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Articles Posted in Auto Accidents

car-accident-1660670_1920-1024x1024A trio of car accidents in Naperville have caused the tragic deaths of four people in the past month.

The latest heartbreaking accident, which happened just after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10th, took the lives of a 77-year-old man and a 71-year-old woman who were out walking. Preliminary investigations reveal that the pair was crossing Hobson Road at the intersection of College Road, when they were struck by a 2017 black Toyota Tundra—driven by a 64-year-old Naperville woman– turning west onto Hobson from the northbound lane of Wehrli Road. The pedestrians, who were both Naperville residents, were transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Sadly, the man died shortly after arrival; the woman succumbed to her injuries the next day.

Only a few days prior, another terrible accident was caused by a driver under the influence on Royce Road. At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 6th, a 54-year-old Naperville man driving west on Royce Road crossed over into the eastbound lane, according to a police investigation. The man’s 2014 Dodge Ram then proceeded to hit an eastbound 2017 Ford Fiesta head-on. Naperville Fire Department responded to the crash to provide emergency medical attention, but tragically, the driver of the Fiesta, a 41-year-old man from Woodridge, was declared dead on the scene. The police charged the driver of the Dodge Ram with Aggravated Driving Under the Influence and Reckless Homicide.

speeding-toine-g-iRnUeA04kUY-unsplash-1024x589Illinois is moving to a new phase in an effort to reopen the economy. As shelter-in-place orders are lifted and more cars are on the road, however, we must not forget to do our part to prevent car accidents.

Unfortunately, some drivers thought that having fewer cars on the road this past couple of months gave them a license to speed and drive recklessly. As a result, in many areas around the country, despite overall accidents being down, fatalities have gone up. Fatal accidents in Connecticut are 40% higher than last year, even though traffic is down 50%. And in Minnesota, fatalities are twice what they were last year. Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Missouri are likewise reporting that fatality rates for car accidents have risen during the pandemic.

Speeding has always been a leading factor in car crash deaths and highway officials say it is a big contributor to the current increase in fatalities. In many parts of the country, speeding tickets for people driving 20-40 miles per hour over the speed limit are up from last year. Highway patrols in California alone issued 2500 tickets to drivers going over 100 miles per hour.

Orchard Road and Indian Trail Avenue in Aurora was the scene of a serious car accident at 7 a.m. Saturday morning, May 23rd. Firefighters and paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after the accident to find two critically injured victims trapped inside two heavily damaged vehicles. A Truck Company, Battalion Chief, and extra paramedic unit were called to assist with extracting the victims from their cars.

After assessing the injured victims, paramedics called for a medical helicopter. While paramedics stabilized the victims, firefighters from the Truck Company and Engine Company worked to extricate them from their cars. One victim was airlifted to a trauma center, while the other one was taken to an area hospital.

The Collins Law Firm represents injured victims of car accidents. For a FREE evaluation of your case call our experienced car accident attorneys at 630-527-1595  or fill out our Contact form.

On April 21st, 2020 at 10:26 AM, a three-vehicle crash on I-94 near Deerfield, IL claimed the lives of 29-year-old Roberta Harris from Chicago and 28-year-old Christopher Lopez from Bronx, New York. The cause of death was determined to be blunt-force injuries. Roberta Harris, Christopher Lopez, and a third unnamed passenger were driving south on I-94 in a Jeep Cherokee when Lopez sideswiped a truck, this initial impact caused his car to spin, he then crashed into another truck. The third passenger in Lopez and Harris’ vehicle was hospitalized at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge with serious injuries and the two semi-truck drivers were taken to Highland Park Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Being injured in an auto accident is traumatic. But for passengers injured in a car crash where their driver was potentially at fault, it can be even more stressful. Not only do they have to deal with injuries, but they also have to face the fact that their injuries may have been caused by the negligence of someone they trusted, possibly even a friend. That can be an extremely difficult thing. However, this should not stop the victims from pursuing the damages to which they are entitled.

If you have been injured in a car accident while someone else was driving, you deserve an experienced car accident attorney fighting for your rights. At The Collins Law Firm, our team of dedicated car accident attorneys will work to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Fill out our free contact form or call us today at (630) 527-1595 for a free consultation.

uber-eats-zV95GVlaVqY-unsplash-3-300x230Food delivery services like Uber Eats, Door Dash, Postmates, and Grub Hub have become something we rely on in today’s fast-paced world. There’s nothing quite like getting food delivered right to your door. Moreover, during the COVID-19 crisis, these services are helping restaurants stay afloat and can be a safer way to get prepared food. But do these delivery drivers carry auto accident insurance? Drivers for these delivery companies drive hundreds of miles a week. What happens if they get into an accident?

Insurance Coverage by Company

Most delivery service companies employ people as “so-called” independent contractors. However, independent contractors are not considered employees of the company, so the company may not be responsible for these drivers. How does that affect you? If one of these delivery drivers hits your car, he or she may not have insurance to cover your damages.

grocery-cart-with-item-1005638-225x300Millions of Americans are ordering their groceries online and then picking them up at the store. Major grocers like Walmart are encouraging the trend, making curbside pickup the norm.

While curbside pickup grows, so does grocery delivery. Companies like Instacart and Shipt, as well as traditional grocery stores like Walmart and Aldi, are offering grocery delivery straight to your home.

Many of the drivers who are delivering for Instacart and other delivery services may not have insurance in the event that they cause a crash. This means that even though an Instacart driver is on the job, that driver may not be able to compensate you for your injuries and medical bills.

ped-300x207While there are fewer cars on the road and fewer car crashes, new data shows that the crashes that are happening are causing more severe injuries than before the pandemic.

According to WGN News, during the first week of March, there were 2,063 reported crashes in Chicago. That number began dropping after March 13, when the federal government declared a national emergency and continued to drop after Illinois’ Stay At Home Order took effect on March 21st.  Last week, the number of crashes in Chicago was down to 803. Despite the drop in crashes, there has been an increase in crash severity.

Data from The Northwestern University Transportation Center shows a small increase in severe car crashes over the last month.

car-accident-1538175_1920-1024x683When you’re injured in a car crash, medical treatment can be expensive. One of the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States is medical debt. You shouldn’t have to worry about struggling to afford the treatment you need. The problem is that between an ambulance, emergency room, and other treatment following a crash, your bills can be in the thousands, or tens of thousands, of dollars.

Before we talk about who will pay your bills, however, it’s important to talk about who is not going to pay your bills. Most people assume that the driver who caused the crash is going to pay for their medical bills. They talk with the at-fault driver’s insurance and that insurance company tells them that they will cover the bills, but at the end of the day, this could not be further from the truth. Even if the other driver is clearly at fault, the law does not require him or her to pay your medical bills as they come in. When you win your personal injury case, the other driver will have to pay your damages, including your medical bills, but in the meantime, you need to pay the bills yourself.

There are several ways to make sure that your bills are paid and you are protected when you’re in a car crash. A lawyer can guide you through this process and make sure that you are protected. The three primary ways your medical bills can be paid are through private health insurance, medical payments insurance (also called “MedPay”), or through health care provider liens. Each of these types of payments has advantages or drawbacks.

walking-4555769_1920-225x300From the time they begin walking, children are in danger of being injured as pedestrians. According to some very sad statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2016, one in five children under the age of 15 killed in traffic accidents was a pedestrian. Children are less experienced with road safety, less aware of the danger that cars pose, more impulsive, and harder for drivers to see. Too many children are injured or killed every year by distracted, intoxicated, speeding, or negligent drivers. When that happens, families are left reeling, devastated by the aftermath– physical, emotional, and financial—of these tragic accidents.

Adults can help protect children by being aware of the scenarios that are especially dangerous for children and by knowing what to do after a child has been struck by a car or truck. The child pedestrian accident attorneys at The Collins Law Firm can guide you through the legal process after an accident with care and compassion. Knowing the most common situations that lead to pedestrian accidents can help prevent them in the first place.

How do Children Get Injured in Pedestrian Accidents?

crossing-801713_1920-2-300x198Serious pedestrian accidents in Chicago and the suburbs continue to be a problem for a number of reasons: more people walking to work, an increase in traffic on the roads, and drivers failing to look out for pedestrians. Increasing cell phone usage and distracted driving are also putting pedestrians at risk. Tragically, two pedestrians in Naperville and St. Charles have been seriously injured and pedestrians in Bloomington, Morton Grove, and Chicago have died after being struck by cars recently. Municipalities need to address this problem by analyzing where and why pedestrian accidents happen and taking measures to prevent these tragedies from occurring.

In the meantime, how can victims and families be compensated for these terrible accidents? If a pedestrian is hit by a car, the driver is usually –but not always—found to be at fault and his or her insurance compensates the pedestrian. That is because most states have laws requiring drivers to be alert to their surroundings and to hazards in the road, which would include pedestrians. If the pedestrian is following the rules of the road and is struck by a motorist who is speeding, fails to yield, is disobeying traffic signals, or is otherwise impaired or distracted, the driver is at fault and their policy must compensate the victim. Even pedestrians who are not in the crosswalk may get compensation from the driver’s insurance if they were paying attention, did not act irresponsibly, and did not run into the road to try to beat traffic.

But what happens if the responsible driver is not insured?  If the at-fault driver has no insurance or very little insurance, then the pedestrian’s own uninsured and underinsured coverage in their auto policy can compensate them for injuries sustained even if they were not driving at the time. Most people are not aware of this.

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