Chicago Accident Lawyer Blog

January 2, 2010

Preventing injuries is everyone’s responsibility

In the United States during 2008, 968 children ages 14 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 168,000 were injured. A CDC study published in the May 3, 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that 64% of the children who died in car crashes were riding in the vehicle with a drinking driver. The drinking driver was typically old enough to be the age of the child’s parent or caregiver. The study also found that as the blood alcohol concentration of the child’s driver increased, child restraint use decreased. The statistics is grim:

Fifteen percent of occupant deaths among children ages 0 to 14 years involved a drinking driver.
More than two-thirds of fatally injured children were killed while riding with a drinking driver.

December 27, 2009

“Peephole” Drivers A Concern During Winter Months

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Drivers who do not take the time to completely defrost their windows drive with a dramatically reduced field of vision. As Sargent Scott Kristiansen of the Buffalo Grove Police Department in suburban Chicago pointed out in a USA Today article: “Reasonable people who would never think of leaving their driveway with worn tires or bad brakes will routinely drive their children to school after scraping just a small peephole with which to see out of the vehicle.” In Illinois a driver can be cited for anything an officer deems to “materially obstruct” a driver’s vision.

December 27, 2009

Illinois Outlaws Driving While Texting

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

As of January 1, 2010, Illinois makes texting while driving illegal. Specifically, the new law prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle while using an electronic communications device to compose, send, or read an electronic message

December 27, 2009

Texting Drivers More Likely To Crash

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

A study published by the journal of Human Factors concluded that texting drivers are six times more likely to crash than drivers who are not texting. Using simulator vehicles, researchers concluded that texting is even significantly more dangerous than using a cell phone. People on cell phones are four times more likely to crash than drivers who are not on a cell phone studies have shown. In Chicago and in the whole state of Illinois, as of January 1, 2010 it will be illegal to text and drive.

November 14, 2009

Laser Treatment At Illinois Medical Spas Could Be Dangerous

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

There is growing concern nationwide over laser treatments being performed at medical spas, also known as medispas. Laser hair removal procedures are being done by individuals who may not have any medical expertise and may not be properly trained in the use of lasers. Several people have suffered burns and scarring as a result of laser treatments that were not safely performed.

A survey of members of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery done in 2003 showed a 41% increase from 2001 in the number of patients seeking medical help for skin treatments that were improperly performed by nondoctor technicians.

Procedures that effect the structure or function of the skin, such as laser hair removal, qualify as medical procedures as defined by most state medical boards. This means that the procedure must be performed by a doctor or supervised by a doctor. States have different rules about what constitutes supervision, and in many states a doctor may only be at a spa periodically. If a problem should occur during treatment, a doctor may not be there to help.

October 24, 2009

Burn Injury Lawsuits in Rockford, Illinois

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

A train that derailed and then exploded due to its ethanol contents is the cause of numerous lawsuits in Rockford, Illinois. It happened on June 19, 2009 and has led to numerous lawsuits of different claims. The most obvious claim is the one that extends from death and injury due to burn injuries sustained in the accident. But there are other claims that say the train company is liable because it put people in the danger zone of possibly being hurt or killed. There are also several claims from people who witnessed the accident for emotional trauma. While no one has yet to file a claim against the sheriff’s department there has been news and blogger speculation that there should be.

Apparently there were numerous 911 calls made to the Sheriff’s department about a section of washed out track. It was then reported to the railway company but they chose not to close the track and the Sheriff’s department did not act further on the issue. People stopped in their cars as the train passed said they knew something was wrong as the train cars were seen as “bouncing” along the track. Finally one completely derailed and landed in front of a stopped van. The contents of the car spilled and lit on fire killing one passenger in the van and severely injuring two others. Their injuries were from burns. The woman who died got out of the van and was engulfed in flames. Other stopped cars tried to get away and many watched in horror as the woman on fire burned to death before their eyes.

The family of van passengers have filed suit for the death of their mother and for their other injuries which included the loss of one woman’s baby only five months along. It is surmised that these burn injuries will be covered by the train company in a settlement.

October 17, 2009

New Study Shows Bicyclists Injury Rates On The Rise

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Results from an 11 year study of bicycling injuries at a Denver trauma center show that injury rates and length of hospital stays for bicyclists rose over the course of the study, according to an article by Randy Dotings in USA Today.

The study found that chest injuries rose by 15% and abdominal injuries tripled over the last five years. The study also reveals that many bicyclists are still not wearing a helmet when they ride. Significant head injuries were sustained by 33% of the 329 injured cyclists in the study group.

The study was presented during the 2009 Clinical congress of the American College of Surgeons, held Oct. 11 to 15 in Chicago.

October 13, 2009

Illinois Auto Accident Caused by DUI

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

On Thursday, October 8,2009, a truck accident occurred by a Northwest Side shopping center leaving a total of three adults and two children injured. The truck apparently struck a parked car and then a tree. It happened just north of the Riverview Plaza Shopping Center. All four of the truck’s passengers were taken to nearby hospitals including the driver himself.

Apparently the driver will be charged with a DUI in the case. This could open him up to civil suits for negligence. He did not apply due care in his driving by drinking alcohol prior to driving and the DUI shows he was clearly over the limit to be able to operate a vehicle.

Drinking and driving is just a bad idea. Not only would you face charges in court that might find you having to pay a fine, give up your license for a period or worse, but if you harm other people in the process you will be subject to civil procedure in having to pay things such as medical costs, pain and suffering, lost wages, etc.

October 8, 2009

Chicago Woman Awarded $7 Million in Suit Against Target

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

A Chicago woman who suffered severe brain injuries after being hit by a malfunctioning door in a Rosemont, Illinois Target store has been awarded a $7 million settlement. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Claire Putman, 81, was entering a Target store at 7000 Mannheim Road on June 21, 2007, when a swinging door knocked her down and caused her head to hit the ground. Security video shows that the malfunctioning door swung open and struck her again.

Putnam suffered “diffuse brain injury” according to her attorney, and has some lasting cognitive deficiencies. She will move from a nursing home to her family’s home with medical costs being paid from the money she was awarded in the settlement.

A Cook County judge approved the settlement from Target and Besam USA, the manufacturer

October 4, 2009

Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Target of New Task Force

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced the formation the Nursing Home Safety Task Force in response to a three-part Chicago Tribune investigation of nursing home abuse entitled “Compromised Care”, which reported on cases of alleged serious abuse of elderly and disabled nursing home residents.

The Nursing Home Safety Task Force will be headed by Michael Gelder, a senior advisor to Governor Quinn on health policy. The Task Force will include representatives from the Department of Public Health, Department of Healthcare and Family services, Department on Aging, Department of Corrections, Department of Human Services and the Illinois State Police.

According to a new federal report released by the General Accounting Office, Illinois has the nation’s second highest number of nursing homes that perform “most poorly” on quality of care measures. The newly formed Task Force will be examining current policies and procedures for ensuring the safety of residents. Governor Quinn has promised to ensure that Illinois’ nursing homes “offer a safe haven for residents, many of whom are among our most vulnerable and needy.” The Governor says the newly formed Task Force will be addressing the issue of nursing home abuse and neglect “with all deliberate speed.”