Illinois Injury Lawyer Blog

For most of us, Chicago construction is a minor nuisance that slows down our travel to work. However, when road construction is improperly supervised and construction companies don’t warn motorists of uneven surfaces of the pavement, that nuisance can turn deadly.

Devastatingly, that’s what happened to a Joliet Fire Lieutenant this past August. The 38 year-old man was riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle westbound on Interstate 80 when he hit a patch of uneven pavement near Chicago Street. The highway was reduced to one lane in that area, which further exacerbates liability on the part of the road construction company, in that the man had nowhere else to drive. According to the Chicago Sun Times, the man lost control of the bike and was thrown from the motorcycle, hitting the roadway. He was pronounced brain dead shortly thereafter.

Perhaps the most crucial fact is that the smallest change could have made a huge difference. The Chicago Sun Times reports that an attorney on behalf of the deceased’s estate says that there were no signs, markings, or other warnings given to motorists about the bump in the road. Had the Fire Lieutenant known of the hazard in the roadway, it may have made a difference in whether he lived or died.

Road construction companies bear the responsibility of making sure that their work does not negligently and harmfully impact drivers. When obstructions occur in the roadway, they have the burden of advising drivers of potential dangerous situations, and may be liable when people suffer injuries as a result of not knowing about the unsafe conditions.

The victim’s wife has subsequently filed an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit against D Construction Inc., the company hired by the Illinois Department of Transportation to work on I-80. The lawsuit alleges that D Construction didn’t supervise the construction properly, inspect the work, warn the public of a hazard, or fix defects in the roadway.

Injuries suffered as a result of motorcycle accidents can be severe and life altering. A person may suffer whiplash or burns to the head and neck, have nerve damage or spinal chord paralysis, broken or dislocated bones or limbs, or even have lost the use of a limb. In this case, the Fire Lieutenant died from the trauma he sustained, and if the road construction company is found liable for contributing to cause his death, his wife may have a successful Illinois wrongful death case for the loss of companionship of her husband.

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys have successfully handled nearly every type of motor vehicle negligence case – including motorcycle accident cases – and have recovered millions of dollars in Illinois motor vehicle accident lawsuits for victims and their families. They have both the understanding and experience to handle even the most complex motor vehicle accident lawsuits, and will fight diligently to ensure that you are fairly compensation and justice is served.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a motor vehicle accident caused by another’s negligence, contact an attorney immediately to get a better understanding of your rights under the law.

A middle-aged man faces DUI charges after his vehicle hit a motorcycle, injuring a grandfather and his 6 year-old granddaughter. The car accident resulted in personal injuries to the two individuals and the driver was arrested and charged with aggravated driving under the influence. Local police stated that the man was crossing a center line where the car crash occurred and neighbors describe that the area is tricky with “blind curves.” Blind intersections are not uncommon in the Chicagoland area – often times, buildings, trees, walls, or other features may prevent us from seeing cars entering the intersection. Sometimes even traffic can “screen” out oncoming traffic, creating a large curved wall you cannot see beyond.

In this motorcycle accident, the grandfather was taken to the hospital with leg injuries and chest pains; his six year-old granddaughter was transported to a Children’s Hospital with a serious leg injury. The driver charged with the DUI called 911 himself and was remorseful about the car crash. Motorcycle accidents are always especially worrisome because passengers on motorcycles are so vulnerable, not protected by any sheets of metal forming car walls. As our Chicago car accident lawyers recently reported, studies showing decreases in motorcycle deaths may be misleading. Wrongful deaths due to motorcycle accidents dropped two percent, but that may only signal a blip in the safety trend and not a lasting improvement in motorcycle safety. Fatalities started to climb during the last three of the nine months reviewed, which has safety advocates worried.

In 2009, there were 130 motorcycle fatalities in Illinois, which is far too many. Start Seeing Motorcycles.org offers several resources, information, and training needed to make motorcycling experiences safer, more pleasurable, and help reduce fatalities and personal injuries. Next month, May 2011, has been proclaimed Motorcycle Awareness Month in the State of Illinois to keep Illinois roadways safe through proper motorist awareness.

Visit My Fox to read more about the injured child.
To read more about Illinois motorcycle safety, visit Startseeingmotorcycles.org.

Recent reports showing decreases in motorcycle deaths may be misleading. During the first nine months of last year, wrongful deaths due to motorcycle accidents dropped 2 percent, but the recent report by state transportation officials reflecting the lower fatalities may only signal a blip in the safety trend and not a lasting improvement in safety. From January to September 2010, there were 80 fewer motorcycle wrongful deaths than in the same period from the previous year. However, fatalities have started to climb again during the last three of those nine months reviewed, which has safety advocates worried. A report author – who also acts as a safety consultant – stated “[t]he drop is all in the front half of the year. It looks very much as if we’ve hit bottom and may be starting back up again.”

During the first three months of 2010, motorcycle fatalities were down 25 percent and still down 1 percent in the next three months after that. Then, the motorcycle fatalities went up 3 percent in the third quarter of the year. Since the late 1990s, annual motorcycle fatalities have more than doubled, peaking only three years ago at 4,312 motorcycle deaths. The motorcycle deaths plunged sixteen percent in 2009, correlating with the flailing economy. The cause of the drop in motorcycle deaths is a matter of debate. A spokesperson for the safety group indicated that recreational motorcycle riding appears to have declined while the recession was at its worst and that may explain why the number of deaths went down. This spokesperson is concerned that now that the economy is showing some signs of recovery, experts are concerned that a rebound in recreational motorcycle riding will lead to more wrongful deaths. Leadership of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, however, disagrees. They say that the economy appears to have increased, not decreased, motorcycle use.

Read more about the rate of motorcycle deaths at the Southtown Star.

The Chicago personal injury attorneys at Levin & Perconti are sad to report on recent deaths related to motorcycle accidents and motor vehicle accidents. In situations where victims are killed due to the negligence of another party, a Chicago wrongful death lawsuit may be filed.

First, a 48 year old River Grove man has passed away following a motorcycle crash last week. The man was involved in a motorcycle accident in Franklin Park and was taken in serious condition to Gottlieb Memorial Hospital. He was pronounced dead on Saturday evening. Franklin Park police were called to the motorcycle traffic accident on Thursday evening. Witnesses stated that the motorcycle that the man was driving and a 1990 gray or silver Cadillac four-door were traveling east when the motorcycle accident victim lost control and crashed. Police stated that both the motorcycle and the car in the Chicago motor vehicle accident were moving at a high rate of speed.

In another suburban motor vehicle accident, a 28 year old Chicago man died after a crash in Mattoon involving several other vehicles. The motor vehicle accident victim was headed north just south of Mattoon when a driver in the southbound lanes swerved to avoid an animal in the road and lost control of the car. The other car crossed the median and slammed into the victim’s sedan. Then, the driver collided with a semitrailer ejecting the victim from the car. He was then hit by another northbound semitrailer. The passengers of the victim’s car were not seriously hurt. All individuals were wearing seatbelts.

Visit Chicago Breaking News to read more about the deadly motorcycle accident or motor vehicle accident.

Over the past few days, several individuals received personal injuries and some unfortunately passed away after several individual Illinois motor vehicle accidents in the south suburban areas of Chicago. A teenager from a south suburb of Chicago died after he lost control of a sports utility vehicle that he was driving near the Illinois city of Country Club Hills. In addition to the Orland Park seventeen year old who passed away in the SUV accident, three other youths received personal injuries. The teenager was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle; there was no indication that alcohol or any other drugs were involved in the deadly motor vehicle accident.

Further, on Sunday night, a speeding vehicle struck and killed a teen bicyclist in Dolton, Illinois. The Dolton driver that caused the Illinois wrongful death has continued to elude police and was eluding police when he was speeding and struck the teenager.

Another individual received serious personal injuries after a south side motor vehicle accident on Monday. The injuries occurred after the motorcycle accident victim crashed his motorcycle on outbound interstate 57 at 127th Street in Illinois. Around the same time in another South Side suburban neighborhood, Country Club Hills, a Mexican restaurant was hit by a car and received extensive property damage.

Additionally, an Orland Park man who was involved in a motor vehicle accident a year ago died over the weekend from his personal injuries. He was involved in a motorcycle accident last August on I-355 at Interstate 88; an autopsy revealed that the motorcycle victim died of cerebral injuries.

More information about the serious Illinois motor vehicle accidents is available at The Southtown Star.

An Illinois man, only twenty-five years of age, was pronounced dead early yesterday morning after the motorcycle he was driving crashed this morning in Park Forest, a suburb of Chicago. Officials say that the victim of the Illinois motorcycle crash was pronounced dead at 8:10 a.m.

Another young Illinois man, only twenty-eight, was pronounced dead yesterday morning at 4:00 a.m. after an Illinois car crash on the westbound Eisenhower Expressway in Chicago. The 28 year-old man was a passenger in a car and the driver got in a race with another car on the Expressway. The Illinois car crash victim was sitting in the front passenger’s seat when he was partially ejected and killed when the car left the road, overturned on the right embankment, and hit a tree. The Illinois driver of the vehicle was also ejected and taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital of Cook County. A backseat passenger was also taken to Stroger with non-life-threatening injuries. No individual in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt.

Remember, in Illinois, the law states that each driver and front seat passenger of a motor vehicle must wear a safety belt. Each year in Illinois, lives are needlessly lost in Chicago car crashes simply because individuals were not buckled in. As for motorcycles, more individuals in Chicago hit the road on their motorcycles when the weather is nice in the summer. Please practice safety – wear protective gear, especially a helmet, and try to pick a bright color for the helmet. Please remember to obey the rules of the road.

Click the following web links to read more about the Illinois motorcycle crash or Chicago car crash.

An Illinois motorcycle accident resulted in two people killed Sunday night in Elk Grove Village, a northwest suburb of Chicago. Chicago Tribune reported that based on the Elk Grove Village press release, Illinois police officers responded Sunday evening around 7:40 p.m. to a call of a crash of a black Harley Davidson traveling westbound on Higgins Road. The 31-year old motorcycle driver was pronounced dead at the scene; he was identified as a Schaumburg resident. According to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, the motorcycle accident victim died of multiple injuries. The driver’s girlfriend, a 32 year-old Schaumburg resident, also died of multiple personal injuries sustained in the Illinois motorcycle accident Sunday night. She was pronounced dead at local Alexian Brothers Medical Center. Police indicated that the cause of the deadly Illinois motorcycle accident is still under investigation.

The Illinois personal injury lawyers at Levin & Perconti are devastated to acknowledge that this is the second deadly Illinois motorcycle accident we have read about this month. Just last week, we told our readers about the deadly motorcycle accident near Oak Forest, Illinois on I-57. As we mentioned last week, more than 38,000 motorcyclists have died in single vehicle motorcycle crashes between 1975 and 1999. From 1990 to 1999, there were a total of 11,038 fatal single vehicle motorcycle crashes. In 2008, Chicago alone had 156 fatal Chicago car crashes. Click this link (the Illinois Department of Transportation’s website) to find out how many Illinois fatal car crashes were in your city and county in 2008.

More information about the deadly Illinois motorcycle accident is available here.

An Illinois motorcyclist died early Friday morning after he crashed on Interstate Highway 57 in the south suburbs near cities of Oak Forest and Country Club Hills, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. Around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday evening, Illinois State Police responded to a motorcycle crash in the right hand southbound lane of I-57 north of I-80. The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified the victim as a 51 year-old Chebanse man, who was pronounced dead at St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields. The Illinois man was riding south when he attempted to pass a vehicle in a construction zone. The front motorcycle wheel left the pavement and a 3-inch drop in the pavement caused the Illinois man to lose control of the motorcycle and crash. The Illinois motorcycle accident victim was not wear a helmet at the time and struck his head on the pavement. Oak Forest paramedics transported him in critical condition to St. James. No other vehicles were involved.

It is always heart-wrenching to read about fatal motorcycle accidents, which seem to happen far too often. Single vehicle motorcycle crashes account for almost half of all motorcyclist fatalities. More than 38,000 motorcyclists have died in single vehicle motorcycle crashes between 1975 and 1999. According to one report, from 1990 through 1999, there were a total of 11,038 fatal single vehicle motorcycle crashes. During that same time period, there were an estimated 294,000 non-fatal single vehicle motorcycle crashes. Of those, an estimated 39,000 involved property damage only and 225,000 involved personal injuries.

More information about the motorcycle accident is available at Chicago Breaking News Center.

A personal injury lawsuit settlement has been reached in one of the hundreds of personal injury lawsuits filed against Yamaha and its Rhino utility-terrain vehicle (UTV) for saety problems and product liability concerns. This is the first successful case against Yahama in connection to the UTV product liability problems. The injury victim in the settlement filed the injury lawsuit after sustaining a crushed left leg during a low-speed rollover event. The UTV was being operated at a low speed on a relatively flat and grassy area. The vehicle tipped during a right turn, falling onto the driver’s side, trapping the victim’s leg under the UTV. The injuries sustained were severe and permanent.

ATVs are all-terrain vehicles, vehicles that travel on low pressure tires with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control. They were first introduced in the early 1970s and almost immediately resulted in alarming personal injury rates for adolescents and children. Statistics released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission show that in 2005, there were an estimated 136,700 personal injuries associated with ATVs treated in United States hospital emergency rooms. In 2004, 767 people died in ATV-associated incidents.

A UTV, on the other hand, is a “side by side” where 2 or 4 people can drive off-road. The majority of UTVs come with a roll over protection system. Many may also come equipped with hard tops, windshields, and even cab enclosures. However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that the vehicle may exhibit inadequate lateral stability, undesirable steering characteristics, and inadequate occupant protection during a rollover crash. Between 2003 and 2009, 116 deaths occurred in UTV accidents.

An Illinois motorcycle accident lawsuit has recently settled for $1.25 million. The personal injury lawsuit involved a negligent left-hand turn that resulted in an accident between a motorcycle and a vehicle. The personal injury victim suffered vertebral fractures and other trauma.

To read more about the motorcycle accident lawsuit settlement.

A Chicago rapper was killed in a weekend Chicago motorcycle crash. His motorcycle collided with a van in a Chicago car accident on Saturday. The car accident victim died only a couple of hours later.

To read more about the Chicago motorcycle accident.

A Joliet, Illinois man died after losing control of his motorcycle while trying to merge onto Interstate Highway 80 in Joliet, Illinois. The 45 year old man lost control of his Harley-Davidson after colliding with a ramp guardrail. The motorcycle rolled several times, and the man was thrown off. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The man was riding alone and not wearing a helmet. Police also stated that he was not licensed to drive a motorcycle. At this time no lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

A young man was killed while riding his motorcycle in Chicago, Illinois. He was riding his motorcycle when a pickup truck collided into him, causing an automobile accident. The truck, which had ran the stop sign, fled the scene. The truck was found abandoned a mile away from the scene. A man is currently held on bond in connection of the hit-and run death and is charged with failing to report an accident involving death or injury. Although the motorcyclist usually wore a helmet, he was not wearing one at the time of crash because he was traveling a short distance. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation statistics this is the 16th motorcycle accident to end in death. At this point, no lawsuit or wrongful death suits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

A man from the Chicago suburbs is listed in fair condition after having personal injuries from a motorcycle accident. The motorcyclist was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. The motorcycle crashed into a Jeep after crossing the center line. The driver of the jeep had minor personal injuries and was released from care. The motorcycle driver was taken by helicopter to an Illinois hospital to treat his personal injuries. At this point, no lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

An Illinois man was killed last night after he crashed his motorcycle into a viaduct in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. He lost control of his bike which then hit a curb and finally ran into the viaduct. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital but pronounced dead with an hour. No one else has been reported injured. Read more here.

An off duty police officer from a near Chicago, Illinois suburb was involved in a motorcycle crash. The motorcycle accident left the police officer with serious personal injuries. The injured motorcyclist was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The crash occurred when the motorcycle was crossing a highway exit ramp. There is no word yet if the motorcycle accident will result in a premises liability claim against the state for negligent premises maintenance. To read this tragic story click here.

A woman in a Northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois has passed away after a pedestrian accident occurred. The pedestrian was caught in a motorcycle accident which left her suffering from serious personal injuries eventually resulting in her death. The death has thus far been declared a motor vehicle accident. There is no word yet if any personal injury lawsuits or wrongful death suits have been filed against the driver in the motorcycle accident. To read more on this tragic story click here.

Research has found that eliminating state helmet requirement for motorcyclists has dramatically increased the number of personal injuries and subsequent health care costs. In one state that recently eliminated its helmet laws, the study found fatal head injuries rose 66% while head injury hospitalizations nearly doubled. This study mirrors research from other states that has found riders not wearing a helmet are 32 times more likely to be in a fatal or serious accident. Although advocates of no helmet laws argue it is a personal choice that has no impact on society at large, data shows these accidents lead to higher insurance and health care costs for everyone else. In response, many states without helmet laws are reforming advocating consumer safety.

For the full article, click here:

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the driver of a car that caused an automobile accident, killing the motorcycle passenger. The personal injury attorneys state of the deceased woman has alleged that the driver’s negligence caused the fatal accident when it pulled out in front of the motorcycle.

Click here for the full article

A jury recently awarded a teen $41.5 million in a personal injury lawsuit against LeMans Corporation of Wisconsin for product liability resulting in serious burn injuires. The Wisconsin teen was wearing LeMans manufactured dirt bike clothing when, as the result of a dirt bike accident, 90 percent of his body became covered in third degree burns. When the teen fell, the gas tank of the bike ruptured and he was soaked in fuel. The engine was still running and the heat against the clothing caused the gas to ignite. The clothing actually intensified the injuries; the nylon in the fabric melted onto the teen’s skin. The jury awarded compensation for past and future medical expenses, lack of future earning potential, pain, suffering, and disability.

For the full article, click here