2011 October Archive

Fifteen-passenger vans first appeared on the U.S. market in 1972. Since then, the number of 15-passenger vans registered in the United States has climbed to nearly half a million as small groups, such as sports teams and church groups, began using these vans to transport groups. In most states, a special license or training is not required to drive a 15-passenger van. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), however, 15-passenger vans pose risks to drivers and occupants that differ from the risks posed by ordinary passenger vehicles.

According to an IIHS study, drivers are less likely to be injured or killed in a fifteen-passenger van crash than they are in a regular passenger vehicle crash. Passengers, however, are far more likely to suffer serious injuries or death in a fifteen-passenger van than in a smaller vehicle. The most common cause of serious injuries and death in these large vans comes from rollover accidents.

Rollover accidents are far more likely to occur in a 15-passenger van than they are in a smaller vehicle, even one with a high ground clearance like an SUV or a large pickup truck. The rollover risk is especially high when the van is fully loaded. A full load shifts the van’s center of gravity upward and toward the back, so a sharp swerve or collision is far more likely to push the van over.

At The Bradley Law Firm, our experienced Chicago auto accident attorneys are committed to helping those injured in car crashes get the compensation they need to move on after an accident. If you or someone you love has been injured in a 15-passenger van crash, please don’t hesitate to call us today at (800) 360-5072 for a free and confidential consultation.

Halloween treats are a big part of the holiday fun, whether they come from trick-or-treating door-to-door or are part of a Halloween party. Keep your loved ones safe by observing these safety tips for Halloween candy and treats, courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

• Inspect candy first before eating it. Since children often want to “snack” from their trick-or-treat bags while they’re collecting candy, give them a snack before they hit the sidewalks and remind them not to eat anything they’re given until you have inspected it first. Look for any signs of tampering, like discoloration, pinholes, or loosened or torn wrappers. If you suspect it isn’t safe, throw it away!
• Politely refuse any treats that aren’t commercially wrapped, unless they are made by someone you know personally and trust. Homemade caramel apples and popcorn balls are fun, but your health and safety come first.
• Prepare in-home treats by choosing pasteurized apple cider and juices. Most packages should state whether the contents is pasteurized. If your guests will be bobbing for apples, clean apples first by running them under cold water, or brushing them with a vegetable brush to take off any surface dirt. Serve hot foods above 140 degrees Fahrenheit and cold foods below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent food-borne illness.

At The Bradley Law Firm, our experienced personal injury lawyers in Illinois are dedicating to helping those who have been injured by another’s negligence. To learn more about your legal rights and options after an injury, call us today at (800) 360-5072. The call is free, and any information you share with us will be kept confidential.

Young children are naturally curious, but they lack the understanding that certain objects or situations can be dangerous. This combination puts young children at a much greater risk for injury than older children or adults. When an accident causes death or serious injury, families often find themselves scrambling to figure out what happened and why.

Accidental injuries claim the lives of more children between ages one and four than all childhood diseases combined, according to Safe Kids USA. The rate of death from unintentional injuries is 13.74 per 100,000 children under age four – more than twice the rate for older children. Suffocation, injury from playing in or around a motor vehicle, burn injuries, falls, and poisoning are the major causes of injury or death to children in this age range.

For older children, the big risks of accidental injury include drowning, burn injuries, suffocation, and pedestrian or bicycle accidents. The death rates for children ages five to nine years from accidental injuries are 6.24 children per 100,000, though this number rises to 7.50 per 100,000 for children ages ten to fourteen years. For children of all ages, most accidental injuries happen in or near the home, and many are caused by defective products that either injure a child directly or cause a fire or other dangerous situation to occur that causes injuries.

If a child you love has been injured by another’s negligence, you are not alone. The experienced Chicago personal injury attorneys at The Bradley Law Firm can help you discover what happened and hold any negligent parties accountable for their actions. To discuss your case with us for free, please call us today at (800) 360-5072.

A Buffalo Grove driver, whose distracted driving caused serious injury and the eventual death of a Hawthorn Woods man, may face criminal charges for her behavior, according to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune.

The woman, age 23, was checking her cell phone when she crashed into the man, age 39, in August of 2011. He had been changing a tire on the side of Illinois Highway 53, and he suffered serious injuries in that accident. The woman told authorities that she had been scrolling through her cell phone contacts list looking for a phone number when her car hit the side of a semi trailer and was sent flying into the shoulder of the highway, where the accident occurred.

The woman was initially ticketed for driving on the shoulder, improper lane use, and texting while driving, but when the victim of the crash lost his life due to his injuries at the beginning of September, prosecutors began considering bringing criminal charges against the woman for her actions. The family of the man who lost his life in the accident is also considering a wrongful death suit against the driver whose cell phone use caused the fatal crash.

Despite laws across the country that limit the use of cell phones and other devices in cars, too many drivers attempt to multitask while driving, creating dangerous situations that can cause serious injuries or claim lives. If you or someone you love has been injured by a distracted driver, the experienced car accident attorneys in Illinois at The Bradley Law Firm can help. For a free and confidential consultation, call us today at (800) 360-5072.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects over 1.7 million people in the United States each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Awareness of the risks of TBI has increased in recent years, especially among those who play sports, as the National Football League (NFL) and other professional and school sports organizations have begun working to reduce the number brain injuries caused by sports yearly. However, the CDC notes that much work needs to be done to reduce the rate and severity of TBIs in the U.S.

A TBI may be caused by any bump or blow to the head, including an injury in which something penetrates the skull and damages the brain. Approximately 80 percent of the traumatic brain injuries suffered in any year in the U.S. are mild injuries, for which the injured person can be treated in a hospital emergency room or doctor’s office and then sent home to recover. The remaining 20 percent, however, are often fatal.

Serious head injuries that do not cause death nearly always leave the injured person with permanent disabilities. A TBI can cause permanent difficulties with thinking, memory, or speech. They can also cause problems with gross motor skills, like walking, and with fine motor skills, like those required to write or to pick up and handle small objects. Depending on what part of the brain is injured, victims of severe TBIs may also suffer loss or impairment of function in any limb or body part.

If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident, you have certain legal rights. The skilled Illinois brain injury attorneys at The Bradley Law Firm, P.C. can help you understand your rights and options and take the best next step for yourself and your family. For a free consultation, call us today at 800-360-5072.

Chicago officials, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Alderman Edward M. Burke, have begun looking into the workers’ compensation claims received by the city in an attempt to put a dent in the $100 million bill Chicago currently pays annually for workers compensation.

The city’s plans include conducting a “safety analysis” in every city department to determine where major workplace injuries occur and to find ways to protect city workers from injuries. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, several Chicago city departments frequently see as many as one-third of their employees not working as they recover from injuries suffered on the job.

The city government also plans to develop programs to move injured city workers to jobs they can do despite their injuries or disabilities. For workers who cannot be rehired into any city job, officials plan to offer vocational rehabilitation to help injured and disabled workers develop new skills.

Not all the changes are designed to make moving forward easier for workers injured on the job, however. Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed a bill requiring disabled employees to prove that they suffered their injuries while working and that they were not intoxicated by alcohol or drugs when the accident occurred. The city government also plans to closely monitor workers who must take time off work to heal from an on-the-job injury.

If you’ve suffered a workplace injury in Chicago, the experienced Chicago workers’ compensation attorneys at The Bradley Law Firm, P.C. can help you make sense of your workers compensation requirements and seek compensation from third parties who may be responsible for your injury. For more information, call us today at 800-360-5072 for a free and confidential consultation.

Large vans that hold fifteen passengers are often used by groups that have too many people for a regular passenger car or van, but too few to justify the expense of a bus. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), however, 15-passenger vans pose a greater risk of rollovers and other accidents than either minivans or buses.

To help drivers and passengers stay safe in these large vans, the NHTSA offers the following tips:

1. Watch the van’s weight. The center of gravity in a 15-passenger van shifts upward and to the back when it is fully loaded, making the vehicle more likely to roll over. Load cargo and passengers in front of the rear axle whenever possible, and store heavy items as close to the floor of the van as you can.
2. Check the tires. A flat or blown tire can easily cause a 15-passenger van to roll or swerve and crash into another vehicle or object on the road. Check tires carefully each time you use the van.
3. Train drivers. Driving a 15-passenger van is not the same as driving a regular car, truck, or minivan. These vans handle differently and need more space to accelerate, turn, and stop. Make sure drivers have proper training and experience with handling 15-passenger vans.
4. Buckle up. Seat belts can help save the lives of drivers and passengers in a vehicle rollover accident. Make sure everybody in the vehicle puts on a seatbelt and leaves it on.

These vans can be useful for the right occasion, but crashes in them can also be dangerous. The experienced Illinois 15-passenger van accident attorneys at The Bradley Law Firm are ready to help those who have been injured in a crash. For a free and confidential consultation, call us today at (312) 252-1488.

Buying a motorcycle can be exciting, whether you’re buying your very first bike or upgrading your existing ride. When you’re comparison shopping for your new motorcycle, consider the following motorcycle safety tips to help protect you and your new purchase from a serious crash.

Take a motorcycle safety course
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) provides motorcycle safety courses in many U.S. states, including Illinois. Safety courses are available for both beginning riders and riders with experience. A course can help you learn how to handle the most common risks on the road.

Get a license
A motorcycle license or license endorsement is required to ride legally in many U.S. states. Most tests for a license or endorsement have both a written portion and a driving test. Getting the proper license protects you from tickets for unlicensed driving and may improve your chances of avoiding a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that drivers without licenses are involved in serious crashes almost twice as often as licensed motorcyclists.

Get insurance
Like cars, motorcycles can be insured to help cover the costs of damage to the bike, medical bills, damage to other property, and more. Choosing insurance for your motorcycle can help you if an accident does occur.

Buy and wear proper safety gear
A motorcycle helmet increases your chances of surviving a crash by 37 percent, according to the NHTSA. Eye protection, gloves, a leather jacket, and boots can also help protect you from injury while riding.

Considering safety when you buy a bike can help you avoid serious injury, but it cannot prevent every crash. If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident, call the experienced Illinois motorcycle accident attorneys at The Bradley Law Firm, P.C. today. Our number is (312) 252-1488, and your initial consultation is both free and confidential.