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Can I Collect Damages for Injuries Sustained in a Construction Site Accident?
Despite numerous laws and regulations designed to reduce accidents and injuries, construction sites are incredibly dangerous. Approximately one in five worker fatalities occurs in the construction industry. Equipment-related accidents, falling, electrocution, trench collapses, and struck-by accidents are just some of the common reasons for serious construction site injuries. If you were injured or a loved one was killed on a construction site, it is essential to understand your legal options. You may be entitled to financial compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, lost enjoyment of life, and other damages.
Bringing a Claim Against a Negligent Third Party
Some injured construction workers assume that workers’ compensation is the only avenue through which they may recover financial compensation because their injury occurred at work. However, this is not always the case. If the careless or dangerous actions of a third party caused or significantly contributed to your injuries, you may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit directly against this party.
Common Injuries Suffered by Victims of Pedestrian Accidents
When car accidents occur, drivers and passengers may be injured, although they will have some protection from a vehicle’s safety systems, such as seat belts and airbags. Pedestrians have none of these forms of protection, and this means that they are likely to suffer multiple types of severe injuries if they are struck by a car, truck, or other vehicle. Victims of pedestrian accidents will want to be sure to fully document their injuries and the ways their lives have been affected, and by working with an experienced attorney, they can pursue compensation from a negligent driver who injured them.
Types of Pedestrian Accident Injuries
The injuries a pedestrian may experience will depend on the type of vehicle that struck them, the speed the vehicle was traveling, and other factors. In many cases, the initial impact will occur when a vehicle’s bumper strike’s a person’s lower leg. This will cause the person’s body to rotate, and their head and upper body may strike the vehicle’s hood or windshield. If the vehicle is traveling at a higher speed, the person may also somersault up onto the hood or roof of the vehicle, or they may fully pass over the vehicle and strike the ground behind it. When a person is struck by a larger vehicle, such as a truck or SUV, they may be thrown forward, causing them to strike the ground or placing them in the path of other vehicles, which could result in additional injuries.
Adrenaline Can Hide Injuries After a Car Accident
Originally published: February 06, 2018 -- Updated: May 28, 2021
Adrenaline is a hormone naturally produced by the body when we experience stress. The purpose of the hormone is to prepare us for fight or flight. Our heart rate quickens sending oxygenated blood to our muscles. We begin to sweat. Our alertness skyrockets. If you have ever been in a car crash, you have probably experienced this firsthand.
However, adrenaline does not only affect heart rate, breathing, and alertness. It also impacts how our body responds to pain. The hormone does not take our pain away, but it does distract us from painful sensations. Many car accident victims do not feel the full extent of their injuries for several hours or even several days. Once the adrenaline in the victim’s bloodstream settles to normal levels, the victim realizes the extent of the physical harm caused by the crash.
If you or a loved one were hurt in an auto accident, do not delay seeking medical treatment. Not only does seeking medical care prevent you from worsening any potential injuries, it also creates a solid foundation for any future legal action you plan to take against the at-fault party.
How a Personal Injury Lawsuit Can Address Disfigurement and Scarring
When most people think about a car crash, work accident, assault, or another injury-causing incident, the most obvious concern is the physical injury itself. However, the psychological implications of a serious injury are often just as significant as the physical consequences of the injury. This is especially true when an accident causes disfigurement or considerable scarring. If you or a loved one suffered a disfiguring injury, it is important to know how the disfigurement may be addressed in a personal injury lawsuit.
Disfiguring Injuries Can Have a Profound Impact on the Injured Person’s Life
In a catastrophic accident, the physical and emotional scars suffered by the accident victim may last a lifetime. When an injury changes the way a person looks, the injured person may feel as though his or her very identity has changed. Scarring and disfigurement is often especially consequential when an accident causes:
Suing After a Patient is Injured or Killed by a Defective Medical Device
Modern medicine has enabled people to lead longer, healthier lives. Unfortunately, when a medical device is faulty or malfunctions in some way, the results can be catastrophic. Defective medical devices can lead to new and exacerbated medical problems, and in some cases, even patient death. If you were harmed or a loved one was killed because of a faulty medical device, it is important to know your legal options.
Medical Products with Manufacturing or Design Defects
When a person is harmed because of a flawed medical product or medical device, the individual may have a right to damages through a product liability lawsuit. Unlike a medical malpractice lawsuit, which is brought against a medical professional for negligent medical care, a product liability case is brought against a product manufacturer or designer. Medical products that are commonly the subject of product liability lawsuits include:
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me During a Commercial Truck Accident Injury Case?
Large commercial trucks can cause devastating accidents. If you or a loved one were seriously hurt in a truck accident, you may be interested in seeking compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Through an injury claim, you may be able to get compensation for the damages that you suffered including medical bills and lost income. To bring the strongest claim possible, it is crucial to work with a personal injury attorney who has experience successfully handling truck accident cases.
Collecting Information and Preserving Evidence
When someone contacts a personal injury attorney about a possible truck accident claim, the first thing the attorney will need to do is collect information about the accident. Your lawyer will want to know the circumstances of the collision, what types of injuries you suffered, and what medical treatments you have sought for those injuries. Your attorney may also utilize evidence such as the truck’s event data recorder (EDR), traffic camera footage, the truck driver’s electronic logbook, and forensic evidence from the crash scene. In many cases, a personal injury attorney sends a “preservation letter” or spoliation letter to the trucking company which prohibits the company from destroying evidence.
The Causes and Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Your brain is one of the most valuable and important organs in your body. It is literally what keeps you alive. Sustaining an injury to the brain can cause much pain and suffering for you and unnecessary worrying and stress for your family. Traumatic brain injuries, also referred to as TBIs, can even end up causing symptoms that last for years or even the rest of your life. If you have sustained a brain injury from any type of accident, you should speak with an Illinois catastrophic injury lawyer to discuss your options for compensation.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
A TBI occurs when the brain suffers injuries from a violent blow, jolt, or bump to the head and can range in severity from mild to severe. There are various ways a person can sustain a traumatic brain injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls were the leading cause of TBIs and accounted for nearly half of all emergency room visits in 2014. Falls are also the leading cause of hospitalizations for TBIs, with motor vehicle accidents a close second.
Can I Sue a Truck Driver for Killing My Loved One in an Accident?
The loss of a loved one is always a tragic affair. The loss of a loved one in an avoidable truck accident is devastating. If your loved one died in a collision caused by a negligent truck driver, you may be seeking justice. You may also be dealing with the financial burden caused by your sudden and unexpected loss. A wrongful death lawsuit may help you recover monetary compensation for your losses while simultaneously holding the at-fault parties accountable for the tragic outcome. Read on to learn about bringing an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit after losing a family member in a fatal truck crash.
Truck Collisions Caused by Negligence
Illinois law states that a wrongful death occurs when a death is caused by wrongful or negligent actions and, had the victim survived his or her injuries, he or she would have had the right to bring a legal action for damages. Negligence refers to a party’s failure to act as a reasonably prudent person would have acted in a similar situation. For example, a truck driver may act negligently by continuing to drive even though he or she is much too sleepy to drive safely. A trucking company may act negligently by allowing truck drivers to violate the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) rules regarding rest breaks and consecutive driving hours. Other examples of truck driver or trucking company negligence may include:
How Are Injury Claims Involving Pile-Up Accidents Handled?
A typical car accident injury case is already complicated. When multiple vehicles are involved in a collision, the case becomes even more complex. If you or a loved one were involved in a pile-up accident, you may be curious about how these accidents are handled from a legal perspective. Is the driver of the vehicle that initially caused the collision liable for all of the other collisions? Am I liable for hitting someone else’s vehicle because I was rear-ended? Questions like these are what make injury claims involving pile-ups so difficult to navigate.
Seeking Compensation for Damages Through a Personal Injury Claim
Last month, smoke from a grass fire caused a multiple vehicle pile-up accident in Illinois. Nine vehicles and one semi-truck were involved in the collision. Several of the individuals involved in the crash sustained serious injuries and needed to be airlifted to the hospital. Accidents involving multiple vehicles often cause chain reactions that result in multiple severe injuries and fatalities. If you or a loved one were hurt in a multiple vehicle accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages.
I Am a Roofer Who Suffered a Catastrophic Injury. What Are My Legal Options?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roofing is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States. In 2017 alone, 2,060 roofers were injured and 96 were killed on the job. Falling accounts for a large percentage of severe and deadly roofing accidents. If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury on a roofing job, you may be facing expensive medical bills and major financial hardship. You may be able to get compensation for your losses through workers’ compensation or a third-party claim.
Getting Financial Compensation for Injuries Caused in a Roofing Accident
Roofing accidents are often life-changing. Severely broken bones, internal organ damage, and debilitating spine injuries are not uncommon. An injured roofer may be left with limited mobility or may even be paralyzed in a roofing accident. Traumatic brain injuries with devastating physical, mental, and psychological effects are also common consequences of a roofing accident. If you or a loved one were hurt while on a roofing job, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. However, the types and amount of compensation that you may recover depend on your worker classification, who is liable for the accident, and several other factors.
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From our offices in Orland Park, Arlington Heights, Glen Ellyn, Joliet, Elmhurst, Peoria, and Rockford, the legal team at Schwartz Injury Law represents injury victims and their families throughout Illinois, including Chicago, Alsip, Crestwood, Oak Forest, Palos Heights, Mokena, Frankfort, Homer Glen, New Lenox, Naperville, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Champaign, Urbana, Savoy, Mahomet, Rantoul, Bloomington, Normal, Morton, Pekin, and Washington.
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