Posted on March 09, 2021 in Personal Injury

Of the many different types of injuries that a person can experience, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are among the most difficult to deal with. Concussions or other types of injuries that cause harm to the brain may not have any obvious physical symptoms, and they may not begin to affect a person until days or weeks after the injury occurred. However, they can have a long-lasting impact on a victim’s health and well-being, resulting in chronic pain, sensory problems, difficulties with balance and coordination, mood disorders, or seizures. When these injuries are caused by another person’s negligence or intentional actions, victims will need to work with a personal injury lawyer to determine how they can receive compensation that will address the ways their life and health have been affected.

Situations Where TBIs May Occur

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on March 02, 2021 in Car Accidents

Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can be difficult, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the crash. Drivers, passengers, and anyone else involved may need emergency medical treatment, and their injuries may continue to affect them for some time to come. Expensive vehicle repairs may also be needed, or a vehicle may be “totaled,” in which case it will need to be replaced. Addressing the costs related to medical treatment, property damage, and other accident-related issues can be a complex undertaking, but it can be even more difficult if the driver who was at fault for the collision did not have auto insurance. In these cases, victims will want to work with an attorney to determine the other sources of financial compensation that may be available.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Drivers are required to maintain liability insurance on their vehicles, and these policies will provide minimum coverage for injuries, wrongful deaths, and property damage suffered in a collision. Even though a person can face criminal consequences for driving without the required auto insurance, some drivers fail to maintain the proper coverage. In some cases, even if a driver does have liability insurance, their policy may not fully cover all of the damages suffered by victims. This is often the case in accidents that result in severe injuries, disabilities, and extensive property damage.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 23, 2021 in Workers' Compensation

If you are injured while on the job, you will usually be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, which will cover the costs of medical treatment and provide you with repayment for the loss of income due to a temporary or permanent disability. However, if you have a pre-existing condition, you may be worried about how this will affect your eligibility for workers’ comp. In many cases, you will still be able to receive benefits, and by working with an experienced work injury attorney, you can protect your rights and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Work-Related Injuries and Aggravation of Pre-Existing Conditions

Workers’ comp covers all injuries that occur during the course of a person’s employment. This includes any injuries that lead existing injuries or medical conditions to become worse. For example, a person may have experienced a back injury in a car accident several years ago, and after receiving treatment and following all medical instructions, they made a full recovery. Then, while working in a warehouse, they attempted to lift a heavy item and re-injured their back in the same location as the previous injury. Even though the injury had previously existed, it became aggravated because of the work the person was performing, making them eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits for medical treatment for the new injury, as well as wage benefits that address any missed work while recovering.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 17, 2021 in Nursing Home Abuse

Many elderly Americans need help with their daily activities. While some families are able to provide care for their loved ones, in many cases, nursing homes provide the best option, ensuring that a person will have a place to live and spend time with other people while having their needs attended to by trained staff members. Unfortunately, many elderly patients are victims of nursing home abuse. In some cases, residents will suffer abuse because of inadequate staff training or supervision, while in other situations, a member of a nursing home’s staff may be the perpetrator of physical, verbal, sexual, or financial abuse. Family members should be aware of the warning signs that may indicate that their loved one has experienced abuse.

Potential Signs That a Nursing Home Resident Is Suffering Abuse

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 10, 2021 in Car Accidents

While car accidents occur for a wide variety of reasons, adverse weather conditions are one common factor in collisions that take place in Central Illinois. Winter weather can be especially dangerous. Of the 1.2 million weather-related car accidents that occur every year in the United States, 29 percent take place on icy, snowy, or slushy pavement, and 18 percent occur while snow or sleet is falling. Studies have found that Illinois is one of the deadliest states for winter driving, with an average of 27 fatal car accidents taking place during the winter each year. In some cases, a personal injury claim can provide compensation for injuries suffered in a winter auto accident caused by a negligent driver. 

Causes of Winter Vehicle Crashes

Winter weather presents a number of risks that can affect drivers, and accidents can occur if drivers fail to account for winter conditions or do not take steps to drive safely in inclement weather. Collisions may take place during the winter because of:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 03, 2021 in Personal Injury

While snowmobiling is a fun winter activity that is enjoyed by many people in central Illinois, it can also be dangerous. Collisions between two snowmobiles or between snowmobiles and people, obstacles, or other vehicles can result in serious injuries, including broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe lacerations leading to amputations, and damage to internal organs. If a snowmobile accident occurs in a remote area, a person could be left alone in harsh weather until help arrives, which can lead to hypothermia or other life-threatening medical conditions. Those who have suffered injuries in snowmobile accidents will want to determine who was responsible for a collision, and by working with a personal injury attorney, they can take steps to receive financial compensation for their injuries.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 26, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Flatbed trucks, 18-wheelers, and other large commercial trucks haul everything from building materials to hazardous chemicals to household products. Most of the goods we use on an everyday basis were transported by truck at some point. When truck cargo is not properly loaded and secured in the truck, the results can be horrific. If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident caused by loose or fallen truck cargo, you may be able to bring a personal injury claim against the at-fault party. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and more. However, you may need to overcome certain obstacles in order for your claim to be successful.

Proving an Accident Was Caused by Loose or Fallen Cargo Truck

Truck accidents can lead to costly property damage and severe or even deadly injuries. A personal injury claim may help you hold a negligent party accountable for a truck accident and recover compensation for damages. However, to win your truck accident claim, you will need to prove that the defendant’s negligent actions caused your injuries and that you sustained damages. Proving that an accident was the result of loose or fallen truck cargo is rarely easy. For example, you may have been involved in a car accident while swerving to avoid fallen truck cargo. Other individuals involved in the accident may even try to pin fault for the accident on you. Issues like these often make fallen truck cargo claims even more complex than other types of truck accident claims.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 19, 2021 in Car Accidents

Most adults struggle to get enough sleep at night. Whether it is a tight deadline at work, child-related responsibilities, insomnia, or another cause, studies show that a large percentage of Americans are sleep-deprived. Inadequate sleep can have a major impact on a person’s physical and mental functioning. When a sleep-deprived individual gets behind the wheel of a car, he or she is significantly more likely to be involved in a car accident than someone who got enough sleep. Vehicle crashes caused by fatigued drivers lead to thousands of injuries and deaths each year.

Do Not Underestimate the Effect of Sleep Deprivation on Driving

Healthy habits like eating vegetables, exercising, and getting enough sleep are often hard to maintain. Life circumstances often get in the way of our good intentions. However, getting behind the wheel of a car when you are too sleepy to operate it safely not only puts your life in danger but also the lives of those around you. Sleep deprivation negatively affects a person’s reaction time, problem-solving skills, coordination, and other cognitive processes. In fact, the National Safety Council reports that driving after being awake for 20 hours or more is equivalent to driving drunk in terms of impairment. People who are severely sleep-deprived may even experience instances of “micro-sleep.” These short bursts of sleep are involuntary and often occur without the person’s knowledge. Although fatigue is linked to approximately 1000,000 car accidents each year, many people underestimate the effect sleepiness has on their ability to safely drive.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on January 05, 2021 in Workers' Compensation

Work-related injuries can happen for countless reasons. Some injuries are caused during a singular work accident while other injuries occur from repetitive movements over time. Falling from a great height, being struck by falling objects, equipment-related injuries, and other workplace injuries can lead to massive medical bills and other financial harm. If you or a loved one have suffered a work injury, you may be curious about your legal rights. You may already know that you are entitled to workers’ compensation for certain work injuries, but you may not know much about bringing a claim against a third party. If your work injury was caused by the negligent or wrongful actions of a party other than your employer, you may be able to sue that party for damages.

Bringing a Personal Injury Claim for a Work Accident

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on December 29, 2020 in Workers' Compensation

Most Illinois employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. The purpose of this insurance is to provide financial compensation for employees who are injured on the job. However, proving that an injury was sustained at work and successfully recovering compensation through a workers’ comp claim is often more challenging with repetitive motion injuries (RMI). The source of these injuries is often more difficult to pinpoint and some insurers and employers use this as an excuse to downplay the severity of the injuries or claim that the injury predated employment. If you have sustained a repetitive motion injury at work, you should know your rights under Illinois workers’ compensation laws.

What Are Repetitive Strain Injuries?

If a worker falls from a ladder and breaks his or her leg at work, there is little question as to how the injury occurs. However, this is not the case for injuries that occur over long periods of time. A repetitive strain injury (RSI) is one that occurs from using the same body parts over and over again. The damage may occur to a person’s nerves, tendons, muscles, or joints. RSI may be caused by:

Continue Reading ››