Illinois Accident Category Archives — Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog Published by Chicago, Illinois Car Accident Lawyers

Hit and Run Accidents and What to Do

Published on: December 3, 2016 | Levin & Perconti

A couple weeks ago, two vehicles traveling on I-64 near mile marker 43.5, were involved in an accident. A Chevy truck rear-ended a Toyota Camry, pushing it off the road and eventually overturning it. The Camry’s driver was uninjured but his passenger was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. Unfortunately, the driver of the Chevy truck drove off immediately after the collision; investigation is ongoing at this time.

Hit and run accidents, such as this one, happen often. As a matter of fact, and according to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAA), nearly 11 percent of all reported auto accidents involve at least one vehicle fleeing the scene. A lot of times they involve fatalities! Also according AAA, hit and run accidents result in about 1,500 fatalities every single year!

It is important to know and understand what to do if you are involved in a hit and run accident. First, however, if you, or a loved one, were involved in a hit and run, it is imperative that you contact an experienced personal injury attorney. You may be eligible for compensation. Your compensation may include, but is not limited to, medical expense, lost wages, emotional distress and pain and suffering.

Two Killed in Henderson County Head-On Crash

Published on: April 1, 2015 | Levin & Perconti

Car accidents can come in many forms, but one factor that is common among many is driver negligence. Whether a single-car crash, a rollover, rear-ending, or a head-on crash, negligent driving is often the cause of the accident from one or more drivers involved. It only takes a moment of not being alert to your surroundings or sticking to safe driving for a serious accident to occur. That is why our lawyers cannot emphasize enough how important it is to act with caution at all times when behind the wheel.

A recent article by WQAD 8 describes how a head-on crash in Henderson County took the lives of both drivers near Illinois Route 64. According to the report, one driver was heading westbound when they veered left and crossed the center line for unknown reasons. This caused the two vehicles to collide head on. The second vehicle tried to avoid the crash and veered sharply right off the road. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene from the impact of the collision.

Crossing the center line into oncoming traffic can happen for a multitude of reasons. Although the reason for crossing the center line in this accident is unknown, it is still important to discuss some common causes for these types of accidents. Distracted driving is an extremely prevalent issue, not only in our state of Illinois, but throughout the country. All too often people are distracted by many things in their vehicle, such as conversing with another person (which was not the case in this accident as both drivers were the only people in their vehicles), changing the radio or your mp3 player, talking on the phone, or texting while driving. It only takes a moment of distraction, especially when driving at a high speed on the highway, to cross the center line and cause an accident.
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One Killed, Four Injured in Aurora Crash

Published on: March 30, 2015 | Levin & Perconti

It’s unfortunate how often we hear in the news about car accidents that took the lives of people, especially when they were accidents that were completely preventable and never should have occurred. All too often people do not appreciate the dangers of the road and imperative safety needed when driving. By posting and discussing these accidents, our lawyers hope to inform readers about how frequently preventable accidents occur, so that you can inform others in your life about the need to be responsible when behind the wheel. It is all too often that people have a mindset that they are invincible or that a terrible accident is rare and will not happen to them.

Perhaps that was in the mind of a driver in a recent Aurora accident reported by the Chicago Tribune. According to the article, this motor vehicle accident not only took the life of the driver but seriously injured all four passengers in the car. According to authorities, the causes of the crash were excessive speeding and potentially drunk driving. The accident occurred around 2:30 in the morning on Farnsworth Avenue. The driver lost control of the vehicle, and veered off the road south of Front Street, striking a power pole at Grove Street, according to the Aurora Police Department.

The article stated that the force of the crash was so strong that two of the four passengers were thrown from the vehicle, and the driver died at the scene. One passenger’s condition was so serious that that airlift to a hospital was required. Witnesses at the scene described how the driver was going at a very high rate of speed. Police also reported finding open alcohol inside the vehicle.
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The Holiday Season: Our Lawyers Tips for Driving Safely

Published on: November 26, 2014 | Levin & Perconti

It may seem like fall has come and gone too fast, but the week of Thanksgiving is finally upon us, and that means we are in the midst of the holiday season. From this point until New Years, many Americans will be enjoying the company of their friends and family, and will be hosting or attending a multitude of get-togethers to celebrate with the ones they love. However, these festivities almost always involve drinking, so it may not come as a surprise when our accident lawyers tell you that it is more dangerous to drive during this time of year than any other.
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The Most Common Car Accident Injuries

Published on: August 8, 2014 | Levin & Perconti

As personal injury lawyers, we have spent more than 20 years fighting for the rights of victims killed or injured in Illinois car accidents, and we have recovered more than $520 million in compensation for clients who have experienced hardships because of a negligent or reckless driver.

Car accidents can cause all sorts of debilitating injuries, affecting virtually every part of the body. In some cases these injuries can alter a victim’s quality of life for years, and in others, they are completely permanent. What follows is a list of some of the most common car accident injuries, and a brief description of why they are so debilitating for victims.
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Vacation Season is Here: Tips for Preventing Car Accidents While Traveling

Published on: May 26, 2014 | Levin & Perconti

For many people Memorial Day weekend signifies the beginning of the vacation season, and consequently, the summer months are usually indicative of a noticeable increase in the number of vehicles on the road. Statistics indicate that in the coming months, thousands of families will be involved in automobile accidents due to the negligence and recklessness of other drivers, but many more will experience serious accidents as a result of their own failure to take necessary safety steps before and during their trip.

As personal injury lawyers, one of the most important aspects of our work is staying up to date on the latest safety information, so that we can better serve our clients and the public. Whether you are going on a vacation, a road trip, or just commuting to work, a higher volume of vehicles on the road is something that will affect you; with this in mind, here are a couple of tips for prevention and planning to ensure safer travel this summer.
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1 killed, 15 injured in Accident Involving Pickup Truck and Bus

Published on: January 2, 2014 | Levin & Perconti

Weather can affect traffic in a multitude of ways. This can include visibility impairment, precipitation, high winds, temperature extremes, traction, stability, and maneuverability problems, and can even cause damage to roadway infrastructures. Wet pavement alone causes more than 1,100,000 car accidents every year, and injures more than half a million people, so it is extremely important to be cognizant of the conditions your drive in this winter season, and react accordingly to keep yourself and those around you safe. (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, Road Weather Management Program)

Last Wednesday, one individual was killed and approximately 15 additional people were injured after a pickup truck crashed into a bus on U.S. 20 not far from County Road 450 East. According to reports from the LaPorte County Sherriff’s Deputies, the accident happened around 3:15 p.m. as the driver was heading westbound. Authorities believe that the slick pavement caused the driver to lose control of his pickup truck, and led him to drift past the center divider and strike an eastbound bus before careening into a nearby ditch. The impact of the crash was enough to expel the driver of the truck from his vehicle, and caused the bus to swerve off of the road, settling roughly 300 yards away from the sight of the collision. The accident caused the deputies to temporarily close U.S. 20s eastbound lanes, but traffic began moving again by 6 p.m.

Reports indicate that the bus involved in the accident was carrying a group of people from the New Buffalo Four Winds Casino, and was headed to Mishawaka; all 15 injuries are believed to be non life threatening. Passengers from the bus were transported via 7 ambulances to nearby hospitals, and 55-65 people without injuries were taken to a nearby high school in order to stay warm until another bus could be contacted to take them home. The driver of the pickup truck was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation. (NWI Times)

Effingham Man Killed in Workplace Accident

Published on: August 8, 2013 | Levin & Perconti

We live in the Midwest. That means there are two seasons: winter and road construction. As an Illinois resident, you’ve probably spent a great deal of your summers sitting in two lane traffic, or convincing tourists in Chicago that the construction barrel is actually your official state bush. Still, construction is a necessary evil when it comes to maintaining viable streets and highways, and unfortunately there is no real way to avoid it. As if we needed another reason to detest construction, work zones can be as hazardous as they are frustrating. The congestion created by construction brings cars, construction equipment, and people into very close proximity, and that can be a recipe for disaster.

Earlier this week, a construction zone accident left one worker dead in rural Effingham. According to reports from Illinois State Police, the victim was crushed while giving a dump truck driver directions to back up while on site. While reversing, the driver lost site of the 54-year-old man, striking and proceeding to roll over him. An investigation into the incident is pending. (Effingham Daily News)

While congestion can cause serious hazards for drivers, they are protected to some extent by crumple zones, air bags, and seat belts. The men and women working to build, repair, and maintain our nations roads are afforded no such protection from an impact. In the last five years, accidents in highway work zones have accounted for nearly 5,000 fatalities, and they’ve injured 200,000 more. Whether you are a motorist or a worker, a debilitating injury could mean spending months relegated to a state of recovery. For many victims, this means accumulating thousands and thousands of dollars in medical and insurance costs, and frequently this coincides with an inability to work and earn a paycheck. At Levin Perconti, our lawyers bring a combined 150 years of medical and legal experience together to get our clients the compensation they deserve.

Pedestrian Dragged a Block after Being Struck by Car In East Chatman

Published on: February 17, 2013 | Levin & Perconti

A Chicago car accident that occurred on the South Side in the East Chatham neighborhood left a pedestrian in serious condition. The accident occurred when the driver of a car struck a man late at night and then attempted to drive away from the scene. The pedestrian that was struck was dragged by the car for an entire block before the car drove away. Luckily for the victim, two police officers that were patrolling in the area saw the hit-and-run Chicago car accident occur and called in a description of the car while staying with the victim until the ambulance arrived. According to the Chicago Tribune, the victim is at Stroger Hospital and is listed in serious condition.

Since the police were able to send in a report of the car right after the car accident occurred, officers from a neighboring area were able to locate the car less than a mile from the scene of the car and pedestrian accident. Several people that lived in a home near where the car was found have been taken into custody in connection with the hit-and-run accident but at the time the article was written no charges had been filed against the people in custody in connection with the South Side car accident.

Hit-and-runs are a serious problem in Chicago and when a driver flees the scene there may be no one around to identify the car or the driver, especially if the victim is severely injured and cannot pay attention to what the car looked like. The penalties for fleeing the scene of an accident in Illinois when a person is seriously injured are very severe, and no driver should ever leave the scene if they strike a pedestrian. Our Illinois accident attorneys remind all drivers to stop immediately if you strike a pedestrian and first call an ambulance right away and then call the police immediately. The severity of the penalties are much less severe if you remain at the scene of the car accident and take all necessary steps to help the victim and help the police. If you leave the scene of the accident and are later found to have been responsible for the accident, the penalties are very severe. If a person struck by a car dies as a result of their personal injuries and the driver has fled the scene, the penalties are even more severe in Illinois.

Illinois Car Accident Leaves Three Injured

Published on: February 8, 2013 | Levin & Perconti

Three people were injured in an Illinois car accident that occurred on Monday night on Illinois 47 near Armstrong Street. According to the Morris Daily Herald, a woman had pulled over to the side of the highway because she was experiencing engine trouble and then her car was struck by another vehicle from behind while she was stopped on the shoulder of the highway. The original car was stopped in the right hand lane and the driver was trying to call for help on her cell phone when the car accident occurred.

The driver of the other car that struck the stopped vehicle stated that she had glanced down to check her speed at the time of the accident, causing her not to see the stopped car in time to avoid the car accident. The driver that struck the stopped car was ticketed with failure to reduce speed in order to avoid an accident. Both of the drivers, as well as a passenger from one of the cars, were transported to a local hospital for treatment of their minor personal injuries.

The two-car accident resulted in the vehicles blocking the roadway and led to a lot of traffic on Illinois 47 following the car accident. Our Chicago car accident attorneys remind drivers how important it is to maintain a safe speed at all times, because it can often be very difficult to stop your car in time to avoid an accident if you are driving too fast. Please always obey the posted speed limits because they are determined to be the safest maximum speed to drive in that given area. Even if you feel that it is safer to go faster or okay to speed because there are no other vehicles around, remember that it will be very hard to stop your car in time if you need to.