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Recent Blog Posts
The Importance of Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Winter
Having uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is always important, but it may be even more important during the winter months when auto accidents are more likely to occur. More than 70 percent of the nation’s roadways are located in regions that receive more than five inches of snow each year. When snow falls and ice freezes on the roads, friction and vehicle maneuverability increase the risk of automobile accidents.
Visibility is also reduced during heavy snow and sleet, making accidents more likely. Each year, about a quarter of all weather-related vehicle collisions occur when snow and ice are on the roads. More than 1,300 people are killed annually in snowy or icy road conditions, with another nearly 117,000 injured.
If you have been involved in an accident on a snowy or icy road, you may wonder whether the other driver’s insurance will cover your damages or whether you will be stuck with the costs of your injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and damage to your vehicle. This may come down to whether you carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your own insurance. Speaking to an experienced Plainfield, IL auto accident lawyer from Flaherty Law, LLC.
What Are the Top Causes of Illinois Car Accidents?
Nobody plans to be injured in a car accident, but thousands of them happen in Illinois every year. Injuries can range from mild to fatal, affecting the victims and their families. Understanding the top causes of these collisions may help you avoid them.
Most of these causes are negligent human error, which could qualify you for compensation. If you are injured in a motor vehicle collision, an experienced lawyer from Flaherty Law, LLC can help.
How Many Car Accidents Happen Due to Human Error?
According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver errors cause 94 percent of all traffic crashes. Vehicle problems and environmental issues were responsible for 4 percent, with unknown factors causing the remaining 2 percent.
Driver-related contributing factors are:
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Nursing Home Neglect?
Many Illinois families place their elderly in nursing homes when they can no longer attend to their loved ones, relying on these facilities to provide high-quality care. Although many nursing homes take care of patients appropriately, others do not. At least 10 percent of people over 65 suffer from some form of neglect or abuse in long-term care facilities.
Abuse or neglect can have immediate effects, but they can also cause long-term consequences. What are these effects? Why does nursing home neglect and abuse happen? A compassionate lawyer from Flaherty Law, LLC can help you and your family hold the at-fault parties accountable.
What Are Common Kinds of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect?
Nursing homes, staff, and other care providers have a legal duty to provide patients with proper care. That means giving prompt medical treatment, helping patients with daily personal hygiene, ensuring that patients do not remain in the same position for extended periods, feeding and hydrating patients properly, keeping the facility clean, and many other obligations. When patients suffer harm due to abuse or neglect, you may qualify for compensation.
Why Are Pedestrian Accidents So Deadly, and Who Is At Fault?
Many people walk on Plainfield’s sidewalks, in parks, and in residential areas daily. Whether for exercise or as a convenient means of getting where you need to be, pedestrians are very vulnerable if a vehicle hits them. Pedestrian accidents frequently produce extremely serious or fatal injuries, leaving victims and their families trying to cope with the aftermath.
Why are these accidents so dangerous? Is the driver always responsible? Can you get compensation? Call to speak with a knowledgeable attorney from Flaherty Law, LLC for the answers to those vital questions.
How Do Pedestrian Accident Injuries Occur?
Pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere that motor vehicles and pedestrians meet. Common places include intersections, parking lots, and residential areas. Some occur in random spots when a pedestrian enters a thoroughfare at unexpected points. Unfortunately, the latter often involves children who do not understand the dangers.
Can I File an Injury Claim if an Amazon Truck Hit Me?
Online shopping is fast becoming the norm for many Americans, with Amazon being one of the top providers. It is not unusual to see multiple Amazon tractor-trailers and last-mile delivery trucks in Will County daily. With so many of these vehicles on the road, motor vehicle accidents involving Amazon vehicles are also becoming more common.
A personal injury claim that involves commercial vehicles can be more challenging, especially for some Amazon trucks. If an Amazon truck hits and injures you, you deserve compensation, and an experienced lawyer from Flaherty Law, LLC can help.
What Makes Amazon Accidents So Complicated?
In many car accidents, one or more drivers share the responsibility for causing them. Although some of these claims are challenging, it is usually easier to establish liability. Liability is more complicated in most Amazon accidents, and you must determine who is liable to collect compensation.
Who Can I Sue for an Uber or Lyft Accident?
Rideshare services have revolutionized the way we get around. A popular alternative to taxis and mass transit, companies like Uber and Lyft offer customers private transportation, typically when traveling shorter distances. Like any other kind of motor vehicle, cars driving for rideshare services can be involved in car accidents.
In most motor vehicle collisions, the drivers — and their auto insurance companies — are usually the only people responsible for compensating injured victims. However, liability is not always clear in Uber accidents or Lyft crashes. You need to find out whose auto insurance should pay before filing a compensation claim. A knowledgeable lawyer from Flaherty Law, LLC knows how to identify the at-fault parties and hold them accountable for your damages.
What Was Your Role in Your Rideshare Accident?
Unless you are a rideshare driver, there are a few ways you might be involved in an Uber or Lyft accident. You could be:
Trucks Vs. Cars in Serious Accidents: Nobody Wins
When trucks and cars collide, catastrophic injuries and extensive property damage often result. In truck accidents, occupants of other vehicles have a much higher chance of sustaining injuries; some truck crashes cause fatalities.
Truck drivers are not always to blame for causing these collisions. Many times, other drivers do not understand the differences between how cars and trucks operate. Even if you share fault, you may be entitled to compensation. Our experienced personal injury lawyer is well-versed in handling claims like yours effectively.
What Are the Differences Between Trucks and Cars?
A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, but the average passenger vehicle only weighs around 4,000. Trucks average 72 feet in length, while most cars are approximately 15 feet long. Most cars are about five feet tall, with trucks towering over them at 13.5 feet in height. These differences are significant when it comes to impact force, required stopping distance, and the types of unique accidents that can occur.
Do Independent Medical Examinations Affect Workers’ Compensation?
Private industry employers reported 112,500 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in Illinois in 2022, or about 2.7 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers. Sixty-two percent of occupational injuries and illnesses occurred in trade, transportation, utilities, education, and health services industries. Dealing with a workplace injury can be difficult at best. Doctor’s appointments, treatments, tests, and perhaps an inability to return to work because of the severity of the injuries can all create challenges.
Once a workers’ compensation claim is filed, it may feel like there are even more complications, along with a mountain of red tape. An independent medical examination (IME) is one of these challenges that can potentially result in a denial of benefits. Those facing an IME should speak to a workers’ compensation attorney who has experience dealing with these medical examinations and fighting for the rights of injured workers.
Skin Breakdown and Infection in Nursing Homes
One of the unfortunate effects of aging is that a person’s skin becomes thinner and more fragile over time. At the same time, older adults’ immune systems become less robust, causing elders to become more prone to infection. An elderly person can quickly experience skin breakdown if not provided proper care. This can lead to devastating infections, painful medical interventions, loss of quality of life, and even wrongful death. While mild rashes and skin irritation are sometimes inevitable in the elderly, more significant skin breakdown is often the result of nursing home neglect. If your loved one has experienced serious skin issues while being cared for in a nursing home, you should consult a Plainfield, IL nursing home neglect lawyer.
7 Types of Serious Injuries That Can Occur in Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists face increased risks on the roads due to their smaller size and the lack of protection they have in collisions or other types of accidents. Motorcycle accidents can result in devastating injuries that can impact a person’s life in many ways. At Flaherty Law, LLC, our skilled attorney can provide legal representation for injury victims, helping them take steps to recover compensation from negligent drivers or other responsible parties.
Serious Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents can lead to a wide range of catastrophic injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): A blow or jolt to the head can cause serious harm to the brain. These injuries often occur when a motorcyclist is thrown from their bike. TBIs can lead to memory loss, mood disorders, changes in personality, cognitive issues, problems with balance and coordination, seizures, and in severe cases, permanent disability or death.
From our office in Plainfield, Illinois, we serve clients in Will County, DuPage County, Kendall County, Kane County, Joliet, Naperville, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Aurora, Lemont, Crest Hill, Shorewood, Lockport, Woodridge, Wheaton, Oswego, Yorkville, Homer Glen, Lisle, and surrounding communities.
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