Recent Blog Posts
Staying Safe on the Roads This Winter Season
As winter officially begins and drivers head out and about to visit family and celebrate the holidays, it becomes important for everyone to understand how to stay safe on the roads. Even more critical is the knowledge of what to do, should an automobile accident happen to you or someone you love. Winter weather safety should be the responsibility of every driver and passenger on the road.
An Ounce of Prevention Can Go a Long Way
Ensuring your vehicle is “winter ready” can help dramatically when it comes to keeping you, your family, and others safe on Illinois roadways. New wipers keep your windshield clear, improving your overall visibility. Snow tires that have been checked for proper air pressure help to ensure you have good traction while driving through snow and slush. Good brakes can give you improved stopping power, even in the worst of conditions. So, if you have not yet had your vehicle winterized, either take steps to do it yourself or contact your local mechanic for assistance. Also note that a winter weather emergency pack should be a part of your winterization steps. A flashlight, warm blankets and clothes, ice scrapers, kitty litter, a phone charger, water, and non-perishable foods are just a few thing you might want to include.
Slip and Fall Accidents Pose a Serious Risk for Older Americans
A slip and fall can happen to almost anyone, almost anywhere, especially during the winter months. Yet, there are some Americans who are at a higher risk of serious injury than others. Of particular concern are those who are over the age of 65. Even more concerning for this at-risk group is the fact that they are also more likely to suffer a slip and fall injury. Learn more about this risk, and what you can do if you or someone you love has suffered a slip and fall injury in Illinois.
Slip and Fall Injuries and Deaths More Common Among Older Americans
Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates more than 2.8 million older Americans experience a slip and fall each year. More than 27,000 of those falls resulted in death. Many others (one in five) resulted in serious injury, such as broken bones, facial fractures, and traumatic brain injury. Further, more than 800,000 older Americans are hospitalized due to head injuries, hip fractures, spinal cord injuries, and other serious slip and fall injuries.
Injured by a Drunk Driver; Now What?
Being in a car accident with a drunk driver can be traumatic and can leave you with a variety of serious injuries. You may not know what to do in order to be compensated for the damage to your vehicle and the injuries you and your loved ones may have sustained.
The first thing you should understand is that a car accident caused by a drunk driver is no ordinary car accident. Under Illinois law, there are several differences. If you have been in such an accident, it is recommended that you meet with an experienced drunk driving accident attorney who understands the damages you may be eligible for and the parties who may be responsible.
Illinois Drunk Driving Laws
Drivers may not drive with a BAC level of .08% or higher. If the driver is under 21 years-old, a driver cannot drive legally if his or her BAC level is .01% or higher. Illinois law also bans carrying alcohol in open containers in cars.
Early Hospital Discharge Is Not Always Beneficial
Anyone who has been hospitalized understands the longing for home. Hospitals are renowned for the unusual smells, sometimes questionable food, poor sleeping patterns, cranky roommates, and mediocre room service. After even a short stay in a hospital bed, many are quick to start questioning how quickly they can expect to return home. Under the care of an upstanding medical professional, you will likely be advised to stay until you become healthy enough for an unsupervised, non-controlled environment. However, early hospital discharge is a growing epidemic that is putting patients’ lives in danger and creating the possibility of medical malpractice suits.
When to Go Home
Determining when a patient should be sent home can be a difficult decision. However, that is up to the doctor and the patient to decide together. The patient knows their body better than anyone while a physician can determine what symptoms and conditions should be monitored. Working together, they put together a comprehensive picture of the situation. The patient may be ready to go home if:
Motor Vehicle Accident Victims Deserve Compensation
The winter holiday season is fast approaching. This is a time when millions of Americans are expected to travel to various destinations. A significant portion of the population finds traveling by personal vehicle the most beneficial to their situation. In previous years, AAA estimated that 98.4 million drivers were on the road throughout the end of the year holidays, traveling over 50 miles each direction. The staggering number of vehicles on the road is not only impressive, but it also increases the likelihood of motor vehicle accidents due to negligent drivers.
What Constitutes Negligence?
When another driver’s actions or inactions lead to an accident which causes injuries to you or your loved ones, you are entitled to collect compensation. A lapse in attention or judgment while behind the wheel by the other driver may constitute negligence, leaving him or her responsible for the subsequent damages. Negligent driving may include:
Hearing Loss and Blindness Injuries: What You Need to Know
An estimated 30 million Americans have experienced a loss of hearing. Another 22.5 million have suffered a loss in vision. Some of these cases are due to genetics, diseases, age, or other conditions that may be specific to the person. However, there are other instances in which the loss of sight or hearing was caused by the negligent actions of another. If you or someone you love has experienced visual or auditory losses and believe negligence may have been the cause, the following information can help you better understand your legal rights, including your right to pursue compensation.
Hearing Loss and Negligence
Loss of hearing, whether partial or complete, can greatly change the way a person interacts and communicates with the world around them. For example, if someone experiences a partial loss of hearing, they may be less apt to hear a noise that might indicate a potential danger (i.e. an approaching car, etc.). If they suffer from complete loss of hearing, they may need to learn a whole new way to communicate, such as learning sign language and/or learning how to read lips.
Governor Believes Current Illinois Workers Compensation System Is Too Lenient
When you have been hurt on the job, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance coverage should be available to offer you the benefits you need to recover quickly and get back to work. A work-related injury can be painful, of course, but it should not leave you struggling financially. It should be relatively easy to obtain coverage for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and even lost wages while you heal. According to Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, however, it may be too easy to get workers’ compensation benefits, and he wants something done to fix the problem.
Coverage for a Workplace Injury
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act provides that any injury that arises out of and in the course of the injured party’s employment is intended to be compensable under the law. It is up to the injured employee to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that his or her injuries were related to employment. As far back as 2012—before Governor Rauner was even elected—state officials observed that courts in Illinois, as well as the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC), have traditionally used very broad interpretations of the law to allow injured parties to collect benefits.
Galaxy Note 7 Recall Creating Problems Around the World
In several recent posts on this blog, we discussed some of the dangers associated with cell phone use while driving. Texting, checking emails, and even just talking—hands-free or not—can lead to serious accidents and severe injuries. Sometimes, however, a cell phone can be the source of danger, even when it is nowhere near a moving car. Sometimes, the phone itself is defective and can cause damage and injuries to its user. It is exactly this type of situation that has led to a massive recall by one of the world’s leading cell phone manufacturers, the fallout of which has been felt around the globe.
Samsung Recalls More Than Two Million Phones
South Korean electronics giant Samsung announced last month that it was recalling some 2.5 million units of its high-end flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7. The phone had only been on the market for less than a month when users first began reporting incidents of overheating. Some phones even caught fire and exploded. The problems were initially blamed on a particular type of battery being used in the production process, and replacement phones were given to affected customers. Then, the replacements allegedly started exploding and catching fire too.
Cell Phones and Driver Distraction
It is becoming increasingly apparent that a growing number of people now prefer their social media over their own safety. While people are falling over cliff faces taking selfies, drivers on our nation’s busy highways are still failing to pay the proper attention required behind the wheel. Thousands of accidents occur every day due to driver error and, more specifically, driver distraction. If you have been involved in a car accident and suspect that the other driver was texting and driving, you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries you have suffered, helping you get on the road to recovery.
Distracted Drivers: A Continuing Epidemic
While they may be wonderful tools to stay connected, our mobile devices come with their downsides. One such disadvantage is that to use such a device, you must be essentially face-down looking at screen. Cell phones are obviously extremely useful when it comes to navigating city streets and routes for your errands and road trips, but the habit of texting while behind the wheel is extremely dangerous. Young people, especially, are prone to this and are often also the victims when a serious crash occurs and someone is injured.
Deviating From the Patient’s Bill of Rights Could Endanger Patient Care
Planning for a hospital stay can be a very anxious time under the best of circumstances. Not fully understanding your rights while under the care of the hospital, however, may lead to additional medical issues giving way to a possible hospital malpractice lawsuit.
Establishing Patient Rights
In 1973, the American Hospital Association’s House of Delegates implemented the Patient’s Bill of Rights as a measure to not only protect the patient but also medical providers as well. The guidelines were designed to encourage effective health care by strengthening the collaboration between patients and their medical team. They were also employed to open lines of honest communication and to elevate levels of respect between both patients and medical professionals.
The list also holds responsible the medical team responsible for ensuring the ethical treatment of all patients. In addition, the Patient’s Bill of Rights specifies that all medical professionals be sensitive to patients of varying cultural, racial, linguistic, religious beliefs, age, gender, and disability.
