Posted on August 17, 2018 in Car Accidents

The last thing anyone wants to deal with is filing a car accident claim. Car accidents are scary business and can leave you with not only physical injuries and pain but also emotional trauma. Though not all accidents can be prevented, many accidents can be avoided through safe driving practices. Injuries sustained during car accidents can be extensive, which is why you should try to avoid risky situations in the car at all times. Here are four tips to follow to help reduce your chances of a car accident:

1. Keep Your Attention on the Road

One of the biggest causes of accidents is distracted driving. You can be distracted by almost anything, but you should try to keep your attention on the road at all times. Many times, drivers are distracted by their cell phones, but the distraction is not always digital. Drivers can become distracted by other passengers in the vehicle, things outside of the vehicle or even something as simple as changing the air conditioning in the car.

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 Posted on August 10, 2018 in Workers' Compensation

All employees deserve to work in a relatively safe environment. By nature, some jobs are more dangerous than others, but they still must follow certain safety guidelines to prevent workplace injuries or deaths. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides a set of general and industry-specific guidelines for safety measures that should be taken in order to prevent injuries and death in the workplace. Unfortunately, not all workplaces always follow OSHA’s guidelines, which results in accidents that could have been easily prevented. Here are the most commonly cited violations that OSHA has reported during workplace inspections:

1. Fall Protection in Construction Industry

Fall protection violations were the most cited violation in 2017. This regulation states that construction employers have the duty to make sure that work and walking surfaces have enough strength and structure to hold employees. This regulation also states that there should be guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems in place when an employee is working in an area without a protected edge.

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 Posted on July 31, 2018 in Car Accidents

In almost every way, car accidents can be traumatic, affecting you emotionally, mentally and especially, physically. Even if the car accident was a minor one, you can come out of it with serious injuries that put a damper on your well being. These injuries can become costly medical bills and can cause you to lose out on wages at work. Thankfully, if you can successfully prove a personal injury car accident claim, you might be able to recover some of these lost expenses, but only if you have proof and documentation. Proper records and proof can be lifesavers when it comes to proving cases. Here are six tips on how to keep thorough records of your personal injuries:

1. Take Photographs

Having photographs available as evidence is one of the best ways to prove your case. Photographs are hard evidence and can help illustrate the extent of the damage from the accident. Be sure to take photos of:

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 Posted on July 24, 2018 in Car Accidents

Everyone is a pedestrian at some point during the day--whenever you are not in your vehicle, you are a pedestrian. Unfortunately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that pedestrian accidents and fatalities have been rising since 2009--one of the few groups to see an increase in fatalities. In 2016, there were nearly 6,000 pedestrian fatalities, the highest number of pedestrian fatalities in one year since 1990. In Illinois alone, pedestrians accounted for nearly 14 percent of traffic fatalities. Everyone is at risk for getting into an accident as a pedestrian and these accidents can cause serious and severe injuries, if not death. It is important to understand how you can do your part - as a driver and as a pedestrian--to keep yourself and others safe.

Risk Factors For Pedestrian Accidents

Fortunately, there are trends in who is involved in traffic accidents, the environment they take place in and when they take place. Trends like these are used to make decisions on how pedestrian accidents and fatalities are addressed.

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 Posted on July 17, 2018 in Workers' Compensation

One of the most traumatic things a family can go through is the loss of a family member through a workplace accident. Not only are you grieving for your loved one, you might be worried about your family’s financial future. Many American families sustain their standard of living by having two incomes. With the loss of one income, your family could be facing financial hardship. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act allows the spouses and children of the worker to collect death benefits of a deceased loved one who was killed on the job.

Who Can Receive Death Benefits?

When a worker is killed on the job, their surviving spouse and children who are under the age of 18 are entitled to death benefits. These are called primary beneficiaries. If there are no primary beneficiaries that exist, then the benefits can be paid to totally dependent parents of the deceased worker. If totally dependent parents do not exist, benefits can be paid to anyone who was at least 50 percent dependent on the worker before his or her death.

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 Posted on July 10, 2018 in Car Accidents

Picture it: you have just gotten off of work, you are on your way home and you have found yourself in the middle of rush hour. Traffic is moving at a snail’s pace, but as you are moving up a few feet, another driver from the lane over decides to cut you off and jump in front of you. You are probably not too happy about this and depending on the day you have had, this may be the tipping point. The anger you would be feeling is not uncommon--according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, nearly 80 percent of drivers have expressed significant anger or aggression behind the wheel at least once. Road rage is dangerous and can lead to serious car accidents, which is why it is important to understand how to handle road rage if you come across an aggressive driver.

What Is Road Rage?

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) defines road rage as violent or aggressive behavior that is a result of a driver’s uncontrolled anger toward another driver. Often, the anger that is felt by those who have road rage is not necessarily toward the other driver, but is a projection of anger about something else, such as a long day at work. Examples of road rage include:

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 Posted on June 30, 2018 in Workers' Compensation

Most workers know that if they get injured on the job they are entitled to workers’ compensation. What some people may not know is that they are also eligible to receive compensation if they develop an occupational disease or ailment from continuous employment. Exposure to things like chemicals, dust, fumes, mold, or radiation can cause permanent and often irreversible damage to a person. The process to prove these types of cases can be tedious, but it does not have to be difficult with the right person’s help.

What Types of Diseases Are Covered?

The Illinois Occupational Diseases Act does not specifically list the types of diseases and ailments that are covered under the act. The act states that any employee who sustains any disablement, impairment or disfigurement or dies due to a disease that arises from their employment, is eligible for benefits. This means that any type of disease that is caused by employment is eligible for consideration under this act. Common types of diseases can include:

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 Posted on June 21, 2018 in Car Accidents

You have just gotten into a car accident and you are panicking because you do not know what to do next. This has never happened to you before, so you have no prior knowledge to draw from. Who do you call? What do you do first? What do you do if you are hurt? These are questions that will probably arise if you ever find yourself in the precarious situation of a car accident. You may think it is not likely to happen to you, but statistics say otherwise. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were over 6 million traffic accidents reported to police in 2016. Understanding the appropriate steps you should take after an accident can ensure that you are compensated for your damages.

Immediately After the Crash

Stay Safe

The first thing you should do is make sure that you are in a safe location after the accident. If your vehicle is obstructing traffic, move to a safe place, but be sure you do not leave the scene of the accident. If you are injured and there is a risk of further injury if you move, stay put.

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 Posted on June 16, 2018 in Workers' Compensation

Contrary to what the majority of people believe, construction work or the manufacturing sector are not the most dangerous industries to work in. Surprisingly, the healthcare industry is the most dangerous industry to work in. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), more workers are injured in the healthcare industry than any other.

Types of Healthcare Industry Work-Related Injuries

Healthcare workers face a few specific and unique workplace hazards. These types of hazards include:

• Bloodborne pathogens;
• Biological hazards;
• Chemical and drug exposures;
• Anesthetic gas exposures;
• Respiratory hazards;
• Ergonomic hazards, such as lifting and repetitive tasks;
• Laser hazards;
• Workplace violence; and

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 Posted on June 07, 2018 in Workers' Compensation

Accidents happen — that is why there is such a thing as workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation is an insurance program that was designed to help those who are hurt on the job and have suffered injuries that prevent them from working, or limit what they can do. One of the injuries that you can file a workers’ compensation claim for is carpal tunnel syndrome, an injury of the hand and wrist.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, one of the major nerves that runs through the hand, is stretched or compressed, causing damage. Carpal tunnel syndrome is considered a progressive injury, which means it can get worse over time if you do not treat it right away. Without treatment, carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to permanent nerve damage.

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome usually start gradually and progressively get worse. Symptoms of this syndrome can include:

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