Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

2021 Sees Record Rise in Traffic Accident Deaths

February 10, 2022 | Margaret Collins

car-accident-fatality-300x200 2021 saw a record number of traffic fatalities in the United States. The rise has become so concerning that transportation leaders are calling it a crisis. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 31,720 people died in traffic accidents in the first 9 months of 2021, an increase of approximately 12% from the 28,325 fatalities in the first nine months of 2020. This is the highest number of fatalities since 2006.

Illinois fared even worse than the national average, showing an 18.4% increase in traffic fatalities, with 993 people dying in car accidents in the first 9 months of 2021 compared to 839 during the same months in 2020. In total, more than 1350 Illinoisians died in traffic accidents in 2021, the highest number since 2005.

One of the reasons for the increase in fatalities was an 11.7% increase in miles traveled over 2020, as well as declining seatbelt use.

Why You Should Never Ignore Car Maintenance or Postpone Repairs

February 8, 2022 | Margaret Collins

car-maintenance-auti-repair-gda26c20ff_1920-300x200 Are you quick to get needed car repairs or do you tend to put them off? The majority of people say they maintain their car and get repairs right away, but the reality is not so rosy. Over 90% of car owners admit they’ve put off maintenance or repairs longer than they should. For most, the delays were less than a week, but some drivers admit to delaying essential maintenance or repairs for 30 days or more. Unfortunately, this behavior makes you more likely to have a car accident and puts other drivers at risk.

Procrastinating when it comes to car maintenance can be dangerous and even fatal. In 2019, there were 6,756,000 car crashes in the United States, with 1,916,000 of these accidents resulting in injuries, and 33,244 causing fatalities. according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Two percent of these motor vehicle accidents are typically caused by vehicle failure or degradation, mostly tire or brake failures. That works out to 38,320 injuries and 664 deaths related to vehicle failure a year. The majority of these are caused by drivers failing to maintain or repair their cars so they are in proper working order.

Drivers may hold off on repairs because they don’t feel they have enough time or money to replace their old tires or get the brake pads changed. But even minor issues can affect a driver’s ability to stay safe on the road. Failing to address the following maintenance and repair issues can lead to a car crash.

Pedestrian Accidents and Deaths: A Growing Safety Problem in the U.S.

January 12, 2022 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

Taking an evening stroll should not cause you to fear for your life, but the sad reality is that this scenario is becoming more common, as pedestrian accidents become a growing safety issue in the U. S. The fact that these accidents tend to result in more serious, life-threatening injuries and fatalities than other kinds of car accidents, combined with the fact that they have risen significantly in recent years, is extremely concerning. Pedestrian-accident-1024x683

Pedestrian Deaths Are on the Rise

Between 2010 and 2019, pedestrian deaths increased a shocking 45% in the U.S., with 53,435 pedestrians being hit and killed by vehicles. The last four recorded years, 2016 through 2019, were the deadliest years on record, with more than 6,000 people killed in each of those years. That breaks out to more than 16 deaths a day, which is unacceptably high.

Procter & Gamble Recalls Dry Shampoos and Conditioners, Its Second Recall in Months

January 8, 2022 | Margaret Collins

Pantene-300x225 Procter & Gamble has issued a voluntary product recall of more than 30 aerosol spray dry shampoos and dry conditioners, warning that the products could contain benzene, a cancer-causing chemical linked to leukemia.

Benzene has been classified as a “known human carcinogen” by the EPA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer based on sufficient evidence that it causes leukemia. It has also been linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

The recall includes aerosol spray products from Pantene, Herbal Essences, Aussie, and Waterless, in addition to several discontinued aerosol dry shampoo products from Old Spice and Hair Food. The products are being recalled by Procter &Gamble after benzene was detected in some products.

A Hamburger with a Side of Phthalates? Researchers Discover Toxic Chemicals Linked to Health Problems in Fast Food Items

December 27, 2021 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

hamburger-gb0d465128_1920-300x225 It’s common knowledge that fast food isn’t the most nutritious dining option, but you should at least be able to expect that the hamburger or chicken nuggets you are devouring are nontoxic. That may not be the case, say researchers at George Washington University. A new study published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology has revealed that most of the food items at popular fast-food restaurants are full of chemicals known as phthalates that have been linked to a host of health problems. This is the first study to measure phthalates directly in fast food and contributes to the scientific evidence linking fast food consumption to higher levels of phthalates.

What Chemicals Did the Researchers Find?

Researchers at George Washington University bought 64 popular menu options from Burger King, Chipotle, Domino’s, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell and tested them for 8 common phthalates and 3 replacement plasticizers. 10 of the 11 chemicals were present at high levels in nearly all of the samples. 81% of the samples contained DnBP and 70% contained DEHP; both phthalates have been linked to fertility and reproductive issues as well as increased risks of behavioral, learning, and attention disorders in children. 86% of the samples contained DEHT, a plasticizer that is being used as a replacement for phthalates. Overall, samples that contained meat had significantly higher levels of phthalates than vegetarian options; but phthalates were still present in both types of food.

PFAS Exposure and a High-Fat Diet Fuel Prostate Tumor Growth

November 18, 2021 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

McDonalds--300x293 Eating fast food wrapped in PFAS laden food packaging may be a one-two punch for your prostate. A new study conducted by scientists at the University of Illinois has found that PFAS exposure together with a high-fat diet causes malignant prostate tumors to grow much faster than those without exposure to the chemical.

The scientists in the study performed several experiments. In one they exposed malignant human prostate cells to PFOS and PFBS and compared them to malignant prostate cells that were not exposed. The cancerous cells replicated three times faster than the control group when exposed to PFOS and 5 times faster when exposed to PFBS.

In a follow-up experiment, they injected mice with the malignant human prostate cells and fed them either a high-fat diet or a control diet. Some of the mice also received doses of PFOS, a common form of PFAS that has previously been linked to cancer. As expected, the mice fed a high-fat diet exhibited faster tumor growth than mice in the control group. The mice exposed to PFOS who ate the control diet had even faster tumor growth than the mice fed a high-fat diet. But the mice who were exposed to PFOS and fed a high-fat diet had the fastest rate of tumor growth of all.

Naperville Families Deserve Justice after Astroworld Music Festival Tragedy

November 8, 2021 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

fans-g62b91e1c8_1920-2-300x180 The grieving families of two promising young men from Naperville deserve justice for the tragic event at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Music Festival that took their lives last Friday in Houston.

Almost 300 concertgoers at the music festival organized by rapper Travis Scott were injured, eight people lost their lives, and 13 more are still hospitalized after the chaos that could and should have been prevented. We are shocked and saddened by this devastating tragedy that has impacted our community from so far away.

In our opinion, the people responsible should be held accountable, even punished criminally, for the reckless negligence and disregard for human life and safety that led to this senseless tragedy.

Deadly Bacteria in Recalled Walmart Aromatherapy Room Spray

October 28, 2021 | The Collins Law Firm, P.C.

Better-Homes-and-gardens-recall-300x201 On October 22nd, 2021, Walmart issued a recall of approximately 3,900 bottles of their Better Homes and Gardens-branded Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones due to the presence of a potentially deadly bacteria in the product. The CDC tested the room spray and determined that it contained the extremely rare and dangerous bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei which causes melioidosis, a condition that is difficult to diagnose and can be fatal. So far, there have been four confirmed cases of melioidosis and two deaths, including that of a child. The cases have been reported in Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, and Texas. The recall includes 6 different scents:

84140411420 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender & Chamomile
84140411421 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lemon and Mandarin

Are You Pregnant? Acetaminophen May Be Risky for Your Baby

October 14, 2021 | Margaret Collins

Pregnant-woman-300x200 **The Collins Law Firm is not accepting clients for this case at this time. This blog is intended to inform women of a new study highlighting the potential risk of taking Tylenol during pregnancy.**

Is acetaminophen use during pregnancy potentially risky for the fetus? That appears to be the consensus of a group of 13 international scientists.

The group has issued a statement warning against using acetaminophen (sold as Tylenol) during pregnancy until the painkiller can be investigated for its potentially negative impact on fetal development.

Instagram Contributes to Teen Girls developing Eating Disorders, Depression, and Suicidal Thoughts, According to Documents Leaked by Whistleblower

October 6, 2021 | Margaret Collins

In explosive and damaging testimony, whistleblower Frances Haugen told Congress that internal research proves that Facebook and Instagram knowingly showed teens and young women content that caused them to develop eating disorders, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Sit down and let that sink in.

Facebook and Instagram (which is owned by Facebook) allegedly knew from their own research that their content was potentially causing irreparable damage to young women and teen girls but continued to push that content for profit. “Facebook knows that they are leading young users to anorexia content,” said Ms. Haugen, adding that, “I am here today because I believe Facebook’s products harm children.”