Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog

Three women are dead today following a Brighton Park car accident that caused the vehicle they were riding to burst into flames. The Chicago car crash occurred on the Southwest Side at around 12:30am when the auto hit a light pole and caught fire. There is a possibility that another car may have been pursuing the vehicle, and police are investigating the incident as a possible hit and run.

Neighbors reportedly rushed to the Cook County car collision site but failed in their attempts to pull out the victims because the flames and heat were too intense. One resident told WGN-TV that they could see the women “burning alive.”

The three ladies reportedly had gone out to celebrate one of their birthdays. According to neighbors, the women may have been drunk when they headed out. Two of them are mothers.

Car Fires
Car fires can cause catastrophic injuries. Burns can be extremely painful, disfiguring, and can even result in death. Some common causes of car fires include driver negligence, faulty or poor maintenance, and defective auto parts. Unfortunately, car fires are not uncommon.

According to AAA and the National Fire Protection Association, in 2004 there were 266,000 car fires, over 1300 car fire victims, and 520 resulting fatalities. NFPA said that every two minutes in the US, a car catches fire on a highway. AAA noted that more people are killed in car fires each year than in apartment fires.

With several flammable fluids under a car hood, it is no wonder that the risk of car fire injury is high. Not only is it important to check the vehicle regularly, but also motorists must drive safely because car fires have been known to ignite during a serious Illinois accident.

3 killed in fiery crash as rescuers watch in horror, Chicago Breaking News, July 30, 2010

New Warning to be Issued About Deadly Car Fires, ABC News, October 12, 2005

Related Web Resources:
Burns, National Institute of Health

CyberDriveIllinois

National Fire Protection Association

Continue reading " Fiery Chicago Car Accident Kills Three Women on Southwest Side " »

19-year-old Young J. Kim has pleaded guilty to texting while driving and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident in the Illinois cell phone accident that killed an 84-year-old Chicago pedestrian.

Perfecto Perez was crossing the street in downtown Urbana when he was fatally struck by Kim. At the time of the Illinois traffic accident, Perez was wearing dark clothing and not in a crosswalk.

Chicago Car Accidents
While it can be hard to resist the urge to text while driving at the very moment the text message appears in your Inbox, refraining from doing so can save lives. Motorists should not engage in distracted driving, which takes their eyes and attention off the road. Texting also requires that a driver take at least one if not both hands off the steering wheel—one to hold the PDA or phone and another to open the message/compose one—and this can make it hard for the motorist to respond appropriately or safely during an emergency situation. It also is illegal in Illinois to text while driving a motor vehicle.

Road and Travel Magazine offers suggestions on how you can avoid the temptations of talking on the phone and/or texting while driving, including:

• Pull of the road if you are going to text
• Use a hands-free cell phone
• If your conversation is emotionally charged or stressful, get off the phone until you’ve arrived at your destination

Teen pleads guilty in fatal accident involving texting, News-Gazette.com, July 23, 2010

Teach Teens Dangers of Texting While Driving, Road and Travel.com

Related Web Resources:
Cellphone laws, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Distracted Driving, National Safety Council

Continue reading " Champaign, Illinois Teenager Was Texting When He Fatally Struck Chicago Pedestrian with His Car " »

The 7-Eleven located at 33 E. Adams St. in the Loop became the scene of a Chicago car accident site on Tuesday night when a taxi drove into a store. The cab had just collided with another vehicle.

7 people were injured. Four of them had to be hospitalized. The Ford Crown Victoria cab is owned by Flash Cab.

According to police, at around 10:35, a Toyota Corolla on Wabash Street ran a red light at an intersection. The cab then collided into the driver’s side of the Corolla before going over the curb, striking a newsstand, and then driving into the 7-Eleven’s entrance.

While no one inside the convenience store got hurt, the taxi cab driver and the Corolla’s driver were taken to local hospitals and admitted in serious condition. Two others were taken to the hospital, including one man who may have been a pedestrian hit by flying debris from the crash. Three others who were injured during the Chicago traffic crash refused medical attention at the accident site.

The Corolla’s driver received citations for driving without insurance and ignoring a traffic signal. More citations may be pending against the Corolla driver and the taxi driver. Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the Chicago, Illinois auto accident.

Cab crashes into 7-Eleven, ABC7 News, July 21, 2010

7 hurt as cab crashes into Loop 7-Eleven, Chicago Sun-Times, July 21, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Flash Cab

What to do after a car accident, MSN

Continue reading " Chicago, Illinois Car Accident: Seven Injured as Taxi Crashes into 7-Eleven in the Loop " »

Even though close to 300,000 traffic accidents take place in the Chicago region each year, with approximately one motor vehicle crash taking place about ever 21.5 hours, a report released today by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning is reporting a dramatic drop in the number of Chicago area traffic fatalities and injuries over the last several years. Statistics are based on Information provide by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Among the other findings:
• The number Chicago area traffic crashes dropped by 4% between 2002 and 2008.
• Traffic fatalities and injuries in the seven Chicago area counties went down 12.5% from 2002 and 2005 to 18% between 2005 and 2008.
• There were 437 area traffic deaths in 2008—compare that to the 629 traffic fatalities in 2005.
• Newer vehicles and road safety enhancements are two of the reasons for the decline in injuries and deaths.
• DuPage County had the lowest death rates for the entire period that was examined.
• Cook County and Lake County, Illinois had the second lowest traffic death rates for 2008.
• However, Chicago’s fatality rate was above average for the region in 2008.
• While Chicago experienced the greatest drop in crashes between 2002 and 2008, the city had a higher crash rate than in rural areas.
• Nearly 25% of Chicago traffic fatalities were pedestrians.
• 52 of the 92 Chicago pedestrian deaths that occurred in 2008 actually took place within the city of Chicago.
• While traffic deaths are dropping in Kendall, Kane, McHenry, and Will counties, the numbers are still higher than in other areas where populations are more dense.
• 36% of Chicago region traffic deaths in 2008 took place between 10p and 5a.
• 46% of Chicago traffic crashes for that year occurred late at night.

Traffic deaths decline due to safer roads, vehicles, Chicago Tribune, July 18, 2010

Report: Chicago Region Traffic Deaths See Steep Drop, WBEZ, July 19, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

CyberDrive Illinois

Continue reading " The Number of Chicago Area Traffic Deaths Have Declined " »

81-year-old Thomas Tinnes was killed on Sunday night in a DuPage County car accident close to Wheaton, Illinois. The West Chicago man was attempting to leave a golf course in his 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis and turning onto Butterfield Road when his vehicle was struck on the driver’s side by a 2004 Dodge Dakota truck.

Tinnes was pronounced dead early Monday at Central DuPage Hospital.The DuPage County traffic collision is under investigation.

In other Illinois car accident news, a 14-year-old boy is asking Maywood police to take another look at allegations accusing his brother of road rage in a deadly Cook County car accident. Christopher McConnell, 21, is accused of running a red light and killing himself and two other people. The two other victims, Nancy Tucki, 57, and Nicholas Randazzo, 36, are both from Chicago.

According to police, on the night of July 8, McConnell’s black Honda ran a stop light at Chicago and First Avenue, crashing into Randazzo’s Mercedes SUV. One witness, 18-year-old Christopher Scotland, says that that the catastrophic Maywood car accident happened because McConnell was suffering from road rage and chasing his vehicle. Scotland contends that the chase at times reached a speed of 80 mph. Tucki and Randazzo were not part of the alleged pursuit.

Our DuPage County car accident lawyers and Chicago injury attorneys know how confusing life can be immediately after a traffic crash that has resulted in injuries for you or the death of a loved one. That said, it is important that you get legal help immediately.

Wheaton car crash leaves West Chicago man dead, MySuburbanLife, July 12, 2010

Man's brother begs police to re-examine road rage crash, Chicago Sun-Times, July 11, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Safety on the Road, National Safety Council

Road Rage, Drivers.com

Continue reading " DuPage County Car Accident Kills West Chicago Man " »

Maurice Horton died early Sunday when the car he was a passenger in crashed while racing with another vehicle on the westbound Eisenhower Expressway. The Chicago car accident, which occurred near Oakley Boulevard, happened at around 2:40 am when one of the vehicles, a Chevrolet Impala, drove off the road, overturned, and struck a tree.

Horton, 28, was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital at around 4am. The car driver, who was ejected from the auto was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. Meantime, another passenger who was in the car sustained non-life-threatening injuries. No one in the car was using a seat belt. The other car that was involved in the Chicago car race fled the Cook County accident site.

Illegal Street Racing
Illegal street racing is a dangerous activity that has caused many deaths over the years. Drag racing on roads that are not designated for this type of activity endangers the lives not just of the participants but also of innocent bystanders and others that happen to be on the same roads where the racing is taking place.

Other reasons why many unnecessary Chicago car accidents happen:

• Speeding
• Drunk driving
• Road rage
• Aggressive driving
• Distracted driving
• Texting while driving
• Talking on a cell phone while driving
• Drugged driving
• Auto products liability
• Driver inexperience

Our Chicago car accident lawyers can help you consider your legal options. We know that dealing with the legalities of a Cook County motor vehicle crash claim is the last thing you want to do immediately after a catastrophic collision, but it is important to get the process rolling while evidence and witness accounts are still fresh.

Family: Ike street race victim steered clear of gang life, Chicago Breaking News, July 11, 2010

Drag racing accident on the Ike leaves 1 person dead, WGNTV, July 11, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Chicago 290, Eisenhower Expressway

llinois Accidents News, World News Report

Lilia Galvez is suing Bella Guller for the death of her unborn baby. In her Cook County car accident lawsuit, Galvez, who was pregnant at the time of the Niles, Illinois traffic crash on July 7, 2008, claims that she miscarried her baby when her car was struck in the by Guller, who was backing up her auto.

Galvez is seeking over $100,000 plus legal expenses from Guller.

Cook County, Illinois Car Accident Cases
It is important that you work with an experienced Chicago car accident law firm that knows how to pursue your recovery. While it can feel terribly confusing and overwhelming so soon after a traffic crash to take legal action, the sooner your legal team starts investigating the evidence and speaking to witnesses, the more you are strengthening your chances for a successful outcome.

Chicago car accident injuries can be extremely painful, life-altering, and costly, which is why it is important that your Cook County injury lawyers able to do everything possible to help you obtain the maximum recovery. There may be more than one party who should be held liable.

For example, in another Illinois car accident case, Giard L. Dion is suing 17 defendants for injuries he sustained during a drunk driving accident. He is asking for over $2 million.

On July 21, 2009, Dion was involved in an Illinois car accident with Michael P. Quirk who, according to Dion’s Illinois injury complaint, was driving his vehicle while drunk. Dion says that as a result of the drunken driving crash, he suffered permanent and severe injuries, experienced great anguish and pain, lost wages, incurred medical costs, and his ability to earn a certain income has been diminished.

Dion is suing the parties that allegedly either supplied Quirk with alcohol or let him drive while drunk. Defendants include Relmss Services, PT's, VGC Holdings, Platinum of Illinois, PT's Brooklyn, North County Grocer and Liquor, Michael Ocello, Sam Patel, Ola Dodolewa, Nitin Singh, Lucky Singh, Adodo, Shivam Enterprise, Shanta, Platinum of Illinois, and Salas Investments.

Lawsuit: Niles crash led to miscarriage, Pioneer Local, July 8, 2010

Jersey County man seeks $2 million in auto accident case, The Record, July 6, 2010

Related Web Resources:
CyberDriveIllinois

Car Accidents Overview, Justia

In Arlington Heights today, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the state’s new bicycle safety legislation, turning them into law. One bill imposes new penalties on reckless drivers and those that drive too close to cyclists. The other creates “Share the Road” license plates that will be sold so that funds can go toward education campaigns. Quinn says the new laws will remind motorists to watch out for bicyclists while hopefully keeping the latter safe.

Our Chicago, Illinois car accident lawyers applaud any efforts made to keep bicyclists safe. Earlier this month, the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles formally adopted a number of edits to their design polices that will hopefully make it easier and safer for bicyclists and pedestrians to get around.

For far too long, too many arterial roads have lacked sidewalks, many large intersections were not designed in a way that made crossing the street safe or easy, and merely an extra 12-inchse of extra width in travel lanes on high-speed, busy roads, was considered sufficient room for bicyclists to ride safely. While Illinois bicycle accidents can occur because of rider mistakes or carelessness, many Chicago bicycle accidents happen because roads are poorly designed accommodate cyclists or because a driver was negligent.

Bicycle accidents can result in serious Chicago personal injuries for victims who only have a helmet to protect from serious injuries. Our Chicago car accident law firm represents clients injured in all kinds of motor vehicle crashes. We are committed to obtaining our clients’ Chicago injury compensation for them.

Quinn signs bicycle safety legislation, Daily Herald, July 5, 2010

IDOT Complete Streets – History and Status, League of Illinois Bicyclists

Related Web Resources:
Bicyclists and other cyclists, Traffic Safety, NHTSA (PDF)

Illinois Department of Transportation

Sandra Vasquez could be sentenced to up to 28 years in prison for her convictions of reckless homicide and aggravated DUI in the Illinois car crash deaths of five teens. Three other teens and Vasquez sustained serious injuries during the catastrophic collision on February 11, 2007.

Vasquez, a 26-year-old Aurora woman, drank some alcohol before going to pick up her younger sister who was at their aunt’s house where an underage drinking party was taking place. She ended up giving eight teenagers a ride.

Unfortunately, at around 2:20am Vasquez lost control of her vehicle, swerved off Illinois 31, and drove into a telephone pole.

According to experts, Vasquez had been driving her 2001 Infiniti Q30 at a speed of over 70 mph in a 45 mph zone. Prosecutors have accused her of being drunk and tests taken after the accident showed that her blood-alcohol level was .105, which is beyond the legal limit for driving. However, Vasquez's criminal defense lawyer questions the tests’ accuracy because her liver was damaged during the collision. Vasquez has said that she wasn’t drunk and that she crashed the car because a backseat passenger bumped her seat and another motorist may have cut her off.

Killed in the Illinois car accident were 17-year-old Matthew Frank, 14-year-old James McGee, 16-year-old Tiffany Urso, 14-year-old Katherine Merkel, and 15-year-old Jessica Nutoni. Teenagers Robert Larsen Jr., Joshua Dillon, and Arielle Rexford sustained traumatic injuries.

Drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving, drugged driving, driving while disregarding traffic laws, texting while driving, and talking on the cell phone while operating a vehicle are just a few of the careless and reckless acts that can kill people and destroy their families' lives. Most drunk drivers never intended to hurt anyone.

You may be able to hold a negligent driver liable for Chicago car accident injuries.

Driver guilty in DUI crash that killed 5 teens, Chicago Sun-Times, July 1, 2010

Driver guilty in crash that killed 5 Oswego teens, Daily Herald, June 30, 2010

Related Web Resources:
CyberDrive Illinois

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading " Aurora Woman Found Guilty of Five Illinois Car Accident Deaths " »