North Chicago & St. Louis Injury Updates

Buzzed Drivers in Il May Be the Cause of Catastrophic Car Accidents

Published on: November 26, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | November 26, 2014

The Illinois legal limit is 0.08 percent; however, studies show that drivers with a BAC of as low as 0.01 percent can cause devastating car accidents.

Motorists who drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or above in Illinois are considered intoxicated and can be arrested for a DUI. However, drivers who have a BAC below 0.08 percent can present hazards for other motorists on the road as well. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Illinois experienced a 15 percent increase in their drunk driving fatality rate in 2012. That year, approximately 34 percent of all fatal car and truck accidents were attributed to drunk drivers. With these high statistics, driving while intoxicated has become a major problem for Illinois motorists.

Are Truck Drivers Receiving Adequate Safety Training in Illinois?

Published on: November 26, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | November 26, 2014

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there are no federal standards for the training of commercial drivers.

Every day on Chicago’s roads, drivers encounter tractor trailers. These big rigs bring in goods and materials that make life more comfortable but the sheer size of them poses a potential threat to the safety and lives of others around them. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is serious about improving truck safety and is currently looking at commercial driver training and its connection to a truck driver’s ability to operate these rigs in a safe manner.

Hands-Free Devices May Lead to Car Accidents in Illinois

Published on: November 26, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | November 26, 2014

Although Illinois has strict cellphone laws, hands free devices are legal and have shown to cause a significant amount of cognitive distraction.

As smartphones become more technologically advanced, it isn’t uncommon to see people reading emails, updating their social media profiles, searching the internet, texting and even watching movies on their cellphones. When people begin to engage in these activities while driving, however, they may unintentionally cause devastating vehicular accidents. Illinois has strict laws banning the use of hand-held cellphones or texting while driving, according to distraction.gov. In order to comply with the law, many drivers use hands-free cellular devices, which may be incredibly dangerous as well. If you have been involved in an accident, contact our Chicago car accident lawyers today.

Truck Driver Fatigue at Issue for Lawmakers and Law Enforcement

Published on: November 25, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | November 25, 2014

On behalf of Steven Seidman

Federal bill could increase trucker hours from 70 to 82 hours per week

How Does Illinois Reduce Truck Accidents in Oversize Loads?

Published on: November 21, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Firm News | November 21, 2014

It goes without saying that commercial tractor-trailers are inherently dangerous due to their enormous size and weight. However, there are also some instances where commercial trucks are allowed a special permission to operate in configurations that make them even heavier and bigger than usual.

The Illinois Department of Transportation issues special permits that allow some nontraditional cargo to be transported throughout the state under tightly regulated restrictions. These include large industrial components, pre-manufactured homes and other oversize cargo loads that could not otherwise be reasonably transported. The following examples are some of the rules included in the application for the special permit:

Megabus Crash Leads to Five Lawsuits in Chicago

Published on: November 18, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | November 18, 2014

On behalf of Steven Seidman

Passengers say windshield wipers were broken and bus was going too fast

Family Seeking Answers After Girl Injured by Defective Product

Published on: November 13, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Firm News | November 13, 2014

A Chicago area family says that their daughter was made ill by a dessert item they purchased that was improperly labeled. The child’s father told reporters that his daughter suffers from a severe peanut allergy. Armed with that knowledge, the father says that he intentionally purchased a hazelnut swirl gelato for his family’s consumption solely based on the fact that the food item carried no peanut ingredient warnings. Despite her peanut allergy, the 10-year-old girl is not allergic to hazelnut.

According to the father, shortly after the girl ingested the gelato, she required hospitalization due to a breakout of hives. The father described the child is having difficulty breathing and displaying symptoms of raised skin all over her body.

How Long Do I Have to Report an Injury at Work?

Published on: November 6, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Work Accidents | November 6, 2014

Under current Illinois law, then employee injured on the job has a duty to report that accident to the employer within 45 days. The law does not specify whether the notice be offered verbal or in writing; however, employees can retain copies of a written notice for subsequent documentary proof. Additionally, Illinois workers injured as a result of radiological exposure have up to 90 days to report a suspicion of having received an excess dose of radiation.

The rules for reporting occupational disease require employees to give notice to their employers just as soon as they are practically able to notify them of their illnesses. For example, a factory worker who suffers from hearing loss as a result of working around heavy machinery for many years may not actually become aware of their illness for some time. Alternatively, an auto mechanic made ill by exposure to hydraulic fluid may experience an adverse reaction within hours of the exposure.

The Importance of Crash Reconstruction After Car Accidents

Published on: October 24, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Firm News | October 24, 2014

The effects of a car crash can leave victims with catastrophic injuries that require extensive medical treatments. Those medical costs often easily spiral into six-figure costs. With the stakes set so high, it’s easy to see how important it is to prove that the driver who caused the accident was indeed negligent in his or her operation of a motor vehicle at the time of the accident.

Often, the best way for an injured plaintiff to demonstrate negligence by the defendant is through accident reconstruction. Re-creating the scene piece by piece for the judge and jury to see can be particularly useful in cases attempting to reveal negligence in drunk, reckless or distracted drivers.

Two Men Injured in Truck Accident Involving SUV

Published on: October 17, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Firm News | October 17, 2014

On Oct. 13, police in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, say that a crash between a tractor-trailer and an SUV sent two men to the hospital. The accident occurred at Route 83 and Engle Drive around 8:42 a.m. According to news reports, the semi-truck was heading northbound along route 83 when the SUV traveling in the opposite direction attempted to make a left turn onto Engle Drive when the two vehicles collided. Neither driver has yet been cited at the time of this report.

The Deputy Police Chief of Round Lake Beach said that the driver of the SUV is a 64-year-old man from Lake Villa, Illinois. The origins of the truck driver were not reported, though he is a 53-year-old male. First responders took both drivers to Condell Hospital in Libertyville. The truck driver is reported to have suffered only minor injuries but the injuries to the driver of the SUV were described as significant.

Seidman, Margulis, & Fairman Blog

Federal bill could increase trucker hours from 70 to 82 hours per week