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Are Children as Distracting as Electronic Devices?
As millions of Americans get behind the wheel of their vehicles each day to run errands and travel to work and school, distracted driving becomes a greater factor in car accidents. While mobile devices remain the primary cause of distracted driving accidents, transporting children can also bring major distractions.
Most adults have learned to ignore text messages and emails while driving, but ignoring a fussy or distressed child can be challenging. Parents routinely turn around to pick up a dropped bottle or toy, comfort a baby, or referee an argument between children. Following a distracted driving accident, an experienced Illinois lawyer will protect your rights and your future.
What Are the Three Types of Driving Distractions?
There are three types of driving distractions: cognitive, visual, and manual. Visual distractions occur when you take your eyes off the road to fiddle with the car controls, set your GPS, read a text - or turn around to pick up a dropped sippy cup.
3 Reasons to Call Your Attorney Before Your Insurance Company
Car accidents cause a range of injuries, from mild to severe. They also cause damage to vehicles. In many of these cases, the first thing victims do after a car accident is call their insurance company. Insurers often instruct their clients to call the company immediately after being in an accident.
It is important to remember, however, that although you have been making payments to an insurance company, it is not on your side. In fact, you and the insurer have two opposite objectives: yours is to get the largest payout possible, and the insurer’s is to give you the smallest, if at all.
There are reasons the insurance company wants to be your first call after an accident instead of an attorney. Here are three reasons to contact a car accident attorney before your insurance company.
Larger Settlement
Someone who is represented by an attorney is more likely to get a larger settlement offer from the insurance company than someone who is not. Studies have found that:
What Factors Determine if I Get Compensated for Injuries?
There are an almost limitless number of ways to get injured. Some people get injured simply by walking down the street and tripping on a poorly maintained sidewalk. Children suffer injuries from climbing on broken jungle gyms. Employees get hurt on the job. Drivers get severely injured from accidents triggered by any number of causes.
In all of these personal injury cases, the question remains the same: can the victim sue for damages? This question is best answered by a qualified Illinois personal injury lawyer because there are several factors involved. This article will discuss some of the factors that determine whether an injury victim can be compensated and how much he or she can receive.
How Bad Is the Injury?
The first factor that will determine your compensation is the extent of your injury. Some injuries are more severe than others. Catastrophic injuries, for example, damage the victim’s quality of life and can permanently affect the ability to work. Someone who suffers a catastrophic injury usually has:
What Damages Can I Claim for Wrongful Death in Illinois?
When someone dies because of someone else’s negligence, it is called a wrongful death. The most common example of this is a car accident, involving either another vehicle or a pedestrian. If it can be proven that the driver who caused the accident was negligent — such as texting while driving, for example — then it is a case of wrongful death.
Under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, the victim’s relatives can sue the liable party for damages. There are different types of damages that can be claimed, and compensation for these damages varies depending on what the victim’s family can prove. Hiring an experienced Illinois wrongful death attorney is the best way to get the most compensation possible.
There are three possible categories of damages that a victim’s family may be able to claim in a wrongful death lawsuit.
How Can I Sue if My Child Was Injured at School?
Children often suffer injuries at school. It is common for kids to come home from school with a bloody nose from a fistfight or a tumble off the jungle gym. When that happens, many parents instinctively search for who they can sue for their child’s injury.
But while the temptation to sue may be great, filing a personal injury claim against a school is not as simple as suing a private individual or company. Illinois law gives many schools and their employees certain immunity from personal injury claims, which is why you should first consult with a school injury attorney about whether you have a case.
Can I Sue Any School?
Say your child was climbing on a jungle gym at school. The structure broke down and your child sustained an injury. You want to sue the school for negligence, just like you would if it happened at someone’s house. The first factor you need to take into account is the type of school where it occurred.
Can I Sue a Manufacturer for Damages After a Product Recall?
If you have been injured by a defective product in Illinois, you may be able to sue the manufacturer for damages. In some cases, a manufacturer becomes aware of the defect and issues a recall. This means that the company notifies the public of the defect and offers to take back the products, sometimes with an offer of compensation.
However, a recall does not necessarily mean the company is no longer responsible for injuries caused by its product. This article will discuss the types of product defects and whether a manufacturer is still liable for injuries after the recall.
Keep in mind that only a skilled personal injury lawyer can tell you if you are entitled to damages due to a defective product.
What Defects Is a Company Liable for?
Companies that make or sell products are liable for certain defects in those products, such as:
Is Disfigurement a Catastrophic Injury?
Catastrophic injuries are injuries that seriously affect the way a person lives their life. Often, these injuries are permanent disabilities that stop a person from working or leave them with significant ongoing pain. Disfigurement can be a type of catastrophic injury, and you may be able to pursue a claim against the party responsible for a disfigurement injury to help you cover the costs of recovery and other damages.
A skilled Illinois catastrophic injury attorney is essential to helping you figure out a claim after a disfigurement injury occurs.
Common Causes of Disfigurement Injuries
Disfigurement injuries are injuries that result in damage to the appearance of the victim. This may be an amputation, scarring that remains after healing is completed, or a permanent disability that is either visual or audible.
How to Protect Your Rights After a Dog Bite in Illinois
Getting bitten by a dog can be an incredibly frightening and traumatic experience. One moment, you are going about your day, and the next, you find yourself being attacked by an animal. Dog bites can cause severe physical injuries, along with emotional distress. An Illinois lawyer can help you understand your rights and the steps you need to take to protect yourself.
Seek Medical Attention
Your first priority after a dog bite should be to seek proper medical attention. Dog bites can cause severe injuries, including puncture wounds, lacerations, and infections. Prompt treatment can prevent further complications and help document the extent of your injuries, which will be vital evidence if you decide to pursue legal action.
Report the Incident
Notify the relevant authorities about the dog bite incident, including the local animal control department or the police. Be sure to provide as much detail as possible, including the location of the incident, a description of the dog and its owner (if known), and make sure to note if there were any witnesses present. Obtaining an official report can help substantiate your claim and serve as valuable documentation.
Key Evidence When Proving Premises Liability
Premises liability cases rely heavily on the ability to prove that a property owner was negligent in maintaining a safe environment for visitors. Evidence plays a critical role in establishing a strong premises liability claim. An Illinois lawyer can help you explore the types of evidence needed and how to take the next step.
What is Premises Liability?
In Illinois, premises liability is a subset of personal injury law that assigns responsibility to property owners and occupiers for accidents and injuries occurring on their property from hazardous conditions. To see possible success in a premises liability claim, you must prove that the property owner had a duty of care towards them, that this duty was breached, and that the breach was the direct cause of your injuries.
Options for Families After a Fatal Pedestrian Accident
The loss of a loved one in a pedestrian accident is a heartbreaking situation that no family should ever have to face. Ensure you understand your legal options and the steps you can take to seek justice on behalf of your family member. There are several avenues available to families who have lost a family member in a fatal pedestrian accident, and an Illinois lawyer can help you figure out which may be best for you.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit
One of the primary options for families is to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act (740 ILCS 180/), the executor of the deceased person’s estate may bring legal action against the party responsible for the fatal accident. This lawsuit seeks to recover damages for the family’s loss, including:
Contact a Lake County Vehicle Accident Attorney Who is Ready to Help You
If you or a member of your family has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our office. Call 847-662-3303 to set up a free initial consultation at one of our four convenient locations. There is no risk because we only collect fees if you collect compensation. With offices in Libertyville, Waukegan, Richmond, and Chicago, we represent clients in Lake County, Cook County, DuPage County, and McHenry County.
Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.
