For many motorcyclists, riding a motorcycle is not just a means of transportation. It is something that they look forward to all winter. Warmer weather in the Chicago area means that motorcyclists can finally get back to doing what they love most.

Sadly, severe and fatal injuries are not uncommon in motorcycle accidents. The motorcycle driver is not protected by the vehicle, and the small, slender nature of a motorcycle makes it harder to see by other drivers.

If your loved one passed away in a motorcycle crash, you have the right to file a wrongful death claim on his or her behalf. However, you will need ample evidence and a strong case to successfully recover compensation through a wrongful death settlement or award.

The brain controls everything from thoughts and memory to digestion and movement. Medical professionals and researchers still do not fully understand this highly complex organ. However, what is known is that an injury to the brain can have severe, lifelong consequences.

If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, slip and fall accident, or another incident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for damages. Expenses, including your hospital care, lost income caused by missed work, lost earning capacity, and other damages, may be reimbursable.

Physical, Emotional, and Mental Consequences of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury is a term that applies to a wide range of injuries. For example, a concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury. However, most concussion sufferers eventually recover completely and do not suffer significant long-term effects. That being said, there are people who suffer from post-concussion syndrome, which can cause ongoing physical and mental symptoms such as headaches and problems concentrating.

Most of us know that we should get eight hours of sleep a night. However, between work, caring for children, managing household duties, and other responsibilities, most people do not have enough time to get the sleep that they need. Unfortunately, sleepiness is not just annoying, it can be extremely dangerous.

When drivers are sleep deprived, they are much more likely to make dangerous mistakes behind the wheel. Research shows that some drivers even experience microsleeps, or short bursts of sleep that are only a few seconds long. However, when you are driving 60 miles an hour, even a lapse of concentration of a few seconds is enough to cause a serious or even deadly accident.

If you or a loved one were involved in a car crash and you suspect that the other driver was asleep at the wheel or too fatigued to drive safely, you may be able to file a personal injury claim and recover compensation.

When we think about car accident injuries, we typically focus on injuries caused by blunt force trauma or penetrating injuries. However, this is not the only danger that car accident victims face. If a collision involves an explosion, fire, or leak of toxic substances, the accident victims could suffer serious and sometimes fatal inhalation injuries. This is an especially great concern in crashes involving commercial trucks hauling hazardous materials.

Inhalation injuries caused by toxic fumes in a car accident may involve lung damage from breathing in smoke or particulates, aspiration of liquids into the lungs, carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation, and other potentially life-threatening injuries.

Exposure to Toxic Chemicals in a Car Crash

Smoke and gases released in a collision often contain extremely harmful chemicals called chemical asphyxiants. When inhaled, substances like hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, propane, ethane, and methane prevent a person from getting enough oxygen. The extent of the damage caused by chemical asphyxiants depends on how much of the substance was inhaled and how long the person was exposed to the dangerous chemicals.

A car accident can have serious consequences, especially when the person who caused the accident was driving while drunk. Physical injury, emotional trauma, vehicle damage, and long-term medical care are all too common after a bad drunk driving incident. Although the drunk driver is often the person facing a lawsuit, the bar at which the driver got drunk may, under certain circumstances, also be held responsible for the accident. If you have suffered personal injury in a car crash caused by someone driving under the influence, an experienced Chicago personal injury can help you take legal action. 

What Is Illinois’ Dram Shop Law? 

All states have laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors, or so-called “dram shop” laws. Most states, including Illinois, combine these laws with statutes that allow bars, restaurants, and other establishments that serve and sell alcohol to an intoxicated person to be held liable for injuries caused by that person’s actions when they leave the premises. 

Each state’s dram shop law is slightly different. In Illinois, the Liquor Control Act or “Dram Shop Act” allows commercial vendors to be held liable for damages or injuries caused by a drunk driver so long as the following criteria are met: