There is nothing worse than being involved in a car accident and learning the driver at fault is uninsured. Even though Illinois requires all drivers to carry minimum coverage amounts, uninsured drivers still operate vehicles and collecting claim payments in the event of an injury due to an auto accident may be complicated.

What Illinois Requires

To be considered in compliance with Illinois law, you must have the following minimum coverages for any vehicle you own.

An Illinois family is claiming negligence by the employees of Six Flags Great America in a suit filed recently. The latest legal maneuver stems from injuries suffered at the hands of other park guests during a visit to the Gurnee theme park earlier this year.

The Attack

Three members of a family were allegedly attacked and beaten by what could be as many as 10 people when an incident escalated while park guests were waiting in line for one of the attractions. A woman, her husband, and their 12-year-old son all suffered physical injuries as a result of the altercation. Local 911 operators reported receiving more than one call from other park patrons who witnessed the melee. However, authorities have indicated that those alleged to have been responsible for the attack were permitted to leave the park before police could make contact.

As technological advances are made at increasingly higher rates, manufactures in a number of industries are racing to implement those advances to enhance the user experience of their products. Automobile makers are no exception, as the promise of self-driving cars appearing on roadways not only intrigues the public but has raised questions over matters of fault and liability stemming from injuries suffered in traffic accidents involving self-driving cars.

At This Point … More Questions Than Answers

While the roads are filled with vehicles that include a variety of semi-autonomous features such as parking assistance, blind spot detection and automatic braking, the vehicle that is fully self-driving has yet to hit the streets. As manufacturers work to introduce the self-driving car to the public, questions from drivers, law enforcement agencies and insurance groups relative to accidents and liability swirl.

Workers who earn a living doing physical labor are at risk of injury nearly every day they are on the job. Overland truck drivers and delivery drivers who maintain local routes are at no less risk for injury simply because they are behind the wheel much of the day.

Drivers’ Injuries Due Compensation

Truck drivers and delivery drivers experience injuries from more than just being involved in accidents. Some of the injuries occur from slips that occur getting in or out of the cab, lifting or loading and unloading cargo, raising truck hoods or cargo doors, and even falls on loading docks. Any of these can cause a number of serious injuries, which include:

Earlier this year Illinois legislators passed a bill that would create a taxpayer-funded insurance company that would issues workers compensation coverage policies. Governor Bruce Rauner vetoed the legislation, and, despite their best efforts, the Illinois House of Representatives failed to secure enough votes to override that veto.

Latest Attempt at Workers Compensation Reform

The bill passed earlier this year, that would have created a state-run, publicly funded insurance company received its support primarily among Democratic legislators. In creating this plan, supporters felt it would force private companies to reduce the cost of workers compensation coverage policies, and pass along savings gained from earlier attempts at reform. Among the key issues surrounding this highly politicized matter that is important to employers and injured employees alike are:

As temperatures begin to dip and autumn turns (sometimes slowly and sometimes overnight) into winter, property owners prepare for the inevitable snowfall that arrives each year. Despite the knowledge that winter in Chicagoland and Illinois brings about snow-covered and slippery walkways, pedestrians often are forced to traverse treacherous routes that sometimes result in injuries caused by a slip and fall.

Mother Nature and the Law

The question of whether or not someone is responsible for clearing snow and ice from the sidewalk and steps in front of their home or other property is a common topic during the winter months. The related issue of whether or not an individual can file a personal injury claim against a property owner when they call on a snowy sidewalk is just as common. Last winter, the Illinois Supreme Court clarified an Illinois law passed in 1979 that was designed to protect property owners under certain circumstances.

Plaintiffs from across the country and around the world frequently file their cases in Illinois as the courts in a handful of counties gained the reputation for awarding large monetary settlement awards. However, a recent unanimous decision by the Illinois Supreme Court could impact the flow of suits, personal injury claims, and asbestos cases into the state from other jurisdictions.

Targeting Tort Reform in Illinois

Corporations operating in the state heralded the ruling as they have long sought some relief in the way of limits to general personal jurisdiction to which they were liable. Now, for a claim to be heard in Illinois it must meet some criteria in order to qualify for a place on a court’s docket. The ruling issued by the Illinois Supreme Court sought to establish parameters by which out-of-state plaintiffs could file its suit with a court in Illinois.

While it may be true that sometimes accidents just happen, it is also true that many accidents are avoidable. When wrongful death occurs due to the negligence of others, there are legal avenues one can pursue to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

Examples of Wrongful Death and Liable Parties

Frequent incidents of deaths to road workers occurring on Illinois highways forced the state to enact stricter laws punishing motorists who strike and injure or kill construction or highway workers. However, regardless of the criminal outcome, the driver can still face a wrongful death suit in civil court.

Workplace accidents and illnesses result from a variety of incidents and sources. In the past, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly the reason for occupational disease and illness, but medical and scientific advances have helped blue collar workers gain reimbursement for hospital bills as well as compensation for lost wages and living expenses.

Asbestos-Related Illness

Asbestos once was heralded as a building material breakthrough that could help prevent the spread of fires and would make buildings safer. It was used extensively throughout schools, commercial buildings, multi-family buildings and other structures in which a large number of people might accumulate. Although there may have been warning signs early on, it was not until the 1940s that some began linking asbestos exposure to incidents of cancer.

Although initially created to protect consumers from injury or death by fire, groups are heralding new efforts to ban the use of flame retardant materials now known to contain deadly carcinogenic compounds. The flame retardants in question are used on a number of household items used by consumers across the country.

Consumers in Line for Greater Protection from Harmful Chemicals

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently voted to issue a consumer warning about products that contain harmful toxins. The vote now sets in motion a debate that could result in new, stricter regulations governing the use of flame retardants on a wide array of consumer products:

Suffering an injury, whether at work, as part of an auto accident or when simply walking down the street, can have a dramatic impact on one’s life. When faced with medical bills, loss of wage or the inability to perform everyday household tasks, an injured individual may pursue filing a personal injury claim to help cover related expenses.

Personal Injury Filing Criteria

A personal injury claim is a legal is a legal case, so it is important to understand and follow the rules and procedures in place to ensure that your filing is reviewed and processed without delay. Before filing your claim be sure one or more of the following criteria is met:

It has been reported that, despite laws designed to help keep drivers focused on the road, the rate of auto accidents occurring in Illinois continues to increase. If you are injured in a car accident  the pain suffered can have lasting results. However, the law provides a variety of options one can pursue to help offset the various expenses that accompany most automobile accident injuries.

Your Options

If you or someone close to you is injured, whether as a pedestrian, driver or passenger, it is important to know the various avenues to consider when seeking monetary relief to help pay for medical bills or cover loss of income.

Although workers compensation premiums paid by Illinois employers are expected to decrease next year, it is widely believed the reduction will not be enough for the state to compete with its neighbors in luring new jobs to Illinois. The governor’s office further indicated the expected reduction would not make a dent in Illinois’ non-competitive workers’ compensation expenses.

Workers Compensation Reform Efforts

Since taking office in 2015, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has advocated for reform of the state’s workers compensation laws. Some view this agenda item as an important step in making the state more attractive so large companies would relocate here, creating more jobs for Illinois residents.

Despite efforts to make sports equipment safer and protect the participants, personal injuries continue occurring to those who take part in athletics and other physical activities. While many believe participating in sports come with inherent risk, the fact remains that every year injuries happen in situations and under circumstances that demand close scrutiny.

While some courts have upheld that inherent risk exists under certain circumstances, it does not always account for injuries that occur. From faulty equipment to unsafe playing conditions and even negligence, willful or otherwise, catastrophic injuries can change the lives of those injured, as well as those of family members.

The Role of Negligence

If you have been injured after falling at business, you may think you have a foolproof lawsuit. However, slip and fall claims can be complicated to prove. In many cases, the most difficult element that an accident victim will be required to show to the court is that the business owner knew or should have known about the danger that caused the fall.

The law requires that business and property owners keep their properties in reasonably safe conditions. However, the accident victim must prove that the responsible party have knowledge or should have had knowledge of the dangerous condition.

How to Prove Knowledge of the Dangerous Condition

It can be surprising to a worker when he or she is injured on the job and yet cannot get workers’ comp benefits because the employer or its insurer denies the claim. Not only can this mean you are out of work, it can also mean that you will have to pay for expensive medical treatment yourself.

Your health and livelihood are two important things, and fighting a claim denial may be your best shot at getting the help you deserve under the law. An attorney can help you as you navigate the workers’ compensation process.

Here are some common reasons an employer or insurer will use to deny your claim:

The capital city of Hawaii, Honolulu, recently passed a “distracted pedestrian law,” which bans those on foot from looking at their cell phone while crossing a street or highway. Lawmakers said that the new rule was put into place in an effort to curb pedestrian accidents, which can be serious or deadly.

More Details on the Law

While most states have laws on the books that prohibit texting and driving, Honolulu appears to be the first major city in the U.S. to ban texting and walking. The mayor of Honolulu said that the area had seen many pedestrian accidents involving seniors and that he hoped this law would reduce the number of accidents.

America’s opioid abuse has reached crisis level with many first responders and doctors reporting a significant spike in deaths and complications due to the drug, which includes prescription painkillers. Another sign this type of drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions is the recent report that the number of drivers who died in car crashes under the influence of these drugs has increased sevenfold.

This comes as little surprise to those familiar with the statistics on opioid use. Prescriptions for the drugs oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine have risen by four times since 1991. In 1991, there were 76 million prescriptions written for these drugs, and in 2014 there were almost 400 million.

Thus, experts are not surprised that these drugs are now contributing to roadway deaths as these drugs can cause drowsiness, distorted thinking and decreased reaction times.

Two studies have reviewed motor vehicle accident data for states that have legalized recreational marijuana. The findings? One study determined that there was an increase in accidents while the other found no increase.

One study found a 3 percent higher rate of car accidents than would have been anticipated without legalization in states which had legalized marijuana when compared to neighboring states that had not legalized the drug. While this is a small increase, it is significant, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The other study found no increase in motor vehicle accident fatalities in Colorado and Washington compared to similar states.

Posting on social media can be detrimental to your workers’ comp claim. Anyone injured, being treated, or receiving benefits should be aware of what is being posted online, both by the injured worker and friends and family.

Malingering, or pretending to have a medical condition, is a huge issue in workers’ comp cases about which employers are concerned. There are numerous medical tests and evaluations meant to detect malingering in injured workers.

An opposing party in a claim will try to gather as much information as possible, especially if that information could be used as evidence of malingering, including meticulously looking through any viewable social media.