's president, the News Center reported. A spokeswoman for the Chicago Public Schools says the company has been awarded more than $40 million in contracts in the past five years. Those contracts are now reportedly under review.

A spokeswoman for the school district said audits of bus drivers are conducted twice a year, but with more than 1,500 buses and nearly 2,000 drivers, "resources are extremely limited."

The sex abuse victim in the Jewel's case is being represented by Nilson, Stookal, Gleason & Caputo of Chicago and the bus company is represented by John J. Meehan, P.C., also of Chicago, in Cook County Case Number 2010-L-008665.

Chicago injury lawyers hired to represent husband of trainer killed in Sea World whale attack

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:55:35 -0600

A Chicago personal injury and wrongful death law firm has been retained by the husband of the SeaWorld trainer who was killed by a whale in February, according to NBC2 in Orlando.

Dawn Brancheau was pulled into a pool and drown by a whale named Tilikum. Some media reports indicated the animal had a history of aggression.

Earlier this week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a $75,000 fine against SeaWorld in connection with the trainer's death. OSHA is the federal body charged with investigating serious and fatal work accidents. The government agency found SeaWorld committed a "willful" violation, meaning the company demonstrated indifference and intentional disregard for the safety of employees.

When a worker is injured, a Chicago injury attorney should always be consulted to ensure that your rights are protected.

The NBC station quoted an Orlando attorney as saying the case would be difficult to win because an employee can only sue for wrongful death in Florida if they fit into a narrow exception to the worker's compensation statute where they show that the employer knew there was virtual certainty of injury or death to an employee.

The question is whether working with this killer whale meets the exception under the law.

"SeaWorld recognized the inherent risk of allowing trainers to interact with potentially dangerous animals," said Cindy Coe, OSHA's regional administrator in Atlanta, Ga. "Nonetheless, it required its employees to work within the pool walls, on ledges and on shelves where they were subject to dangerous behavior by the animals."

OSHA found the animal in question was one of three killer whales previously involved in the death of an animal trainer in 1991 at Sea Land of the Pacific in Canada. SeaWorld had reportedly forbidden trainers from swimming with the whale because of its past behavior but still permitted park employees to touch the whale and remain in close proximity during training and live shows.

"All employers are obligated to assess potential risks to the safety and health of their employees and take actions to mitigate those risks," said Les Grove, OSHA's area director in Tampa, Fla. "In facilities that house wild animals, employers need to assess the animals under their care and to minimize human-animal interaction if there is no safe way to reliably predict animal behavior under all conditions."

O'Connor & Nakos is the Chicago personal injury law firm that was hired by the family.

Chicago bike accident lawyers start work on two new cases

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:19:31 -0600

The Chicago bicycle accident lawyers at Abels & Annes are representing two clients who were struck by cars in separate accidents earlier this month.

The first accident occurred Aug. 14 at about 7 p.m. on the Lake Shore bike path near Burnham Harbor. The 24-year-old cyclist was northbound on the bike path near Soldier Field when she was struck by a taxi cab, according to Chicago Police. The 2008 Crown Victoria did not stop for a stop sign at the bike crossing, but actually accelerated. The cab struck the cyclist with its left front fender.

She was taken to the hospital with back pain and multiple bruises and contusions. The cab is owned by Royal 3 CCC Cab Company. She is also seeking follow up treatment with an orthopaedic doctor.

In the second case, an 11-year-old boy was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk along 98th Street when an Oldsmobile left the roadway and struck the child before fleeing the scene. The accident happened about 7 p.m. A witness at the scene was able to report the license plate number to police.

The boy was taken to Trinity Hospital for treatment of multiple injuries.

As our Chicago accident attorneys reported earlier this month, the city has been named one of the 10 best in the nation for cycling and continues to make great strides in bicycle safety. But serious and fatal bicycle accidents continue to be a significant safety issue.

In 2008, the Illinois Department of Transportation reported 28 riders were killed and 3,331 were injured as a result of almost 4,000 Illinois bicycle accidents. More than 3,700 of those occurred in urban areas, primarily Chicago.

Chicago Injury Lawyers file pedestrian accident lawsuit

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 07:26:30 -0600

Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have filed a personal injury lawsuit in Cook County on behalf of an injured pedestrian. The automobile vs. pedestrian collision which took place on June 18, 2009.

The defendant was driving his truck northbound on Monticello approaching Leland in Chicago, Illinois. He stopped at a stop sign for northbound Monticello at Leland. The pedestrian was walking eastbound across Monticello in the marked pedestrian crosswalk and when he had crossed almost the entire street the defendant suddenly accelerated and struck our client. The plaintiff was fully within the marked crosswalk when he was hit. The force of the impact threw our client to the pavement.

The driver was issued traffic tickets by the Chicago Police Department for failing to yield the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and for failing to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian.

Following the collision our client had an immediate onset of back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain. He was transported from the scene of the collision by ambulance to Swedish Covenant Hospital.

Over the next couple of days the pedestrian's condition worsened and his back pain started radiating into his right leg. Due to his increasing pain and discomfort he sought follow up treatment with a physician. He was prescribed pain medication and therapy was recommended.

After several months of treatment the client was not experiencing significant relief of his injuries. A lumber MRI revealed herniated/bulging disks at L3-4 and L4-5 which pressed against the L4 and L5 nerve roots and a herniated/bulging disk at L5-S1. Due to the nature and extent of his problems, the doctor referred him to a pain specialist.

Suburban Chicago injury lawyer reaches $1 million settlement after pregnant woman dies in Chicago car accident caused by drunk driver

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:26:35 -0600

A West Side strip club has agreed to pay a $1 million settlement in the wake of a Chicago car accident caused by a drunk driver, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The January 2006 accident claimed the life of a pregnant woman, her unborn child and a patron of the club. Diamonds Gentlemen's Club paid $800,000 to the husband of the 27-year-old woman, who was eight-months pregnant when her vehicle was struck head-on by an SUV near South Elgin.

The rest of the settlement went to the relatives of a 25-year-old St. Charles man who was a passenger in the at-fault vehicle, according to court records. The lawsuit alleged that the driver and passenger had gotten drunk in the club and were ejected by bouncers after the driver was found vomiting in the bathroom. The bouncers put the driver in his car before he drove off and slammed into the victim's car about 15 minutes later on Illinois Highway 25.

The club does not serve liquor, but patrons are allowed to bring their own. The club argued it was not responsible but the Illinois Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that it bore some responsibility for the accident.

Seeking damages against a business can have a significant impact on a case: In this case, the $1 million settlement was the maximum available under the club's liability policy; the maximum coverage of an auto insurance policy is frequently less than $100,000.

The driver was found guilty in 2007 of aggravated DUI and reckless homicide and is serving a 12-year-prison sentence.

The victim's family was represented by attorney Robert Speers of Aurora.

CTA bus accidents occurring once a day on average

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:36:32 -0600

Somewhere in the metro area, a Chicago Transit Authority bus accident happened today. And yesterday. And tomorrow. In fact, the system is averaging an accident a day -- more than nine of the other largest bus systems in the United States, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Our Chicago injury lawyers have often reported on the large number of CTA bus accidents occurring in and around the Chicago area. Just last week we reported that a Chicago bus accident sent nine people to the hospital. We are also about to file a lawsuit on behalf of a pedestrian that was struck in a crosswalk by a CTA bus.

Now, the Federal Transit Administration reports that accidents are occurring about one per day, although drivers are logging more miles between accidents. On average, an accident occurred for every 34,566 trips, an improvement of about 9 percent over 2008. The CTA said it is not satisfied with the accident tally, but attributed the improvement to a focus on defensive-driving and the presence of new technology, including 18 bus simulators deployed at CTA garages.

Drivers must be recertified every two years and are required to attend a retraining course if they are involved in accidents or are ticketed for moving violations. Despite those efforts, the CTA has been in the middle of the pack in collision rates among large bus companies.

Last year there were 271 reportable collisions involving CTA buses. In 2008, a total of 303 reportable collisions were reported. A reportable collision is defined as one resulting in $25,000 or more in property damage or a crash that sends one or more people to the hospital. Thus, safety advocates report that many more collisions go unreported.

A total of 521 people were injured in accidents last year, including 270 bus passengers, 122 bus drivers, 90 occupants of other vehicles, 29 pedestrians and 10 cyclists.

The Chicagoist article is available here.

The CBS 2 report is available here.

NPR host recovering from suburban Chicago bicycle accident

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:35:56 -0600

The host of NPR's "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me," was injured in a Chicago bicycle accident while riding through the west suburbs, Trib Local reported.

Peter Sagal, who is an Oak Park resident was hurt in an accident with a hatchback at an intersection. He remained hospitalized with minor injuries last week, while awaiting additional testing.

Our Chicago injury attorneys continue to report on the large number of serious and fatal bicycle accidents. The next two months will be especially dangerous for riders, as cyclists seek all the riding time they can get before the onset of winter. More kids will also be riding to and from school as classes resume.

In 2008, a total of 716 cyclists were killed and 52,000 were injured in accidents nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A total of 27 riders were killed in Illinois bicycle accidents.

“I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m being hit by a car,’ because it’s the kind of thing you hear about,” Sagal said in a phone interview with Trib Local from a hospital. “It’s like, ‘wow, so this is happening.”

He entered an intersection on his bike around 10 miles from his residence, he observed the car, but he does not think the driver saw him. There was a collision and a bystander called for help. He was wearing a helmet, which cracked but likely saved him from a serious head injury.

Bicycle accidents at intersections are one of the most common types of injury accidents. Seven of the Top 10 accident scenarios on BicycleSafe.com involve intersection accidents.

Earlier this year on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, we discussed ways to avoid those accidents. That blog also announced that Chicago had been named on of the nation's Top 10 cities for cycling.

It should be noted that this blog was co-written by Gary Annes, a fan of "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me".

Teens know distracted driving increases risk of a Chicago car accident -- but they use their phones anyway

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:57:52 -0600

Most teen drivers are engaging in distracted-driving behavior despite knowing better, according to the result of a new study published by USAToday.

As our Chicago injury attorneys frequently report, teens are at high risk when it comes to being involved in a serious or fatal car accident in Chicago or the surrounding area.

Illinois has banned text messaging by all drivers and it is illegal for drivers to use hand-held cell phones within the City of Chicago. Other states have not been so proactive in reducing the risk of distracted driving accidents. Twelve states have adopted no rules at all when it comes to the use of cell phones by drivers: Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North and South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico and Hawaii.

In any event, teens appear to understand the dangers. But whether they are listening is a different story. The recent survey by Seventeen Magazine found that nearly 90 percent of young drivers engaged in risky behavior, including text messaging or talking on a cell phone while driving, despite knowing the risks.

"Teens do continue to drive distracted even when they recognize the dangers," says William Van Tassel, manager of AAA's driver training programs. "Driving is the first real adult responsibility, but let's face it, they're still teens whose brains aren't fully developed."

A total of 1,999 teens ages 16 to 19 were surveyed. Eighty-four percent said they were aware that distracted driving increased their risk of an accident. However, 86 percent admitted to risky behavior, including talking on the phone, texting, applying makeup, eating, using in-car electronics or riding with four or more passengers.

Other study findings include:

-Drivers 16 and 17 were less likely to be distracted than those ages 18 and 19.

-Teens who had their own vehicle were more likely to drive distracted than those who had to share a vehicle.

-Reasons for using a mobile device while driving included: Didn't think they would get hurt (35 percent); made driving less boring (22 percent); and felt the need to stay connected (21 percent).

Safe Teen Driving Tips in Illinois are available here.

Chicago bicycle accident lawyers settle injury claim for North Side resident

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:24:23 -0600

Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes have reached a personal injury settlement for a bicycle rider that was injured earlier this year on the North Side. The bike vs. car accident happened at the intersection of Clark and Cornelia back on February 6, 2010 in the afternoon. Our client was riding his bicycle southbound on Clark Street when the driver of a 2005 Fore Escape that was northbound turned left and hit him. The driver was attempting to turn to go westbound on Cornelia and failed to look for bike riders.

The Chicago Police Department investigated the accident and ticketed the driver for failing to yield when turning left.

The bicycle rider suffered left should and right knee injuries in the accident. He went to the emergency room at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. There x-rays were taken that were negative for fractures.

Over the next week our client's pain did not go away. He went for further treatment with an orthopaedic physician. The physician in turn ordered physical therapy for the client.

After several weeks the bicyclists shoulder pain remained so the doctor ordered an MRI. The scan showed our client had a mild AC joint separation in his shoulder.

Our client continued with physical therapy and the pain eventually dissipated.

The case settled for just over $31,000 and no lawsuit needed to be filed. Nationwide Insurance paid on the claim.

Chicago bus accident sends nine CTA passengers to the hospital

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:13:51 -0600

Nine people were hospitalized after a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus accident on Friday morning, ABC 7 News reported.

Police say the accident happened when a car rear-ended the bus at Roosevelt and Central Park. Five ambulances were called to the scene shortly after 8 a.m. Nine passengers were injured when the No. 12 Roosevelt CTA bus was rear-ended by a car while at a stop on South Central Park.

Our Chicago accident attorneys continue to report on frequent accidents involving buses in Chicago and the surrounding area. Several serious accidents have occurred in the last several months, involving multiple victims.

-In July, the No. 53 Pulaski bus was involved in a crash near Chicago Avenue. Nine people were transported to area hospitals.

-In June, 11 people were sent to area hospitals and 12 others refused treatment after a CTA bus was involved in an accident with a car at the six-corner intersection of Milwaukee, Damen and North Avenues in the Wicker Park neighborhood.

-In May, seven people were hurt in a bus accident on North Pulaski on the Northwest Side of Chicago. A separate accident sent a dozen people to the hospital when a CTA bus crashed into a building in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.

-In April, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed by the family of a 53-year-old man who was run over by a CTA bus.

The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that 3,932 bus accidents occurred in 2008, killing six motorists and injuring 626. A total of 2,445 Illinois school bus accidents killed six other motorists and injured 349.

The Chicago News Center report is available here.

My FOX Chicago's report is available here.

Chicago area police search for hit-and-run driver that killed bike rider

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:40:48 -0600

Police are searching for a hit and run driver that killed a bicyclist in Stone Park, a northwest suburb of Chicago, according to Chicago Breaking News. The victim, a 47 year old woman who lives in the 1700 block of North Mannheim Road was struck and killed Monday night.

The accident occurred in the 1800 block of Mannheim when she was hit by a southbound vehicle. The driver fled the scene of the accident. It is being reported that police are possibly looking for a Chevy with front end damage.

The victim, Marina Gonzalez, was rushed to Loyola University Hospital in Maywood and was pronounced dead a short time later.

CBS News is reporting that Stone Park detectives have interviewed several persons of interest.

Anyone with information regarding the bike accident should immediately contact the Stone Park Police Department at 708-450-3215.

Chicago Bike Accident Lawyer interviewed regarding new bicycle sharing program

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:00:38 -0600

Chicago B-cycle -- a new bike sharing program operated by Bike and Roll Chicago -- debuted a week ago and runs through Oct. 31, according to Explore Chicago.

Our Chicago injury lawyers have high hopes for this program. It's another sign that Chicago has become one of the premiere cycling cities in the nation. We reported in May when Chicago was named the 10th best city in America by Bicycle Magazine. The city has made great improvements to area bike lanes and other cycling infrastructure. With B-cycle, Chicago joins Denver, Montreal and other European cities where bike-sharing has become a popular public service.

But we remain concerned about the danger for serious and fatal bicycle accidents. David Abels was interviewed by Medill Reports Chicago regarding safety concerns for the new program.

"We do see a lot of bicycle accidents in the Chicago area," Attorney Dave Abels said. "The concern here is with new bikes hitting the streets in The Loop -- where driving is especially aggressive -- that these drivers are paying attention."

Click here to watch the story from Medill Reports Chicago.

The program is designed to allow pedestrians to make short bike rides for health or for fun. Simply check out a bike at any of six conveniently located "B-Stations" located throughout downtown:

•John Hancock Center, Michigan Ave. & Delaware Pl.
•Daley Plaza, Dearborn St. & Washington St.
•Buckingham Fountain, Columbus Dr. & Congress Pkwy.
•Shedd Aquarium, Museum Campus
•McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive
•541 Fairbanks Court at Grand Ave.

Bikes may be dropped off at any of these locations or at Bike and Roll's rental stations at Navy Pier, North Avenue Beach and Millennium Park. Visit www.chicagobicycle.com for a map and look for the iPhone App coming soon.

This is the latest in a series of efforts by the city that have allowed for significant increases in the number of cycles on the road, even as safety advocates work to reduce the number of serious and fatal Chicago bicycle accidents.

Still, the Illinois Department of Transportation reports more than 3,000 serious bicycle accidents occur each year in the state, primarily in the Chicago area. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 27 people were killed in Illinois bicycle accidents in 2008 -- up significantly from the 18 riders killed in 2007. Nationwide, 716 riders were killed and more than 52,000 riders were injured in cycling accidents.

Fatal Chicago car accident lands drunk driver behind bars for death of friends

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 09:52:12 -0600

A man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a drunk driving Chicago car accident that claimed the life of two friends, the Sun-Times reported.

The 26-year-old Batavia man pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated DUI and one count of DUI in connection with the August 2007 crash that killed two friends. The victims were both 21 years old. The judge rejected a defense argument of extraordinary circumstances and declined to give credit for time served at home on electronic monitoring.

An accident reconstruction expert testified the vehicle was traveling 104 to 113 mph when it left Dugan Road in Sugar Grove Township. The car was nearly split in half after striking a tree. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. The defendant survived and was arrested after being treated at the hospital. Blood tests showed the defendant's blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit of .08 and that he had marijuana in his system at the time of the crash. The defendant initially admitted to being the driver of the vehicle but later changed his statement.

The three friends had been at a party when the cops arrived and sent home those who were sober. The three men promised to stay at the home through the night, but ended up speeding down the road instead.

Since his arrest, the defendant has spoken more than a dozen times to DUI offenders at drug and alcohol counseling centers and has spent more than 900 days on electronic home monitoring.

The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that 44 percent of drivers who died in Illinois car accidents in 2008 tested positive for alcohol; half of all drivers ages 16 to 24 had alcohol in their systems when involved in a fatal accident.