Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog

In Illinois, John B. Roach and Louis M. Roach are suing Lauren D. Lewis for personal injuries they say they sustained on US Highway 50 on November 1, 2007. Their four-count car accident lawsuit is seeking over $200,000 plus other costs and relief.

According to their Illinois car crash complaint, Lewis was trying to swerve around another auto that was making a left turn when she hit Rhody R. Campbell’s vehicle. This caused Campbell’s auto to strike another car. The Roaches were riding in Campbell's vehicle when the traffic collision happened.

The couple says their injuries include head, shoulder, and neck injuries, a traumatic brain injury, multiple facial and body structure injuries, fractured vertebrae, multiple bruises, a spinal sprain, and ongoing knee and rib pain. John Roach also says that his post-concussion symptoms have led to memory loss, decreased vision, tingling, numbness, and problems concentrating.

The plaintiffs are each claiming loss of consortium, society, companionship, affection, love, and. They are accusing Lewis of failing to maintain a proper look out, disregarding the safety of others while driving, driving too fast, neglecting to properly use the brakes, not keeping her car under control, neglecting to exercise due care, failing to swerve or stop to avoid a crash, and failing to yield the right of way. The Roaches say they incurred medical bills and lost wages because of their personal injuries.

Illinois Car Accidents
We know how frustrating it can be to have sustained permanent injuries that have impaired your ability to maintain a normal life or perform daily tasks. Fortunately, there are ways to hold all negligent parties liable for your car crash injuries.

What to do if you are in a Chicago Car Crash:

• Stop at the crash site.
• Contact police.
• Contact 911 if anyone needs medical attention.
• Get everyone’s contact and insurance information.
• Document all the accidents facts.
• Contact your insurance company.
• If there is significant property or injury damage contact our Chicago, Illinois car accident law firm.
• Don’t negotiate a settlement agreement with the other party’s insurer without talking to us first.

Vision and memory loss claimed in accident suit, St. Clair Record, June 30, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents: Proving Fault, Nolo

Rules of the Road, CyberDriveIllinois.com

A deadly East Garfield Park car accident that occurred early this morning has left one person dead and at least three others with injuries. The Chicago motor vehicle collision occurred at California Avenue and Jackson Boulevard.

One of the vehicles, a Jeep Cherokee, burst into flames. Its occupants, with their clothes on fire, ran from the scene.

Details about what caused the fiery crash are still unclear, but one one the vehicles seemed to have flipped over. While one victim was pronounced dead at the Chicago car crash site, two victims, both 15, were taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition. Another victim was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital. Two other teenagers that were involved in the Illinois auto collision walked into the Mt. Sinai emergency room on their own.

Chicago Car Accident Lawsuits
The best way to determine whether you have grounds for filing a Chicago car accident lawsuit is to talk to a Chicago personal injury law firm that has experience dealing with these types of cases. You need to make sure that you have someone on your side that has the skills and resources to prove that the other party is liable for your injuries.

While driver negligence is one common cause of deadly Chicago motor vehicle crashes, there may be other reasons why a motorist could be held liable for Illinois personal injury or wrongful death.

Just last night, in Broadview, a female driver is accused of stabbing another motorist to death in an incident involving road rage. Police say the victim, 35-year-old Adrean Price, got into a dispute with a woman riding in another vehicle.

The two cars stopped at an intersection close to Eisenhower Expressway and they both left their vehicles to continue their discussion. The other motorist allegedly stabbed Price, who got back into her vehicle, drove to a gas station, and crashed into a parked vehicle.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office says Price was transported to Loyola University Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Police say the other woman also was injured during the altercation.

Woman stabbed to death in road rage incident, Chicago Breaking News, June 26, 2009

1 dead, 4 hurt in Garfield Park crash, Chicago Sun-Times, June 26, 2009

1 killed, several hurt in East Garfield Park crash, Chicago Breaking News, June 26, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents, Nolo

Drivers.com

Continue reading " Fiery Chicago Car Accident Kills 1 and Injures at Least 3 Others " »

An Illinois motor vehicle crash on I-64 on Monday left three people injured on Monday. Police say the accident occurred because Breese resident Brian Kuper was driving the wrong way.

According to witnesses, Kuper was headed westbound when he drove into a turnaround area in the median and then kept going west in the eastbound lanes. His vehicle, a 1993 Pontiac minivan, was first struck by a Honda Odyssey before it collided with a Saturn. At this point, Kuper’s minivan rolled onto a Honda Civic before finally coming to a standstill.

Kuper sustained head injuries and was flown St. Louis University Hospital. The driver of the Civic, Lebanon resident Christopher Noeldner, and the driver of the Saturn, Frankfurt resident Douglas Jones, were also taken to the same hospital for minor injuries.

The wrong-way driving accident occurred approximately half a mile from where two sisters, 13-year-old Kelli Uhl and 18-year-old Jessica Uhl, died in 2007 when a car driven by an Illinois State Trooper crossed the median and struck the vehicle that they were in head-on. The Illinois Department of Transportation was supposed to install high-tension cable barriers in the median where the two girls died. Police, however, say Monday’s crash may still have occurred even if a barrier had been erected.

Wrong-Way Driving
Wrong-way driving can lead to deadly Chicago car accidents—especially as the motorist that is driving the wrong way is at high risk of hitting other vehicles in head-on crashes that can be catastrophic for the occupants of all vehicles involved.

Common scenarios that can lead to wrong-way driving accidents:

• A motorist enters a freeway through its exit.
• A driver ends up driving on the wrong side of the road.
• A motorist enters a one-way street but is driving in the opposite direction.

Many wrong-way driving accidents take place at night when Exit, Entrance, One-Way, and Do Not Enter signs are easier to miss.

Three hurt in crash caused by wrong-way driver on I-64, Bnd.com, June 23, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Negligent Driving

Illinois Department of Transportation

Continue reading " Wrong-Way Driver Causes Illinois Car Crash on I-64 that Injures Three People " »

A multi-vehicle Chicago car crash involving a Blue Line Train has left 9 people with injuries. The Illinois collision occurred on Thursday on the West Side at around 4am in a construction zone. DuPage County police say that speed and wet streets may have contributed to the Chicago car-train accident on I-290.

According to Illinois State Police, a 2008 white Dodge Charger driven by Melrose Park resident Jose Rivera rear-ended a 2007 Ford Taurus. The Ford then struck a guardrail while the Dodge jumped an embankment on the Eisenhower Expressway. It landed on train tracks and was hit by a Blue Line train. A fourth car, which was involved in the multi-vehicle crash, was damaged after the driver, Cicero resident Edmundo Mendoza, struck a concrete median in the highway construction zone.

At the time of the CTA accident, there were 30 people on the train. 9 people from the different vehicles were transported to local hospitals for treatment of neck injuries, back injuries, bumps, bruises, and trauma.

Investigators are looking into the crash. Rivera received citations for not having insurance and improper lane usage.

Chicago Car Accidents
Chicago drivers must operate their vehicles safely at all times. This may mean adjusting the speed of their vehicle to accommodate the road and weather conditions at any given moment to prevent injury accidents from happening.

Safety.com offers advice on how to drive safely when the roads are wet:

• Slow down
• Drive at a steady pace
• Keep an even greater distance between you and the vehicle in front of you
• Activate your headlights
• Don’t use cruise control when the roads are wet
• Don’t slam on the breaks if your car begins to skid

Chicago driver jumps I-290 crashing Blue Line train-9 injured!, Justice News Flash, June 13, 2009

Car Lands On The CTA Blue Line Tracks, WIFR.com, June 11, 2009

How to Drive Safely on Wet Roads, Safety.com

Related Web Resources:
Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago Department of Transportation

Continue reading " Chicago Car Accident: Multi-Vehicle Crash Involving Blue Line Train Injures 9 People " »

A head-on crash in Vermillion County involving a pickup truck and an SUV has claimed the life of a toddler. Hoopestown resident Zachary Howard would have turned 2 this week. The deadly Illinois motor vehicle collision happened on Wednesday at around 4:30 pm on Illinois 1 about 1 mile from Hoopestown.

According to police, a pickup truck going north on Illinois 1 swerved into the southbound lane to hit a Ford Explorer driven by 44-year-old Denise Goodrum in a head-on crash. Zachary, Samuel Howard, 25, Robert Irvin, 19, and a 15-year-old passenger were riding the pickup truck driven by 23-year-old John Schwartz.

Both drivers and two of the people in the pickup were transported by air to an Urbana hospital. Preliminary reports indicate that Schwartz may have swerved into the other lane to avoid a car that was turning in front of him that he did not initially see. Witnesses say that the pickup truck wasn’t speeding.

Pickup Truck Accidents
While pickup trucks do not fall into the same category as large trucks, they are still bigger and heavier than most passenger vehicles and can cause substantial damage and serious injuries in the event of a pickup truck accident.

According to the Department of Transportation, in 2006, motor vehicle accidents involving light trucks and passenger vehicles resulted in twice as many deaths as auto crashes involving just passenger vehicles. One reason for this is that a pickup truck’s bumper usually is placed in a higher location than where bumpers are placed on minivans and cars. This can cause the bumper of the pickup truck to strike the hood or side of the car, which can lead to serious injuries.

Toddler died in head-on crash, The News-Gazette, June 12, 2009

Toddler named in fatal accident, Commercial News, June 11, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents, Justia

Head-On Collisions, Safety.Transportation.Org

Continue reading " Chicago Car Accident Law Firm: Illinois Head-On Motor Vehicle Crash Involving Pickup Truck Claims Toddler’s Life " »

Last month, our Chicago car accident law firm posted a blog about a catastrophic Illinois motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver that claimed the life of a 48-year-old Chicago Heights man. Now, Debrasha Piper, the daughter of car accident victim Calvin Hatten, is suing the alleged drunk driver, the vehicle owner, and the city of Chicago for her father’s wrongful death.

The deadly Chicago car crash occurred on May 10. Two days later, driver Juan Cayetano was charged with aggravated drunken driving and reckless homicide. He also received tickets for driving an uninsured vehicle and not having a valid driver’s license.

Hatten and his family were on 43rd street that evening when they were hit by a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier, operated by Cayetano, who had just run a red light. The impact of the collision forced Hatten’s car to collide with a Toyota Corolla that was stopped at a red light.

Hatten died from his injuries and seven other people also got hurt. Prosecutors say that Cayetano’s BAC was .206. The legal limit is .08%. Hatten leaves behind his two teenage daughters and his wife of 30 years.

Chicago Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving accidents destroy not just the lives of the people that are killed and injured, but also the lives of surviving family members. Not only must the people that are left behind deal with the sudden and unnecessary loss of someone they love, but a young child may be forced to grow up without a father or mother, and a spouse may have to deal with losing not just a partner, but coping with the ramifications that come with raising and supporting a family alone.

Daughter of fatal-crash victim files suit, Sun-Times, June 4, 2009

Victims of Drunk Driving, About.com

Related Web Resources:
Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Chicago DUI Accident Lawyers: Recent Drunk Driving Crashes Cause Fatalities and Injuries, ChicagoCarAccidentAttorneysBlog.com, May 15, 2009

Continue reading " Chicago Car Accident Lawsuit Sues City, Car Owner, and Alleged Drunk Driver for Man’s Illinois Wrongful Death " »

A Fayetteville couple that were injured in a November 2007 Illinois car accident with a police car have filed their amended complaint suing the state trooper that was involved for personal injury. Kelly and Christine Marler submitted their personal injury lawsuit to the St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Their Illinois personal injury complaint accuses trooper Matt Mitchell of negligence for driving his police car at 126 mph, losing control of the vehicle, crossing the Interstate 64 median, and causing a multi-vehicle crash. Killed in the Illinois traffic accident were two sisters from Collinsville—18-year-old Jessica Uhl and her sister 13-year-old Kelli. The girls’ family is suing Mitchell and the state of Illinois for wrongful death.

Christine, who was pregnant at the time of the catastrophic Illinois auto accident, went on to deliver a healthy baby a few weeks after the collision. She did, however, sustain leg and knee injuries from the accident. Her husband Kelly sustained wrist injuries.

Mitchell sustained serious leg injuries during the Illinois auto crash. He was reportedly driving to the site of an unrelated motor vehicle collision when his car was involved in the auto crash that killed the Ulhs and injured the Marlers. This is not first time that he has been involved in an auto collision while doing his job. Following a low-speed Peoria accident in 2003, a $1.3 million judgment was made against the state after Mitchell was found at fault for causing the car crash.

Following the 2007 multi-vehicle accident, Mitchell was relieved of his duties but continues to get paid a salary. The assistant district attorney representing Mitchell is asking the circuit court to dismiss the case, claiming that it should be filed in the Illinois Court of Claims. Judge Patrick Young will hear arguments about this matter next month.

Lawsuit alleges trooper was on cell phone before crash that killed two Collinsville sisters, BND.com, June 5, 2009

Trooper in crash was speeding, on cell phone, suit says, SLT Today, June 7, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Read the Marlers' Amended Complaint (PDF)

Another Illinois Personal Injury Lawsuit Filed Against State Trooper Involved in Deadly Crash on I-64 that Claimed the Lives of Two Teenage Sisters, Chicago Injury Attorney, November 20, 2008

In Chicago, the City Council’s Finance Committee Chairman, Edward M. Burke, has introduced an ordinance telling the Department of Administrative Hearings to come up with a “red light education program” that Chicago drivers caught on red light cameras would have to take. The cost for the course is $25 and would focus on helping the motorists become repeat offenders. Drivers that did not complete the course would be fined $50. Already, red light camera runners must pay a $100 fine.

Burke says the course could help decrease the number of Chicago motor vehicle accidents involving people driving through an intersection even when they are supposed to stop at a red light. Statistically, 27% of the six million US motor vehicle crashes that occur every year take place at intersections.

According to US traffic statistics, about 153,000 people were hurt and nearly 900 others died in motor vehicle crashes involving someone running through a red light. About 50% of these victims were either occupants in the vehicle that was not running the red light or pedestrians.

Currently, there are red light cameras in 143 Chicago intersections that are known for spots for traffic accidents. Another 39 cameras will go up later in the year and by 2012, 330 Chicago intersections will have red light cameras. There has been a 59% decrease in red light running since the cameras were installed.

In 2008, the City of Chicago made $44.8 million from the 579,560 traffic tickets that were issued because people were caught on camera running red lights. Between January and March 2009, 148,612 tickets were issued to red light runners, generating $13.3 million in revenue.

Some Facts About Red Light Cameras in Illinois:

• Regardless of who drove through the red light, in Illinois, it is the owner of the vehicle that gets the ticket.
• An Illinois red light ticket will not affect your insurance rates or driving record.
• Under Illinois law, the red light cameras cannot take a picture of the driver’s face.
• Most Illinois red light violations occur on weekends.

Drivers nabbed by red light cameras may need school, Chicago Sun-Times, June 3, 2009

10 facts about red-light cameras, Chicago Tribune, April 8, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Q & A: Red Light Cameras, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Traffic Safety Fact Sheets, NHTSA

A woman who says the baby she was carrying died when she was involved in an Illinois car accident is suing the driver of the other car for personal injury. Jamie Heusohn filed her complaint in St. Clair County Circuit Court on her behalf and as the mother of baby Heusohn. The defendant of her Illinois personal injury complaint is Arthur Coplen.

According to Jamie, Coplen struck the vehicle she was driving on May 2, 2007 as he tried to make a U-turn out of a private residence. Her car ended up in a ditch. As a result of her injuries, Jamie says that the baby she was carrying died. She also sustained injuries to her wrist, stomach, and nerves and her car was totaled.

Her complaint accuses Coplen of trying to make a U-turn onto a highway and failing to yield the right-of-way. Jamie says the loss of her baby and her own injuries resulted in medical expenses, loss of enjoyment, pain and suffering, expenses from the damages to her vehicle, and lost earning capacity. She is seeking over $60,000 in damages.

In another Illinois car accident lawsuit, filed in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Fershon Lockett is suing Patricia Takmajian for personal injuries. Locket says that Takmajian “violently struck” her car on May 22, 2007.

Lockett claims that she sustained serious injuries to her knees, neck, back, & body and, as a result, she accrued hospital expenses, could not tend to her usual tasks, and experienced anguish and pain. Her Illinois personal injury lawsuit accuses Takmajian of failing to observe her, failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to step on the brakes, failing to slow down her speed so that the accident wouldn’t happen, neglecting to give proper warning, failing to turn so she wouldn’t hit the plaintiff, and driving too closely to Lockett's vehicle. Lockett is seeking more than $50,000 plus costs.

Suit claims woman miscarried after Belleville auto accident, The Record, May 29, 2009

Eiler Road accident caused injuries, woman claims in suit, The Record, May 29, 2009

Related Web Resources:
What To Do If You Are in an Auto Accident

Personal Injury Resource Center, Nolo