Many personal injury cases are relatively straightforward. When a person or organization is directly responsible for someone else’s injuries, they may be held liable for the damages the victim has suffered. For example, a driver who is at fault in a car accident may be held responsible for the damages experienced by those who were injured in the crash, including the costs of medical treatment, the income they lost, the damage to their vehicle or other property, and their pain and suffering. However, additional factors can sometimes complicate these types of cases. What if a person was injured in a car accident, and when receiving treatment, they suffered further injuries due to medical malpractice? In these cases, victims will want to work with an attorney who can help them determine who was liable and hold those parties responsible for all of their damages.

Successive Negligence in Car Accident Cases

Most of the time, injuries from car accidents or medical malpractice are two separate issues. A negligent driver may be held responsible for injuries caused in a car crash, and a negligent medical professional may be liable for injuries caused to patients. However, these types of cases may become combined if additional medical malpractice injuries occur during treatment for car accident injuries or if a person’s injuries are aggravated because of medical negligence.

Even though it may seem that these are two separate types of cases, Illinois courts have found that if a person is found liable for someone’s injuries, they are also liable for any subsequent injuries that occurred when the victim was receiving medical treatment. This is true even in medical malpractice cases where additional injuries occurred because of the negligence of a health care provider. However, courts have also found that a defendant may only be held liable for injuries that were a “reasonably foreseeable” result of their negligence.

The holiday season can be a wonderful time to enjoy parties and gatherings with friends and family, and the festive atmosphere of joy and cheer is often enhanced by the consumption of alcohol. Unfortunately, some people do not act responsibly during this season, and they may choose to violate the laws against driving under the influence. Drinking and driving can lead to dangerous or fatal car accidents, and victims in these cases may be left struggling to pick up the pieces after a tragedy.

The Dangers of Holiday Drunk Driving

Driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous at any time of year, but it can be especially deadly during the holidays. During this time, there are often large numbers of vehicles on the roads because people are traveling to spend time with family or because they are taking shopping trips. This increased traffic, when combined with the trickier driving conditions that come with the colder winter weather, can result in very serious motor vehicle collisions.

The increased risk of drunk driving accidents during the holidays has been demonstrated in recent years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2017, 885 people were killed in car accidents involving drunk drivers throughout the month of December. In addition, there were 267 fatalities in drunk driving accidents in the days surrounding Christmas and New Year’s Day, and this fatality rate was higher than in any other holiday period in 2017.

Every year, Chicagoans brace themselves for the bitter cold, strong winds, and snowy and icy conditions that they must deal with during the winter months. As the temperature begins to drop, and we start to experience inclement weather, one concern that is on many people’s minds is the increased possibility of car accidents. Drivers will want to take additional care to protect their safety during winter weather, and those who are injured in a collision should be sure to understand the forms of driver negligence that may have led to their auto accident.

Safety Measures When Driving in the Winter

It can be very easy to lose control of one’s vehicle during winter weather. To reduce the likelihood of a collision, drivers should do the following:

• Perform proper vehicle maintenance - Drivers should ensure that all of their car’s safety systems are in working order. If tires are worn or bald, this can reduce traction, causing a vehicle to slide out of control when stopping or turning. Burnt-out headlights can reduce a vehicle’s visibility, and if windshield wipers or defrosters are not working properly, a driver may be unable to fully see the road around them. Failure to keep a vehicle maintained may be considered a form of negligence on the part of a driver.

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People in the Chicago area and throughout the state of Illinois often enjoy spending time on the water in boats or other types of watercraft. While this can be a relaxing and enjoyable activity, it can also be dangerous, and boating accidents can lead to serious injuries or fatalities. If you have been involved in a boat accident, you should work with a personal injury attorney to determine your options for recovering compensation from the parties who were responsible.

Common Causes of Boat Accidents and Injuries

According to the most recent data available from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, there were 80 boating accidents throughout the state in 2017. These accidents resulted in 48 injuries and 12 fatalities. However, these numbers may not accurately reflect the actual injuries that occurred in boat accidents, since they do not include “non-reportable” accidents. For example, injuries or fatalities that occur when someone jumps or dives from an anchored or moored boat are not reportable.

Some of the reasons boating injuries may occur include:

Construction zones are a familiar sight on the roads in Illinois, and most people are aware of the need to take extra care when driving through work areas. However, many drivers fail to follow the proper roadway safety rules, and when car accidents occur in construction zones, workers are likely to be seriously injured. These types of accidents occur all too frequently. In fact, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reports that on average, more than 5,000 accidents occur every year in work zones throughout the state. These accidents lead to more than 1,500 injuries on an annual basis.

Construction Zone Safety Tips

Drivers can face severe penalties if they do not obey the law in a work zone. Striking a worker in a construction zone can result in fines up to $10,000 and a prison sentence of up to 14 years. In order to avoid construction zone accidents, drivers should take the following safety precautions: