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Recent Blog Posts
7 Types of Distracted Driving That Can Lead to Dangerous Car Accidents
While there are many reasons that car accidents occur, driver negligence is often to blame for a collision. There are many different forms of negligence, including violations of traffic laws, aggressive driving, or failure to keep a vehicle properly maintained. However, distracted driving is one of the most prevalent issues that affects safety on roads throughout Illinois and the United States. Drivers who fail to fully pay attention to the road put everyone around them at risk. When drivers cause harm to others because of this type of negligence, victims who suffer injuries or other damages will want to determine their options for pursuing financial compensation.
Common Distractions That Affect Drivers
Distracted driving can take many forms, and it may include any actions that cause a person to look away from the road, take their hands off the steering wheel, or divert their attention away from operating their vehicle safely. Some of the most common types of distracted driving include:
How Will Recent Changes to the 2021 SAFE-T Act Affect Chicagoans?
In January 2021, Illinois’ landmark Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act began to go into effect. This massive law, inspired in part by George Floyd’s death in police custody and supported by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, enacted a wide range of criminal justice reforms. Now new additions are cracking down even further on police brutality and civil rights violations.
Noteworthy Provisions of the Original Law
Policing Reforms. By 2025, all law enforcement officers must wear body cameras for increased accountability. Anyone can now make a complaint against a police officer, even anonymously. Probationary officers now have to train on the use of force, de-escalation techniques, and mental-illness responses, as well as ethnic and racial sensitivity. Police also have more restricted justifications to use force during arrests and are required to stop other officers from using unapproved force.
Can I Pursue Compensation for a Slip and Fall Injury on Snow or Ice?
Snow and ice are common issues that Illinois residents have to deal with during the winter months. When cold weather or winter storms result in slippery sidewalks, parking lots, or other walking areas, the risk of injury in a slip and fall accident increases significantly. Even though people are aware of these hazards and will usually take care to avoid injuries when walking outside during the winter, accidents can still occur.
A fall on snow or ice can result in multiple types of injuries, including broken bones, sprained or dislocated joints, or traumatic brain injuries. People who have been injured may struggle with a variety of financial and personal issues during their recovery, and they will want to determine their legal options, including whether they may pursue financial compensation from the owner of the property where an accident took place.
What Are the Top Reasons That Driver Fatigue Leads to Truck Accidents?
18-wheeler trucks and other commercial vehicles are much larger and heavier than passenger vehicles. Because of this, truck accidents are likely to lead to serious injuries or wrongful death. While there are many reasons why these types of collisions may occur, driver fatigue is one of the most common problems that can affect safety on the road. Drivers, passengers, or others who are injured in collisions with commercial trucks will want to determine who was responsible, and with the help of an attorney, they can take action to recover financial compensation for their injuries.
Common Causes of Truck Driver Fatigue
Drowsiness and fatigue can be dangerous for any driver. If a person is drowsy, they will be much more likely to miss important details, and they may be unable to react in time to changing conditions on the road. If a person gets two fewer hours of sleep than normal, they will experience effects similar to drinking three alcoholic beverages, and going for 20 hours without sleep is generally considered equivalent to being legally intoxicated. Those who experience fatigue are three times more likely to become involved in a collision. For truck drivers who must remain in full control of a vehicle that weighs tens of thousands of pounds, drowsiness can be deadly.
3 Types of Nursing Home Abuse That Can Lead to Physical Harm
Certain types of abuse that occur in nursing homes, like severe neglect or even assault, lead to immediate and obvious physical harm. Other types of nursing home abuse are more insidious in that they may not directly and immediately cause physical injuries - but can lead to long-term negative health effects, or be associated with other forms of abuse that do cause physical harm. If you have a loved one who resides in a nursing home and suspect any type of abuse or neglect, it is important that you see that the matter is investigated. An attorney can help guide you through the next steps.
How Non-Physical Forms of Abuse Can Cause Physical Harm
In elder populations, mental health is closely associated with physical health. Nursing homes that will engage in any form of abuse or neglect are not putting their residents first, and it may be prudent to question the safety of those in their care. The following forms of abuse can ultimately lead to physical harm down the road:
Do Prisoners Have Civil Rights?
Jails and prisons are designed to be unpleasant. They are punitive institutions, after all. However, just because you made a mistake and were sent to a correctional facility does not mean that you immediately lose all your rights. In the United States of America and in the state of Illinois, people confined in jails and prisons still enjoy certain constitutional protections. Being locked up may take away your freedom for the time being, but that does not mean you are entirely at the mercy of the guards. Treating prisoners in an abusive way or failing to meet their basic needs may amount to a civil rights violation that could be taken to court. If you believe that you or someone you care about has had their rights violated in jail or prison, speaking with an attorney should be your next step.
What Rights Do People Have in Jails and Prisons?
The Eighth Amendment prohibits the use of cruel and unusual punishments.There are limits as to what means can be applied to punish criminals. Inmates check some, but not all, rights at the jailhouse door. Even if you are locked up, you still have these constitutional protections:
What Are Subtle Signs of Nursing Home Neglect?
Every senior who relies on a skilled nursing facility for their daily care has the right to be treated with respect and to have their basic needs met, every day. Sadly, this is not always the case. If your loved one resides in a nursing home, you may be worried about how to make sure they are being adequately cared for. Now that many nursing homes are beginning to allow in-person visitation again after COVID-19 lockdowns, it may be wise to make note of a few subtle but common signs that a nursing home resident is being neglected.
If you suspect that your loved one is being neglected in a nursing home, contact a qualified attorney. Your loved one may be entitled to compensation, and an attorney will be able to help you navigate any steps you may need to take to protect them.
What Signs May Indicate Neglect of a Nursing Home Patient?
Recovering Compensation for Injured Pedestrians in Illinois
We tend to think of car accidents as crashes between motor vehicles, but in reality, this is only one of the many ways that a motor vehicle can cause an injury. Some of the most serious car crash injuries happen when a pedestrian is struck by a motor vehicle. In Illinois in 2019, pedestrians were involved in around 18 percent of fatal accidents, and around 12 percent of accidents resulting in incapacitating injuries.
Injured pedestrians and their families often feel at a loss when it comes to holding drivers accountable for their injuries. However, it is important to know that pedestrians have the right to safely use the road, and they may be entitled to compensation when their injuries are caused by driver negligence. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you get the compensation you need.
Report: ‘Unprecedented Number’ of Excessive Force Complaints from Last Summer’s Protests
A new report recently filed in federal court against the Chicago Police Department concluded the department was unprepared to effectively handle the massive protests that took place after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer last summer. The report cites what is referred to as an “unprecedented number” of complaints against the department for excessive force and numerous other violations.
Lack of Preparation by Chicago Police
The report was prepared by an independent monitoring team put in place to ensure that the Chicago Police Department is in compliance with the federal consent decree put in place by the Attorney General’s office. The consent decree provides a detailed plan for reforms that both the City of Chicago and the police department must implement.
The report found that the department did not have the necessary policies and tools in place to respond effectively to the protests. The monitoring team found that not only did the department fail to predict how widespread the protests would be, but it also did not have the necessary training, equipment, reporting practices, community engagement, data analysis, or interagency coordination in place even if they had been prepared.
Thousands of GM Vehicles Recalled Because of Power Steering Loss Risk
Car accidents occur for a variety of reasons. Some of the more common causes of crashes include distracting driving behavior (i.e., texting and driving), driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or speeding or disobeying some other traffic law. In the majority of car accidents, fault lies with a driver who acted in a negligent or reckless manner.
However, not all car accidents are caused by another driver. Some crashes occur because of a defective or malfunctioning part or component in the vehicle. Over the past several years, car accidents that resulted in the death or severe injuries of victims have been caused by defective airbags, ignition switches, and fuel tanks. A recent recall for power steering issues on some General Motors (GM) vehicles could put the vehicle’s occupants and other commuters in danger of serious accidents.
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