Illinois Injury Lawyer Blog

In the span of only three days there have been two Chicago, Illinois CTA related deaths. In what initially may have been thought of as freak accidents there is an alarming trend with deaths and personal injuries from Chicago, Illinois Chicago Transit Authority transportation. Protections, either in the form of emergency shut-off devices for trains or extra security guards, need to be put in place near CTA “L” stops to prevent accidents. The first accident occurred Monday on the CTA blue line. The most recent accident occurred yesterday on the CTA red line. In both CTA “L” train accidents the pedestrians were killed. Investigations continue into both CTA train car accidents. In addition to Chicago, Illinois trains other forms of public transit are also under scrutiny. In recent weeks Chicago, Illinois PACE buses which provide transportation to Chicago, Illinois suburbs have also been in the spotlight due to a PACE bus accident which injured four pedestrians. Additionally, Chicago Metra trains which provide service within Chicago and to the suburbs have also been under attack. Train accidents have occurred both at train and car intersection accidents, train accidents hitting pedestrians and one train accident caused death and injury to a rider on the train. As gas prices soar in Chicago, Illinois, residents are using public transportation as an alternative to personal cars. Despite the financial savings from the public transit system residents may be willing to put more cash into the pump rather than ride on the Chicago, Illinois, CTA, PACE, or Metra due to the increasing number of accidents. Negligent bus drivers, Negligent CTA operators and negligent Metra conductors may deter residents from using public transit and opting instead to use cars even though fuel prices are high. CTA has not made any official statement regarding the recent wave of CTA related deaths but it is expected that a press release will soon be made public. As Chicago, Illinois residents remain puzzled about the unexpected CTA deaths one thing is sure safety measures need to be increased to prevent more innocent pedestrians, riders and travelers from experiencing personal injuries and death. To read about the most recent CTA red line train accident click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Bus Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Pedestrian , Public Transit , Train Accidents

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Car part recalls and product liability lawsuits against car manufactures are common occurrences in America. A new wave of defected car products however has come into light after a lengthy news investigation. It has been determined that many car shops and automobile dealers are selling expired car tires which make the car tires defective and prone to car tire explosions and car accidents. This is a growing problem and this negligent product selling has led many to sustain serious personal injuries from car accidents and even death. To see a full length clip about the news investigation into this negligent car tire selling trend click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Products liability

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Tuesday night a vehicle struck pedestrians near a Chicago Transit Authority bus shelter on the South Side. Six people were injured as a result of the accident near 79th and Cottage Grove. The driver of the vehicle then drove away from the scene of the accident. One of the pedestrians was in serious-to-critical condition after the accident and was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital, another was taken in the same condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, two were also serious-to-critical and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center and the last two were in serious-to-good condition and transported to Jackson Park Hospital. Read more here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents

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On Tuesday afternoon, a girl from Des Plaines, Illinois was hit by a car crossing a street. Alexis Perroca, 11, was returning from feeding ducks and geese in the Des Plaines River when she was hit by an SUV heading south on Des Plaines River Road. The driver was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian. The girl was crossing at a point on the four-lane road where there was no crosswalk and the speed limit was 35 mph. Apparently, as they were crossing, Alexis let go of her father’s hand and darted out into traffic, her father was carrying her 3 year-old twin siblings and their bicycles at the time. Alexis died later that afternoon as a result of the car accident at Advocate Luther General Hospital in Park Ridge. Read more here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents

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Steven Levin of Levin & Perconti and Stephen Gorman, Attorney at Law, have announced a recent settlement in a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Levin and Gorman filed a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of Anastasia Gadomski who was severely and permanently injured when Cater Minnis struck her with his car. The defendants settled for $1.85 million. Anastasia, or “Sissy” as her friends and family know her, was a vibrant and active woman who enjoyed spending time with her family and was always involved in her community. However, the accident has robbed her permanently of her former personality. Sissy was struck by Cater Minnis’s vehicle as he backed out of a parking garage while on business. Minnis is a State Farm Insurance agent based on Chicago’s south side. To read more, click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Verdicts and Settlements

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Monday evening, a car filled with the driver and 2 passengers drove around a railroad warning gate and was struck by the crossing freight train. The train, traveling from Chicago, Illinois, hit the Ford Taurus in the early evening at a crossing which has gates, lights, and flashers. After ignoring both the warning gate and lights, as well as the train’s horn, the driver drove onto the tracks resulting in the accident in which the car was pushed approximately 175 feet. The passengers were ejected, but the driver became trapped in the car; all three died from the automobile accident. The crew of the train were uninjured. The families of the two passengers may have a wrongful death claim against the driver for negligently crossing the warning gates. Read more here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Train Accidents

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A Chicago, Illinois teenager was hit by a car while on vacation. The teen was rollerblading when he was struck by a car. The in-lining skating car crash left the teen dead. The driver in the car crash was cited for reckless driving, negligent driving and other criminal citations. There is no word yet if a wrongful death suit or a personal injury lawsuit will be filed by the Chicago, Illinois family of the deceased teenager. To read the full story click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A bicycle accident occurred after a car driver hit and run occurred yesterday evening. The car accident involved a twelve year old autistic boy who was riding his bike when the car accident occurred hitting his bike. The bike accident left the boy with a broken leg. The investigation continues to find the hit and run driver who caused the boy to suffer serious personal injuries: he now has a cast going all the way up his leg and thigh. Bicycle Accidents and pedestrian accidents can occur when drivers are not paying attention but if a car accident does occur a driver should take responsibility. In this case, however the driver simply ran away. To read the full story click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Bicycle Accidents , Injuries to Minors and Children , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Pedestrian

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Another CTA accident occurred in Chicago, Illinois where a car crashed into a CTA “L” platform. The car exploded and the woman suffered severe burn injuries and was not able to survive the car accident. Two other men who were in the car accident suffered serious injuries and were taken to the hospital. CTA accidents have occurred in large numbers in recent weeks. Previously a car hitting an “L” platform caused personal injuries and death to a woman who was near a Chicago, Illinois Red Line station. To read the story and see a map of where the accident occurred, click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Burn Injury , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Public Transit , Train Accidents

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Marshawn Lynch, a professional football player, is expected to plead guilty to a minor traffic violation in lieu of a criminal charge for a hit-and-run accident he was linked to at the end of May. Lynch is accused of hitting a pedestrian with his SUV at 3:30 am. He and a passenger claim that they did not realize they had struck anyone or caused any personal injury. Police reports indicate that it was a dark, rainy night and the victim was wearing dark clothing. The victim claims the SUV struck her, slowed down, came to a complete stop, and then sped away. Instead of being charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, Lynch will likely face a reduced charge of either failure to exercise due care to avoid striking a pedestrian or leaving the scene of a property-damage accident.

For more information, click here:

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian

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A motorcycle accident in Chicago, Illinois occurred when the motorcyclist crashed into another car. The car hit was waiting at an intersection to make a turn when the intersection accident occurred. The driver of the motorcycle was given citations for among several things a DUI; likely a ticket for reckless driving and for negligent driving. The motorcyclist experienced critical injuries and remains in the hospital. To read the full story click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents

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A Cook County jury awarded $2.5 Million to the family of a nonagenarian who was struck by a van while crossing the street. The verdict included $1 Million for pain and suffering because the woman was alive when she was dragged 25 feet by the van. At trial, there was a dispute as to whether the woman or the driver proceeded on a red light. However, the jury did not hear evidence of a ticket given to the driver for “failing to exercise due care to avoid striking a pedestrian.” In reaching this verdict, the jury was asked to consider the quality and dignity of the life the woman led and the strong relationship she had with her family. The verdict speaks to the necessity of the availability of punitive damages, suggesting that many of today’s proposed tort reforms will only harm the families of individuals such as this woman that suffer unnecessarily.

For the full article, See Pat Milhizer, Law Bulletin, “Record verdict reached in death of nonagenarian,” June 20, 2008 Volume: 154 Issue: 122.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Tort Reform , Wrongful Death

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Two men from Illinois were killed on a highway in another state earlier this week. The men were apparently driving when their car ran out of gas, they were pushing it on the shoulder of the road when a dump truck crashed into them, killing both. While the police investigation into the fatal car accident continues, it appears that both men’s families may be able to file wrongful death lawsuits if the investigation shows that the truck driver is to blame.

Read more here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents

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A fatal car crash on a Chicago, Illinois highway left a family torn apart. The Highway car accident resulted in a the death of one and serious personal injuries sustained by the husband in the same car. The multi car crash involved not only car accidents but also a taxi accident. The driver of the taxi involved in the crash remains in stable condition at the hospital after suffering personal injuries. To see the full story and a map of where the crash occurred, click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents

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Chicago, Illinois was the scene of an SUV bike accident that occurred last Monday. The bicycle accident occurred when a bicyclist was smashed by a car door. Car door bike accidents are more frequent as bikers try to use a cheaper and more efficient modes of travel. Illinois legislation has been passed to crack down on opening door’s in a biker’s path. Sadly the accident became a fatal bike accident when the bicyclist passed away yesterday evening. Another Chicago bicyclist injured this week was hurt by a CTA bus accident. News reports have announced that a wrongful death suit has been filed against the driver of the parked car and the driver who hit the biker. To see the full story & a picture of the scene click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Bicycle Accidents , Bus Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A fatal motorbike accident left one youth dead and another critically injured after an accident on Chicago, Illinois’ northwest side. The motorbike crash involved a Suzuki Burgman bike and another car. An unknown citation was given to the driver of the car who claims that she was not a reckless negligent driver and was not at fault. The one youth injured was transported to the hospital with critical serious injuries from the motorbike crash. The crash caused the motorbike to crash through a store window. Workers at the Chicago, Illinois shop were boarding up the windows destroyed by the motorbike crash into windows at the store. To see the full story click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Injuries to Minors and Children , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents

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The Chicago, Illinois suburb of Palatine became the sight of the most recent train accident involving a Metra train and a car. The car’s negligent driver was given a citation for failing to move from the train tracks. Luckily the mixture of the location of the car on train tracks did not result in any fatal car crash or any serious personal injuries. The driver of the car was responsible for causing a train schedule delay. Metra train accidents are often blamed on the conductor but in this case it seems the negligent car driver was at fault. To see the full story click here.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Train Accidents

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Wednesday morning 2 Illinois Department of Transportation workers died while painting a bridge in Elgin. The workers’ truck came into contact with a power-line and by the time firefighters arrived on the scene the truck was encased in flames. Both men were so severely burned that they were pronounced dead on the scene. It is as of yet unknown what caused the truck to hit the power-line, but human error or product liability are some potential issues. Later that same day, one ID