Illinois Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Earlier today, STLToday.com reported a devastating Illinois trucking accident that occurred in Springfield, Illinois. The article reveals that a school bus transporting 33 sixth-grade students was traveling along Interstate 55 at around 4:30 p.m. – just five miles of Litchfield – when a semi truck traveling in front of the school bus began to slow down. The school bus driver failed to notice the semi truck driver’s reduced speed and subsequently collided into the back of the semi truck.

As a result of the collision, our Chicago truck accident attorneys learned that more than a dozen students aboard the bus, as well as, the school bus driver sustained injury. It is reported that a 12-year-old student was airlifted to a nearby Illinois hospital where she has been treated for a broken femur. She is currently listed in fair condition and is expected to undergo surgery. Additionally, seven children were treated at a hospital in Litchfield – with two later discharged, three still requiring hospitalization, and two airlifted to a St. Louis hospital.

Several concerned parents also took their children to an area hospital where they were treated for minor injuries – such as bumps and bruises. Uninjured students returning from the field trip in Springfield, Illinois, were transported back to their school. Our Chicago truck accident lawyers read that due to the crash investigation, the southbound lanes of Interstate 55 from exit 60 to exit 52 in Litchfield remains closed as of press time.

Any Chicago truck accident lawyer will tell you that motor vehicle accidents – including bus and semi truck accidents – continue to remain the leading cause of fatality among children. This notion is due to the fact that any injury sustained by a young child in a motor vehicle collision can lead to substantially devastating consequences than those injuries sustained by adults A recent analysis conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that children who suffer head injuries (such as traumatic brain injuries) as a result of a collision can experience lasting or late-appearing neuropsychological problems.

If you or your child has sustained injury in a motor vehicle collision, please contact our Chicago trucking accident attorneys as soon as possible. Our knowledgeable attorneys continue to provide qualified legal representation to those who have been injured as a result of another’s negligence. Recently, our attorneys obtained a $6.5 million settlement on behalf of a Huntley family incurred debilitating injuries in a tragic semi truck accident. Through our investigation, it was revealed that the driver of the semi truck was operating under the influence of marijuana, in addition to, operating an overloaded semi truck at the time of the accident.

Earlier this weekend, a Chicago truck accident lawyer at our office read a news report confirming that two individuals have been injured in an Illinois bus accident on the Stevenson Expressway. According to the article, posted on SunTimes.com, the accident transpired Friday morning when one of three buses transporting inmates from Cook County Jail to Stateville Prison collided into the bus traveling in front of it. It was reported that the bus driver has not noticed the reduction of traffic speed when he collided into the other bus around 8 a.m. on the outbound Stevenson – just south of Pulaski.

As a result of the bus collision, our Chicago truck accident attorney learned those injured included one inmate, as well as, one law enforcement officer. Both individuals suffered minor injuries and were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. It was revealed that the other 105 inmates were put back onto the buses and taken back to Cook County Jail where they were put under medical review to ensure that no other injuries were sustained. After being medically checked out, the inmates were transported back to Stateville Prison. Illinois State Police revealed that although the accident caused traffic to remain backed up for a short period of time after the accident, the buses were relocated off the interstate – allowing traffic flow to resume.

Given the substantial size and weight of large commercial vehicles, such as buses and semi trucks, any collisions in which these vehicles are involved in carries the significant risk of debilitating and life-altering injuries and in many unfortunate cases -- premature death. Statistics provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reveal that in 2009 alone, over 10,000 vehicles were involved in bus accidents across the United States. Of those 10,000 accidents, over 9,000 resulted in injury or death – ultimately causing over 20,000 individuals non-fatal injuries or fatality.

In the event of a bus accident, any Chicago trucking accident attorney will tell you that the consequences can be substantial for injured parties and their families. When negligence plays a role in these types of accidents, civil litigation can help families obtain the compensation they deserve as a result of another’s wrongful or negligent conduct. Some of the most common types of compensation accident victims can recover in a bus accident include:

- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Punitive damages aimed to punish the wrongdoer for their negligent conduct

Earlier this week, a Chicago truck accident lawyer at our firm read a news report posted on PhillyBurbs.com detailing a negligence lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of an 11-year-old girl who was killed after a dump truck collided with the school bus she was traveling in. The accident in question transpired in February of this year when an overloaded dump truck was traveling at an excessive speed and failed to observe oncoming traffic before crossing a high speed intersection – subsequently colliding into the school bus. The dump truck struck the rear side of the bus – causing the school bus to spin and crash into a light pole at the intersection.

As a result of the accident, seventeen children were injured – including the accident victim’s two sisters -- and causing fatal injury to the accident victim. The civil lawsuit was filed earlier this week by the 11-year-old’s parents and seeks an unspecified amount of damages. Our Chicago truck accident attorney learned that many of the claims asserted in the lawsuit stem from findings released by law enforcement agencies and the National Transportation Safety Board. At the time of the accident, the 66-year-old school bus driver was cited for failing to stop or yield and the 38-year-old dump truck driver was charged with violations stemming from the condition of his overweight truck, inadequate brakes, as well as, improper securement of the dump truck’s load.

According to court documents, the lawsuit asserts that the defendants were negligent in their daughter’s death, as well as, the injuries and trauma sustained by her sisters. It is asserted that the truck should not have been traveling on the roadway due to its weight and condition and that the truck driver was driving at an excessive speed and not paying attention to the dangers posed by the roadway. The complaint also refers to the suspension of the dump truck driver’s license in 2003 for reckless driving. It is argued that the suspension was a predictor that he would likely be involved in future accidents and his trucking company should have assigned him to a non-driving position.

Our Illinois truck accident attorneys learned that although no criminal charges have been filed – it is reported that the case will remain open and that no determination would be made on criminal charges until the safety board concludes its study and issues a final report. Possible criminal charges may be filed against the school bus driver who – according to toxicology results – maintained a therapeutic level of an undisclosed prescription drug in his system. However, local authorities reveal that the drug was properly prescribed to the driver and would not have impaired his ability to driver the bus at the time of the accident.

Earlier today, WashingtonPost.com released a news report detailing a government mandated investigation of a particular model of school buses that have been shown to shall without warning. A Chicago truck accident attorney at our firm read the news article which further revealed that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posted a notice about the investigation of all school buses from the 2008 model year on their website yesterday.

Although no accidents or injuries have been reported, three cases have been reported by the International CE-brand buses in which the high-pressure oil lines on the school buses - which connect the oil pump to the fuel injectors – have apparently failed.

Our Chicago truck accident attorney learned that in one of the reported cases by International CE-brand buses, a school bus full of public school children was traveling 55 mph when the school bus began smoking and ultimately stalled. The driver of the school bus was required to pull over to the side of the road. Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of the incident.

Any Chicago trucking accident attorney will tell you that the safety of school children on school buses always remains a top priority by local, state, as well as, the federal government. Given that school buses provide a substantial amount of mass transportation across our nation, it is no surprise that the number of accident involving school buses resulting in injury or fatality is increasing.

According to school bus accident statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 8,000 school children are injured in school bus accidents each and every year. Additionally, supplemental data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that although 42 percent of these injuries were related to school bus crashes, roughly a quarter of the injuries resulted when the children were boarding or leaving the school buses. Injuries were also reported in cases when they slip and fall on school buses or when school bus drivers apply the bus’s brakes too hard to turn corners too rapidly.

Our Illinois truck accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti are pleased to learn that the federal government is taking the initiative to ensure the safety of our school children through the regulated inspection of the vehicles that transport children to and from school. In the unfortunate event you or a loved one was injured in a school bus accident due to driver negligence or faulty bus equipment, please contact our experienced accident attorneys to see what legal rights may be available to you.

Recently, a Chicago truck accident lawyer at our office read a news report detailing a lawsuit that has been on behalf of a woman who was killed in a devastating tour bus accident last year. According to the news report, posted on 13WHAM.com, the accident transpired in July of 2011 when a tour bush traveling near upstate New York en route to Niagara Falls left the roadway and overturned along I-390. As a result of the devastating accident, two passengers were injured and 35 other passengers sustained serious injury.

The lawsuit, filed by the husband and teenage daughter of the accident victim, names the tire-maker of the tour bus, the tour bus, as well as, the driver of the tour bus as defendants to the lawsuit. According to court papers, the family of the victim has filed a $40 million lawsuit against the defendants. Our Chicago truck accident attorney learned that the lawsuit asserts that the bus was speeding at the time of the accident and had a defective tire.

Since 1992, our Chicago truck accident attorneys have provided qualified legal aid to clients who have sustained severe injury or even fatality in all types of motor vehicle accidents, including those involving large commercial buses, as well as, Illinois trucking accidents. Operators of these types of large commercial vehicles have an increased standard of care to safety operate their vehicles in order to prevent the devastating and life-altering accidents from occurring on our nation’s roadways.

Recently, our Chicago trucking accident lawyers obtained a $6.5 million settlement on behalf of a Huntley, Illinois family who sustained a particularly devastating loss and substantial injuries as the direct result of a negligent large commercial vehicle driver. During the crash investigation, it was revealed that in addition to the semi truck driver’s excessive speed, the driver was also under the influence of marijuana and operating an overloaded trailer at the time of the fatal accident.

When commercial vehicle operators act in a negligent way that causes an accident resulting in personal injury or premature fatality, they may be held legally liable for the damages sustained. If you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of a commercial vehicle accident, please contact our experienced accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti to see what legal rights, representation and relief may be available to you

Yesterday, BostonGlobe.com published an article detailing highway safety advocate’s continued desire to rigorously enforce state inspections on buses and other types of large commercial vehicles by government regulators. Our Chicago accident lawyers read that after a series of fatal accidents, these highway safety advocates are questioning the oversight methods of the National Transportation Safety Board for their inspection programs in Texas, Mississippi, as well as, Illinois. The article reveals that over forty people have died in these accidents, yet the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has failed to act upon directed recommendations to these carriers.

Under current guidelines, federal rules require that commercial vehicles be inspected annually. These inspections are permitted to be conducted by state workers, private garages, or even the carriers operating the vehicles that are to be inspected. Additionally, our Illinois accident attorneys learned that passing a roadside inspection can also meet the legal requirements as longs as it occurs within the previous year. However, it is reported that over half of our nation’s states maintain no recommended inspection requirements. This means that it is often left up to the motor carriers to implement their own inspection requirements.

A Chicago truck accident lawyer at our firm learned that on March 14 a legislative bill was approved by the Senate which would require the federal government to evaluate state inspection programs. However, the legislation has failed to make any headway in the House of Representatives. In a statement released by a trucking industry consultant – who was once the head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration – it was revealed that the FMCSA does not have the resources and funding in order to properly and adequately monitor state commercial vehicle inspections.

In light of this, documents pertaining to a particularly devastating bus accident – deemed one of the worst in the history of the United States – have been released. The bus accident in question, which transpired in August 2008, killed at least 17 people and injured over a dozen more. It was later determined by the National Transportation Safety Board that the cause of the accident was a blown tire. Additional evidence revealed that an inspection had been done on the bus eight days prior to the accident and the bus had passed – despite numerous cited defects.

Our Chicago truck accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti know that the safety of large commercial vehicles should always remain a top priority of government regulators. When unsafe motor vehicles travel on our nation’s roadways, the risk for devastating accidents resulting in injury or death dramatically increases.

Recently, our Chicago accident attorneys read a news report detailing an Illinois accident lawsuit that has been filed as a result of a 2009 bus accident. According to the report, posted on ChicagoTribune.com, the accident transpired in 2009 when motorists on the Edens Expressway noticed a school bus weaving in and out of traffic and driving erratically. Witnesses noticed the bus driver’s head resting on the wheel as if he had fallen asleep while the school children yelled out the windows. The bus was unable to come to a stop, even after orders by a police officer, until the bus veered off the roadway – ultimately striking a signpost.

As a result of the accident, in which only 1 of the 41 children aboard the school bus sustained injury, the bus driver was sentenced to probation and community service in 2011 after he was found guilty in criminal court of child endangerment. The bus driver was ultimately cleared of DUI charges when it was argued by the defendant’s lawyer that he blacked out due to low blood sugar – a result of his Type 1 diabetes. Prosecutors had asked for a stiffer sentence based on the fact that the driver knew his illness made him a potentially dangerous driver and that he continued to operate even though he knew his blood sugar was dangerously low.

Our accident attorneys in Chicago learned that a civil lawsuit has been filed by the parents of one of the school children. The lawsuit names both the bus driver and his bus company as defendants. Court papers allege that the bus company acted negligently for failing to review the bus driver’s driving records and medical history before hiring him. The lawsuit also asserts that the child has suffered permanent injuries as a direct result of the bus driver’s actions.

Any Chicago accident lawyer will tell you that when a school bus operates in a negligent manner, the results are almost always severe and life-altering. According to statistics provided by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, since 1998 over 1,564 people have died as a result of school transportation-related accidents. On average, school bus accidents account for approximately 142 fatalities each year. The statistics further reveal that an average of 19 school-age children die in school transportation accidents each year, with 5 of those fatalities including occupants of the vehicles and 14 pedestrians.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a school bus accident, please contact our experienced Chicago accident lawyers as soon as possible for a free consultation to see what legal rights may be available to you.

A Chicago suburban bus service is currently under fire for withholding pertinent information regarding the company’s history of bus accidents, as well as, alcohol and drug testing of bus drivers. Woodridge.Patch.com reports that the Chicago-based bus service Pace was served with a lawsuit on March 21 by the Better Government Association (BGA) – a nonprofit, non-partisan watchdog group - for violating Illinois’s Freedom of Information Act. Our Chicago accident attorneys learned through court papers that the bus company has refused to reveal the previous mentioned information despite requests from the Better Government Association – a clear violation of the Freedom of Information Act.

The Freedom of Information Act is a federal law that was enacted in 1966 that requires that any person has a right, enforceable in court, to obtain access to federal agency records. According to FOIA.gov, the only exception to the Act is when such records (or portions of them) are protected from public disclosure by certain exemptions or through special law enforcement record exclusions. However, in this case, FIOA provides that documents in the possession of public agencies are accessible to members of the public.

The lawsuit in question ignited when the BGA requested information from Pace on February 14, 2012, pertaining to “any and all police reports and accident reports relating to vehicle accidents that involved a Pace vehicle from 2010-2011.” Additionally, the BGA requested that Pace provide documents that were “sufficient to show how many Pace employees in safety-sensitive positions were tested for drugs and alcohol from 2010-2011 and how many of said employees tested positive for drugs and alcohol.”

However, our accident attorneys in Chicago learned that the bus company asserts that they refused to acknowledge BGA’s requests on the basis that accident-related documents do not have to be released if they relate to “self-insurance claims, loss or risk management information” – one of the few permitted exceptions to the Freedom of Information Act. Additionally, Pace contends that they released documents in 2010 relating to drug and alcohol testing material and no such documents existed in 2011.

The news article reports that Pace is a taxpayer-supported agency while the bus company’s website, Pacebus.com, reveals that the company is a “premier suburban transit provider that quickly moves people to work and school safely and efficiently throughout Chicago’s suburbs.” In a statement released by the President and CEO of BGA, our Chicago accident lawyers learned that the BGA believes through Pace’s refusal to reveal documents, leads one to believe that they are hiding something detrimental and dangerous to the bus company’s riders, as well as, other members of the public.

Recently, our Illinois trucking accident blog reported a devastatingly fatal bus accident that resulted in four fatalities and over 50 injuries. The accident in question, which transpired on May 31, 2011, resulted in criminal charges against the bus driver, as well as, the bus’s dispatcher for involuntary manslaughter.

It was reported that the bus dispatcher ordered the driver to drive on the day of the accident even though the driver insisted that he was too tried to drive – ultimately resulting in the bus driver falling asleep behind the wheel shortly before the fatal accident. The bus driver was arrested shortly after the fatal crash, while the bus dispatcher’s arrest was delayed due to the inability of authorities to identify and subsequently locate him.

In an updated news report, posted on TimesDispatch.com, our Chicago trucking accident lawyers learned that a passenger who was aboard the bus on the day of the tragic accident has filed a negligence lawsuit against the bus driver, as well as, the bus company. The civil claim marks the first in a series of lawsuits that will be filed against the company for the crash.

According to court papers, the plaintiff asserts that she suffered serious injuries, as well as, significant emotional and mental distress as a direct result of the accident. Additionally, the plaintiff contends that she has been permanently impaired and has “experienced and will in the future experience anguish, suffering, inconvenience, and pain.”

The negligence lawsuit’s three count complaint asserts that the bus driver’s companies allowed the bus driver to drive an overnight trip the night before the accident and did not allow the driver adequate rest. It is held that the bus driver violated state law by operating more than 13 hours in a 24-hour period, as well as, operating a commercial bus recklessly. The woman seeks compensation for damages totaling $500,000.

Shortly after the fatal accident, our Chicago truck accident attorneys learned that federal motor carrier regulators shut down the bus company. The United States Department of Transportation’s secretary released a statement in response to the accident and held that the bus company should have been shut down much earlier given the company’s numerous violations.

Complex commercial vehicle accidents, such as this one, require experienced, as well as, knowledgeable legal aid. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident or have lost a loved one, please contact a Chicago truck accident lawyer to see what legal rights, relief and representation may be available to you.

A 22 year-old UCONN student received a suspended sentence late last week for his role in a fatal bus accident. According to a news report, posted on Courant.com, the student was sentenced to 6 months in prison, however, the sentence was suspended and he will ultimately spend two years on probation with no jail time. The accident in question transpired on March 22, 2011, at around 8:10 p.m. when the student – who was employed through the school to operate university buses – fatally struck a pedestrian on the university’s campus.

Our Chicago accident attorneys learned that a subsequent investigation of the fatal accident revealed that the driver was traveling 19 mph, had no alcohol in his blood, and was not using a cell phone. However, the driver was reported to require corrective lenses to see yet had no eyeglasses on that evening. Local authorities were unable to confirm if the driver was wearing contact lenses the night in question. It was additionally confirmed by authorities that the pedestrian had no drugs or alcohol in his system and was crossing the street properly when he was fatally struck.

Ultimately, the student driver pleaded no contest to negligent homicide with a motor vehicle and failure to yield to a pedestrian. The family of the accident victim contends that the accident was an act of manslaughter and has filed a lawsuit against both the driver and the university.

When devastating accidents, such as the one previously mentioned, take the life of a loved one or result in serious injury – the results can be life-altering. The risk for substantial harm is further increased when the accident involves a pedestrian and a large commercial vehicle. Some of the potential pedestrian injuries that may be sustained as a result include: fractured bones, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, paraplegia, and even coma.

If you or a loved one has been injured or lost their life in a pedestrian accident, please contact our experienced Chicago accident lawyers as soon as possible. Our attorneys have expertly handled a variety of cases involving this type of motor vehicle accident and have obtained successful verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients.

Recently, our accident attorneys in Chicago obtained a $1.25 million settlement on behalf of a 50 year-old woman who was struck by a bus while crossing a Chicago crosswalk. The accident victim suffered multiple injuries including fractures to her pubic, rib, and spinal cord as a result of the accident. The driver of the vehicle ultimately pled guilty for failure to exercise due care and striking a pedestrian.

According to SRPressGazette.com, an accident lawsuit stemming from a devastating accident which injured a 6 year-old boy is pending. The accident in question transpired earlier this year on January 12 as the 6 year-old was getting off the school bus. The driver closed the school bus door – although the young boy’s arm was still in the door – and continued to drive away. Our Chicago accident attorneys read that the boy’s mother was at the bus stop at the time of the incident and chased the school bus and subsequently held onto her son as he was dragged nearly 100 feet before the bus driver became aware of the situation.

The news report reveals that in addition to the medical expenses acquired from the injuries the young boy sustained, the mother acquired her own as well. Our accident attorneys in Chicago learned that the boy’s mother, who was pregnant at the time of the incident, ruptured something in her back as she was running after the bus. The school district offered to compensate the family $3,500; however, the woman states that that amount would not even cover half of the medical expenses. Additionally, the school district told the mother that the school bus driver would be undergoing safety training courses.

Our accident lawyers in Chicago learned that shortly after the accident, the school district released a statement asserting that the bus service was conducting a full investigation and that the driver was placed on administrative leave until the completion of the investigation. However, the young boy’s mother has revealed that her lawyer has issued a letter threatening a lawsuit and will ultimately meet with the school district sometime next month.

Any accident attorney in Chicago will tell you that civil litigation if often found to be the best course of action for those who have been injured or killed as the direct result of the wrongful or negligent conduct of others. Victims of these types of harmful accidents are often able to obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, physical and emotional pain and suffering, as well as, punitive damages which aim to punish and deter the wrongdoer for their negligent behavior.

If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in an Illinois bus accident, please contact our experienced accident attorneys to see what legal rights, representation and relief may be available to you.

Earlier this week, our Chicago accident attorneys read a report posted on GoSanAngelo.com detailing a lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of a couple who sustained severe injuries in a bus accident that transpired late last year. According to the article, the accident in question transpired on November 4 when a commercial bus struck a concrete culvert during travel and subsequently overturned. Upon collision, twelve of the commercial bus’s occupants were ejected – resulting in numerous injuries and fatalities.

Additionally, the bus sustained major damage that included the bus’s fiber rooftop being ripped apart from the frame. Our accident attorneys in Chicago learned that a final crash report revealed that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. However, the commercial bus driver did disclose to local authorities that he may have fallen asleep at the wheel shortly before the accident.

The bus accident lawsuit names the several companies as defendants in the case, namely those who were involved in the design, manufacturing and marketing of the commercial bus involved in the accident. The lawsuit asserts that the companies failed to perform full-scale rollover testing of the bus and was not crash worthy.

The plaintiffs allege that the bus was purchased with knowledge that it was “unreasonable and dangerously defective.” Additionally, the companies should have known of the defective condition of the bus prior to assembly.

Our Chicago accident lawyers read that the plaintiffs contend that they are still struggling with the permanent significant injuries sustained as a result of the commercial bus accident. Judgment is sought for damages related to mental anguish, as well as, physical impairment.

The plaintiff’s lawyer released a statement asserting that the photographs taken shortly after the crash reveals that a whole side of the bus was completely removed. It is held that the bus companies violated basic crash principles by designing a vehicle that did not provide proper protection to the vehicle’s occupants through failure to keep them inside the compartment.

Any Illinois accident lawyer will tell you that when any type of motor vehicle is designed in a defective manner, the risk for substantial injury and death is overwhelming. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident due to the defective design of the motor vehicle, you may be compensated for injuries sustained. Please contact our experienced accident attorneys to see what legal rights and relief may be available to you.

A Chicago accident attorney at our firm read a news report earlier today detailing a devastating bus accident that left one man severely injured. According to the article, posted on SFExaminer.com, the accident in question transpired earlier this month on Valentine’s Day when an elderly gentleman, reported to have been using a cane, attempted to cross a city street through the road’s crosswalk. Shortly after stepping out into the street, the man was immediately struck by an oncoming shuttle bus. In an unfortunate turn of events, the pedestrian was subsequently pinned underneath the bus.

Our accident attorney in Chicago learned that it took fire crews well over twenty minutes to extricate the victim from the wreckage. The pedestrian sustained critical injuries and is currently under advanced medical care – although he is expected to survive. The driver of the shuttle bus has received a citation for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. However, shortly after the devastating accident, surveillance footage of the collision became public – ultimately causing numerous groups to express their outrage over the seemingly menial charges the shuttle bus driver faced.

Pedestrian rights activists have begun expressing their desire for criminal charges to be imposed on the shuttle bus driver. However, despite their efforts to persuade their state’s District Attorney to prosecute the shuttle bus driver, prosecutors say that usually in these types of cases, criminal charges are not filed unless the accident results in fatality. Our Illinois accident lawyer read that according to a statement released by the Assistant District Attorney, in order to be found reckless in these types of cases, you must be acting in a willful disregard for the safety of others.

Additionally, the Assistant District Attorney revealed that acting in a reckless manner is not the same as being negligent. In this type of case, drivers who cause injury in collisions may be negligent, but in no way intended to act in the way that caused the harm. On the other hand, if an accident victim dies as a result of the accident, the driver may be charges with vehicular manslaughter.

Any Chicago truck accident attorney will tell you that if you or a loved one has sustained harm in any type of motor vehicle accident, civil litigation is often found to be the best avenue of relief for those whose lives have been turned upside down as the result of another’s negligence. Victims of these types of harmful accidents are often able to obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, physical and emotional pain and suffering, as well as, punitive damages which aim to punish and deter the wrongdoer for their negligent behavior.

MySunCoast.com recently released a news article detailing an injurious accident resulting from the collision between a school bus and a passenger van. According to the news report, the accident transpired Wednesday near an interstate highway on-ramp during the early morning hours. Local authorities reveal that the school bus was traveling westbound – attempting to make a left turn onto the highway’s on-ramp when a large commercial vehicle was blocking the driver’s view. Our Illinois truck accident attorneys read that allegedly the truck driver proceeded to motion the school bus driver to proceed because the road was clear of vehicles

Unfortunately, the roadway was not clear and a passenger van traveling eastbound collided into the school bus. The five passengers in the van, an adult and four children, all required advanced medical attention for injuries sustained in the accident. No passengers on the school bus were injured. Local authorities have charged the school bus driver with violating the van’s right of way.

Our Chicago truck accident attorneys read a statement released by a highway patrol trooper on the scene who advised drivers that if another driver waves you across several lanes of traffic – you are depending on a complete stranger to give you the right of way. It is important that drivers make their own decisions and although other drivers are trying to be kind, they may not always see vehicles behind them or in their blind spots.

Driver safety should always remain a number one priority for all members of the traveling public. Our Chicago trucking accident lawyers encourage drivers to observe the following driver safety tips provided by Nationwide.com in order to avoid another particularly devastating motor vehicle accident resulting in injury or even death:

- Keep 100% of your attention on driving at all times
- Refrain from using a cell phone or other electronic device while driving
- Always be aware of other drivers around you
- Always expect the unexpected from surrounding vehicles
- Secure cargo that may move during vehicle travel
- Never operate under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Always wear your safety belt

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident or have lost a loved one at the hands of a negligent or careless driver, please contact our accident attorneys in Chicago for a free consultation to see what legal rights, representation and relief may be available to you.

An Illinois wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of a 30 year-old Alsip man who was killed in a 2011 bus accident. According to a news report posted on SouthTownStar.com, the accident in question occurred on February 19, 2011, when the deceased was traveling south on Interstate 294 in Leyden Township when a school bus traveling in front of the man’s passenger vehicle “dramatically reduced speed” due to mechanical problems. Our Chicago accident lawyers learned that shortly thereafter, the school bus collided into the man’s vehicle in an attempt to change lanes.

As a result of the accident, the 30 year-old driver required advanced medical attention at a nearby hospital in Park Ridge where he was subsequently pronounced dead several hours later. However, according to an initial report released by Illinois State Police, it was determined that the passenger vehicle driver collided into the rear end of the school bus. An autopsy of the deceased confirmed that the passenger vehicle driver died of multiple injuries from his vehicle striking a bus and the death was ultimately ruled as an accident.

The wrongful death lawsuit, filed late last week by the victim’s family, alleges that the bus driver, as well as, the bus driver’s company, failed to maintain the school bus, failed to keep a sufficient lookout, in addition to, failure to keep the bus under control. Our accident lawyers in Chicago read that the wrongful death lawsuit contains eight-counts against the school bus driver and the bus company and is currently seeking an undisclosed judgment for damages.

Under current Illinois statute, 740 ILCS 180, wrongful death claims can be asserted when certain conditions are met. In order to prove wrongful death, it must be shown that the premature death of a person was caused by a wrongful act – through neglect or default – of another.

An additional aspect of the statute that must be established is that if death had not ensued as a result of the wrongful act, the injured party would be entitled to maintain an action and recover damages. In the state of Illinois, depending on the type of case, the statute of limitations for a wrongful death claim is approximately 2 years.

Our accident attorneys in Chicago have successfully handled hundreds of cases involving wrongful death and have recovered million dollar settlements on behalf of the families of victims who succumbed to a premature death as a direct result of the wrongful or negligent conduct of another. If you have lost a loved one due to another’s negligence, please contact a Chicago accident lawyer to see what legal rights may be available to you.

Recently, our accident attorneys in Chicago read a news report posted on Wavy.com detailing the criminal charges a 40 year-old bus dispatcher faces for his role in a devastating bus accident that killed four people. According to the article, both the bus dispatcher and the 37 year-old bus driver face charges of involuntary manslaughter after it was determined that the low-fare bus driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel shortly before colliding into an embankment and subsequently overturning. Further investigation revealed that the bus dispatcher had ordered the driver to operate that day despite complaints from the driver that he was too fatigued.

Sadly, our Chicago accident lawyers learned that this particular bus carrier – which is a member of a new facet of the bus industry that provides inexpensive buses to convenient locations at fairly cheap rates along the East Coast – has maintained a continued operational history of allowing too-tired drivers behind the wheel of large commercial vehicles filled with unsuspecting passengers. The bus driver is currently being held on a secured $500,000 bond pending his extradition. However, if the driver refuses extradition, he will be required to attend a hearing later this week.

According the records maintained by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the bus carrier had been involved in four accidents during the two years prior to the most recent accident. A Chicago accident lawyer at our office read in the report that of those four accidents, all resulted in either an injury or fatality. Additionally, the company has received over 46 violations for driver fatigue – ultimately ranking them worse than 86 percent of commercial motor carriers. Despite the continued prosperous nature of these particular types of low cost bus carriers, the continued string of deadly accidents associated with these companies has led to tougher federal regulations.

Every Illinois accident lawyer at Levin & Perconti is astonished that these types of bus companies continue to operate on our nation’s roadways in blatant disregard of federal carrier regulations. It is truly unfortunate that often times lives have to be lost in order to governmental authorities to place these dangerous carriers out of service. Continued regulation of passenger-carrying motor vehicles must be implemented by federal and state authorities in order to prevent the recurrence of these devastating accidents that often result in severe personal injury or even premature death.

If you have been injured in an Illinois trucking accident or have lost a loved one at the hands of a negligent driver, please contact our experienced accident attorneys for a free consultation.

A wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a fatal 2010 bus accident that took the life of a 16 year-old boy has reached a settlement, according to a news report posted on Fox4KC.com. The bus accident in question transpired during the early morning hours of November 2010 when a 23 year-old bus driver geared up to drive her school bus on its designated route. It was particularly cold on that day and the bus’s windows were extremely icy. The driver failed to clear the windows before beginning travel – even opening the bus’s door in order to get a better look while driving. Subsequently, as a result of failure to maintain clear windows while driving the bus driver struck and killed a 16 year-old boy.

Ultimately, our Chicago truck accident lawyers learned that the lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of the 16 year-old boy by his mother, reached a $5 million settlement against one of the nation’s biggest transportation providers. In part of the wrongful death settlement, the boy’s mother will be allowed to speak at driver trainings for the company in order to address the various issues surrounding the wrongful operation of a 26,000 pound vehicle. The news report also reveals that the school board will review next Monday if they will continue their contract with the bus’s company.

Any Chicago truck accident lawyer will tell you that large commercial vehicles, whether that is a school bus or a semi tractor-trailer, are considerably less maneuverable than other types of vehicles and must be operated with the highest care and expertise. Although large commercial vehicle drivers are required to undergo extensive training and obtain a specialized license in order to operate their vehicles, often times Illinois trucking accidents occur through driver error or negligence.

When a large commercial vehicle driver operates while fatigued, distracted (cell phone use or texting), or even under the influence of alcohol or other illegal substance and causes a motor vehicle collision with another vehicle, accident victims may have a cause of action against the commercial vehicle driver and his/her company for negligence.

If you have been injured in a passenger vehicle or truck accident or have lost a loved one due to the careless of negligent acts of a driver, please contact our experienced Illinois truck accident attorneys as soon as possible. Our knowledgeable attorneys will provide a free initial consultation to help determine what legal rights, representation and remedies may be available to you.

MyFoxChicago.com recently released a news report detailing a devastating Kane County school bus accident that resulted in the injury of nine special-needs schoolchildren, as well as, the driver of the school bus. Our Chicago accident lawyers learned that according to police reports, the accident transpired as the bus was traveling eastbound on Granart Road when it traveled off the roadway for an unknown reason. The bus driver attempted to adjust the vehicle’s path but was unable to before the school bus went into an off-roadway ditch. Subsequently, this caused the school bus to tipped over onto its side – but did not roll over. Fortunately, all of the school children were wearing safety belts which ultimately help prevent substantial severe injury.

At the time of the initial report, the bus accident remained under investigation with no citations being issued. However, earlier today our accident lawyers in Chicago read a follow up article to the unfortunate accident posted on DailyHerald.com. According to the news article, a number of students on the bus, which was operated by Illinois Central School Bus, assert that the accident occurred as a result of the bus driver falling asleep behind the wheel. Several witnesses have stepped forward alleging that the school bus driver has displayed a continued pattern of fatigued driving, beginning when the driver began the bus route in September.

Our Chicago trucking accident attorneys learned that many of the school-children began noticing a regular pattern of the bus driving nodding off and swerving erratically during travel. One of the students even alerted her mother about her concerns who subsequently called into Illinois Central numerous times to complain. However, the safety director of Illinois Central has released a statement asserting that his company never received complaints about the driver although the driver was monitored in October after a concerned call from the school district.

A camera was equipped into the driver’s bus for several days while he was being monitored. The driver’s company found no evidence of the driver falling asleep during transportation. Shortly thereafter, the bus company contacted the school district to let them know that the driver posed no safety concerns. According to the news report, the Kane County sheriff’s officials are still conducted a thorough investigation into the accident and officials are not planning to release the information pertaining to the accident until late next week. The driver’s toxicology results are still pending.

Yesterday, our Illinois truck accident attorneys read a report detailing an accident lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of a 43-year old woman who sustained fatal injuries in a devastating bus-truck collision. According to the news report, published on NationalPost.com, the fatal accident occurred in August of 2011 when the charter bus the woman was traveling on collided into the rear end of a flatbed semi tractor-trailer. Since the fatal accident, which also injured thirteen other passengers, the family of the deceased woman has filed a $4.25 million lawsuit against the trucking company, as well as, the drivers of the vehicles involved in the accident.

Shortly thereafter the fatal accident, the bus driver was charged with criminal negligence causing death and possession of cannabis. The lawsuit asserts that the driver’s bus company acted negligently by allowing their driver to allegedly operate the bus while impaired, in addition to, in possession of marijuana. Our Chicago truck accident attorneys learned that in the claim, the plaintiffs allege that the driver had been smoking marijuana and at the time of the fatal accident, his faculties of observation, perception, judgment, as well as, self control were impaired.

Additionally, given the driver’s physical and mental condition, he was incompetent to operate a charter bus with reasonable care and attention. The family of the deceased seeks claims of $250,000 in special damages, $3 million in general damages, in addition to, $1 million in punitive, exemplary and aggravated damages against the charter bus driver and his trucking carrier.

Our Chicago trucking accident attorneys continue to encourage trucking and bus companies to hold their large commercial vehicle drivers to strict and unparallel standards when operating such massive vehicles. Our attorneys know first-hand the tragic loss of life and/or serious injury that will almost always result from driver negligence. If the driver of any type of vehicle operates in a careless manner and causes an accident that results in a fatality, the driver may be held legally liable for the wrongful death of another.

Drivers have a duty to themselves, as well as, other to operate their vehicle safely and when this is breach and injuries are sustained, legal action can and should be sought. If you have been injured in an Illinois trucking accident or have lost a loved one at the hands of a negligent driver, please contact our experienced accident attorneys in Chicago to see what legal rights may be available to you.

CNN.com reports that a federal judge has recently placed a commercial bus company out-of-service after the company continued to operate despite violating an order from the United States Department of Transportation. The initial violations occurred on December 23 when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ordered the bus company to shut down after a thorough inspection revealed numerous infractions, such as failed vehicle maintenance and drug and alcohol testing discrepancies. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety then issued an additional cease-and-deist order to the company on January 5 – ordering the company to completely shut down after investigators exposed the company’s continued operation.

Yet, our Chicago truck accident lawyers read that the bus company still continued to operate despite receiving both notices from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In light of this, a United States District Court has issued a temporary restraining order against the bus company, barring the company from continued interstate bus operation. The Department of Transportation’s secretary released a statement in reference to the restraining order he filed and revealed that this type of irresponsible behavior at the hands of bus companies will not be tolerated and safety will continue to remain the Department of Transportation’s highest priority.

Over the past five years, our Chicago trucking accident attorneys learned that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has significantly increased the number of bus inspections administered each and every year. Additionally, comprehensive safety reviews has been conducted on every of the nation’s estimated 4,000 passenger bus companies. The United States Department of Transportation continues to encourage consumers to review the Department of Transportation’s pre-trip safety checklist before purchasing a bus ticket or hiring a bus company. The checklist contains information pertaining to a bus company’s safety record, safety rating, as well as, the Department of Transportation’s operating authority.

Since 1992, our Chicago trucking accident attorneys have represented clients who have sustained severe injury or harm in all types of motor vehicle accidents, including those involving large commercial buses, as well as, Illinois trucking accidents. Operators of large commercial vehicles have an increased responsible to safely operate their vehicles – some of which often weigh up to 80,000 pounds – in order to prevent serious and debilitating accidents from occurring. When commercial vehicle operators act in a negligent way that causes an accident, they may be held legally liable for the damages sustained. If you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of a commercial vehicle accident, please contact our experienced accident attorneys to see what legal rights may be available to you.

With just a month shy before its trial date, a tractor-trailer accident lawsuit has been settled for an undisclosed amount, according to a report posted on BillingsGazette.com. A Chicago accident lawyer at our firm recently read the news report which detailed the fatal accident and its subsequent settlement. The accident initially transpired on the early morning of December 5, 2009.

According to the lawsuit, the semi truck driver had been operating for over 11 straight hours when the driver lost control of his commercial vehicle. The truck consequentially rolled over on its side, causing the commercial vehicle to partially block the northbound lanes of the interstate highway.

According to local authorities, the semi truck driver told police that he lost control of his vehicle when he attempted to veer in order to avoid striking a deer. Our Chicago truck accident lawyers learned that post-collision, state troopers surveyed the area and were unable to find any animal tracks in the snow. Shortly after the overturn of the semi truck, a charter bus collided into the commercial vehicle.

The 61-year-old charter bus driver was killed instantly and over 28 passengers of the bus required advanced medical attention for broken bones and lacerations. The widow of the bus driver filed the truck accident lawsuit alleging that the semi truck driver failed to use flares or emergency triangles to alert drivers that his commercial vehicle was blocking the roadway.

Additional aspects of the lawsuit named the semi truck driver’s trucking carrier as a defendant. It was alleged that the trucking carrier hired the semi truck driver under the knowledge that the driver had previously obtained multiple traffic citations in his past. In addition to the settlement of the lawsuit that stems from the death of the charter bus driver, subsequent lawsuits have also been filed on behalf of the passengers of the bus.

The passengers of the charter bus assert that the 61 year-old bus driver contributed to the horrific collision because the bus driver was driving too fast for roadway conditions and appeared distracted during vehicle operation. Our Illinois accident attorneys learned that one passenger of the charter bus even approached the bus driver with his concerns over unsafe vehicle operation, but was told to return to his seat of get kicked off the bus.

Given the severe nature of Illinois trucking accidents, it is important to obtain knowledgeable and experienced legal aid if you have been injured in an accident or have lost a loved one at the hands of a negligent driver. Please contact our attorneys at Levin & Perconti for a free consultation to help determine what legal rights may be available to you.

A Chicago truck accident lawyer at our firm recently read a report on JusticeNewsFlash.com detailing a lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of a bus accident victim. The accident transpired in early 2010 when a 79 year-old man was using his walker while crossing in a city crosswalk when he was struck by a city bus driver who was making a left turn. According to the police report, the 57 year-old bus driver was allegedly stopped at the city’s transit facility and was pulling of the facility when the fatal accident occurred. It was later determined by local authorities that the bus driver was found to be at fault for the fatal accident for “failing to yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing within a marked crosswalk.”

As a result of the devastating accident, the family of the 79 year-old accident victim has filed a lawsuit naming the bus driver, as well as, the bus company as defendants. The lawsuit seeks $500,000 for the bus accident which left the 79 year-old man was a head injury where he subsequently remained in a coma in the hospital for well over two months until his death on April 5. As a result of the pedestrian accident, the victim’s family spent at least $427,000 in medical, funeral and burial expenses. In addition to the bus accident lawsuit, the state prosecutor has filed vehicular manslaughter charges against the driver of the city transit bus.

Families of the victims of these types of devastating accidents are often able to seek legal relief from the damages incurred as a direct result of the premature death of their loved one. Any Chicago truck accident attorney will tell you that through civil litigation, accident victims and their families can be compensated for the harm they have sustained due to another’s negligence. These damages commonly include, but are not limited to: cost of medical expenses, loss of wages, physical and emotional pain and suffering, in addition to punitive damages that aim to punish the wrongdoer’s negligent behavior.

Those who knowingly commit negligent acts, whether it is the bus driver or their bus company, must be held legally liable for the harm they have carelessly inflicted on their accident victims. In these types of complex cases, it is often important to seek the legal aid of experienced accident attorneys in Chicago. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident, please contact our Illinois accident lawyers to see what legal rights and relief may be available to you.

In light of many commercial operators, ranging from airline pilots to commercial truck drivers, facing a new set of hours-of-service rules, the next industry that may be subjected to a revised hours of service rule is the bus industry. In a report posted on TruckingInfo.com, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is planning a public listening session for later this week pertaining to the hours of service in which a motor-coach can operate. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is hoping to seek public comment and data the directly affects motor-coach driving time and its association with safety.

Some of the specific safety considerations being taken by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration include what factors, issues, and data are imperative in developing new rule making on motor-coach hours of service requirements. Our Chicago truck accident attorneys read that currently, bus companies still operate under what is considered the “old hours of service rules.” The old rules consist of 10 hours of driving time which is directly followed by 8 consecutive hours off duty. During this time, driving is prohibited after obtaining 15 hours of on-duty time following 8 consecutive hours off duty – this is known at the 15 hour rule.

The hours of service rules pertaining to motor-coach and bus operators has not been updated for several decades. According to recent bus accident statistics provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, twenty-eight individual fatalities resulting in eight bus crashes in the United States last year. In an October 31 study conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board, it was revealed that curbside operators (motor-coach and buses) are seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal wreck than intercity buses.

Accidents involving commercial buses have become extremely common and can result in devastating damage to property, vehicles, as well as, people. In the unfortunate situation that you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an Illinois trucking accident involving a bus, it is extremely important to obtain experienced legal aid from our knowledgeable Chicago accident lawyers.

Our Chicago truck accident lawyers have obtained many successful settlements of behalf of our clients who were victims of devastating and tragic bus accidents. Some of our most recent settlements include a $1.25 million settlement on behalf of a 77 year-old woman whose right leg was amputated above the knee when she was struck by a bus while crossing a bus terminal. Another $1.25 million settlement was reached for our 50 year-old client who sustained numerous fractures, including those to her pelvic, ribs, and spinal transverse process, when she was run over by a bus while walking in a crosswalk.

Our Chicago accident lawyers recently read a report posted on WashingtonPost.com detailing the settlement of a fatal commercial vehicle collision between a charter bus and a semi tractor-trailer that took the lives of four individuals and resulted in 19 injuries. According to the report, the accident initially transpired in January of 2005 when a charter bus transporting a youth hockey team swerved off an interstate highway and collided into a tractor-trailer that was parked alongside of the highway.

Fatalities in the tragic accident included the 46 year-old coach of the youth hockey team, his 13 year-old son, a 50 year-old passenger of the bus, in addition to, the 42 year-old driver of the semi tractor-trailer. 19 passengers in the charter bus sustained additional devastating personal injuries which included but were not limited to: broken bones, brain trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Despite reports that the inexperienced 24 year-old charter bus driver was driving erratically before the collision and was suspected to be operating while fatigued, he has avoided facing criminal charges. The bus driver has pleaded guilty to violations that involved his commercial vehicle logbook. It was reported that the driver lied about previous travel hours he worked a few days earlier during another transportation job and failed to report these driver hours in his logbook. An additional violation included a $300 traffic violation for failing to stay in the proper lane.

As part of a series of lawsuits stemming from the fatal trucking accident, our Chicago truck accident attorneys read that a settlement has been reached in the first trial. $36 million settlement has been awarded to the accident victims and their families with two of the insurance agencies for the charter bus paying $22.5 million. An additional settlement contribution of $13.5 million will be issued by the three insurers for the truck operator and the trucking trailer owner.

Our accident lawyers in Chicago send their sincere condolences to the accident victims of this devastating accident and are pleased to read that they have received adequate compensation for the untimely death of four individuals and the debilitating personal injuries sustained by the 19 charter bus passengers. These types of accident lawsuits are often beneficial in ensuring that accident victims and their families are properly compensated for the various expenses that incurred as a result of the accident, in addition to, guaranteeing that wrongdoers are held accountable for their wrongful and negligent conduct.

DailyJournal.net reports that nine individuals have been injured as a result of a semi tractor-trailer accident involving a school bus containing several children. Reports state that the school bus had stopped to let out a child on a local highway when a semi truck traveling behind the bus failed to reduce speed and collided into the school bus. Nine out of the ten elementary school students traveling on the bus, as well as, the bus’s driver were taken to a nearby hospital for minor injuries. Our Chicago semi truck accident lawyers read that local authorities believe the semi truck driver’s inattentiveness is likely to blame for the semi truck accident.

Each year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducts research to determine the number of injury-resulting or fatal semi truck accidents that occur nationwide. Recent research indicates that there are well over 4,000 fatal semi truck accidents, in addition to, over 77,000 injury-resulting semi truck accidents that unfortunately transpire every year. Of those accidents, well over 287,000 result in damage to property.

A variety of factors are commonly attributed to these types of potentially fatal accidents. Some of the most common causes of semi truck accidents include:
- Unqualified Commercial Vehicle Drivers
- Driver Fatigue
- Alcohol or Drugs
- Improperly Loaded Commercial Vehicle
- Unrealistic Imposed Deadlines and Schedules
- Hazardous Materials
- Improper Vehicle Maintenance

When the driver of a large commercial vehicle engages in behavior or acts that put the safety of other motorists at risk on our roadways, the results are often serious and life-threatening. Each year thousands of individuals lose their lives as a direct result of semi truck driver negligence and even more sustain devastating injury. Drivers of large commercial vehicles are legally required to exercise a reasonable standard of care when operating large trucks which may weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When this standard is deviated from and an accident ensues, the truck driver, as well as, his/her trucking carrier may be liable for negligence or wrongful death.

Our Chicago truck accident attorneys know that any and all types of motor vehicle accidents have the potential to cause serious injury. However, due to the sheer size and weight of large commercial vehicles, trucks have the ability to cause substantial injury or even death if they are operated in a negligent manner. If you have been injured in an Illinois semi truck accident or have lost a loved one due to a negligent driver, please contact our Illinois semi truck accident lawyer to see what legal rights may be available to you.

After a six-month comprehensive study, the National Transportation and Safety Board has just released a safety report which provides unsettling safety statistics for a common type of commercial vehicle, curbside buses. AllHeadLineNews.com reports that the National Transportation and Safety Board reviewed obtained data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from January 2005 to March 2011. The study ultimately revealed that curbside buses are seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than other conventional carriers. Additionally, it was found that there are 1.4 deadly accidents, per 100 vehicles for curbside buses that have fewer than 10 carriers or that have been in business less than a decade.

According to the safety report published last week, curbside buses are also substantially more likely to be out-of-service for driver violations, such as fatigued driving and fitness violations. The article states that many of these safety violations are not revealed on a consistent basis due to the fact that many curbside buses are excluded from regular inspections that are conducted during vehicle operating. A contributing factor in the lack of safety inspections has been due in part to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s lack of inspectors and enforcers. The agency has only 878 employees reviewing compliance of over 765,000 buses … which makes an unfortunate ratio of 1 worker to 1,000 carriers.

The review was conducted by the National Transportation and Safety Board as a result of numerous fatal commercial vehicle accidents around the nation earlier this year. One bus accident that transpired earlier in March resulted in the deaths of over 15 passengers. Within the same month, two other additional crashes occurred and caused one of the commercial vehicle carriers to be placed out of service by the United States Department of Transportation. In response to the accident rate, the National Transportation and Safety Board has issued a number of safety recommendations, such as installing seat belts and improving emergency exits, with the hopes that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will implement these recommendations.

In the past year, the commercial vehicle accident rate has been skyrocketing. Our Chicago semi truck accident attorneys urge legislators to readily construct and enforce safety laws in order to make our roadways a safer place to travel – whether for curbside buses, semi tractor-trailers or passenger vehicles. If you or a loved one has been involved in an Illinois semi truck accident, please contact an Illinois truck accident lawyer to see what legal rights may be available to you.

Accidents involving buses remain some of the most deadly because these vehicles so often are carrying many passengers who are less secure in their seat compared to other vehicles. Any time that one of these machines goes awry, the potential for catastrophic loss is present. Unfortunately, Illinois bus accidents still strike in and around our area. Blog readers have been apprised of the incidents over the last year including those involving school buses and public transit vehicles.

Another particularly deadly bus accident struck this weekend on the other side of the country, according to ABC Local News. Shortly before six in the evening on Saturday a charter bus was carrying local soccer fans from a game on Interstate 90. While packed with fans, without notice the bus drifted onto the shoulder of the highway and hit a tractor-trailer that was parked on the side of the road. That first impact tipped the bus over onto its side. While on its side, the bus then crossed into the center median and came to a crashing stop.

As anyone would imagine, the accident was a terrifying ordeal for those involved. One man and one woman who were on the bus were killed in the collision. While an exact report isn’t yet available, police believe as many as fifteen other passengers in the vehicle were injured. Also, a man who was standing outside the disabled truck at the time of the crash was severely injured. He was airlifted to a local hospital following the accident.

Police are still piecing together the situation to determine exactly what caused the bus to hit the disabled truck.

Continue reading "Deadly Bus Crash Kills Two and Injures Fifteen" »

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" »

A horrific trucking accident is being reported by CBS News involving two school buses, a pickup truck, and an eighteen wheel semitrailer. At least two deaths have already been confirmed, including the 19 year old driver of the pickup truck and a student in one of the buses.

The freeway accident was caused by a chain reaction beginning with the semitrailer slowing down in a construction zone. The pickup truck slammed into the back of the trailer, the first bus hit the truck, and the second bus hit the first bus. The collision of the two buses ultimately sent the first bus forward and on top of the pickup truck.

Besides the two deaths, dozens of children were injured in the accident. The buses were transporting band members of a local high school to an amusement park. The small town where the students lived was reeling in shock after the deadly accident.

Authorities confirmed that the chain-reaction collision was caused by several vehicles inability to slow down sufficiently while traveling at high freeway speeds. One of the buses had moved into the left lane to give a distressed vehicle room directly before the collision.

The tragic accident highlights the multitude of possible disruptions that occur in highway travel. With construction zones, distressed vehicles, and other incidents occurring on the road, driver speed changes frequently and quickly. These quick speed changes by different drivers require everyone to remain constantly vigilant to the goings-on of each vehicle around them. An accident can just as easily be cause by another driver’s negligence as well as your own.

Our trucking accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti understand the perilous circumstances that lead to many traffic accidents. We are committed to sorting through the details of these crashes to help suffering victims understand the causes and protect their losses. Please contact our office to learn more about your legal rights when a harmful car or trucking crash occurs.

Recently, a semi collided with a school bus, a car and another tractor-trailer in a trucking accident that sent the truck driver and school bus driver to the hospital. According to Justice News Flash, the semi driver failed to slow down as he approached slowing traffic. His vehicle collided with the school bus; however there were no students on board. After hitting the bus, the semi barreled on and hit the car and tractor-trailer. The driver was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign in critical condition. Follow the link to read the full account of the trucking accident.

The mother of three children who were injured in a trucking accident last year has settled in a lawsuit in which she sued the corporation that owned the semi truck that hit the back of the school bus her children were riding in. The trucking accident occurred when a semi truck struck the back of a school bus carrying junior high and high school students, killing one of the passengers. The mother of the girl that was killed in the crash was a separate suit that has not yet settled or concluded. According to Star-Banner, the driver of the truck was suffering from a lack of rest and failed to brake in time to avoid the accident. The lawsuit alleged that the children suffered physical personal injuries as well as mental anguish as a result of being involved in the fiery bus accident.

A truck accident between a tractor-trailer and a tour bus has killed 11 people and injured 16. The truck driver, who lost control of his tractor-trailer and collided with a bus coming in the opposite direction, was reportedly intoxicated and will be charged with involuntary homicide. The tour bus was operated by Viva Mexico Tours, a company based in Texas. The accident left 7 Americans dead and 9 injured. It is yet unknown whether any of the victims or their families will file lawsuits. Read more about this truck crash.

A tour bus collided with a tractor trailer on March 6 after the tour bus changed lanes and clipped the truck. Fortunately, none of the 48 passengers on board the bus were seriously injured. Authorities credit the cable barriers that divide the east and westbound lanes of the highway with potentially saving lives. The truck accident could have been a lot worse if the vehicles had traveled into oncoming traffic.

As traffic backed up shortly after the accident occurred, another truck accident took place. A pick-up truck slammed into a tractor trailer truck whose driver had stopped to help direct traffic. The driver of the pick-up truck suffered injuries.

For full coverage of this trucking accident follow the link.