Illinois Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

WAND TV discussed the results of a new study that reveal interesting information about the injuries suffered by many travelers following truck crashes.

According to the research out of the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry, car crashes are the event more likely than any other to cause victims to suffer from chronic pain. The research involved over 2,000 individuals who provided pain information over a multi-year period. In particular, musculoskeletal pain was measured and analyzed in the participants. Those involved were also asked about a variety of life-events—involvement in truck accidents, workplace injuries, surgeries, childbirth, and others.

The data was then used to better understand who suffers from chronic pain and what experiences may have lead to their occurrence. Controlling for a number of factors, researchers reported that those individuals in a traffic crash had an 84 percent increased risk of developing chronic widespread pain. The troubling effect of those crashes was far and away higher than any other life event used as part of the study.

The main researcher urged more information be learned about the topic, suggesting that “further research should focus on the unique aspects of an auto accident and the individual’s reaction to this particular trauma that causes the increased risk of chronic widespread pain onset.”

Continue reading " Chronic Pain a Common Injury After Illinois Truck Accidents " »

WLKY News has released information a the Kentucky State Police report which helps shed light on the circumstances leading up to the fatal truck crash that killed several members of a Humboldt Park family.

Blog readers will remember that the Chicago family was traveling in their SUV in the early morning last month, 3:30am ,on an unlit portion of Interstate 65. They were returning home following a large family wedding. Unexpectedly, their vehicle was hit from behind by a FedEx tractor trailer. That impact caused the SUV to spin out of control. It eventually flipped over—five passengers were ejected from the vehicle during the crash.

When emergency medical crews arrived, three people were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims included the 26-year old groom, and two sisters, one 9 years old and the other 11. The young girls are described as smart students who had plans to become nurses. Four others were injured in the truck accident, including two other children ages 5 and 2.

The family filed an Illinois truck accident lawsuit after the incident.

The latest police report has specifically explained that truck driver negligence lead to the deadly accident. The FedEx driver’s inattention to the road and following too closely to the family’s SUV contributed to the deaths. The weather was clear and the roads were straight at the time—so those possible influences were not involved.

Continue reading " Report Released Deadly Truck Accident That Killed Three Illinoisans " »

A deadly truck crash that spurred an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit had recently been settled, according to reports by My Web Times.

The family of the victim filed the Chicago truck accident lawsuit after a December 2009 crash at the intersection of Route 23 and Route 17 near Streator. The victim was traveling north on Route 23 when he came upon the intersection. A semi-trailer owned by OSF St. Francis Healthcare Systems was traveling east on Route 17 at the same time. Unfortunately the driver of the semi failed to stop at the intersection as required.

The result was a catastrophic—them usual outcome when a speeding semi-truck crashes into an unsuspecting vehicle. The car driver was killed in the wreck.

Following the crash, the victim’s wife and three children filed suit against the negligent driver and the hospital that employed him to drive the large semi-trailer. They hired Chicago injury lawyers who were able to help negotiate a settlement for the family totaling $5 million.

Continue reading " Illinois Wrongful Death Lawsuit Ends with $5 Million Settlement " »

The Quad City Times reported earlier this month on a truck crash involving an Illinois Department of Transportation vehicle. The Illinois truck accident struck on Interstate 74, near mile marker 6 just east of the Interstate 280 split.

Around 8:30 in the morning an elderly man was driving a sedan westbound on the highway when he came upon Illinois Department of Transportation trucks repairing potholes on the highway. The workers were also conducting routine inspections of the roadway as the moved along the right lane of the interstate.

Unfortunately the elderly driver did not navigate the work area well. He initially moved into the left lane to avoid the crew, but he went back into the right lane too soon. As a result, the man’s sedan slammed into the back of a transportation truck. The elderly driver and one state worker were injured in the wreck—both were taken to nearby hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

Police officers ticketed the negligent driver for failing to reduce speed and failure to yield to maintenance vehicles.

A spokesman for the Illinois State Police used the occasion to reinforce an important message of highway safety. He explained, “A dangerous situation could popup at any moment during your travels. Please keep this in mind. Slow down and move over when you see flashing light, limit your distractions by putting the phone away until you are safely stopped, and always make sure you and your passengers are properly buckled.”

Continue reading " Illinois Truck Crash Involved Department of Transportation Vehicle " »

The Pekin Times reported last week on the finding of a coroner’s inquest jury following a deadly truck accident that killed two area teens. According to the jury, while the teen driver had taken a pair of unnatural substances before the crash, the icy roads were the main cause of the Illinois truck crash. The jury left open the possibility that a lack of safety rails at the site increased the seriousness of the injuries.

The incident occurred on I-74, where the driver and two teenage passengers were traveling in the westbound lanes early one morning in late January. At mile marker 125 tire track analysis reveal that the car veered into the median—it was a point in the highway where the road veers slightly right. Another vehicle was headed eastbound. The second vehicle was able to swerve out of the way, but not before causing the teen to lose control of his car. The out-of-control car clipped the end of a semi and then crashed into a school bus traveling in the same direction.

The inquest jury met to hear the information about the case and make an official determination as to the cause of death. Toxicology results reported that the teen driver had ingested marijuana and amphetamines hours before the crash. The jury determined that the main culprit in the accident was not the drug use, but the icy road conditions. Several other accidents occurred on nearby roadways around the same time as drivers struggled to handle the dangerous weather conditions.

Also at issue was the lack of guardrails present at the accident site. In the last three years, a total of five people have now died at the exact spot in the highway where the two teens were killed. The inquest jury decided to leave the question open as to whether the lack of guardrail was a main factor in the deadly crash. Illinois Department of Transportation officials are examining the issues to determine if safety changes need to be made.

Continue reading " Ice, Drugs, and No Guard Rails Factored Into Deadly Illinois Truck Crash " »

CBS News Chicago shared the details of a tragic Chicago work injury this week that occurred in suburban Melrose Park.

According to published reports, safety officials are probing the death of an employee at a recycling facility following a forklift accident. The 34-year old victim was an employee of JKS Ventures and was working on Monday morning. Details on the specific cause of the accident are undetermined. However, it appears that the man became pinned between a forklift and a semi-tractor trailer. He was rushed to a local hospital, but doctors were unable to stabilize him before he succumbed to his injuries. His death was ultimately ruled a result of compression asphyxia.

Unfortunately the death is not the first workplace loss for the company—an employee died in 2007 at the facility. The company has previously been cited for unsafe work conditions. Some of those previous citations involved forklift concerns. In total, authorities have sanctioned JKS on three separate incidents. The 2007 death involved a worker who fell 23 feet off machinery that he was greasing. That incident led to 21 citations being issued. Two more citations were issued the following year.

These workplace fatalities often result in Chicago wrongful death lawsuits. The law provides legal options to the families of those who die because of inadequate work safety conditions, dangerous truck driving, or any other negligent act. It is important for those who lose a loved one to come forward and assert their legal rights.

Continue reading " Possible Chicago Truck Accident Lawsuit Following Questionable Forklift Death " »

The family of a severely injured father and son has filed an Illinois truck crash lawsuit against a negligent trucking company and driver, according to reports by the Journal Standard.

The truck crash occurred early last month in Stephenson County on Illinois Route 75. The father and son were traveling along Illinois Route 75 near Farm School Road when a semi-trailer owned by Schneider National Carriers was headed in the opposite direction on the same road. According to the suit, the truck driver was traveling far too fast for the snowy and icy weather conditions. The driver was unable to control the large machine. The semi-trailer ended up crossing the double-yellow line, jack-knifing, and slamming into the vehicle carrying the father and son.

The injuries following the Illinois truck crash were substantial. Both victims were rushed to a local hospital. The father’s injuries were particularly severe—he suffered significant brain trauma. A month and a half later he has only recently been released from intensive care, has undergone extensive surgeries, and is hoping to begin rehabilitation work. Needless to say, the medical bills have been significant and are mounting.

The company has acknowledged their role in the injury, explaining “we recognize our responsibilities in this accident…we hope to be able to work with the family through their representatives to appropriately further assist them.”

Continue reading " Illinois Truck Crash Lawsuit Filed By Family After Snowy Accident " »

The Peoria Journal Star reported yesterday on newly released vehicle crash statistics unveiled by Illinois road authorities. While not providing information on Illinois truck crashes specifically, the representatives explained that there were fewer than 1,000 traffic deaths on Illinois roadways for the second year in a row.

Overall, this is encouraging news—two straight years of less than 1,000 fatalities has not occurred since 1921. However, the 923 deaths on Illinois roads last year marked a slight increase over the 911fatalities in 2009.

Authorities are citing a variety of state laws in helping cut down on the figure, most notably the requirement of seat-belt usage. In addition, traffic safety initiatives seeking to improve teen driving, encourage safe motorcycle practices, and curb drunken driving may also have played a role. On top of that, increased safety efforts aimed at work zones are being cited as a major factor in the continued downward trend.

Of course all those concerned with the safety of Illinois travelers are aware that nearly 1,000 deaths is still far too high a number to accept. The fact remains that every day several Illinois citizens are killed because of actions that could be prevented. It is imperative that pressure continued to be exerted toward ramping up safe driving practices.

Continue reading " Less Than 1,000 Illinois Traffic Accidents in 2010—But Improvement Still Needed " »

The negligence of a truck driver led to a truck accident involving a semi and a school bus carrying students, reports Oregon Live News.

According to published reports, the trucking accident stuck around 7:40 am on Tuesday, as the bus was bringing students to the school in the morning. The southbound bus had stopped on Wapato School Road to pick up several children. The bus’s warning lights were engaged at the time. The semi-truck was headed in the opposite direction on the road. After rounding a curve the truck driver saw the stopped school bus, and attempted to slow his truck.

However, the driver did not brake in sufficient time. The tractor-trailer fishtailed, went into a ditch, and then swerved around to hit the front of the school bus. Eye witnesses explain that it appeared he truck was going around the curve at too high a speed. Police officers ultimately gave the truck driver a citation for careless driving.

The bus driver, two high school students, and seven elementary school students were taken to the hospital following the accident. Fortunately, none of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries.

Continue reading " School Bus Collides With Semi-Truck, Sending Ten to the Hosptial " »

An Illinois truck driver has been hit with a lawsuit after a truck accident in Pennsylvania that killed two women.

The wife of the plaintiff was sitting in her minivan with a passenger around 5:30pm. The women were stopped in traffic. While immobile, the minivan was slammed from behind by a box truck. The impact sent the minivan barreling forward into the vehicle in front of it. The woman and her passenger were both killed in the collision—four other people were also injured.

The suit alleges a slew of problems leading up to the crash. For one thing, the Illinois truck driver was driving recklessly, speeding, and inattentive. In addition, the truck crash lawsuit claims that the driver did not possess the ability to communicate in English, which is necessary to earn a CDL license. The driver may also have been keeping improper logs, driving more consecutive hours than legally allowed, and insufficiently fit to drive a commercial truck.

The husband of the victim who filed the lawsuit explained, “It’s really not about settlements or money. At the very least, this guy needs to be off the road…I absolutely don’t want anyone else to have to go through what my family has done through.”

Continue reading " Illinois Truck Driver Lawsuit Filed Following Deadly Accident " »

A southern Illinois man was listed in critical condition following a truck crash early Monday morning.

The State-Journal Register has the details of the Illinois truck accident. According to police reports, the 40-year old victim was driving a Waste Management truck at the intersection of Illinois Route 48 and Lincoln Trail in Taylorville, Illinois. Shortly after 7 a.m. the man was stopped in the dump truck at a red light. However, for reasons still being investigated, the man inched the truck forward into the intersection while the light was still red.

As a result of the unnecessary encroachment, the dump truck was slammed in the driver’s side by an oncoming semi-truck. The impact sent the truck careening out of control. To make matters worse, the driver was not wearing a seat belt at the time—causing him to be ejected from the vehicle.

The truck driver was severely injured in the accident. He was airlifted to a hospital where he remains in critical condition.

This Illinois truck accident highlights the precarious situation that often exists while on the road—unknown to many drivers. Even slight deviations from the standard protocols of road safety—such as inching out into the intersection before the light officially turns green—can have deadly consequences. When large, fast, dangerous machines like semi-trucks are involved, the stakes are raised even higher.

Continue reading " Illinois Man in Critical Condition After Being Hit By Semi-Truck " »

Fox News 41 reported this weekend on developments related to the well-publisized truck crash that took the lives of three Chicago family members and injured several others. Two young children injured in the wreck have been hospitalized for nine days, and they are now returning to Chicago. The children were fortunate to have survived the crash which injured their parents and killed three relatives.

Doctors remarked that they’ve been astounded by the progress both children have made following the devastating accident. The family has filed a truck crash lawsuit against the negligent truck driver and company.

The truck crash occurred near Elizabethtown, Kentucky on Interstate 65. The Humboldt Park family was driving back home after attending a wedding in Florida. There were seven passengers in the Nissan Pathfinder when the accident occurred.

According to reports the family was traveling in their SUV in the early morning, at 3:30am on an unlit portion of the highway. Unexpectedly their vehicle was hit from behind by a FedEx tractor trailer. That impact caused the SUV to spin out of control. It eventually flipped over—five passengers were ejected from the vehicle during the crash.

When emergency medical crews arrived, three people were pronounced dead at the scene.

They included a 26-year old newlywed, and two sisters, one 9 years old and the other 11. The grandmother of the victims explained that the very close family remains in shock. The young girls are described as smart students who had plans to become nurses. Four others were injured in the truck accident, including the two children ages 5 and 2.

Continue reading " Miraculous Recovery for Children Injured in Deadly Truck Crash " »

The weather remains one of the most potent causes of truck accidents. This weekend’s strange mix of snow, rain, and freezing conditions has posed unique hazards of which all drivers should be aware. ABC Local News is already reporting on several car and truck accidents that have plagued motorists throughout the area.

Overall, the Illinois Department of Transportation sent out more than 170 salt trucks in heavily traveled areas to improve the icy road conditions. However, there is only so much that those trucks can do to improve road safety. The responsibility for safe driving while on the road remains with the men and women behind the wheels of their cars and trucks.

According to reports, several Chicago truck accidents have occurred on roadways across the region. Slick streets in Suburban Skokie have been blamed for a collision between two vehicles there. Also, three-cars collided on Lake Shore Drive due to icy patches on that highway. The Drive was shut down between Division and North Avenue for an extended period following that crash.

Reports of the dangerous weather conditions should make all drivers take caution, especially those operating large semi-trailers and trucks. Each driver has the responsibility to account for the dangerous roadways in front of them. If you or someone you know is injured in an accident caused by another driver’s failure to take safety measures in bad weather, be sure to consider if a truck accident lawsuit is an appropriate next step.

Continue reading " Icy Roads Continue to Cause Dangerous Chicago Truck Accidents " »

The Republic reported on the latest developments in a criminal case stemming from a 2008 truck accident. The Illinois trucking crash involved a hit-and-run driver and took the lives of a father and his infant son.

Blog readers are well aware of the details of this high profile case. A negligent truck driver was behind the wheel of a tow truck in November 2008. The man had been drinking before the accident. His truck came upon the stopped car of the two victims. Their vehicle had run out of fuel and they were parked on the side of the road. The infant was fastened inside the vehicle while the father was outside inspecting the situation.

The truck driver did not properly take the stopped car into account, ultimately slamming into it. The car was pushed onto the father outside, crushing him. The infant inside suffered severe injuries in the impact and died shortly afterwards.

Afterwards, the family of the victims filed an Illinois truck crash lawsuit against the negligent parties.

The criminal trial of the driver concluded last week. The 45-year old man was found guilty on charges of aggravated driving under the influence and leaving the scene of the accident. The driver’s sentence is pending following a sentencing hearing to occur at a later date.

Continue reading " Driver Sentenced Following Deadly Illinois Trucking Crash " »

The Daily Herald reported today on new developments stemming from an Illinois truck accident that occurred in March of 2010. A 26-year old woman is suing an Illinois trucking company and its driver for injuries she suffered in the accident.

The truck driver was cited by police for negligent conduct in last year’s accident. According to reports, the semi-truck was driving alongside the victim’s car in Elgin. For reasons that were initially unclear, the truck driver swerved suddenly into the lane next to him occupied by the victim. The car, carrying the female driver, a passenger, and two young children, was driven off the road and into a frontage ditch nearby. They were taken to a local hospital after suffering injuries.

The truck driver was cited for improper lane usage. However, following the wreck, the victims sought to recover civil damages from the negligent driver by filed an Illinois truck accident lawsuit to recover for their losses. The lawsuit is alleging that the driver of the truck was texting or using his cell phone during the accident. The distraction caused by the negligent phone use led to the crash.

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