North Chicago & St. Louis Injury Updates

Dui-Related Car Accident Injures 8 People

Published on: February 17, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Firm News | February 17, 2014

A recent early-morning crash in Chicago’s South Side neighborhood caused injury to eight people, including three children. The two-vehicle crash was caused by an alleged intoxicated driver. The driver was a 29-year-old woman who is now facing several charges.

The accident occurred on the morning of Feb. 3. The woman was traveling westbound in a minivan on 43rd Street when she failed to stop at a red light. She kept going and struck a sedan, which stopped near a wall and next to a light pole. Six ambulances arrived at the scene of the car accident.

Trucker Told Not To Drive Commercially After Fatal Crash

Published on: February 11, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | February 11, 2014

Medical conditions can interfere with a driver’s safe operation of a vehicle. When a truck accident results in a fatality, investigators may attempt to determine if the driver’s medical status contributed to the event. Truck drivers may face certain health requirements to ensure they are safe to drive commercially.

State Trooper Killed in Highway Crash; Driver Lost Consciousness

Railroad Safety In Illinois

Published on: February 11, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | February 11, 2014

Rail crossings are common sites for train accidents. They can occur due to a failure of safety equipment such as crossing gates, warning lights and traffic control devices. The Illinois Commerce Commission is responsible for rail safety in Illinois. The ICC also tracks statistics on Illinois train accidents.

ICC Responsibilities

Understanding Medical Malpractice In Illinois

Published on: February 11, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles,Medical malpractice | February 11, 2014

Medical malpractice is an act or omission by a medical professional that results in medical care that fails to meet accepted standards. It can include a variety of errors such as failure to diagnose, medication errors and surgical errors. Medical malpractice claims are generally litigated in a manner similar to that of other negligence claims in Illinois, although some specific requirements are different. Illinois law also regulates caps for medical malpractice awards.

Victims Should Seek Compensation

Man Offers Reward For Answers In Motorcycle Accident

Published on: February 11, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | February 11, 2014

Not every motor vehicle accident comes with easy answers. Sometimes it is hard even for investigators and first responders to pinpoint the cause of a motorcycle accident. Survivors of fatal motorcycle crashes often face both physical and emotional recoveries, especially if the deceased was a loved one.

Oil Spill Suspected in Fatal Crash; Man’s Wife of 14 Years Killed

Illinois Teen Dies After Root Canal; Medical Malpractice Alleged

Published on: February 11, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | February 11, 2014

When a routine dental or medical procedure results in the death of an otherwise healthy person, allegations of medical malpractice may be filed. In addition, the person’s heirs may file a wrongful death lawsuit.

Sepsis Caused Death of 17-Year-Old Boy After Root Canal in Blue Island, Illinois

Electrocution Remains A Workplace Safety Hazard

Published on: February 11, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | February 11, 2014

Electrocutions can happen both at work and at home due to defective products, lack of safety precautions and power company negligence. The Electrical Safety Foundation International, or ESFI, reports more than 30,000 electricity-related injuries on the job in the past 10 years. Some of these may have occurred in Illinois. It is important that victims of negligence or inadequate safety precautions, or families of victims, contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer experienced in dealing with such cases.

Coming Into Contact With Live Wires While Working Is a Common Problem

Defective Product Causes Chicago Woman to Lose Baby, File Suit

Published on: January 29, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Product Liability | January 29, 2014

In July 2012, a Chicago woman was trying out a chair she was looking to purchase at a TJ Maxx store in nearby Crestwood. The woman, who was almost 8 months pregnant, sat in the chair, and it collapsed. As a result, she alleges lost her baby and is now suing the store and the chair’s manufacturer for allowing a defective product to cause her unborn baby’s death.

The woman is suing the store’s parent company, The TJX Companies Inc., and Red Monkey LLC, the chair’s manufacturer. After the collapse, the woman was hospitalized that night for pain in her leg, thigh and abdomen. An ultrasound showed that her baby was still alive. However, a week later, after noticing decreased fetal movement and tightening in her abdomen, she found out that the fetus had died. Her baby girl was born stillborn the next day.

Alcohol, BAC And Car Accidents

Published on: January 28, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Firm News | January 28, 2014

Laws concerning driving under the influence of alcohol have evolved substantially over the years. Significant pressure from the federal government was required to compel all 50 states to adopt a blood alcohol content level of .08 as the legal limit for DUI. Recently, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that the states change the limit to .05 BAC. A recent study suggests that even that change may not be enough. According to researchers at the University of California, San Diego, even very small amounts of alcohol increase the chances of a collision. The study showed that drivers at a .01 BAC were more likely to get into an accident than sober drivers.

While drunk driving laws vary from state to state, a BAC of .08 is considered by many to be the line that separates impaired drivers from those still able to safely operate their vehicles. In a review of thousands of accidents tracked in the U.S. Fatality Analysis Reporting System database, little evidence was found for that distinction. The likelihood that a driver would be responsible for a fatal accident rose steadily from blood alcohol limits of .01 to .24. No spike occurred from .07 to .08. The steady rise demonstrated that the first alcoholic beverage consumed starts the process of degrading a person’s driving ability.

Seidman Law Offices Announces Name Change

Published on: January 7, 2014 | by Seidman, Margulis & Fairman, LLP

Legal Articles | January 7, 2014

RELEASED: January 2014

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Seidman, Margulis, & Fairman Blog

State Trooper Killed in Highway Crash; Driver Lost Consciousness

ICC Responsibilities

Victims Should Seek Compensation

Oil Spill Suspected in Fatal Crash; Man’s Wife of 14 Years Killed

Sepsis Caused Death of 17-Year-Old Boy After Root Canal in Blue Island, Illinois

Coming Into Contact With Live Wires While Working Is a Common Problem