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Recent Blog Posts
Who Pays My Claim in a Multi-Vehicle Crash?
On February 9th, eight vehicles tangled in a crash on I-80. The Joliet Fire Department had to extricate one driver and needed five ambulances to take seven injured victims to nearby hospitals. Seven more people refused medical treatment after the multi-vehicle collision.
Accidents involving more than two vehicles are more common than you might think. Although you may qualify to pursue compensation for your damages, you need to know who was responsible for causing your crash first. When multiple cars are involved, determining fault is complicated. A knowledgeable Will County, IL car accident attorney can investigate your accident, establish fault and liability, and work hard to help you get as much compensation as you deserve.
How Is Fault Determined in Multiple-Car Collisions?
A detailed investigation is necessary to determine the cause of a chain-reaction crash. These collisions do not happen simultaneously; instead, a single crash has a domino effect. For example, a high-speed rear-end impact can push the struck car into the vehicle ahead of it, and so on. Each individual crash must be investigated.
How Valentine's Day Affects Domestic Violence Arrests
Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day when romantic relationships are celebrated, and couples enjoy a romantic evening together. Sources are divided on whether domestic violence incidents increase or decrease on Valentine’s Day. Some sources, including Psychology Today, report that domestic violence-related calls to the police usually decrease slightly on Valentine’s Day and then begin to peak again in the following days. Other sources report that police respond to more domestic disputes on Valentine’s Day. Our experienced Will County, IL domestic violence attorneys have seen firsthand that many people arrested for domestic violence do not fit the stereotype of a habitual abuser but instead simply had an argument get out of hand. Police do not always succeed in arresting the primary aggressor, and there is often little to no evidence that an assault took place.
The Danger Posed by Retirement-Age Truck Drivers
Truck driving can be an appealing job for a recently retired person to take up. Truck drivers get to travel and see the country while getting paid to drive. Some retired couples even get their CDLs together so that they can work together and drive in shifts. This can be great for people who retire from their primary career early, in their early 60’s or so. However, aging adults can start to experience a myriad of physical and mental health conditions that might impair their driving. While there are mechanisms for revoking an aging driver’s CDL for medical reasons, this is not always done in time. If you were injured in a truck accident caused by an aging driver who should not have been on the road, you should speak to an experienced Will County, IL truck accident attorney. You may be entitled to significant compensation.
Fatigue Affects Aging Drivers Differently
Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of trucking accidents. There is a reason all drivers are required to take breaks according to a strict schedule. Hours of service laws, as they are called, are designed to make sure that truck drivers get adequate rest and do not make mistakes due to being overly tired. However, the hours of service regulations are designed for truckers who are reasonably fit and healthy. Older adults may require longer and more frequent rest breaks to prevent dangerous levels of fatigue.
Defending a DUI Case After a Crash with Injuries
Normally, an uncomplicated DUI is a misdemeanor. If you were simply pulled over by the police because you were seen swerving, driving with a missing headlight, or breaking another traffic law and were found to be intoxicated, you are probably being charged with a misdemeanor. However, if you caused a car crash that left someone injured, your situation is much more serious. You may be facing felony charges for DUI with great bodily harm. If you were involved in an accident that left someone injured and subsequently got arrested for drunk driving, you need an experienced Joliet, IL felony DUI lawyer to fight for you. Felony DUI can carry significant prison time and should be taken very seriously.
Possible Defense Strategies for DUI With Injury
There are several ways to defend your case when you are charged with DUI with injury. One option is to fight back against the underlying drunk driving allegation using common DUI defenses, such as challenging the blood or breath test used to establish your B.A.C. If the state will probably not be able to prove that you were driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, your DUI charge may be dropped, or you may be able to have your charges reduced to reckless driving.
How a DUI Arrest May Impact Your Job
Getting arrested for drunk driving can have serious career implications for some people. While Illinois does offer some legal protections for employees with criminal convictions or arrest histories, there are plenty of ways a DUI arrest could affect your job or future job prospects. At a minimum, you will likely need to discuss your arrest with your boss or HR, especially if you unexpectedly did not arrive for a shift because you were in jail. You are most likely to face adverse career impacts if you hold a professional license or if your job duties include driving. An experienced Will County, IL DUI attorney can work to minimize the overall impact your recent DUI arrest will have on your life.
Can I Get Fired for Getting a DUI?
Generally, an employer cannot fire you just for getting arrested or even just for getting convicted of a crime in Illinois. However, there are many exceptions to this rule. First, if your job involves driving, you could be fired for getting convicted of a DUI. In that case, your conviction would be substantially related to your job duties, and allowing you to continue doing that job would give you the opportunity to re-offend.
Why Reporting Minor Work Injuries is Essential
It is easy to feel a little silly when you go to report a minor work injury to your supervisor. If your injury is so minor that you do not think you will need any medical attention and can keep working that day, you might question whether there is any sense in reporting it. You should always report all workplace injuries, however insignificant they might seem at first. Reporting minor accidents can protect you in case the injury turns out to be worse than you thought. Injuries that do not seem too painful at the time can swell and get worse after you go home for the day. Cuts that seem like insignificant scrapes can start showing signs of injection days later. Documentation is everything in a workers’ compensation case. Reporting an injury promptly can help you get the compensation you need later. After you have reported a workplace injury, you should consult an experienced Will County, IL workers’ compensation attorney.
Package Delivery and Fall Injuries
People increasingly prefer to shop from home. Especially in the winter before the holidays, it can be much more convenient to buy gifts online instead of driving from store to store or carrying bags around the mall. The trend towards online shopping becomes more pronounced each year. During the month of December, many people have boxes arriving almost daily. Unfortunately, packages can also be a tripping hazard, especially in apartment buildings where numerous residents are having deliveries made. Accidents can also occur during the delivery process, especially when delivery drivers are rushed. If you were injured by a careless package delivery person, an experienced Will County, IL personal injury attorney may be able to help you recover compensation.
Improperly Placed Packages Are a Tripping Hazard
Package delivery workers should use reasonable care to place packages out of the way where people are not likely to trip over them. This means that packages should be set to the side of doorways and close to the wall if there is no designated mail area. Packages that are carelessly placed in front of doorways, where people exiting an apartment might not see them, can cause people to trip and fall. Even greater care must be used when the layout of an apartment building means that people’s doors open on staircase landings. Boxes should never be placed near the top of a staircase, as tripping and falling down the stairs can cause very serious injuries.
Why Theft Charges Peak During the Holidays
Typically, the summer months bring more violent crime such as muggings and gang-related shootings. The winter months bring more property crime. Theft, vandalism, and sometimes criminal trespass all tend to increase shortly before major winter holidays. There are a number of reasons for these patterns, which are fairly predictable year after year. Many of these crimes are committed out of desperation or frustration rather than with any real malice or desire to commit a crime. If you are charged with theft, vandalism, or a related offense, you need an experienced Joliet, IL property crime attorney to help you. Courts can be more understanding of minor property offenses around the holidays, especially when your attorney can frame the facts well.
People Struggle Financially Around the Holidays
Financial difficulties have always been a great driver of shoplifting and theft. Even families who are generally financially secure for most of the year can experience hardship around the winter holidays. There are a lot of extra expenditures, like presents for others, special foods for holiday meals, and seasonal items like new winter coats for children who outgrow them every year. This can motivate people who would not normally steal to try to shoplift some of the items they need but cannot afford.
Are Ghost Guns Legal to Own?
Ghost guns have become a subject of much discussion after it was discovered that the gun used to shoot the CEO of United Healthcare had no serial number and may have been made with a 3D printer. It is likely that a lot of gun crime in the Chicago area involves "ghost guns" that were not produced or sold through legitimate channels. In Illinois, it is illegal to own a ghost gun that has no serial number and was not purchased lawfully. It is also illegal to create these guns at home. Illinois has fairly strict firearms laws that require all gun owners to have a Firearm Owners Identification card. If you are facing firearms charges for owning or creating a ghost gun, you need an experienced Will County, IL gun crime attorney to help you.
What Is a Ghost Gun?
A ghost gun is a firearm without a serial number. Most ghost guns are produced at home, often through the use of 3D printing technology. Ghost guns can also be built from a kit, the idea being that a bag of firearm parts can be sold in situations where a fully assembled and ready-to-shoot gun could not. Most people who produce ghost guns in their homes are trying to circumvent Illinois’ firearms regulations.
Pranks That Are Actually Criminal Offenses in Illinois
Playing a lighthearted prank on a friend, neighbor, or coworker can be a nice way to make a normal day a little more fun. The internet is full of prank videos. Even major TV networks feature TV shows based on pranking unsuspecting victims. As long as everyone - including the person being pranked - is laughing in the end, you are probably not going to face criminal charges. However, it is important to exercise great care when playing pranks that could be upsetting to the victim. If property is damaged, someone is hurt or made ill, or the prank could be construed as harassment, there is a chance you may be violating a criminal statute. If you are facing criminal charges after a prank has gone wrong, you need an experienced Joliet, IL criminal defense lawyer to help you.
Pranks That May Be Considered Criminal Assault
When planning a prank, it is important to know that if you touch the victim or cause the victim to be touched in a way that is harmful or offensive or cause the victim to believe that he or she is going to be touched in this manner, you could be charged with criminal assault. Examples of pranks that might be considered criminal assaults or batteries include:
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