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Recent Blog Posts
The Independent Medical Examination Role in Workers’ Comp Cases
Workers who are injured on the job are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, this is a no-fault wage replacement system that pays lost wages and medical benefits regardless of how the accident occurred. Workers’ compensation protects employers from lawsuits in most cases unless the injury results from willful or deliberate safety violations on the part of the employer—but this is rare.
Most workers in the state are covered under workers’ compensation, including those hired in Illinois but injured while working in another state when the employer’s primary place of business is in Illinois. Depending on the situation, independent contractors may be eligible for benefits.
When you file for workers’ compensation, you may be asked to undergo an independent medical examination – i.e., from a medical provider other than your normal doctor. It is important that you speak to a knowledgeable Plainfield, IL workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible after your workplace accident.
Dangers of Black Ice: How Black Ice Forms and How to Stay Safe
There are at least 150,000 automobile crashes each year due to icy roads. It takes about 10 times longer to stop completely on an icy road than on a dry road. Since about 70 percent of U.S. residents live in places that have icy conditions during the winter months, ice on the roads – especially black ice – can be a major contributor to car collisions. If you have been involved in an auto accident caused by another driver's negligence, contacting an experienced Plainfield, IL personal injury lawyer can be beneficial.
What Is Black Ice and When/Where Does It Form?
Black ice is just ice that forms on roads, sidewalks, and driveways. It is called black ice because it looks like regular pavement when clear ice freezes on top of the pavement. Black ice has no bubbles, making it even harder to detect in advance. The primary danger of black ice – other than slick ice – is the driver’s inability to see the ice before the car is on it.
Temporary Disability Benefits Under IL Workers’ Comp Law
Illinois worker’s compensation pays benefits for injuries caused either partially or wholly in the workplace. Aggravation of a pre-existing condition, injuries caused by repetitive motions in the workplace, or any other type of injury in the workplace qualify under workers’ compensation for benefits.
Benefits for workers’ compensation claims are paid regardless of who was at fault for the accident. In return, workers give up the right to sue their employers when they collect workers’ compensation benefits. There are many different types of benefits under workers’ compensation, including:
- Partial wage replacement
- Temporary and permanent disability
- Medical cost coverage for any medical expenses related to workplace injury
- Rehabilitation costs
- Occupational therapy costs
- Beneficiary compensation for a worker who dies as a result of workplace injury
Determining Liability in Multi-Vehicle Winter Car Crashes
At least 70 percent of the nation’s roads are located in regions that receive more than five inches of snowfall each year. When the pavement is snowy or icy, vehicles are less easy to maneuver, speeds are slower, and the risk of a collision increases. Reduced visibility is another factor in collisions on snow and ice. Almost one-fourth of all weather-related vehicle collisions occur on snowy, slushy, or icy roadways, killing 1,300 people a year and injuring another 116,800 on average.
When winter arrives and the roads get icy, not only is it exceptionally easy to slide and hit another car, but it is just as easy for one accident to escalate into several more as drivers are unable to stop. It can be difficult to determine liability in motor vehicle accidents like these. While such accidents are usually at lower speeds, they can still cause real damage to vehicles and injuries to those inside.
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:
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