Articles Posted in negligence

Black Friday and the Thanksgiving weekend draw record crowds into stores every year. With hundreds of millions of people shopping in a short period, the extra foot traffic, rushed behavior, wet weather, cluttered aisles and hurried store setups create a predictable spike in the kinds of hazards that cause slip and fall injuries. This blog…

Every year, Thanksgiving brings plates piled high, crowded airports, and, for millions, long drives to see family. That increase in travel, coupled with late-night driving, alcohol use at celebrations, bad weather in some regions, and congested roads, makes Thanksgiving one of the deadliest holidays on U.S. roads. Holiday weekends concentrate risk into a few days:…

Getting into a crash is stressful under the best of circumstances, but when it happens while you’re traveling in a rental car, confusion about who pays, who to call, and what paperwork you need can make a bad day much worse. In this blog, we walk you through what typically happens after a rental car…

Bus crashes can cause catastrophic injuries and deaths. When a crash involves a commercial bus, such as a motorcoach, commuter bus, or other passenger-carrying commercial motor vehicle, federal safety rules called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) govern how the company and driver must operate. Understanding those regulations, common violations, and how regulators collect…

When a truck driver pulls away from a loading dock, the safety of everyone on the road depends not only on that driver’s skill and truck maintenance, but on the decisions and incentives set by the carrier who employs them. Economic pressure from employers, like tight delivery schedules, pay-by-the-mile schemes, punitive on-time performance metrics, and…

Being bitten by a dog is frightening, painful, and, all too quickly, expensive. When the swelling goes down and the medical bills arrive, one of the first questions many victims and dog owners ask is: should the bite be reported to homeowners insurance? The short answer: yes, but there are steps to take so that…

Passengers injured in car accidents have legal rights that are distinct from the driver’s. Because passengers didn’t control the vehicle or the driving choices, their claims often focus on the driver(s), vehicle owners, employers, and sometimes third parties like manufacturers or municipalities. In this blog, we discuss the most common types of passenger claims, who…

Poor lighting conditions significantly increase the risk of trip and fall accidents, especially in areas where hazards such as uneven flooring, stairs, or obstacles may be present. In Illinois, property owners have a legal responsibility to maintain safe conditions for visitors, tenants, or employees, and lighting plays a crucial role in that safety. Inadequate lighting,…

When someone is injured in a car crash, slip and fall, workplace incident, or other personal injury event, it is very common for medical records to mention a “sprain” or a “strain.” Although many people use these terms interchangeably, medically and legally, they are two very different injuries. Each involves different tissues, different mechanisms of…

Truck accidents are uniquely dangerous for occupants of passenger vehicles and for anyone working on or walking near our roads. In Illinois each year, hundreds of crashes involve large commercial vehicles, and the consequences can be catastrophic: fatalities, lifelong injuries, lost income, and massive medical bills. In this blog, we discuss the five most common…