dwyer_chicago_law_firm_header_08_1.jpg
Archive | accidental death RSS feed for this section

Study Shows Chicago Police Reports Chalked Full Of Errors

by on April 28, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, car accident, IDOT

A study conducted by the Illinois Department of Transportation has shown that Chicago police reports are full of errors.

The study examined state records of Chicago police reports filed in 2006 at the city’s request in 2008. More than 70 percent of the crash reports were missing important data or details and 30 percent had errors in them.

According to a Chicago Tribune article, officials are now trying to correct the problems through improved training of police officers and clerical workers who compile the data, an easier-to-use accident form as well as better analysis of the raw data as it is received.

On example the article pointed out was that in 2006, the city counted 63 traffic deaths in Chicago while a state database, which is considered more accurate lists the deaths at 176.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or your loved one was killed in a motor vehicle accident, you may want to seek counsel from the Illinois accident lawyers at Dwyer & McDevitt. Call today for a free, initial consultation.

Comments { 0 }

CPSC Warns Parents About Dangers Of Opening Windows

by on April 10, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, concussions, CPSC, fall, window fall, wrongful death

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a timely warning for all families, especially for those with young children.

As spring approaches, many start opening their windows and although opened windows bring relief from the heat, they may also bring danger to those who are on the inside.

According to data from the CPSC, about 3,300 children five years and younger are treated yearly for window falls and about eight children die yearly. About 34 percent of those who fall, must be hospitalized as they recover from their injuries.

The National Safety Council recommends parents and caregivers take these steps to help prevent falls of young children.

- Avoid placing furniture young children can climb on near windows.

- Do not lean on screens or rely on them to prevent a window fall. Insect screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in the home.

- Supervise children to prevent them from playing near windows, balconies or patio doors.

- Install building code-compliant devices such as window guards (with quick-release mechanisms in case of fire).

- Teach your children how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a fall from a window, the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Dwyer & McDevitt may be able to assist you. Contact our offices today for a free, initial consultation.

Comments { 0 }

NHTSA Recommends Regulating Use Of Distracting Electronics

by on March 21, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, cell phone ban, distracted driving, NHTSA, texting while driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is defending it’s proposal that automakers block drivers from using their GPS devices or Web searches while in motion.

According to the agency, 3,000 people died in distracted driving crashes last year, even though the data showed the most common distraction was other passengers and reaching for an item. Only three percent of those killed included distraction by an electronic device.

The proposal was posed in February, but some opponents of stricter regulation argue that locking a person out of the car devices would only encourage them to turn to their cellular phones more, in turn causing a higher rate of distraction than is seen currently.

If these guidelines are implemented, a driver would be prevented from sending or receiving text messages, browsing the Internet, tweeting or posting status updates, entering addresses into navigation systems as well as additional activities.

Studies have shown that even handheld devices don’t necessarily reduce the risk of a serious accident.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured by a distracted driver, it is imperative to speak to an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney immediately for a free consultation to review your case. Call us today.

Comments { 0 }

Family Of Dance Instructor Killed In Train Collision Receives $6M

by on March 17, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, train accident, wrongful death

Nearly two years after a Naperville dance instructor was struck and killed at a train crossing due to malfunctioning equipment, the family has come to a $6 million settlement with the railroad company.

Twenty-six-year-old Katie Ann Lunn was on her way to her Lincoln Park residence from an awards contest when a Chicago-bound Amtrak collided with her sports utility vehicle at approximately 78 mph. Witnesses reported and video showed the gates, lights and bells were not working at the time of the crash.

Canadian National Railway Co. had a crew out there working hours before the crash and had accidentally disabled the gate and warning lights and sounds. The family was scheduled to go to trial in a civil suit against the railway company on Tuesday, but the family came to an agreement with the company Monday evening.

Additionally, the signalman assigned to assuring the signals were operating correctly should have been tested for drugs and alcohol, but no test was given because it apparently wasn’t mandatory for non crewmen. The Amtrak crew was cleared of wrongdoing in the accident.

If you or your loved one has been serious injured or killed in any type of train accident, you want an aggressive Chicago personal injury attorney on your side fighting on your behalf. Call our offices today for a free, initial consultation.

Comments { 0 }

Proposed Legislation Would Add Federal Oversight For Rental Car Companies

by on February 29, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, defective product, new law, product liability

Last week, a mother who lost her two girls in a 2004 fiery crash involving a rental car that was under a safety recall was able to get Enterprise Holdings to pay attention to her plea.

The PT Cruiser Cally Houck’s daughters Raechel and Jacqueline Houck were driving had been recalled because of a power steering fluid problem. The power steering fluid apparently caught fire as the girls drove the car and caused the girls to lose control of the vehicle, drive across a grassy median and slam into an oncoming semi tractor-trailer. They had rented the vehicle from Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Houck posted an online petition on change.org and within two days 130,000 people had signed her petition in support of an act that would bring about federal safety legislation. The Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act would require car-rental companies to ground any vehicles that are under federal safety recall and to repair the problems before leasing or selling the vehicles. New-car dealers have had to abide by such rules since the 1960s.

Enterprise went to Washington to discuss such legislation for the first time last week. The company has been resistant for years, but with control of more than half of the rental-car market, the Houcks believe it is key to get them on board. Enterprise owns both Alamo and National chains.

Just two years ago, the Houck family received a $15 million settlement after Enterprise accepted responsibility for the girls’ deaths. Houck said she wants to make sure this doesn’t happen to any other family.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured by a defective product or in a car accident, you may have a personal injury case. Contact your Chicago personal injury attorneys today to find out how we can assist you. Call for your free, initial consultation.

RELATED ARTICLES:

USA Today

Boston Herald

ABC News

Bellingham Herald

Comments { 0 }

Bill Would Require Missing Child Report Within 24 Hours

by on February 24, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, new law

A bill that would require parents to report a missing child younger than 13 within 24 hours has passed through a committee and is heading to the House floor for discussion.

The legislation, born out of the Casey Anthony murder case where Anthony failed to report the disappearance of her young daughter for a month, has gained momentum in recent weeks. It is sponsored by State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo and would make it a class 4 felony if a parent or guardian fails to report a child missing within that window.

The legislation also proposed parents and guardians be charged with a felony if they provide false information during a missing child investigation.

You can read the text of the bill here >>.

If you or your loved one has suffered a personal injury as a result of someone else’s actions, you may want to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Contact your Illinois personal injury attorneys today for a free, initial consultation.

Comments { 0 }

New Law Encourages Seeking Help For Drug Overdoses

by on February 18, 2012 in Accident, accidental death

A new law would allow people to call 911 to report an overdose without worrying about facing criminal charges.

The new law, which Gov. Pat Quinn signed last week, is set to take effect June 1. It will grant immunity to those who call 911 to report a drug overdose or for those who seek medical attention at a hospital from a drug overdose from facing charges of drug possession and other minor drug charges.

The new law does not cover every case however. Officials said that the person may not be exempt from drug trafficking charges and if they have a large amount of drugs, they may also still face charges.

Many hope the new law will reduce the number of overdose deaths but giving people the ability to seek help without automatically incriminating themselves.

If you or your loved one has suffered a serious injury, you may want to discuss your case with an aggressive Chicago personal injury lawyer. Contact our offices today for a free, initial consultation.

Comments { 0 }

IDOT Officials Consider Ways To Reduce Wrong-Way Accidents

by on February 11, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, wrong-way accident

A crash on Lake Shore drive early Thursday morning takes officials back to a question many of them have been exploring for the past year, can more be done to prevent wrong-way crash on Illinois’ roads?

According to an article on nbcchicago.com, the crash was the fourth in the past month. Wrong-way crashes tend to be more deadly than other types of crashes because of the nature of them.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is evaluating many options including more pavement markings or different pavement markings, changes to signs and different roadway designs.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or your loved one has been killed in a wrong-way crash, you may want to discuss your case with an aggressive Chicago personal injury attorney today. Call now for a free, initial consultation.

Comments { 0 }

Study: Wearing Headphones And Walking Can Be Deadly

by on January 18, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, train accident

A new study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that serious injuries to pedestrians listening to headphones has more than tripled since 2005.

According to the news release, in many instances a car or train is sounding a horn to alert the pedestrian, but that person is unable to hear it. Those cases lead to fatalities in 70 percent of all incidents.

Dr. Lichenstein, along with some colleagues, studied 116 accident cases after gathering case reports from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Comission, Google News Archives and the Westlaw Campus Research databases for reports of pedestrian injuries or fatalities from crashes with trains or motor vehicles between 2004 and 2011.

Their findings were released online Monday in the journal ‘Injury Prevention.’

Sixty-eight percent of the victims were male and 67 percent were younger than 30. According to their findings, more than half of the accidents involved trains and 29 percent reported sounding a horn or other warning prior to the incident.

The study was initiated after a local teen died at a railroad crossing. The teen was noted to be wearing headphones and did not avoid the train, despite several warnings.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured or killed in any type of motor vehicle accident, the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. are here for you. Contact us today for your free, initial consultation.

Comments { 0 }

New Law Requires All To Buckle Up

by on December 29, 2011 in accidental death, car accident, seat belt law, transportation news

It will now be illegal for anyone riding in a vehicle in Illinois to not buckle up.

Beginning January 1, a new law takes effect requiring all occupants of a motor vehicle to be properly restrained while the vehicle is in motion. Currently, only the driver and front-seat passengers must wear a seatbelt.

If someone is cited for riding without a seatbelt, a $60 fine will be assessed and if the person is younger than 16 years old, the driver will be responsible for the fine.

Those riding in buses and taxis will be exempt from the new laws.

If you or someone you love have been injured in a car accident, you need an experienced Illinois accident attorney by your side to fight for you. Contact us today so we can discuss your case.

Comments { 0 }
← Older posts