Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

A North Dakota woman was killed earlier this week in a fatal West Side Chicago car accident. The car accident victim was reportedly a passenger in a vehicle that struck a tree in the 1600 block of West Harrison St. early last Sunday morning. Preliminary reports indicate that the white vehicle in which she was a passenger was found resting against a Rush Hospital parking structure after striking the tree. The Chicago Police Major Accident Investigations Unit reports that charges are pending against the driver of the vehicle.

The Chicago car accident victim, who was later identified 25 year old Angeline De Leon of Fargo, North Dakota, was taken to John H. Stroger Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 2:38 p.m. The 23 year old driver of the vehicle was also taken in critical condition to John H. Stroger Hospital in Cook County while a 4 year old rear seat passenger was listed in stable condition after being rushed to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital. The fatal Chicago car accident is still being investigated by the Chicago Police Department’s Major Investigation Unit.

If you have been involved in a Chicago area car accident, you should contact an experience attorney to discuss potential avenues of recovery. Even a passenger in a one vehicle accident may have viable personal injury claim in certain situations. To speak with an experienced Chicago car accident attorney, please click here.

A south side man was killed yesterday morning in a tragic Chicago car accident on the city’s South Side. According to reports, an elderly Chicago resident was headed east on 92nd St. near the intersection of 92nd and Ewing around 7:30 a.m. when he got into a minor vehicle accident. The accident victim was then struck by a third driver while he was exchanging his information with the driver involved in the initial car accident.

The injured Chicago car accident victim was rushed to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, IL, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The deceased was identified as Raymond Veloz, a resident of the 8300 block of South Baker Avenue in Chicago. The driver that struck the Chicago car accident victim was issued a citation for failure to reduce speed to avoid striking a pedestrian. Initial reports indicate that sunlight may have played a role in one or both of the Chicago car accidents. The matter is still being investigated by Chicago Police.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a Chicago car accident, you should contact an experienced Chicago motor vehicle accident attorney to investigate the accident and protect your rights. To speak with a Chicago area car accident attorney with over twenty nine years of experience advocating on behalf of accident victims, please click here.

Alfalfa sprouts from certain sandwiches at Jimmy John’s restaurant locations in and around Chicago have been linked to a widespread outbreak in salmonella. The Illinois Department of Health announced on Friday that it had received 46 reports from individuals that had gotten sick from ingesting alfalfa sprouts from Jimmy John’s sandwiches. The outbreak has hit residents of Cook, McHenry, Will, Kankakee, Champaign, Peoria, Adams, McLean and Winnebago counties with the earliest reports dating back to November 1. The State has contacted Jimmy John’s regarding its findings but it is up to the restaurant to determine whether to discontinue use of the sprouts. Jimmy John’s carries four sandwiches that contain sprouts. The State of Illinois continues to look into the source of the sprouts including alfalfa producers and suppliers to the region.

Salmonella poisoning can be characterized by diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps. The symptoms typically develop within six to seventy two hours after bacterial contact. There are an estimated 142,000 persons each year infected by salmonella, about 30 of those cases turn fatal. If you have any of the symptoms associated with salmonella or were otherwise exposed to a product that you believe might contain the bacteria, you should contact a doctor immediately.

If you would like to speak with a Chicago injury lawyer regarding salmonella victims’ rights, please click here.

The Klest Law Firm scored a noteworthy triumph for victims of drunk driving accidents in Illinois earlier this year when the First District Appellate Court reversed a trial court ruling that had dismissed a wrongful death claim. The trial judge had determined that the Illinois Dram Shop Act preempted all alcohol related liability on summary judgment. The case itself, Hicks v. Korean Airlines, involved a Chicago car accident victim that was killed by a drunk driver leaving a work sponsored event. An investigation into the facts surrounding the tragedy indicated that the intoxicated driver had attended a Korean Airlines work function that may or may not have been a Korean Airlines promotional event. Furthermore, it was uncovered that the consumption of large amounts alcohol at the event may have been not only culturally accepted but even somewhat compulsory for employment.

The complaint contained a count alleging negligence against Korean Airlines under a theory of respondeat superior. In other words, the negligence count was based on the allegation that the at-fault intoxicated driver was within the scope of employment at the time of, and leading up to, the fatal crash. The First District Appellate Court reversed the trial court determining that whether the allegedly intoxicated driver was within the scope of her employment was a question of fact to be determined by a jury. In doing so, the First District rejected the idea that the Illinois Dram Shop Act preempts all alcohol related liability.

The decision is a significant victory for those injured by intoxicated individuals in Illinois. The attorneys at the Klest Law Firm were able to take a case that many other lawyers had rejected and turn it into a success for accident victims throughout the State of Illinois. If you would like to speak with an attorney from the Klest Law Firm, please click here.

A north suburban resident was killed earlier this week when she was struck by an allegedly intoxicated driver on the 200 block of North Green Bay Road in Waukegan, IL. According to reports, the victim, a resident of Waukegan, had just left her home and was heading to a local laundry facility when her vehicle was struck. The Chicago car accident occurred at the intersection of Green Bay Rd. and Westwaukee roads in Waukegan, IL, around 4:00 p.m. on Monday December 13th. The victim’s 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier was entering Green Bay Rd. when she was struck by the allegedly intoxicated driver on the driver’s side door.

The Chicago car accident victim was rushed to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, IL, where she was pronounced dead shortly after 4:20 p.m. The deceased was a substitute teacher in the Waukegan School District and had moved to the area about five years ago. She was the mother of two teenage boys. Responding police reported smelling alcohol on the other driver’s breath upon arriving at the scene. She was also taken to Vista East Medical Center where she was treated for minor injuries and her blood was drawn. She has been charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, driving under the influence of alcohol, and aggravated DUI causing a death, a class 2 felony. The matter is still being investigated by local authorities.

If you would like to speak with a Chicago lawyer experienced in handling alcohol related car accidents, please click here.

A North Suburban Chicago car accident left one man and two toddlers dead earlier today in Avon Township, IL. The fatal Chicago crash occurred near the intersection of Rollins Rd. and Route 45 in the northern Chicago suburbs. According to Lake County Sheriff’s Police, the car accident victims were all backseat passengers in a Jeep that was struck at the intersection by a 2008 Lincoln Navigator that was eastbound on Rollins Rd. Reports indicate that the driver of the Navigator ran a red light before striking the Jeep. The impact of the collision tore the back half of the Jeep open ejecting the three backseat passengers.

The Chicago car accident victims included one 26 year old Lake Villa male and two young children. The children were rushed to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, IL, where they were treated for massive head injuries. They were later airlifted to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL. The adult male was pronounced dead by the Lake County Coroner this afternoon. Both the driver and a front seat passenger in the Jeep were also taken to Advocate Condell in Libertyville, IL, with undisclosed neck and back injuries. The driver of the Lincoln Navigator and her two year old passenger were treated on the scene and did not seek further medical care. The tragic multi victim Chicago car accident is still under investigation by local authorities.

If you have any questions regarding Chicago area car accidents or would like to speak with an attorney with over twenty nine years of experience handling car accident claims in and around Chicago, please click here.

As the temperature drops and snow begins to fall on Chicago roadways, the Klest Law Firm blog would like to share some safe driving tips with its readers. It is especially important to drive carefully when road conditions are snowy and/or icy. The following winter driving tips have been published by AAA:

• Do not warm vehicles in enclosed areas i.e. garage
• Ensure that you have proper tire inflation
• Do not mix radial tires with other tire types
• AAA recommends keeping your gas tank half full during colder months to ensure that gas lines do not freeze
• Do not use cruise control on icy or snowy roadways
• Make sure the exhaust pipe is not clogged with snow or ice to ensure that carbon monoxide does not flow into the passenger cabin
• Allow yourself more time for braking and keep a greater distance between vehicles while driving in the winter

In addition, AAA also has special driving tips for long distance winter travel. Chicago motorists should make sure to keep blankets, extra gasoline, food, water, and a cellular phone when undertaking winter travel. Snowbound drivers should make sure to stay with their vehicles and not expend too much energy trying to dig out of snow or ice. Following these tips can help to avoid car accidents during the winter months.

Winter driving in and around Chicago can be enjoyable when proper precautions are taken. If you have any questions regarding winter driving safety or would otherwise like to speak with an attorney, please click here.

An elderly woman was killed last Friday when she was fatally hit by a minivan on Chicago’s south side. The fatal pedestrian-car accident occurred at Southwest Highway and Illinois Route 83 in Palos Park, IL. According to reports, the accident victim was walking to her mailbox on the afternoon of December 3rd when she was struck by a Dodge caravan minivan. She was discovered by police underneath the wheels of the minivan. Reports indicate that the driver did not see the victim walking at the time of the tragic Chicago car accident. Both the victim and the driver were residents of the Edelweiss on the Lake residential complex in Palos Park.

The Chicago pedestrian accident victim was pronounced dead at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, IL, at 5:39 p.m. The Palos Park Police Department has not issued any citations as a result of the crash as the investigation remains ongoing. Police have indicated that road conditions did not appear to be a contributing factor in the crash. Preliminary reports have also indicated that the driver of the vehicle did not appear to be impaired. The death of the car accident victim has been ruled an accident. The Palos Park Police Department is working with officers and officials from Alsip, Chicago Ridge, Hickory Hills and Palos Heights to investigate the tragic crash.

If you have any questions regarding Chicago area pedestrian accidents or would like to speak with an attorney, please click here.

A Chicago woman was killed late last night on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway when her car broke down in traffic. The fatal Chicago crash occurred on the busy expressway in unincorporated Elk Grove Village Township, IL. The accident victim was pronounced dead at Lutheran General Hospital at 10:04 p.m. according to a spokeswoman for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. An autopsy of the victim has not yet been performed as local authorities continue to investigate the car accident.

According to Illinois State Police, the accident victim was travelling eastbound on the Chicago expressway when her vehicle broke down in a live lane of traffic. Her vehicle was subsequently struck by a second vehicle, a 2005 Honda also eastbound on Interstate 90, which hit her in the rear and drove her vehicle into a guardrail. The victim was reportedly wearing a seat belt at the time of the fatal car crash. There were no other passengers in the vehicle. The Chicago car accident victim was a resident of the 4900 block of West Peterson Avenue in Chicago, IL.

Chicago drivers should take extra care as winter approaches and snow and ice impact driving conditions. If you have any questions about winter driving safety or would like to speak with an experienced Illinois car accident attorney, please click here.