Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

The school year has begun. And, while rush for back to school shopping is hopefully over, child safety is still the number one thing on parents’ minds. Many schools have joined the Let’s Move! initiative, started by the first lady, whose mission is to fight childhood obesity.

The initiative is trying to further its goal by encouraging kids to walk or bike to school. Whether you’re participating in the program or your child already bikes to school, you want to be sure that he or she has the proper safety equipment.

Helmets are a key piece of safety equipment for anyone riding a bike. Here are a few tips for picking the right helmet for your child:

• Make sure the helmet fits snuggly and doesn’t move up and down or side to side. Some helmets are adjustable. Check the adjustability before trying it on.

• Check to see if the helmet is marked with the U.S Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) stamp of approval. By law, all helmets sold in the U.S. must meet the CPSC standard.

• Make sure the helmet isn’t missing any components. All helmets should have a liner, a shell, and straps. Some helmets come with a strap that is designed to accommodate ponytails.

To speak with an experienced attorney from the Klest Injury Law Firm about your child’s safety concerns, click here, or dial 866-264-7639, for a free consultation.

© Joseph G. Klest, 2011.

A bicyclist suffered serious head injuries on Lasalle Street in Chicago Monday night when the driver of a parked car opened the door in his path. The bicycle rider was thrown under an on coming car and suffered critical head injuries.

Four bicycle riders have been killed this year riding their bikes on the streets of Chicago.

Several years ago I represented the family of a man who died in a similar accident on Fullerton Avenue in Chicago. He was riding his bike to work when the driver of a parked car opened his door without looking back and pushed him under the wheels of a tractor trailer truck.

The jury held that the driver who opened the car door and the truck driver were each 50% at fault for the death of the bicyclist. The jury awarded a substantial 7 figure verdict which greatly helped the family of the bike rider. Without the jury award the family would have been impoverished. Because of the jury award the children were able to finish school in a good suburban school and the mom was able to be around to help keep them out of trouble. I recently ran into one of the boys and he told me that they are all doing great.

Continue reading "A man riding a bicycle suffered serious head injuries in Chicago " »

A brain injury can be as subtle as a slight memory loss or as serious as a life-altering head trauma. The medical costs and ongoing care that can be required for treatment and recovery can be very high, which is why you should work with a Chicago personal injury lawyer that understands the human brain and what can cause the different kinds of brain injuries.

For more than 25 years, Chicago Personal Injury Attorney Joseph G. Klest has worked with many brain injury victims that have been injured in accidents in Will County, Lake County, Cook County, DuPage County, and elsewhere in Illinois. Recently, Mr. Klest obtained a settlement worth $7,500,000 in a Chicago head injury case.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) usually occurs when the head is struck or makes contact with a hard object, such as a steering wheel, a baseball, or the ground. A person may also sustain a TBI after experiencing severe whiplash to the head. The most common causes of TBIs include fall accidents, sporting accidents, car accidents, bus accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other kinds of motor vehicle accidents.

A person can also sustain a brain injury from exposure to a toxic or hazardous substance, as a victim of physical violence, because of a medical malpractice error, and in work-related accidents, such as a fall from a high altitude while working at a construction site.

Brain Injuries and Symptoms
Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine right away whether an injury victim is suffering from a brain injury because the symptoms can frequently be indicative of other injuries. Loss of consciousness, amnesia, memory loss, headaches, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, feeling disoriented, irritability, insomnia, mood swings, seizures, and loss of sex drive are just some of the possible symptoms of someone with a brain injury.

A brain injury can lead to paralysis, permanent memory loss, impairment of any of the five senses, difficulty speaking and writing, behavioral problems and changes, emotional and psychological trauma, and death. Recovery and rehabilitation can take years. A TBI victim might have sustained brain damage that is permanent, which can make life very challenging for the injury victim and his or her loved ones.

At Joseph Klest, Attorney at Law, we understand that you and your loved ones are going through a very difficult time, and we are here to help you. We have brain injury experts that we work with who can assess your injuries and accurately estimate their cumulative medical costs. Mr. Klest knows how to prove that a negligent party caused your injuries. He and his team of experts will zealously work to ensure that you receive the settlement that you are legally entitled to so that you have the resources you need to take care of yourself and your family.

To schedule your free consultation with Joseph Klest, Attorney at Law, contact us online or call us at (847) 969-9510, (630) 529-7848, or (312) 527-2779. We have law offices in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois and we are happy to meet you at another location if that is more convenient.