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Hidden Car Accident Injuries
Approximately 6 million car accidents occur every year in the U.S. and many of them result in injuries. Some vehicle accident injuries, like broken bones and lacerations, are immediately apparent. Other injuries, on the other hand, are not so obvious. That is why it is important to get medical attention promptly if you are involved in a car crash.
Car Accident Injuries That Are Not Always Apparent
Certain car accident injuries do not always present symptoms in the beginning. In fact, some injuries may not show symptoms until days or weeks after. Here are several hidden injuries to look out for.
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Whiplash - Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries and can occur when your head moves backward and then forward suddenly. Symptoms of this injury include neck pain and stiffness, dizziness, and shoulder pain. If whiplash is not addressed promptly, it can lead to complications in the near future, like severe neck pain and limited range of motion.
What Evidence May Be Used in a Truck Accident Injury Claim?
Whether they are caused by spilled truck cargo, unsafe lane changes, speeding, or another reason, truck accidents often result in severe consequences. If you were injured or a loved one was killed in a car crash involving a commercial truck, you may be able to hold the liable party accountable and recover financial compensation through a personal injury claim. You may be entitled to reimbursement for past and future medical expenses, lost income, lost earning capacity, and even your pain and suffering. However, to do so, you will need to build a persuasive claim with compelling evidence.
Proving Liability and Damages in a Truck Crash Claim
Bringing a successful injury claim against a trucking company can be especially challenging because commercial trucking companies often have significant resources at their disposal. The trucking company may deny liability for the crash or push for an unreasonably low settlement. A skilled personal injury lawyer experienced in truck accident cases can help you build a strong claim against the trucking company or other liable party. The stronger the evidence supporting your claim, the better your chances are of securing a favorable settlement or award.
What Rights Do Motorcyclists Have in a Hit and Run Crash?
In May of this year, a 27-year-old motorcyclist tragically lost his life after colliding with a passenger vehicle on the Kennedy Expressway. Illinois State Police report that the other vehicle did not stop after the collision and instead fled the scene of the accident.
Being the victim of a hit-and-run accident can be devastating. If you or a loved one were hurt in a motorcycle accident and the other driver sped off before insurance information could be exchanged, you may be unsure of your rights. Can you recover compensation for your medical bills and vehicle damage? What if the at-fault driver is never discovered?
Hit-and-Run Accidents Involving Motorcyclists
Riding a motorcycle puts a driver in an especially vulnerable position. Even if the driver is wearing a helmet and other protective gear, the motorcycle offers virtually no protection in the event of a collision. Consequently, fatal and catastrophic injuries are particularly common in motorcycle accidents. The economic consequences of a motorcycle accident can create a tremendous financial burden on an injured person and his or her family. Fortunately, injured motorcyclists may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income from missed work, and other damages.
Understanding Common Risk Factors for Pedestrian Accidents in Illinois
At some point throughout the day, we are all considered pedestrians. We are all at risk of being injured in a motor vehicle accident as a pedestrian, which happens more often than you may think. According to information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 79,000 motor vehicle accidents that occurred involving a pedestrian in 2019. When a pedestrian is involved in an accident with a vehicle, the results can be devastating and can inflict damage and trauma onto the pedestrian because of the sheer size and weight comparison. If you have been in a traffic accident as a pedestrian, you should get in touch with an Illinois pedestrian accident attorney to discuss your options for compensation.
Risk Factors for Accidents Involving Pedestrians
When you are walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting on a bench, or stretching out in the grass, you are a pedestrian. According to the NHTSA, pedestrian fatalities decreased between 2018 and 2019, but only slightly with a small 2.7 percent decrease. If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, recovering compensation may be possible if you can determine who is at fault for the accident. Some of the most common causes of accidents involving pedestrians include:
What You Need to Know About Dog Bites and “Dangerous Dogs”
When you think of a dog, you likely think of a happy, tail-wagging companion that is a common addition to families across the world. However, it is very easy to forget that while dogs can be part of the family, they are still living creatures that can sometimes act unpredictably and lash out if they feel the need. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Insurance Information Institute (III), there are an estimated 85 million dogs in the U.S., however, insurance companies paid out around $854 million in claims relating to dog bites in 2020 alone. If you have been bitten by a dog in Illinois, you are likely eligible for claiming compensation for your injuries.
Illinois’ Animal Control Act and Liability
In the state of Illinois, owners are responsible for the actions of their animals in nearly all situations. If a person is bitten by a dog, the owner of that dog is liable for the injuries that the dog causes. Specifically, the Illinois Animal Control Act states that a person is responsible for civil remedies for injuries caused by their dog biting a person if the person was in a place that they were legally allowed to be and the dog was not provoked.
What Do You Have to Prove in a Medical Malpractice Case in Illinois?
When you have an injury or illness that needs treatment, you want to believe that the people you are seeking help from know what they are doing and have the skills to keep you safe. Unfortunately, medical malpractice is not an uncommon occurrence. According to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), which compiles information about adverse actions and malpractice payments across the country, there have been more than 58,000 adverse actions or medical malpractice claims paid out since 2020. It is fair to say that everyone makes mistakes, but when you are handling something as serious as someone’s health, negligence is unacceptable. If you have experienced the effects of a negligent physician, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim to gather compensation.
Elements of a Medical Malpractice Case
In general, medical malpractice is characterized by a physician’s negligent action to harm a patient, causing them to suffer a loss. In order for an injury to be a malpractice case, there must be three separate elements present: a clear violation of the standard of care, an injury that resulted from the violation, and damages that result from the injury. Without all three of these elements, you do not have a medical malpractice case.
Can I Claim Compensation if I Develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome From My Job?
In some cases, a workers’ compensation claim is fairly straightforward -- either the worker suffered from a blatantly clear work injury, like suffering a broken bone from something falling on it while working. In other cases, there may be hesitation or uncertainty when it comes to paying benefits for certain injuries. For example, many repetitive motion injuries can be questionable for many employers to cover under workers’ compensation. Carpal tunnel injuries can be painful and debilitating, which is why you need to retain the assistance of an attorney if your workers’ compensation claim for a carpal tunnel injury was denied.
What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, a large nerve that runs down your arm to your hand, is compressed or pinched in the passageway from your arm to your hand. That passageway is called the carpal tunnel, which the median nerve must pass through to get to the hand. If the median nerve is pinched, a person may experience numbness or tingling in the hand, and sometimes pain. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
Financial Compensation for Aggressive Driving Accidents in Illinois
We have all felt it before -- the feeling of annoyance mixed with anger and frustration that manifests and appears when we are behind the wheel of our vehicles. Driving can be a stressful activity for some people, especially those who experience extreme anger and frustration while driving. In some cases, aggressive driving or road rage can contribute to or even be the cause of some motor vehicle accidents, which can result in serious injuries. In many cases, damages sustained from injuries resulting from an aggressive driver can be claimed in a personal injury lawsuit.
What Is Aggressive Driving?
In general, aggressive driving is considered to be any action taken by a driver that endangers the lives or safety of themselves or others. Aggressive driving can include any behavior that a driver deliberately engages in with ill intentions or a disregard for the safety of others on the road. It is important to note that there is a difference between aggressive driving and “road rage.” Even though both instances involve angry drivers, road rage only occurs when the aggressive driving elevates to the driver intentionally means to cause the other driver physical harm.
What Are My Options if My Loved One Was Killed Due to the Negligence of Someone Else?
One of the most stressful events that you could ever experience in life is the death of a loved one. While we will all have to experience the loss of someone close to us at one point or another, experiencing that loss unexpectedly can be even more stressful than it would usually be. When you suddenly lose a loved one, you now have expenses that you were not planning for and in some cases, even financial losses that can devastate your family. Thankfully, you have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit if another person is at fault for the death of your loved one.
Filing a Wrongful Death Claim
Wrongful death lawsuits can cover a variety of actions, both intentional and unintentional, that are taken by individuals that cause the death of another person. For example, a common reason why wrongful death claims are filed are from deaths from car accidents. In most cases, a wrongful death claim involves a personal injury claim that could have been made by the deceased individual if they were still alive.
How Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Help Illinois Car Crash Victims?
When a person is injured in a car accident, it is not uncommon for their medical expenses to total in the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. In cases involving driver negligence, the at-fault party often lacks the resources to compensate the victim out of pocket, and instead, compensation usually comes through the driver’s liability insurance, which is required by law in Illinois. However, there are a variety of situations in which the at-fault driver’s insurance cannot cover the victim’s damages. In these cases, victims can often turn to their own car insurance policy for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
When Should I Use Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
By default, car insurance policies in Illinois include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for bodily injury and death, and policyholders often have the option to purchase additional coverage for uninsured or underinsured property damage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can be a life-saver for injury victims under many different circumstances, including when:
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9631 W. 153rd St., Suite 32, Orland Park, IL 60462
708-966-2408
