Posted on December 00, 0000 in Orland Park Personal Injury Lawyer

Pedal bikes are not the only form of transportation that received new law implementations on January 1, 2017. Updates to the Illinois Vehicle Code were also put into place—updates that some are calling the “blue light” bill.

Motorcyclists are now permitted to be equipped with a blue light or multiple lights. These lights can be located on the rear of a motorcyclist's bike as part of his or her rear stop lamp or lamps.

This new law—HB 4105—was put into effect as a means to try and lessen the number of motorcycle accidents that occur annually in the state of Illinois. Because riders are now allowed to add blue lights on the back of their motorcycles, a contrast of colors with the red and blue lights will occur. This variation of the contrasting colors will help to make the brakes more visible for fellow drivers on the road. When a motorcyclist pushes on his or her brakes with the addition of the blue rear light, those driving behind the motorcyclist will be more likely to notice the contrasting colors clearer and faster.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

The former Bolingbrook police sergeant was found guilty last week of murdering his third wife Kathleen Salvo in 2004. After this defeat, as the Chicago Tribune reports, his sons have asked to be removed from the wrongful death lawsuit that has been filed on their behalf by their late mother’s estate. This request was followed by a request by Peterson’s counsel that the entire lawsuit be dismissed.

Kris Peterson went to the Will County Courthouse after his 18^th birthday to file paperwork for the civil case. At that time, the murder trial for his father was just in its second week.

Thomas was allowed to be removed from the aforementioned civil case after his 18^th birthday last year. Under current Illinois law, only the children or spouse of the victim can make claim in a wrongful death suit. This civil suit was pending until the criminal trial was concluded.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

A reckless Chicago driver committed an unusual hit-and-run, when he narrowly missed a 68-year-old man but hit his dog instead. The 28-year-old driver, who did not have a valid driver's license, barely managed to avoid hitting Thomas Anderson in his inebriated attempt at driving a vehicle. The Chicago Tribune reported a story on the incident.

Hector De Anda Martinez, 28, already appeared in court for his indiscretion. Martinez was charged with felony aggravated DUI and cited for not having a valid driver's license or insurance, according to police. His outstanding driving skills almost brought him another charge for striking a man with his vehicle, but he managed to avoid the man, only to hit his 10-year-old dog instead.

Thomas Anderson, a 68-year-old radiologist, said he feared for his as if it were one of his four children. He was walking his two dogs and crossing the street as usual, when he had a green light, when Martinez ran a red light and drove directly towards Anderson and his dogs. Anderson said he jumped out of the way and got one dog out of the way, but the older dog got hit.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

Residents of Santa Maria, Brazil were ready for night out, for dancing, clubbing and listening to live music. Never did they imagine that it could turn into a night of chaos and death.

Sunday, January 27, 2013, in Santa Maria, Brazil, Kiss nightclub experienced a horrific fire. Inspectors believe it is due to the showcased band’s pyrotechnics that started a fire on the foam sound insulation material cause smoke and toxic fumes. Thick flames and toxic smoke filled the club, killing 230 people. Some died because of the stampede, some due to toxic fume inhalation and choking to death. Reports stated that guards at first tried to hold back patrons to make them pay off their tabs but soon realized the severity of the situation.

Not just anyone can handle pyrotechnics, which are regulated under firework laws. Each state is different. Illinois requires a permit, insurance carrier for the user, and have an operator who has taken a training course on how to handle the material. Such strict regulations help to ensure safety is the priority to the entertainment value.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the surviving wife and children of a man who was killed in an accident on the Elgin-O’Hare expressway have filed suit against the woman who hit him with her vehicle. Following one of several collisions that was largely attributed to snow flurries and ice, the man was standing outside of his car on the expressway in Schaumburg when a woman driving by struck him. The man was pronounced dead at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in the early morning hours of November 13, 2012.

The recently filed lawsuit includes one count of wrongful death and another count for physical and mental suffering that the man endured prior to his death. In the lawsuit, the family members specifically request an award of at least $50,000 in damages.

A wrongful death claim is the type of lawsuit filed when a family member has been killed as a result of the negligence of another person. Proceeds from a wrongful death claim can include compensation for medical expenses incurred by the deceased prior to his death, pain suffered by the deceased prior to his death, lost wages and income of the deceased for his survivors, and necessary funeral and burial expenses.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

Every year, over 1.5 million older Americans visit hospital emergency rooms for treatment of injuries they sustain from slips or falls. For seniors, falls are the number one cause of injury death, hospital admission for traumas, and bone fractures. The most common fractures from falls are hips, pelvis, spine, arm, hand, and ankle.

The most serious type of fracture for seniors is a hip fracture. Many seniors who receive a hip injury from a fall never fully recover and lost their ability to live independently, often needling long-term care.

A recent study by the researchers from the University of Massachusetts found that seniors are more likely to suffer a slip or fall while they are walking on order to do routine errands, rather than when they are walking for exercise. The study points out what a catch-22 this is for older people as walking is good exercise and helps them maintain balance and muscle strength, yet 63 percent of falls are caused by walking.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the federal agency that is in charge of health promotion, prevention and preparedness activities. As the U.S. public health institute, the goal of the CDC is to improve the overall health of everyone in the country. With more and more of American society relying on smartphone apps as a way to garner information - including important health information - the agency has developed several apps which can assist people in avoiding injury and illness.

The CDC Mobile App is the agency website’s companion app. It provides safety updates, as well as many important health articles, health tips, and medical journals. The app also features the “Disease of the Week.”

If you are a frequent traveler, then the CDC’s Can I Eat This? mobile app could be one of the most important thing to take along on your trip. The app allows you to select the country you have traveled to and then enter information about the food you are considering eating. The app will tell you how safe the food is and help avoid illnesses like "Montezuma’s Revenge" and travelers’ diarrhea.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

There was positive news in 2014, which saw a decrease in traffic fatalities from the year before. Unfortunately, that is not a trend that appears to be taking place in 2015. Instead, national statistics are pointing to an increase in vehicle accident fatalities.

According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), the total number of traffic accident fatalities in 2014 was 32,675. However, the number of people killed in the first six months of 2015 was 8 percent higher than the number of fatalities for the first six months of 2014. The NHTSA uses data from its Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

The NHTSA says that the majority of these fatal accidents are preventable and are caused by drivers’ deadly behaviors, such as speeding and distracted driving. For example, data from 2014 fatalities reveal that:

• Alcohol-related crashes were involved one-third of all fatal crashes, responsible for the deaths of just under 10,000 victims;

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

Getting a favorable judgment in a civil trial is a daunting task. Depending on the type of litigation you were involved in, it can also be a very expensive endeavor.  Many people are aware that you can recover damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, there are other avenues of compensation that are less readily known and include the following:

• Fees for the subpoena of witnesses;
• Statutory fees for witnesses; and
• Fee’s associated with deposition administrative tasks.

What Other Costs May I Be Entitled To?

A skilled and experienced Orland Park personal injury attorney would be able inform you of any other costs to which you may be entitled. Different courts in Illinois have different rulings about what a prevailing party may recoup by way of court costs and fees.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Personal Injury

After a catastrophic injury, a person’s life can be changed forever. Injuries to the spinal cord can be especially devastating, leaving a victim paralyzed. Damage to the spinal cord can require immediate medical attention and even surgery to try to repair broken vertebrae. In many cases, a person is unable to regain function of his or her limbs, resulting in partial or full paralysis. There are many causes of such an injury, from automobile crashes to workplace accidents to simply tripping and falling. Regardless of what led to a spinal injury, a victim can face a long recovery and rehabilitation and may be unable to return to work. For many, long-term care is needed, which can put a significant financial strain on a victim and his or her family. With the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you may be entitled to compensation if a negligent party was responsible for your injury.

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