Chicago auto accident attorney takes on drowsy driving case

An Illinois injury lawyer at Abels and Annes has agreed to help a motorist that was recently injured by another driver who fell asleep at the wheel.

The Chicago-area car crash occurred earlier this month in Aurora, Illinois around 4 AM. The plaintiff was driving his 1999 Honda Accord home from work on Farnsworth Street. At that time the defendant, who was driving a 2007 Mitsubishi Gallant in the opposite direction, fell asleep at the wheel and crossed the center line, striking our client's vehicle head-on.

The Aurora Police Department responded to the scene of the accident. After the investigation, they placed the defendant at fault on the police report.

Unfortunately, our client was seriously injured in the accident. He was taken by ambulance to Provena Mercy Medical Center with significant internal bleeding in his stomach. There he had to undergo emergency surgery. He was also having breathing/lung issues, right shoulder pain and low back pain. Due to the surgical procedure, he has a 8 to 10 inch wound which has been closed up with staples. He is expected to have a large permanent scar. He is also going to have to have follow-up medical care with several different specialists.

Our law firm has been brought in to pursue a claim against the at fault driver and his insurance carrier.

This accident is a good example of the dangers of drowsy driving. According to statistics gathered by the National Sleep Foundation, in the year 2005 approximately 60% of drivers (168 million drivers) stated that they had driven drowsy over the past 12 months, and 37% of those drivers had actually fall asleep at the wheel. Of those who fell asleep, 13% admitted that it happens to them around once a month. 4 percent, which is around 11 million motorists, said they were involved in a crash or a near collision due to drowsiness.

On the foundation's website, DrowsyDriving.org, they go on to state that the federal government estimates that there are around 100,000 accidents each year caused by drowsiness. These accidents result in over 1500 deaths, 71,000 injuries and a financial cost of over $12 billion. These statistics are taken from police reports..

The foundation also speculates that these 100,000 accidents could be just the "tip of the iceberg" because it is often difficult to determine that sleepiness caused a collision for the following reasons:

– Police have no test to determine drowsiness (unlike DUIs where officers have many different tests).

– States have no consistent practice as to how to report crashes caused by sleepiness.

– Data from overseas (England, Finland, Australia and other European nations) where there are more consistent accident reporting methods compared to the USA, have statistics that show driver fatigue causes anywhere from 10 to 30% of all accidents.

The website also reports that many motorists are drowsy as they commute to and from work. Around 71% of Americans drive to their places of employment. 27% of those commuters admit to driving drowsy several days per month, 12% did it a few days a week, and 4% admit driving drowsy almost every day.

Drowsy driving accidents occur most with younger people, shift workers, and adults with children. The worst sleepy offenders are adults ages 18-29 who represent 71% of drowsy motorists, as compared to people ages 65 and over who represent a much lower 19%.

When you are behind the wheel, here are some warning signs that you are sleepy and that you should get off the road:

– You are yawning a lot
– Blurred vision
– Your head starts to nod and your eyelids droop
– You have trouble remembering the last few miles driven, or you miss an exit or traffic sign
– You drive off on the shoulder, drift from your lane or tailgate
– You feel restless and irritable

Like drinking and driving, drowsy driving slows down your reaction time, impairs your judgment and increases your risk of being involved in an accident.

If you've been injured by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel, contact an attorney at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575.

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Chicago truck accident attorney takes on new case

Home Posted On: April 22, 2011 by Dave Abels

Illinois semi truck crash lawyers at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a group of Chicago residents that were injured when the vehicle they were traveling in was rear-ended. The truck accident occurred on Interstate 94 just outside of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

The plaintiffs were at a complete stop in traffic headed westbound on the interstate when the driver of a tractor-trailer/18 wheeler failed to slow in time and rear-ended their vehicle. Witnesses to the accident stated that the defendant was traveling too fast for conditions on the road.

The accident was investigated by the Wisconsin State Police. After interviewing the parties, the state troopers issued moving violations to the defendant truck driver.

Three of the passengers riding in the plaintiff's vehicle were children. They were all taken to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. The driver of the vehicle sustained neck and back injuries, and an adult passenger sustained back injuries. They are both treating with an orthopedic doctor in the Chicago area.

If you've been injured in an Illinois trucking accident, contact the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Click here to contact Abels & Annes online, or call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to a lawyer now.

Posted by Dave Abels

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Unhitched Trailer Accident Takes Dad’s Life and Catastrophically Injures Mom and Son

Next » Posted On: March 14, 2011 by Jeffrey M. Reiff Unhitched Trailer Accident Takes Dad’s Life and Catastrophically Injures Mom and Son

On February 13, 2011 Aaron Peru, Melanie Nichols, and her son Justin were involved in a horrific car accident when a trailer broke loose of its hitch and hit their vehicle head on. Tragically, Aaron’s wounds were fatal and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Melanie and Justin were helivaced to a medical center where Melanie suffers from severe head trauma, a broken leg, and numerous other fractures throughout her body, and Justin suffered major and minor lacerations but remains in stable condition. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.

As an experienced Pennsylvania defective trailer accident lawyer since 1979, this tragic accident highlights a situation that our detached and defective trailer lawyers have been aggressively fighting for decades. Mainly, the fact that detached trailer accidents happen with much too much frequency due to limited minimal controls and regulations. NHTSA has admitted that no standards exist for trailer hitches. Unfortunately in most states, including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, there is very little regulation addressed to trailers under 3,000 lbs. Many of these trailers are purposefully made to be under the gross weight of 3,000 lbs. so as not to be subject to regulations. Many state laws, including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, are silent as to any design or construction specifications of these vehicles or trailers, as well as towing chains or hitches. In the many cases that we have investigated, we have found that the tow trailers have obvious safety violations relating to lighting, braking, security, and inspection requirements.

Several factors cause a trailer detachment:

1.They do not need to be inspected.

2.You can build one on your own and use it or sell it.

3.If they are under 3,000 lbs., they fall below federal guidelines and if trailers are
over 3,000 lbs. reflectors only need be placed at the extreme rear of the trailer.

Many times our trailer detachment law firm has investigated claims were rental companies rented trailers to individuals with little or no knowledge of how to pull a trailer, as well as pulling them when vehicles are not strong enough to pull their loads. In other situations, rental companies fail to properly hook up the trailer to a tow vehicle or instruct the renter in how to do so properly causing the unsecured trailer to come loose during towing and separately and striking innocent pedestrians and passersby. Such failures have lead to catastrophic accident such as this resulting in the deaths and catastrophic injuries to innocent victims.

For more information about defective trailers and their promenience on the roadways of America, please go to www.dangeroustrailers.org operated by consumer safety advocate Ron Melancon, a tireless advocate against the unsafe and unregulated use of defective and dangerous trailers.

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