Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Chicago Breaking News Center reported this morning on two separate deaths that resulted from car accidents that struck near our city earlier this month.

The first accident occurred in the early afternoon on September 10th in the south suburb of Matteson near the Cicero Avenue and Southwick Drive intersection. The second car accident struck only hours later on the city’s south side near the 9500 block of South Escabana Avenue.

Both male drivers in each crash were seriously injured following the accident and rushed to nearby hospitals. They remained in the hospitals continuously since the time of the crash. However, both men eventually passed away yesterday. Phillip Reed the driver of the first accident was only 26 years old. The second driver was 40 year old Gildardo Hernandez.

Sympathies go out to all those affected by these vehicle crashes from our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti. The case of both of these deaths should serve as a reminder of the lingering effects of many car accidents. Our vehicle crash lawyers are well aware of the fact that many injuries sustained from car accidents last long after the initial accident. In some cases, many victims may not even know that they have been injured until days, weeks, or even months later.

It is important for all those involved in these crashes to understand that they still may have a legal claim if their injuries were even partly caused by the accident—even if they didn’t experience those injuries right away. In any case it is wise to be examined by medical professionals after any vehicle incident and to also be on alert to ailments that may arise following the crash.

ABC News 7 wrote a story Sunday about the fourth annual walk in remembrance of a four year old girl who was killed while crossing the street. Maya Hirsch was killed in 2006 near her Chicago home when a driver failed to stop at a stop sign as the little girl was crossing the street with her mother and brother. The family had just spent a day at the Lincoln Park Zoo when the horrific accident occurred and took the life of the family’s youngest member.

The accident has left a mark on the community. An anonymous stranger has kept a vigil with fresh flowers at the intersection ever since the accident. Also, the veteran Chicago police officer who responded to the accident continues to put a sticker with Maya’s picture on all tickets that he gives out to drivers who fail to stop at intersections.

This awareness event in held in honor of Maya coincides with the new law in Illinois focused on pedestrian safety in crosswalks. As we reported on this blog last week, the new state law requires drivers to stop for all pedestrians in any crosswalk, even those that do not have signals or stop signs. In that way, state officials are hoping to make the law very clear—cars cannot pass when pedestrians are waiting to cross the street.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti understand the destruction wrought with so many car accidents---especially those that take the precious lives of young children like Maya. The tragedy is even more apparent when the accident is caused by negligent or careless behavior that should have been avoided. If you or someone you know may have suffered from a similar accident on the road, please contact a car accident attorney today.

The Quad-City Times reported yesterday on the death of a Chicago-area man. 54 year old Michael Nolan died in his home on Saturday. He failed to pick up his wife from the airport, and when neighbors checked on him, they could not get him to respond even though the lights were on in the house. When authorities arrived, they found him dead inside the home.

The man’s death may be related to a car accident that he was involved in the day before. On Friday Nolan was involved in a serious car accident that ultimately totaled his car. However, he himself did not appear to suffer any major injuries from the accident. His only complaint was of pain on the parts of his body that were hit by the deployment of the car’s airbag.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of death to determine if there was a clear connection with the major car accident the day before.

As these unique circumstances may indicate, sometimes the medical problems associated with accidents are hidden. For that reason, it is all the more important to ensure that proper medical professionals are consulted following these accidents. Even if it does not at first appear that no major injuries have been sustained, often the problems could only show effect hours (or even days) later. Too much is risked and little is gained by avoiding medical care to ensure that no health concerns exist following car accidents.

Also, this example should be considered by those who have lost family members shortly after major accidents, like car crashes. An injury from the accident may have been latent, only appearing a considerable time after the crash. If that may be the case, be sure to contact local legal help to work through the possible ramifications.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti send sincere condolences to the friends and family suffering following this death.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reported yesterday on a terrible multi-car accident that occurred on the northwest side of the city yesterday afternoon.

A 26-year old woman was traveling west on Devon Avenue around 3pm yesterday afternoon. She was nearing the 5600 block of the street when her vehicle inexplicably crossed the center line that divided traffic. As a result, her car collided with two vehicles headed eastbound. The head-on collision caused major damage.

The young female driver was in a Toyota Corolla that was literally severed in half upon the impact. The 26-year old was ejected from the car and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The first of two cars that were hit by the Corolla was a Mercury Grand Marquis taxicab. The cab caught on fire shortly after the wreck and the driver had to be pulled out of the vehicle. The driver of the third car was also injured. The two survivors were taken to local hospitals with severe to critical injuries.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti send condolences to all those who are suffering following this car crash. Our lawyers have worked with countless victims and their families following similar accidents. We strive to protect the rights of those who are harmed by negligent driving in an effort to provide relief and help slowly limit the number of future accidents.

In many cases it is difficult to determine the actual cause of the crash without detailed investigation. For example, cases like this where one driver crosses the line of traffic are often never resolved completely. However, it is important to contact experts in these matters to both hold negligent drivers accountable and figure out what actually happened. In that way, lessons may be learned and future victims spared the pain from these car wrecks.

The Chicago Sun Times recently published a story that reinforces the danger of driving while distracted—specifically, driving while talking on a phone.

There is little disagreement with the statistics that show that the dangers of driving while distracted by a cell phone. In fact, recent research shows that 97.5% of the population lacks the multitasking ability in the unique way required to drive safely while driving.

Interestingly, advocates for safer driving argue that the distraction is as dangerous regardless of whether the phone is handheld or hands free. This may comes as a surprise to many drivers who have often heard that hands-free phones are a safe alternative to chatting while behind the wheel. In fact many state and local regulations specifically allow hands-free phone usage, while disallowing using handheld devices—like Chicago.

However, the distraction created by the phone usage is only minimally related to the physical act of holding the device. Instead the problem is “inattention blindness,” where a driver mentally ignores the conditions of the road around him or her. When that occurs, a driver could be staring directly out the windshield but still have no real idea what is in front of them—their mind is something else. It is obviously at that moment that drivers are likely to run red lights or continue through stop signs

Jennifer Smith, the President of the advocacy group, FocusDriven explains, “There is no study out there that shows hands-free is safer. There are crashes where people were talking on hands-free devices and they killed people.” In both cases, a driver often sees only half of what is in front of them. That means that others cars, stop lights, walking pedestrians, and countless other parts of the driving scene are often completely missed by the distracted driver.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti are proud to fight for the rights of the victims of distracted drivers. If you or someone you know may have been hurt by a driver who was not paying attention, contact a car accident attorney today.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reported yesterday on renewed efforts being made by local law enforcement to improve road safety and save lives.

The focus of the effort is around a new law which requires all drivers to stop for pedestrians when they are in a crosswalk. The practice seems like common sense, but too often drivers fail to give crossing pedestrians the right of way, leading to deadly vehicle accidents. Much of the public remain in the dark about the new law—but police are stepping up ticketing efforts nonetheless.

The new law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in all crosswalks, even those without traffic signals or stop signs. Failing to do so may result in citations and fines from $50 to $500. Chicago officials have already performed several stings in the months since the law has passed, ticketing hundreds of drivers for failing to stop when required.

At the same time, pedestrians are being held to a higher standard. Traffic management aides plan on doing a better job to ensure that pedestrians do not walk against traffic signals—the practice causes cars to get backed up and stuck in intersections.

Some of the most dangerous vehicle-pedestrian interactions occur near the Amtrak station at Adams and the Chicago River. Cars, buses, and walkers seem to dart every which way in mad chaos. City officials are trying to tackle the problem. One plan is to build an off-street terminal south of Union Station to help reduce the pressure of taxis and buses on the curb space. Efforts on the construction project have yet to begin, however.

With deadly accident occurring on our roadways every day, our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti endorse all measures that seek to prevent accidents and save lives. There are few activities that everyone engages in on a deadly basis that pose bigger risks than attempting to navigate our congested roads. Over 6,000 Illinois pedestrians are hit by cars each year, causing around 170 deaths. All Chicagoans are urged to use extreme caution at all times when traveling out of the house, whether by car, bus, train, bike, or on foot.

A heroic bystander at a car accident scene was killed this week after trying to help following a car wreck.

The Florida Times-Union recently reported on the event. Early in the morning on Saturday, a 19-year-old woman was driving along a highway in southern Florida. The driver swerved to miss a deer, and in so doing she struck a power pole that was on the side of the road. The pole, which carried 14,400 volts of electricity, was snapped in half.

Another car which watched the accident occur, and stopped at the side of the road. The driver, 52-year old David Katterhenry, got out of his car and attempted to help those in the crashed vehicle.

He called out to the young injured driver, “Hang out, we’re coming, we’re calling the police.”

However, as Hatterhenry was trying to reach the downed car he touched a live wire that had fallen in the wreck. The wire sent strong electrical currents upon its impact with his body. Hatterhenry at died at the scene.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys send sincere condolences to the victims of this accident. In our decades of experience we have watched as countless families have suffered the devastating effects of loss following these vehicles accidents. Each day heroic men and women risk their lives to help those who are in need of help following accidents. Our city is filled with brave men and women who are willing to risk it all to help a fellow community member. The tragedy of these wrecks are perhaps at their most heartbreaking when death strikes those who weren’t involved in the initial accident at all but merely try to help.

Please contact a Chicago car accident lawyer to learn more about your legal rights if you have been involved with these events.

A tragic vehicle accident occurred in Forest Park on Tuesday. According to the Forest Park Review, a thirty-nine year old University of Chicago teacher had parked her car on Madison Street near the intersection of Elgin Avenue. She was on her way to Starbucks in the morning before work as part of her daily routine. The woman got out of her parked car and proceeded across the street to Starbucks. She did not use a crosswalk, but instead attempted to quickly get across the road from the middle of the stretch of street.

Several cars were stopped in the middle of the road in backed up rush hour traffic at the location where the woman was crossing the street. She walked between those cars which were at a stand-still. However, as she was crossing, another car had moved into the wrong lane in an effort to get past the backed up traffic and make a left turn. The turning vehicle ultimately struck the woman as she was crossing.

The victim was talking and communicating as emergency personnel arrived. But she died in the emergency room about an hour after the accident.

The circumstances leading up this deadly accident is something to which we can all relate. Everyone has watched as others have attempted to get across traffic without using the intersection. We have also all watched (and perhaps ourselves been guilty) of temporarily moving into the wrong lane in an effort to skip ahead of stopped traffic and move into the turning lane. However, both of these actions are extremely risky. It takes only one mistake, on the part of either the driver or the pedestrian, to lead to death and destruction. That risk is simply too high.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti encourage everyone to recognize their own traveling behaviors that are too risky and work hard to eliminate them. The consequences of these car accidents destroy lives—the lives of those involved as well as that of their friends and family. Please work hard to spare the suffering and correct risky driving and walking behavior.

Two separate car accidents struck in the suburbs of Chicago this weekend which resulted in two deaths, according to the Chicago Examiner.

First, an Orland Hills man, Robert Caputo was driving while drunk on Interstate 80 near Parker Road on Sunday afternoon. While driving under the influence in his pickup truck, Caputo eventually slammed into another vehicle. That other vehicle was forced off the road and into a ditch. After stopping in the ditch the car burst into flames, killing the unidentified driver.

Second, early on Sunday morning, around 2:30 a.m., Alonso Huerta-Perez was driving with five other men in a car in West Chicago. He was traveling along Lester Street, and he failed to stop at a stop sign as he came upon the Route 59 intersection. As a result, his car slammed into the one driven by a 27-year old Schaumburg man. The other driver died following the impact.

Huerta-Perez and the five other men all ran from the accident scene following the crash, but police caught up with him shortly after. Investigations are still underway to determine if he was under the influence of any substances at the time of the wreck.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti send sincere condolences to the friends and family of the victims of these car accidents. Each day our lawyers hear of more death and destruction on the roads, often caused by negligent or impaired drivers. While traffic safety is improving in many ways, there is still much to be done to ensure that no future victims suffer at the hands of preventable driving mistakes.

The United States Department of Transportation released some very encouraging news last week regarding traffic safety. The agency explained that deaths caused by traffic accidents are now at a 60 year low.

As reported in the U.S.A. Today, last year 33,808 people were killed on our nation’s roadways. That figure is nearly 10% lower than the figures from 2008. The total deaths from vehicle crashes have not been that low since 1950, when 33, 186 people died. Amazingly, there were only 1/5 the number of cars on the road in 1950 as there are today. That means that the decrease in traffic fatalities is even more substantial than the raw figures reveal.

Examined as a percentage of total traffic, last year represents the lower figure ever with 1.13 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. Categorically, the types of traffic deaths are decreasing across the board. For example, motorcycle deaths have fallen every year for the past 11 years. Also, drunk-driving deaths last year dropped by 7.4%.

Many causes have likely contributed to the stunning decrease in deaths. These include increased seatbelt use, more stringent enforcement of drunk driving laws, better upkeep of roads, safer vehicles, and better coordination of traffic safety measures between the states.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti are encouraged by the news of lowered traffic deaths. We have witnessed first-hand the devastation that these tragedies bring on friends and family of the victims. However, we also know that tragic accidents still occur far too frequently; much work remains to be done to ensure that negligent drivers stay off the roadways.

As U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, “We could not be happier, but we are not going to sit back on our laurels. We have a long, long way to go.”

NBC Chicago News reported on a multiple car crash last week in Chicago involving four vehicles. It occurred early in morning last Saturday in the Logan Square neighborhood.

A driver of an Infiniti was headed west on Fullerton Avenue near Sacramento Boulevard when he hit another car. After that first impact, the driver panicked and made a U-turn. He then headed at a high speed back east. In the ensuing dash back down Fullerton, the Infiniti then crashed into two other cars—a taxi and a Toyota Land Cruiser.

The second impact caused three people to be ejected from their cars, as well as injuring the taxi driver, the Toyota driver, and a taxi passenger. All told, seven people were taken to the hospital in serious condition and two others were brought in for less serious conditions. One passerby administered CPR to one of the victims.

Car accidents like this one that involve nine different people are unfortunately all too common in our city. With millions of people using the roadways at all times of the day and night, serious traffic accidents happen at an alarming rate. Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti have worked with many victims of these crashes and their families in the aftermath of the incident. With so many emotions involved in these events—especially when they are caused by the reckless behavior of a fellow driver—it is important to have experienced experts helping you handle the legal side of the matter. We encourage all those who have suffered because of the driving mistakes of others to contact a car accident lawyer and learn about your legal options.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported this weekend on a terrifying vehicle crash involving a stolen car and several pedestrians. The vehicle was apparently stolen at least a week ago—it was taken from the 5800 block of South Cottage Grove Ave. Around 5p.m. on Saturday, the driver of the stolen 1999 Chrysler was on the south side of the city, in the 6200 block of South St. and Lawrence Avenue. Several passengers were in the car when the driver ran the car into several pedestrians who were walking in the area. The stolen vehicle then struck a parked car before hitting a brick wall. Following that, several people fled from the Chrysler

Four of the pedestrians were hospitalized followed the vicious accident. One of the victims, an 11-year old girl, remains in critical condition at a nearby hospital. Two other victims were also children, a 12 –year old girl and 15-year old boy; they are in stable condition.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti are committed to helping victims in our area who have suffered in vehicle crashes. Our team of experienced lawyers has spent decades mastering the legal system that provides protection and support to victims of negligent and reckless drivers. It is important to remember that there are statutes of limitations which limit the amount of time you have to file a claim following one of these accidents. For that reason, it is very important to contact a car accident attorney soon after the crash so that you can properly learn about your options.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti have seen many unique vehicle crashes in our time defending victims against negligent drivers. But the Chicago Sun Times recently profiled a vehicle accident that police officers in Montgomery, Illinois—a far western suburb—have described as one of the most bizarre crashes they have ever seen.

In mid-July of this year, Pete Moore was removing siding from a home when he was attacked by a swarm of wasps. He was not immediately alarmed following the attack, because as someone who worked in the home improvement business, he has experienced yellow jacket issues in the past. In fact, he had been stung by bees in the past without incident.

However, within 15 minutes of the attack, it became clear that these stings were much different than others. Welts began appearing on his body. At that point he called his wife to let her know that he was going to drive his truck to the local hospital to ensure that welts did not develop into something more serious. Unfortunately, his truck never made it to the hospital.

Not long after beginning the trip, Moore began feeling the consequences of the attack. He was experiencing anaphylactic shock caused by the closure of air passages. Just as he was trying to pull off to the side of the road and put the car into park, he lost consciousness. Police believe that it was at that point that his body moved the vehicle into reverse with his foot still on the gas pedal. That caused the truck to careen backwards.

The vehicle ultimately hit a sign, sped across four lanes of highway traffic, flew over the incline in front of a K-Mart parking lot, and crashed into the store. Moore was rushed to the hospital with a broken spine among other injuries. Fortunately, he survived the crash, but was paralyzed from the waist down.

The takeaway from this tragic car accident is remembering that driving impairments may strike at any time. Some circumstances when driving should be avoided are obvious—when you’ve too much drink, are tired, or have taken certain medications. But other circumstances are perhaps just as risky, like the unique circumstances in this case. It is impossible to fully know when certain things may occur that will get in the way of careful driving. But with the potential harm so high, it is reasonable not to risk getting behind the wheel of these large machines any time that you may feel physically, emotionally, or psychologically weakened.

The basic elements of road safety have remained remarkably similar for a century: follow all signs and signals, drive at a reasonable speed for conditions, ensure proper restraint of children, do not drive impaired, etc.

But with technical development also comes changes in how we think about vehicle safety. For example, seatbelts were much less used (and installed) in the past than they are today. Air bags were certainly not included in the first cars that were manufactured.

One of the latest developments in the automotive industry that will affect how we travel on the nations’ roads is the electric car. Concerns over the use of gasoline have made electric cars a booming market—the wave is about to build even more as automobile manufacturers are making a large push to encourage consumers to buy the new cars. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association projects that more than a million of these vehicles will be on the road in five years, by 2015. With the expected surge in use, it is important to understand the possible hazards posed by these vehicles when they become involved in auto accidents.

Specifically, while traditional cars often pose fire risks following crashes because of gasoline spillage, these new non-gas vehicles will present electric shock problems. WMAQ TV reports that Chicago firefighters are already being trained on the ways to handle these vehicles when responding to car emergencies. Firefighters must be trained in the proper way to disengage electrical power systems to alleviate the risk of shock after a crash.

Also, the high-strength steel used in many of these new vehicles cannot be cut open with traditional saws. Even then, with a several hundred volt charges surging through the car, an ill-places cut in the metal could shock the responder. Therefore, if attempting to rescue a passenger trapped in a car, firefighters must be trained on the exact location to cut to get through the metal.

The Chicago Fire commissioner noted, “Every year they are coming out with something new. Firefighters have to stay on top of new technologies to save civilian’s lives, but it can also save ours.”

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti applaud our city’s emergency personnel who save lives every day following tragic vehicle accidents on our roadways. We also urge all Chicagoans to understand the unique risks that new vehicles may pose and take appropriate steps to guard against the dangers.