Chicago Car Accidents Blog

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is investigating new cases of Legionnaires' disease. One outbreak in Champaign County may be tied to the First Christian Church where several victims recently attended a wedding. Another outbreak occurred at the Embassy Suites in Chicago. These outbreaks are a serious health matter and anyone exposed needs to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Caught early enough, the disease can be treated with antibiotics.

Legionnaires' disease is a deadly condition that is often caused by improper maintenance of water or air conditioning systems. The disease spreads when victims inhale water contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Hotels and apartment buildings are common sites for these outbreaks, as they contain hot tubs, spa pools, shower heads, indoor fountains, irrigation systems and other sites where water can stagnate and become contaminated. When proper prevention standards are followed, the Legionella bacteria cannot thrive. Failure to follow these standards is a sign of negligence by property owners and managers. 

After any kind of traffic accident, it is important to gather as much evidence as you can at the scene of the collision before cleanup crews arrive and clear away the wreckage. The evidence present before the cleanup crews arrive is often crucial to building an effective personal injury claim. Once the evidence is gone, it is very difficult or even impossible to recover.

While this is true in all traffic accidents, the stakes are usually much higher when it comes to accidents involving large commercial trucks. These enormous vehicles often cause immense damage and leave victims with serious injuries that require extensive emergency medical care and may involve months or years of treatment to reach recovery — or for the victim to learn to live with a permanent disability brought on by the accident.

Entering a hospital for emergency care or undergoing a planned procedure usually comes with a certain degree of stress and anxiety. Of course, when you leave the hospital with further injuries because of the negligence or errors of the hospital or those who work in it, you understandably have a lot of frustration and want to hold someone responsible.

Traditionally, victims accomplish this through a medical malpractice claim that outlines failures in care that lead to injuries and losses requiring compensation. A carefully constructed medical malpractice claim with compelling documentation may still take months or even years to resolve. You must take great care as you build your claim and use the full range of legals options you have available to make sure that you stand a good chance of receiving fair compensation and to keep your rights secure.

Just about any blow to the head may result in a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), even if it is relatively minor. These sorts of injuries commonly occur in car accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, or even contact sports, and may wreak havoc on the personal and professional lives of victims, even if they do not realize they suffered any injury at all.

Mild TBIs are often devastating to victims, because they are difficult to identify and may last for up to a year without proper treatment. The symptoms of mild TBI vary, and may range from inconvenient frustrations to career and relationship destroying alterations to a victim's personality and cognitive functions.