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Recent Blog Posts
Pursuing Compensation After a Slip and Fall Injury
With the holiday season in full swing, thousands of people throughout the greater Chicago area are shopping and enjoying activities around the town. However, with the winter holidays comes winter weather conditions, and walking in and around establishments and other properties during this time of year can be a dangerous proposition. From broken bones to traumatic brain injuries, falls can result in expensive hospital trips, costly physical therapy, and chronic pain. If you suffer a fall injury, contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
Understanding Illinois Slip and Fall Laws
According to the Snow and Ice Removal Act, written within the Illinois Compiled Statutes, property owners are encouraged to remove natural accumulations of snow or ice from their property, but they are typically not responsible for injuries that occur when someone slips and falls on snow or ice. While some municipal ordinances may require a premises owner to clear walkways of snow or ice in certain situations, this does not establish legal liability. That said, if a premises owner elects to remove the snow or ice and does so in a negligent manner, they may be liable for injuries suffered.
Pedestrian Accidents and Injuries Are On the Rise in Illinois
On December 1st, 2018, a 63-year-old Illinoisan was killed after being struck by a vehicle in the northern suburb of Waukegan. After the vehicle struck the pedestrian, the driver fled from the scene and has yet to be located by local law enforcement officials. The victim was rushed to a local hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead. The tragedy served as a sobering reminder of the risks that pedestrians face each and every day. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), approximately 6,000 American pedestrians were fatally injured throughout 2017 alone. If you or a loved one have been injured in a pedestrian accident, it is important to contact an attorney immediately.
Study Indicates Increased Collisions Involving Pedestrians
Here in the state of Illinois, pedestrian injuries are alarmingly common. According to data reported by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), 4,600 pedestrians were injured after being struck by motor vehicles in 2016, and 150 people died in these types of collisions.
How Common Are Motorcycle Injuries and Fatalities?
Every year, thousands of Americans suffer serious injuries while riding motorcycles. Motorcyclists are more susceptible to severe injuries in a collision, due in large part to the small size of their vehicles and the lack of protection offered to motorcyclists and their passengers. According to studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatal motorcycle accidents are on the rise throughout the United States. If you or a loved one are involved in a motorcycle accident, a skilled personal injury attorney can help you receive full compensation for the injuries you have suffered.
Motorcycle Injuries Throughout the United States
In 2016, motorcycle fatalities throughout the United States rose by more than 5% in comparison to 2015. The 5,286 fatal motorcycle collisions that occurred that year marked the highest number of motorcycle fatalities since 2008. As mentioned above, motorcyclists have limited protection in comparison to travelers within standard passenger vehicles. Unsurprisingly, the NHTSA states that motorcyclists are more than 28 times more likely to suffer fatal injuries in a collision than passengers within automobiles. Despite the fact that helmets can often make the difference between life and death in a motorcycle collision, a large percentage of motorcyclists choose to not wear a helmet. In 2016, approximately 60% of all motorcyclists killed in collisions were not wearing helmets.
The Importance of Hiring an Attorney for Your Workers’ Compensation Case
While every business that employs workers in the state of Illinois is required to follow Illinois’ workers’ compensation laws, many businesses and their insurers will try to fight against paying an injured worker just compensation. Companies looking to resist making large workers’ compensation payments routinely engage in disputes with injured employees about whether the injury occurred in the course and scope of employment and the extent of the injury. If you suffer an injury in the workplace, it is important to contact a quality legal representative as soon as possible.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Payments
When a workplace injury occurs, Illinois law states that the employer is responsible for compensating the injured employee for the loss of work hours, medical expenses, and disability payments. The amount an employer must pay can depend on a number of issues, including the severity of the initial injury and the duration of persisting symptoms.
Common Chronic Injuries Suffered by Office Workers
While most people think of workplace injuries as serious accidents involving falls or electrocutions, the majority of on-the-job injuries occur in the office while working on repetitive tasks. These injuries are referred to as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and they account for approximately 33% of all workplace injuries. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), MSDs are one of the most common causes of loss of work time. If you have been injured at your workplace, or if you have begun suffering from a musculoskeletal disorder, you should understand your options for receiving workers’ compensation benefits.
The Most Common Musculoskeletal Disorders
While musculoskeletal disorders do not come with the fatal consequences of a disastrous accident, their chronic nature can have life-changing implications. Even the most common of musculoskeletal disorders can lead to loss of work hours, chronic pain, and costly medical care. Common MSDs include:
Understanding Wrongful Death Laws in Illinois
The pain of losing a loved one can be incredibly traumatic. The tragic loss of a spouse or a family member can be especially difficult when the loss was caused by someone else’s negligence. While finances are often far away from the forefront of one’s thought process after a tragedy in the family, losing a family member, especially a spouse or parent, can have a monumental impact on one’s financial security. If you believe your loved one was fatally injured by the reckless or negligent actions of another party, you should understand your options for pursuing compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.
The Wrongful Death Act
Here in the state of Illinois, a death in which a party is liable is defined by the state’s Wrongful Death Act (740 ILCS 180). According to Illinois law, wrongful death occurs when the death of a person is caused by neglect or a wrongful act that would normally constitute a personal injury suit if the injuries suffered were not fatal. Common situations involving wrongful death include fatal injury suffered in a car accident, death in a workplace accident, or the negligence of a nursing home employee ultimately leading to the death of a resident.
Dog Bite Injuries Can Come With Serious Ramifications
In the state of Illinois, one in every three households owns a dog. While dogs are known as our loyal friends, they actually can be quite dangerous. In 2016 alone, 31 Americans were killed by dog bites. While the amount of fatal dog attacks remains fairly low, dog bite injuries are quite common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 800,000 Americans are hospitalized for dog bites each year. If you or are a family member are bitten by a dog, it is important to contact medical personnel as quickly as possible.
The True Impact of a Dog Bite
While the vast majority of dog bite wounds heal within a matter of weeks, some injuries can be incredibly severe and even fatal.
Injuries to Children: Due to their small stature and inability to recognize behavioral cues, small children face increased risk of severe injury in dog attacks. Approximately 42% of all Americans killed by dog bites in 2016 were children nine years of age or younger. Additionally, infants between the ages of three and six days old made up 31% of all fatal dog bite victims. If your young children are in the presence of a dog, it is crucial to keep a watchful eye.
Receiving Workers’ Compensation Payments for On the Job Injuries
Every year, thousands of American workers suffer serious injuries while at work. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), approximately 5,190 American workers lost their lives in on-the-job accidents in 2016 alone. The vast majority of workplace injuries are non-fatal, but they can come with monumental financial implications, including chronic pain or disabilities that impact one’s ability to continue working and earning an income.
Fortunately, with the help of a quality legal team, people that suffer injuries or contract illnesses while at work can receive benefits in the form of workers’ compensation. Below, we discuss some common workplace injuries, some of the nation’s most dangerous fields, and facts about workers’ compensation in the state of Illinois.
The Long-Term Implications of Emotional Abuse Among the Elderly
To this day, elder abuse continues to be one of the greatest medical catastrophes throughout the United States. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), as many as one in every 10 people in the U.S. over the age of 65 face some type of elder abuse, while roughly five million elderly Americans are abused each year.
Elder abuse is defined as any form of physical, sexual, or emotional harm conducted against an elderly person. The most common perpetrators of elder abuse include assisted-living facility workers, medical personnel, and family members. Despite the extensive research conducted on the impacts of elder abuse, we still have a limited understanding of the long-term impacts of emotional abuse against an elderly person.
Emotional abuse is defined as abuse coming in the form of verbal attacks, harassment, or threats of future physical attacks. While emotional abuse does not come with the easily noticeable symptoms of physical abuse, such as skin lacerations or bruising, substantial changes in behavior can be a sign that this type of abuse has occurred. If you believe that an elderly family member is facing abuse, it may be time to seek out legal representation.
Preventing Depression and Abuse Among Your Elderly Loved Ones
After recent studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical experts found that elderly Americans are at an increased risk of depression when compared to other age demographics. For many older people, depression symptoms may be a sign of something more: elder abuse. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), roughly one in every ten Americans over the age of sixty have faced some form of elder abuse.
Elder abuse can range from physical harm, financial exploitation, or emotional abuse, to even sexual misconduct. If your elderly loved one lives in an assisted-living facility, they may be facing an increased risk of suffering nursing home abuse. Maintaining a strong relationship with your elderly loved one can help you identify common symptoms of elder abuse.
From our office in Plainfield, Illinois, we serve clients in Will County, DuPage County, Kendall County, Kane County, Joliet, Naperville, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Aurora, Lemont, Crest Hill, Shorewood, Lockport, Woodridge, Wheaton, Oswego, Yorkville, Homer Glen, Lisle, and surrounding communities.
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