Illinois Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Pedestrians in many major cities are struck and killed in roadside accidents at alarming rates. Our city is no different. Chicago truck accidents involving pedestrians, semi-trailers, city vehicles and similar machines occur with a frequency that should lead all travelers to ensure that they exercise as much caution as possible.

Across the country the consequences remain severe when walkers and drivers’ fail to exercise basic standards of care. For example, the San Francisco Examiner recently discussed a possible settlement following a fatal truck accident in the area. According to reports, a 63-year old woman was walking across a crosswalk last February when a utility truck driven by a city employee barreled down upon her. The truck was speeding at the time, and the woman did not survive the collision.

Following the accident, a truck accident lawsuit was filed against the city and negligent employees who were responsible for the death. The city is now expected to offer a settlement in the case of $1.56 million. The amount is similar to other settlements following deadly car and truck accidents in the city. For example, similar crashes had led to settlements ranging from $2.4 million for a brain injury victim to $1.75 million for the family of a woman killed after being hit by a city public works truck. Overall, the city reports that about 22 pedestrians are killed yearly while 800 are injured because of car and truck accidents.

Continue reading " Family Receives $1.56 Million Settlement Following Truck Accident " »

Despite repeated advocacy by Chicago truck accident lawyers, among many others, distracted driving remains a prevalent problem on out city’s roadways. Bob Sirott of My Fox Chicago recently wrote about the distracted driving problem, the growing number of area victims, and those calling for changes to prevent future losses.

The Illinois Distracted Driving Summit was recently held in the area to raise awareness of the problem. Cell phone use while behind the wheel remains the most prevalent form of distracted driving—and many advocates believe that more legislation is needed to curb the dangerous problem. As it now stands virtually a quarter of all car and truck accidents involve one driver on a cell phone. Drivers who use the phone while behind the wheel have a four times greater chance of getting into an accident than others—texting while driving increases those odds even higher.

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation has called distracted driving an epidemic that was in extreme need of a remedy. Two bills currently working their way through the Illinois General Assembly would create a two-year study to examine the issue. However many advocates believe the time for study is long past. Real action is needed.

One interesting technology currently available by T-Mobile automatically sends calls to voicemail when the phone is in a moving vehicle. However, the technology currently cannot distinguish between a driver and a passenger. Besides these more high-tech solutions, there remains a simple solution: turning off your cell phone when driving.

Continue reading " Chicago Distracted Driving Continues to Take Lives of Area Victims " »

The Morris Daily Herald reported this week on a truck accident that killed a mother and her daughter. The Illinois truck crash occurred on Town Line Road, just south of Interstate 80 in Marseilles, Illinois.

Shortly after noon on Wednesday, a 69-year old driver and her 45 year old daughter, both Ottawa residents, were traveling on the county highway. They were headed eastbound on Morris Road while a semi-trailer was headed south on Town Line Road. Traffic on Town Line Road has the right of way at the intersection of those two roads. Rumble strips and stop signs are placed on Morris Road to warn travelers that they need to stop before proceeding across.

Unfortunately, the car and the semi-trailer collided at the intersection. The truck was driven across a ditch and partially on the yard of a home near the road. The car was demolished in the accident and both women were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are investigating whether the traffic lights were working at the time of the accident. Authorities admit that the intersection is dangerous. Several years ago two men were killed in a collision very similar to the one that struck last week.

Hopefully all drivers know that all traffic signs must be obeyed intimately. Stop signs in particular can never be ignored. At stop signs in rural, unpopulated areas it is often tempting to perform only a partial yield or fail to stop all together, because it is assumed that if a driver does not see any other vehicles around than there must not be any risk to driving through. However, while behind the wheel our perceptions are never flawless. We often glance around the road so quickly and casually that we subconsciously feel that the road is empty, when in reality another vehicle is actually barreling down.

Continue reading " Two Illinois Women Killed in Rural Truck Crash " »

A Chicago truck crash lawyer knows that road accidents involving larger vehicles typically are particularly destructive. Deaths are unfortunately common when control is lost of these big machines. Things are often worse when more than one large truck is involved. One of those particularly rough truck accidents struck this week in southern Illinois.

WFIE News reported on an early morning accident involved three coal trucks. Around 3 a.m. on Monday morning a dump truck filled with coal was traveling south on Route 34 in Saline County. As the driver of the truck was rounding a curve, he lost control of the filled transportation truck. The dump truck overturned and fell immobile on the opposite side of the roadway.

Unfortunately just as the truck lay stuck on the road, a second dump truck was approaching heading north. That second truck smashed into the overturned vehicle. The second truck was sent careening off the road by the impact and itself overturned. Shorty after, before any recovery could arrive for those victims, a third truck approached and hit the original overturned vehicle again.

By the time emergency crews had arrived the driver of the first vehicle was already dead. The other two drivers were brought to local hospitals where they are expected to survive.

Continue reading " Driver Killed in Southern Illinois Truck Crash " »

A Chicago trucking crash attorney, like many other types of lawyers, is often portrayed in public as a stuffed suit who strolls into courtrooms and uses fast talk and legal jargon to make themselves and their clients rich. But as with most caricatures, that picture of the truck lawyer offers little truth. In fact, the truth is that far from dealing only in money, an Illinois truck accident lawsuit can play a key role in saving lives and ensuring improving highway safety.

An op-ed in the Washington Post recently laid out exactly how car and truck litigation is connected to traffic safety.

Blog readers are well-appraised of the fact that in 2010 traffic deaths in the United State reached their lowest level since 1949. That was the case even though Americans traveled 21 billion more miles in 2010 than the year before. A welcome achievement.

What led to the steady decline over the last decade?

Many observers are in agreement that that improvement is caused less by fewer accidents and more by improved the improved safety of the vehicles themselves. Manufacturers have found new and better ways to keep car and truck passengers secure, even when an accident strikes. When added to more stringent regulations and better consumer information, it is easy to see how American road deaths have seen a decline year after year.

But that answer begs a second question: what led to investment in safer car technology, improved regulations, and better customer information?

Litigation and the civil justice system played the pivotal role.

For many manufacturers, improved vehicle safety was only implemented as it related to the bottom line impact on profit. However, pressure from people likeIllinois injury lawyers ultimately acted as a relentless force pushing manufacturers to step up and take responsibility for their product. For decades legal efforts helped heighten safety standards, expose vehicle defects, spur legislative action, and deter negligent companies from cutting corners at the expense of traveler safety.

Much progress has been made in the past, and that process continues. For example, just a pair of year ago, children were being strangled by car windows after triggering the power window rocker switch. A much safer alternative existed at little cost to manufacturers. However, no changes were made to most vehicles until accident litigation finally forced companies to accept the need for the improved safety.

Continue reading " Chicago Truck Accident Lawyers Explain How Litigation Spurs Safety Changes " »

The Tri-State Tollway was the scene of another tragic Chicago trucking crash late Friday evening. The Chicago Sun-Times reported on the truck accident story.

Around 10:30 pm on the northbound Tri-State Tollway a car crashed into the back of a large semi-truck. This initial accident was close to 159th Street near Markham. Initial reports indicate that there were not any serious injuries in this initial crash. However, as so frequently occurs, the initial accident caused a second accident.

Another car was traveling behind the vehicles that caused the first crash. That second vehicle swerved to avoid the first accident, but was unable to properly maneuver out of the way. The second car ultimately smashed into the rear passenger side of the first vehicle. The impact was intense, causing significant damage to the vehicle and those inside. A 23-year old passenger in the second car was pronounced dead at the scene, while both drivers were taken to local hospitals with serious injuries. The semi driver was not injured.

An investigation is on-going. Of course, Chicago injury lawsuits often arise out of these types of accidents. The law of negligence typically holds an individual accountable for the consequences of their misguided actions. For example, whoever acted in a way that fell below a reasonable standard of care may be liable for all of the damages (personal and physical) that occurred as a result of these different accidents. Even if they are separated in time, a court may find that one proximately caused the other.

Continue reading " Women Killed in Chicago Truck Accident " »

Most area travelers know that Illinois law requires all those who travel on our roadways to wear seat belts at all times. However, the seat belt law is even more nuanced than that, as the Illinois General Assembly makes modifications and additions to those requirements each general assembly cycle. In that way,Illinois trucking law is in constant flux. That is why a Chicago truck crash lawyer is required to keep up to date on the legal changes so that client interests are protected and advanced.

One recent example of this possibility is the codification of a new seat belt law by the Illinois General Assembly. The new law can be found in that state code at 624 ILCS 5/12-603; it adds an additional requirement upon all drivers. The new law now makes it mandatory that all drivers properly ensure that vulnerable passengers within their vehicle have their own seatbelts fastened and properly secured. The passengers who must be protected by the driver are defined as those who are unable to properly secure themselves—most notably sick, disabled, and elderly individuals.

This law does not replace or ignore seat belt laws that already involved vulnerable children. In Illinois current child safety belt laws require that all children under the age of 8 be properly secured in an appropriate child restraint system.

One important aspect of this and similar laws is the way in which a court will consider it when involved in Illinois truck crash lawsuits. For example, these lawsuits virtually always involve legal “negligence”—or one driver failing to abide by the required standards of care when driving. A complication in negligence suits is when both drivers involved could arguably have been negligent to one degree or another. The law has unique ways of handling these “comparative negligence” situations

This newest Illinois vehicle safety law ensuring the buckling of vulnerable passengers is specifically indicated to have no effect on the potential negligence of a driver. In other words, a party to a lawsuit shouldn’t be able to use the new law in an effort to avoid liability by claiming that a driver was negligent in not abiding by the buckling law. The “comparative negligence” analysis is not triggered if the otherwise lawful driver fails to buckle in one of their passengers per this new law.

Continue reading " Chicago Truck Accident Lawyers Share Information on New Illinois Driving Law " »

WTHR News explored a study that is being conducted by several states, including Illinois, to expand a popular interstate. The move is being spurred by those interested in driver safety following a rash of fatal truck accidents involving big-rigs and smaller vehicles.

Interstate 70 is increasing in use, particularly among drivers of large tractor-trailers. Trucking use of the interstate is growing at a much faster clip than among four-wheel vehicles like cars and SUVs. The feasibility study is considering the practicality of buying land, prepping it for construction, and building an extra lane to the highway. The new lane would likely be dedicated to big rigs only, separating them from regular traffic.

As one department of transportation official explained, the safety of the move would be a big motivator. Many devastating Illinois truck accidents have occurred on the interstate recently, often between trucks and smaller vehicles. Blog readers are well versed in the scope of damage that typically arises in accidents involved these 16-wheeled machines and much smaller cars.

The feasibility examiners are considering whether tolls would need to be required to expand. If popular, the increased freight traffic may be an economic boon to states that provide the trucks-only passage. Yet, with the added lane only in the study phase, actual construction is years in the future.

Continue reading " Deadly Truck Accident Spurs Calls for Truck Only Lanes on I-70 " »

Police continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to a deadly truck crash on Interstate 74 near Danville yesterday morning. The Champaign News-Gazette has the story.

The 43-year old victim was traveling eastbound on Interstate 74 just after 11 in the morning. For reasons still unknown to authorities, the man’s 1999 Buick suddenly crossed the median and started traveling directly into on-coming westbound traffic. The car eventually struck a large semitrailer. The car was sent back into the median where it came to a rest. The semi was pushed into the westbound ditch where it caught on fire.

The truck driver was able to escape the vehicle before the fire caught on and only received minor injuries. The car driver and one passenger were rushed to a local hospital. The driver was pronounced dead shortly after while the passenger only suffered minor injuries. Reports indicate that the passenger was wearing a seatbelt while the driver was not.

Hopefully authorities are able to discover exactly what caused the car to careen across a median and into oncoming traffic. A slip of the wheel, a brief medical situation, or some other unique event may be at the root of the Illinois truck crash. It takes an investigation and proper analysis to fully uncover the cause. Considering a life has been lost in the crash, it is important to fully discover the source.

Continue reading " Central Illinois Truck Crash Takes Life of Local Man " »

The Chicago Tribune reported this weekend on an area truck accident involving a school bus. The Illinois bus crash struck Saturday morning on the Circle Interchange near the city’s West Loop.

According to reports issued by the state police department, a box-truck was driving behind a school bus on the Kennedy Expressway near the Jackson Boulevard exit. Shortly before 1 p.m. that truck slammed into the back of the school bus.

It is unclear how many children were aboard the bus or where exactly the bus was headed on a Saturday afternoon. One young child was injured in the collision and was rushed to Rush University Medical Center. Fortunately, the victim was said to be in fair condition and is expected to recover from the accident.

Both large vehicles were eventually moved to the side of the road to avoid major traffic problems. As blog readers are well aware, many deadly accidents are actually secondary, caused by slow zones created by a primary accident.

All school bus accidents are heart-wrenching experiences for those involved. Besides risking the lives of our young children, bus accidents are also potentially deadly for other drivers. This latest accident is a vivid demonstration of that potential.

The nuances of the possible legal matters involved require a trained lawyer to explain how your case fits into the legal framework. Many different possible areas of law may be involved following these accidents: personal injury, product defects, the legal liability of an employer for the actions of his employee, among many others. Handling the aftermath of these accidents is not something that you should do alone.

Continue reading " Chicago School Bus Accident Injures Child " »

Distracted driving remains a deadly problem across our state. The Chicago Tribune reported on another truck accident caused by the inattention of one driver.

A 71-year old man was killed in southwestern Illinois after his vehicle was rear-ended by another car, sending it into the path of a large semi-truck. The driver who caused the initial rear-end collision was texting during the wreck. On top of that he was under the influence of marijuana and other substances.

The elderly victim was rushed to a local hospital after the accident. He died at the facility a short time later.

Following the Illinois truck crash, the family of the victim has filed an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit. They are alleging that the driver was negligent in failing to prevent the accident caused by his distraction and drug intoxication. The law allows for the surviving family members of victims such as this to bring suit against the wrong-doers to hold them accountable for their conduct.

The consequences of this distracted driving are exponential. Lives literally hang in the balance, and so the importance of eliminating these deadly behaviors cannot be overstated. All travelers should exercise extreme care both in these risky locations as well as at all times when behind of the wheel of these machines.

As State Police District Chicago Commander David Nanning has noted, “The Illinois State Police would like to remind motorists how important it is to practice safe driving habits and eliminate distractions while driving.”

Continue reading " Deadly Crash Leads to Illinois Truck Crash Lawsuit " »

A bus crash has spurred a legal challenge, according to NJ.com. The accident occurred early this March, when the bus was returning from a New York City trip.

Many of the passengers were asleep at the time of the crash, and were awoken to the chaos of the accident. The victim involved in this wrongful death lawsuit was in the back of the bus when he woke up to a loud bang and the swerving of the bus.

It turns out that the bus struck a concrete overpass, swerved across several lanes of traffic, and then slammed into a dirt embankment. The bus driver was thrown through the windshield and died. The plaintiff in this case was thrown halfway through a side window and was also killed. Forty one other passengers were injured in the wreck.

The bus accident lawsuit alleges that the bus company failed to adopt safe operations policies for their buses and did not properly oversee their agents and drivers. Reports indicate that the company, Super Luxury Tours, has one of the worst driver-safety records in the country.
Just like a truck, large buses have the capacity to cause immense damage when they are involved in road accidents. In fact, when caught in accidents public transportation vehicles often involve tremendous damages because of the amount of people aboard the machines. Of particular concern is the fact that many passengers aboard transit vehicles are not properly secured. All Chicago commuters know that sometimes one is lucky only to get a seat at all and seatbelts are always non-existent.

Continue reading " Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed After Charter Bus Accident " »

The Rockford Register Star reported yesterday on a truck accident on Interstate 90.

According to reports, the Illinois truck crash struck in the eastbound lanes of the highway just north of the Prairie Hill Road overpass. A Corolla driver lost control of her vehicle while traveling on the roadway, veering off the left side of the road. The car struck the median cables placed on the side of the road to keep vehicles from crossing into oncoming traffic.

The Corolla veered into the path of a semi after the initial loss of control. The truck and the car were then forced back into the median cable before coming to a stop on the side of the road. The car driver was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries—the truck driver was not hurt in the crash. Police eventually ticketed the car driver for improper lane usage.

Local authorities are explaining how the crash emphasizes the importance of proper installation of these median cables. If they were not present in this case, it is possible that the vehicles could have crossed over and drifting into on-coming traffic. Head-on collisions present a much higher likelihood of ending with death and severe injury. It is fortunate that the proper safety protocols were in place here and no one will experience such severe consequences.

Continue reading " Median Cable Credited With Saving Lives in Illinois Truck Crash " »

The Southern reported last week on a truck accident that took the life a passenger in one of the two vehicles involved.

According to information provided by the Illinois State Police, the Illinois truck crash struck on Interstate 57 last Wednesday shortly before 3 p.m. A pick-up truck carrying three people was traveling in southern Illinois near the mile 38 marker of the interstate. The truck was hauling cattle in a trailer that was attached to the vehicle. At the same time a 27-year old man was driving a Camaro on the roadway with a 3-year old girl as a passenger.

For reasons still being investigated, the Camaro improperly hit the truck-trailer combination. As a result the trailer separated from the truck and the pick-up overturned in the median of the highway. All those involved in the accident were injured. One of the pick-up passengers was killed at the scene while the driver and second passenger were airlifted to local hospitals with serious injuries. The Camaro driver and young child also had injuries but none were expected to be life-threatening.

Following the accident the negligent driver faced several criminal charged for his misconduct. Police cited him for driving with a suspended license, failing to secure the child in a child restraint, failure to wear a seat-belt, driving an uninsured vehicle, speeding, and failing to reduce speed causing an accident.

Continue reading " Driver Criminally Charged in Deadly Illinois Truck Accident " »

A major Chicago bus accident sent nearly a dozen people to the hospital earlier this week. According to the Chicago Tribune the bus crash struck early Tuesday morning on the city’s South Side.

A string of events lead to the accident. Around 9:30 a.m. two men exited a red truck on Vincennes Avenue and began firing shots at a black vehicle down the block. Witnesses reported that the men were armed with automatic weapons like Ak-47s or Uzis. The car under fire sped away in an attempt to avoid the bullets. However, in speeding away the vehicle collided with a Chicago Transit Authority bus filled with passengers.

The bus veered off the road following the first impact, ultimately slamming into a light pole. The windshield of the bust was shattered. The bus driver’s hands were severely cut, and several other passengers were also injured by the flying glass. Two passengers were hospitalized in serious to critical condition—their specific injuries remain unclear.

Authorities are continuing to investigate to better understand what actually happened during the encounter.

Just like a truck, large buses have the capacity to cause immense damage when they are involved in road accidents. In fact, when caught in accidents public transportation vehicles often involve tremendous damages because of the amount of people aboard the machines. Of particular concern is the fact that many passengers aboard transit vehicles are not properly secured. All Chicago commuters know that sometimes one is lucky only to get a seat at all and seatbelts are always non-existent. For that reason, it is vital that all public transit drivers (and all those who drive near CTA vehicles) to exercise as much care as possible.

Continue reading " Chicago Bus Accident Injures Eleven Passengers " »