Personal Injury

November 26, 2024

Is There Liability in Chicago if I Slip and Fall on Icy Stairs? The Answer is “It Depends.”

Written and reviewed by Peter Zneimer

You are visiting at a friend’s house and as you are walking down their front stairs, you slip and fall on ice and break your arm. Do you have a cause of action against your friend for your injuries? That is a common question that the personal injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. receive during winter months. The answer is: “it depends”.

In Illinois, landowners and occupiers have no common-law duty to remove natural accumulation of snow and ice from their property. Additionally, even if the landowner has made an attempt to clear ice and snow but did not clear it all, the landowner is not liable for any injuries caused by slipping and falling on that ice or snow. See the case of Murphy-Hylton v. Lieberman Management Services, Inc., 2016 IL 120394. This “natural-accumulation” rule was further codified for owners of residential units in the “Snow and Ice Removal Act” 745 ILCS 75/1 which states that the owner of a residential property who removes or attempts to remove ice and snow from his or her sidewalks shall not be liable for personal injuries caused by the icy or snowy condition.

September 13, 2024

Melbourne Bans E-Scooters for Safety Reasons

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Chicago has witnessed a dramatic increase of e-scooters riders on the roadways and bike paths in recent years propelled propelled by e-scooter ride share companies like Divvy and Lime setting up stations. With increased number of e-scooter riders, the e-scooter injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. has also observed a dramatic increase of people injured in e-scooter accidents. Driving around Chicago, one witnesses e-scooters everywhere. One sees people riding on the bike paths, riding on the sidewalk, riding with traffic and riding against traffic. To add to the confusion, e-scooter riders have a tendency not to follow traffic rules like stopping at stop signs and stopping for red lights.

The influx of e-scooter riders on the sidewalks and on roadways have not only lead to more accidents but also more complaints from pedestrians who must dodge e-scooters. With more complaints comes more regulations. Some cities have gone a step further and have banned e-scooters all together. The city of Melbourne has recently voted to end its contracts with e-scooter operators, Lime and Neuron ending a two year trial period. “I have heard in recent days from residents, from traders, from visitors to Melbourne, literally begging us to bring the trial to an end to make our city safe again” Melbourne Mayor Nicolas Reece was quoted in saying at a news conference.

Though the e-scooters were popular, averaging 6,800 daily trips according to city statistics, the popularity also came with a sharp rise in complaints from pedestrians on footpaths and a sharp rise in emergency room visits. The Royal Melbourne Hospital reported 256 e-scooter related injuries in 2023, including one death.

August 14, 2024

Motorists in Chicago Do Not Stop For Pedestrians in Crosswalks

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Written and Reviewed by Peter Zneimer

Chicago in recent year has invested heavily in improving cross walk safety. The city has added cross walk signs to many crosswalks. Some have included warnings that it is a violation of state law not to stop for pedestrians in a cross walk. The fanciest crosswalks have flashing lights that are activated by pushing a button that warn motorists that pedestrians are crossing. The City’s efforts to upgrade pedestrian safety should be commend given the rise of pedestrian injuries in Illinois. The personal injury injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. note that pedestrian accident cases typically have severe injuries because these accidents most often involve a motor vehicle striking a human body.

Given the steady rise of of pedestrian deaths in Cook County the money spent on improving pedestrian safety is wisely spent. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) pedestrian accident fatalities in Cook County increased by 28% between 2016 and 2020. In another study done by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) study showed that pedestrian deaths in Illinois rose 55% from 2005 to 2020.

July 3, 2024

Should Children Be Allowed to Ride Electric Scooters?

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Electric scooter use has risen dramatically in Chicago over the last few years. The popularity of electric scooters is spurred by the introduction of shared services such as Divvy, Lime and Spin. These scooters are left on the on sidewalks and streets and can be unlocked with a smartphone app. When a user is done with their trip they can just leave the scooter at their destination. With this surge of e-scooter usage has been accompanied by a surge in e-scooter related emergency room visits.

It is easy to see how susceptible to injury scooter riders are. E-scooters travel up to 20 MPH and some travel even faster. E-Scooter injury lawyer, Peter Zneimer of Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C. was recently driving down Peterson Ave. in Chicago going about 25 MPH when he was passed by an e-scooter going at least 30 MPH. On top of that, e-scooters have small wheels that require smooth surfaces to ride on. As any resident of Chicago can attest, potholes and rough surfaces are everywhere on Chicago streets. When the small wheels of a e-scooter hit a pothole or rough surface, the rider is likely to be thrown hard on to the pavement. If a person falls off an e-scooter on to the pavement at these speeds it is almost guaranteed to be injuries. The most common injuries are cuts, scraps, bruises, fractures and head injuries.

There were approximately 42,200 emergency room visits in the United States in 2021 according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This represents an increase of 66% over 2020. The increase in injures for children under 16. Because of the high risk of injury, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 16 should not be allowed to ride electric scooters.

June 27, 2024

What Are the Most Dangerous Bike-ways for Biking in Chicago?

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

When biking in Chicago, at times it feels as if one is risking life and limb just to commute from one place to another. The statistics seem to bear out that riding a bike not only feels dangerous but actually is dangerous. From June 2023 to August 2023 there were 819 bike crashes with 75 of these leading to serious injuries according to CDOT. Everyone who bikes on a regular basis in Chicago has stories of being involved in crashes with motorists or close calls. The bicycle injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have had many clients that have been injured in bicycle accidents where the motorists are simply not keeping a look-out for bicyclists, either when making a right turn, when opening a car door or when making a left turn in an intersection.

Chicago has made a concerted effort in recent years to improve the infrastructure for bicyclists in recent years, adding 400 miles of bike-ways between 2018 and 2022. Though that sounds like a lot, the reality is the vast majority of new bike-way lanes are simply painted on the roadway and offer little protection to bicyclists who are essentially still out in the traffic.

In Chicago, several intersections are notoriously dangerous for bicyclists due to a combination of heavy traffic, poor infrastructure, and the presence of multiple road users. Here are some of the most hazardous intersections and the reasons why they are considered risky:

June 18, 2024

What Are The Signs of Dog Bite Infection?

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Written and reviewed by Peter Zneimer, Zneimer & Zneimer P.C.

The dog bite lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have handled many dog bite cases over the years and one characteristic of these cases stands out is the high percentage of dog bite wounds that become infected and require hospitalization. Another thing we have noticed is that clients sometime put of going to the doctor even when the wound shows clear signs of infection. The question: “How long should I wait before going to the doctor if my dog bite wound shows signs of infection?” is easy to answer. The answer is immediately.

For very minor dog bites that barely puncture the skin, thoroughly washing the wound with soap and warm water, applying antibiotic cream and wrapping it up in a bandage might be adequate. For any wound that is deeper than just a minor puncture wound it is recommended that the bite victim press a clean cloth against the wound to stop the bleeding and seek medical treatment immediately.

February 2, 2023

The Dangers of Larger and Higher Vehicles for Pedestrians and Bicyclists

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

The rise in popularity of larger and higher vehicles has raised concerns about the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists on the road. These types of vehicles pose a unique threat to people on foot or on bikes because of their size and height, which can make it more difficult for drivers to see them and more dangerous in the event of a collision. The Chicago personal injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer have seen some devastating

One of the biggest dangers that larger and higher vehicles pose to pedestrians and bicyclists is the difficulty they can have in being seen by drivers. These vehicles are often much taller than smaller cars and trucks, which can block the view of drivers and make it harder for them to see people on foot or on bikes. Additionally, the high hoods and large bumpers of these vehicles can also make it more difficult for drivers to accurately judge the distance between their vehicle and pedestrians or bicyclists, making it more likely for an accident to occur.

Another issue with larger and higher vehicles is the impact they can have in the event of a collision. These vehicles are often much heavier than smaller cars and trucks, meaning that they can cause much more severe injuries in the event of a collision. Furthermore, the high ground clearance of these vehicles can also make it more likely for pedestrians and bicyclists to be hit in the head or torso, which are the areas most likely to result in serious injury or death.

November 21, 2022

Personal injury is more than physical injury

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Injury Lawyer Chicago IL

Physical injury has a domino effect on our ordered lives. After an injury, first comes the pain, then the need for medical care, and later come medical bills. Hiring a good personal injury lawyer is an important step to discover and secure evidence and to ensure that medical debt does not negatively impact creditworthiness.

The torrent of medical bills begins very soon after medical treatment for personal injury. A visit to the ER typically results in at least two bills: one from the ER and another from the ER physician. If the ER doctor orders X-rays, the radiologists will send a third bill for reading the films. If the ER doctor needs a consultation with a specialist, the specialist will send the fourth bill for the consultation. If an ambulance took the personal injury victim to the ER, the ambulance ride will generate a fifth bill for the day. Further treatment for the injuries brings more and more bills, loss of wages, decrease in credit score, and loss of the peace of mind. At some point people start feeling helpless and lost and start asking around how to find a good personal injury lawyer to help them sort out the bills, the property damage, the loss of wages. They search for “injury lawyer near me” and rely on search engines or referral of friends or family to find the best personal injury lawyer. We often receive referrals from former clients who send us their friends or family to help.

When the Chicago personal injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer meet with injury clients for the first time, we often receive folders or large envelopes stuffed with unpaid medical bills. We organize the bills chronologically by date of service to determine whether we have a comprehensive picture of the medical treatment to date. We also start investigating the facts of the accident to determine whether there are witnesses, cameras, or other facts that can help to identify all responsible parties. We research the applicable law, and the responsible parties’ insurance to determine whether there is insurance coverage for the personal injury accident. Sometimes, insurance companies may have exclusions and finding insurance coverage may become a challenge. Continue reading

October 8, 2022

Dogs don’t bite until they do

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Dog looking at people

The Chicago personal injury attorneys with Zneimer & Zneimer note yet another tragic story involving a family pet resulting in the death of two small children. This tragedy should remind us that dogs are animals with their own whims, needs, and moods. Most dogs also have significant physical advantage over children, especially strong breeds like Pitt Bull, Doberman, Mastiff, Cane Corso, Rottweiler, and others. Keeping a strong dog as a family pet where small children live comes with risks to the household of the dog’s owner. Risks include not just dog bite injuries, but death. A lot of the fatalities include children.

Dogsbite.org, keeps track of dog bite fatalities and their victims. According to the 2022 data, the roster of victims is heartbreaking. It includes a 3-month old baby (family pet, French mastiff-mix), 7-year old girl (Rottweiler), 1-year old girl (Pitt bull), 4-year old boy (Pitt bull), 7-month old baby (American bulldog-mix) , a 4-year old girl (Pitt bull), and many other children and adults whose encounter with a dog became a fatality.

People love and anthropomorphize their dogs and often forget that dogs are not human, do not follow the law, and do not abide by any commandments not to attack, bite, or kill. Anthropomorphizing dogs can have detrimental effects on the dog and the relationship between the owner and the dog. Attributing human mental and emotional states to a dog may lead to misinterpretation of the dog’s behavior, resulting in a negative effect on the animal’s welfare and behavior. As the sad examples and heartbreaking obituaries of children reveal, wishing that a dog shares the human love for children, in no way means that the dog shares such love or is always safe around kids. The numerous examples DogBites.org has collected show kids dying at the jaws of family dogs. Continue reading

October 4, 2022

Why Accidents Are Increasing In Illinois

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

The Chicago personal injury attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer have seen an increase in serious car crashes that involve the use of pot. Recently the Chicago Sun Times reported that Illinois traffic deaths increased by 24%. According to the organization Parents Opposed to Pot, since 2016, when Illinois legalized marijuana, traffic deaths increased from 1078 to 1091 in 2017, to 1038 in 2018. This increase has some people wondering if there is a correlation between the decriminalization of marijuana and the state rising the authorized limit of THC from 0 to 5 ng of THC.

Even though under Illinois law use of marijuana may be legal, driving stoned at any level is not safe. From young age we learn that drinking and driving is a lethal combination. We hear commercials and radio advertisements, and see signs deterring us from sitting behind the wheel when under the influence of alcohol. Yet there is a paucity of advertisements or signs or warnings discouraging smoking pot and driving.

The fact is that pot-related driving under the influence represents a threat to the citizens of Illinois. Driving under the influence of marijuana is dangerous. Research shows that marijuana impairs reactions just like alcohol does. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana significantly impairs judgment, motor coordination, and reaction delay. Several meta-analyses of studies found that the risk of being involved in a crash significantly increased after marijuana use and in some cases, the risk doubled or more than doubled. Continue reading