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Recent Blog Posts
How Road Rage Can Lead to Bicycle Accidents
Many people enjoy riding their bicycles in the summer, especially after a long winter. In Illinois, cyclists must obey the same traffic laws, signs, and signals that apply to motor vehicles. For example, bicyclists are required by law to ride in the same direction as vehicle traffic. However, even though bikes have the same rights as other vehicles, cyclists are much more likely to be injured in a motor vehicle collision.
Road rage is one issue that can have a significant impact on bicyclists. An aggressive driver who strikes a bicycle is likely to cause serious or fatal injuries. If you are hurt while riding your bike due to a road rage incident, you should seek legal advice and learn about your options for pursuing compensation from the driver who injured you.
Examples of Road Rage
Common Car Accident Injuries in Illinois
The Chicago metropolitan area is among the most congested in the United States. The average driver spends an extra 111 hours in the car each year because of traffic. Along with the millions of cars on our roadways each day also comes an increased risk of car accidents and potential injury.
Some car crashes are minor, while others result in severe injuries with long-term effects or even permanent disability to drivers and occupants. Anyone injured in an auto accident should first seek medical attention for a complete diagnosis. If your accident was caused by the negligence of another driver, the next step is to contact a skilled personal injury lawyer who can fight for the compensation you deserve.
Here are some of the most frequent injuries suffered in car collisions:
Concussions
A concussion can occur due to a direct impact to the skull or from the head being thrown side-to-side or front-to-back because of the force of an accident. Concussion symptoms include headache, dizziness, ear ringing, and head pressure. Symptoms may develop immediately or hours after the crash.
What are Aggravated DUI Charges in Illinois?
With around 27,000 driving while intoxicated arrests in Illinois each year, some involve aggravated DUI, which is charged as felony DUI. These offenses include those that result in endangerment, injury, or death to another driver, passenger, or pedestrian. Punishments for a conviction can include incarceration that cannot be reduced or suspended. Individuals who are offered probation can receive a minimum of 480 hours of community service or 10 days in jail.
If you were arrested for aggravated DUI, it is imperative you secure skilled legal representation from an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.
Aggravated DUI Penalties in Illinois
Punishments for aggravated DUI in the state of Illinois include:
Class 4 Felony (up to three years of incarceration and $25,000 in fines)
What Options Are Available for First-Time DUI Offenders in Illinois?
Illinois law enforcement officers arrest approximately 27,000 people each year for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Of those arrested, around 86 percent are first-time DUI offenders, and 91 percent lose their driving privileges in some capacity.
With the help of a skilled DUI lawyer, you may have your case dismissed if police did not read you your Miranda rights or failed to properly administer standardized field sobriety testing, or if your blood-alcohol concentration was incorrectly measured by a malfunctioning breathalyzer. If none of these occurred, your attorney can still help minimize the impact of the arrest on your everyday life. While police and the courts vigorously enforce Illinois DUI laws, there are allowances for those with no prior DUI arrests or convictions.
How to Pursue Injury Compensation After a Dog Attack
An enjoyable neighborhood walk or bike ride can turn nightmarish if you encounter an aggressive dog. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says around 4.7 million dog bites occur each year, with approximately 800,000 that require medical treatment. While large dogs like pit bulls and German shepherds can cause severe and disfiguring bite injuries, even small dogs can seriously injury such as attacking a bicyclist and causing a bike accident. These injuries can create high medical costs, loss of wages due to injury including unnecessary pain and suffering. In some instances, compensation for personal injury can be sought from the dog owner due to their negligence and inability to control their pet.
Rights of Dog Bite Victims
Most dog owners make mistakes and are unaware of the danger their pet possess. However, many are irresponsible and still take them out in public for walks and runs despite the risk of causing an accident or their animal attacking others nearby. Regardless of the circumstances, the Illinois Animal Control Act states that if a dog injured you and you did not provoke the animal or trespass on the owner’s property, the owner is liable for all costs related to your injuries. If you were peaceably conducting yourself in a location in which you were lawfully present, the owner is responsible for any injuries sustained.
What to Do if You Are in an Illinois Motorcycle Accident
Owning and riding a motorcycle can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience, and it provides the ability to travel freely across Illinois and the United States. Unfortunately, life as a motorcyclist can also be quite dangerous due to the negligent actions of other drivers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says around 90,000 motorcyclists are injured and 5,000 killed each year in motorcycle accidents throughout the U.S. Due to a motorcycle’s lack of structural protection, riders and passengers are 28 times more likely to die in an auto collision that those traveling in a standard automobile.
Anyone injured in an accident resulting from another driver’s negligence may be eligible for compensation to cover hospital and rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Common Causes of Trucking Accidents in Illinois
After decades of decline, the number of fatal accidents involving large commercial vehicles is on the rise. In 2017, there was a 10 percent jump in truck accidents resulting in death across the United States, with a total of 4,657 people killed in crashes involving commercial trucks.
There are a number of reasons for the increase in tractor-trailer truck accidents nationwide. Truck drivers are susceptible to many of the same bad driving habits as everyone else on the road, but the potential for disaster is much greater. If you are injured in a trucking accident, after you seek medical treatment, contact an experienced personal injury attorney for help.
Some common reasons for serious truck accident injuries include:
Distracted Driving
Texting while driving is a national safety crisis, along with checking email and social media while behind the wheel and the use of non-hands-free cell phones. Almost 3,500 Americans were killed in distracted driving accidents during a recent 12-month period, with many thousands more injured.
What Are My Options for Fighting Drug Charges in Illinois?
A conviction on drug charges can have a lasting impact on your life, even for simple possession. A criminal record can limit your occupational opportunities, affect your eligibility for financial loans, and result in changes to child custody. If you face a drug charge in Illinois, it is imperative to work with an experienced criminal defense attorney who can protect your rights and your future.
Illinois Drug Charges
Like every state, the penalties for drug crimes depend on the substance and the amount seized by police. Charges will also differ depending on whether you were only in possession of drugs or if you had the intent to distribute. Charges will also increase for repeat offenders and if other factors are involved, including the sale of drugs on school property.
What Types of Negligence Lead to Auto Accident Injuries?
Each year, there are more than 300,000 motor vehicle accidents in Illinois, with approximately 65,000 crashes with injury and 1,000 individual fatalities. With over 9 million registered drivers in the state, many fail to practice safe driving habits, thus endangering other drivers on our roadways.
Driver negligence is a common cause of car accidents in Illinois and nationwide. If you or a loved one were injured in an auto accident due to another driver, it is imperative you contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can fight for compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Here are some of the most frequent types of negligent driving that a skilled injury attorney can prove in court:
Speeding
On every interstate and expressway in the Chicago metropolitan area, you are likely to see drivers speeding well over the posted speed limit on a daily basis. The danger these drivers present cannot be overstated, as an estimated 37 percent of injury crashes and 34 percent of fatal collisions involve speeding.
Can I Still Drive After a DUI Arrest in Illinois?
With around 27,000 annual arrests for driving under the influence in Illinois, drunk driving is harshly enforced and prosecuted. Still, the court system recognizes that even citizens with flawless driving records make mistakes and that stripping an individual of their driver’s license can make life extremely difficult, especially when it affects a person’s ability to get to work every day.
Some DUI offenders are eligible to keep their driving privileges with the installation and use of a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID) in their vehicle. Around 10,000 Illinoisans currently utilize this system in order to complete necessary daily tasks.
What Is a BAIID?
A BAIID only allows a vehicle to start after the driver passes a breathalyzer test. The driver must also pass periodic tests while the vehicle is in use. A camera also captures an image of the driver as they take the breath test. All results are sent to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, which performs audits of the information and revokes BAIID use if there is evidence of DUI or tampering with the device.
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