350 S. Northwest Highway, Suite 300, Park Ridge, IL 60068
847-232-7180
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Tips for Safe Autumn Driving
Fall is many people’s favorite time of year - you get a break from the sweltering heat of summer, leaves are changing into brilliant autumnal colors and you get to look forward to holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, in the midwest, fall also brings inclement weather, like rain and fog, which can make for dangerous driving situations. According to a study published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in car crashes related to roadway and atmospheric conditions, around 75 percent were related to dangerous roadway conditions. Here are four tips to keep you safe during your autumn road trips.
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Watch Your Speed
Fall’s infamous rainy weather can make for slick and slippery roads. You should be sure to increase the following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you in case you need to stop suddenly. If you can see water on the roadways, you are also at a higher risk of hydroplaning, which happens when your tires lose traction on a wet road. Make sure you are not speeding and you are going a safe speed for the conditions you are driving in, even if it is lower than the speed limit.
Tips to Help You Deal with Insurance Companies After a Car Accident
Getting into a car accident is a scary experience and can be traumatic for all those involved. When you are recovering from injuries you have sustained from a car accident, the last thing you want to be doing is fighting with an insurance company that does not want to pay for your damages. Many times, insurance companies will do everything in their power to make sure that you are paid the absolute minimum amount that they can get away with. In order to receive a decent insurance payout, you should follow these five tips to help:
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Be Prepared
Before you call your insurance company, be sure to have all of the necessary information and paperwork on hand to answer the questions your insurance company is sure to have. You will need information and documents pertaining to the accident, including:
- Photos from the accident, including any damage to your vehicle;
Types of Evidence You Should Collect in an Illinois Car Accident
When you get into a car accident, the first thing on your mind is probably not collecting evidence and documenting what just happened - but it should be. The moments directly after a car crash are crucial because the crash is still fresh in your mind and the scene of the accident is untouched. Dealing with insurance companies after a car crash can be annoying at best and infuriating at worst, but if you have overwhelming evidence supporting your claim, you will probably have an easier time being compensated. Evidence toward your claim can also help you in court if you are seeking damages owed by another driver.
Police Report
One of the most important pieces of information you can have is a copy of the police report that was created about your accident. The report will contain information about the accident and will be filed by the officer that responds to your call. Give the police as much information about the accident as possible. Police reports are what the insurance company will look at when determining what to pay. Important elements to include in a police report are:
Tips to Keep You Safe on Your Motorcycle
Unfortunately, motorcyclists are one of the groups that experience the largest number of traffic fatalities in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, motorcycles accounted for only about three percent of all registered vehicles in the United States, but 15 percent of traffic fatalities in 2016. Many people enjoy riding a motorcycle in the warmer months, but without proper safety precautions, this fun activity can turn deadly. Here are four tips to minimize the danger of experiencing a motorcycle accident:
Regularly Maintain Your Bike
The first step in making sure you are safe on the road is making sure that your bike is properly maintained. Check to make sure that oil levels are good, your oil is changed regularly, breaks are working properly and your tires are inflated. Having a broken-down bike can mean you will not be able to maneuver properly in the event of an emergency.
Illinois Laws Concerning Ridesharing Companies and Drivers
Technology is a wonderful thing - we have the ability to do more online than ever before, such as ordering groceries and making appointments. Ridesharing is another service that is available to smartphone users, allowing them to request rides from independent drivers, rather than calling a taxi company or trying to hail a cab from the side of the street. With the emergence of companies such as Uber and Lyft, ridesharing has become more popular and more readily available to people, but they also bring about certain issues that lawmakers are still in the process of figuring out. Liability in ridesharing accidents is still a fuzzy area and can be difficult to determine, but an experienced attorney can help hash out the details.
What Constitutes a Ridesharing Company?
The Illinois Transportation Network Providers Act outlines the laws concerning the operation of companies. The Act states that a transportation network company (TNC) is any company that uses digital means to connect passengers with ride services provided by TNC drivers who own their own vehicles. Popular TNC’s include Uber, Lyft, Sidecar, and Via. These apps work with passengers logging into the company’s app and inputting their location, alerting drivers who are nearby. Those drivers then utilize the app’s GPS technology and pick up the passenger to take them to their destination. These apps typically give users information such as estimated fares, the number of drivers nearby and driver ratings and feedback.
McDonald’s Salad Linked to Multistate Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
McDonald’s is known around the world for their golden arches, Ronald McDonald and their famous hamburgers and fries. Lately, McDonald’s has been in the news because of a suspicion that lettuce in their salads has caused over 100 people in the Midwest to become sick with an intestinal parasite. In response to the trend of people reporting they had eaten a salad at McDonald’s, the Illinois Department of Public Health is investigating the cases of food poisoning to determine if there is a link between the outbreak and the restaurant.
Investigations Are Underway
Over 100 people have reported cyclospora poisoning after they had eaten a salad from McDonald’s. The reports began in Illinois and soon were also reported in Iowa. The lettuce from the salads in Illinois and Iowa came from the same supplier, so McDonald’s, which is based in Chicago, has stopped serving salads at 3,000 restaurants in 14 states across the Midwest as a precautionary measure.
Car Insurance Requirements in Illinois
Almost every state in the country requires drivers to have some sort of car insurance. It is illegal for you to drive without insurance or to have financial responsibility for any damages that may occur while you are driving. Though the laws on the amount of insurance and the type of coverage that you are required to have vary from state to state, many states require that you at least have bodily injury and property damage coverage. Though it is illegal to drive without insurance, many people do--according to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2015, an estimated 13 percent of drivers were uninsured. In Illinois, the number was estimated to be slightly over the national percentage at 13.7 percent. It is important to understand what type of insurance you are required to have in the state of Illinois and what it means if you are in an accident that involves an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
Beginning Steps to Filing an Auto Accident Claim in Illinois
Car accidents can be scary and traumatic, and the last thing you want to think about is insurance claims, but that should be one of the first things on your mind. You have to begin your claims process almost immediately after a car accident, or you might cause yourself more trouble than the actual accident. Dealing with insurance companies and claims can be stressful, but if you have someone who is well-versed in car accident claims, such as an attorney, you can save yourself some of the anxiety.
Report Your Accident to the Police
The first thing you should do after an accident is report it to police. You should also take note of details of the accident, such as:
- The date and time of the incident;
- The order in which events happened;
- The weather conditions at the time;
Types of Dog Bite Injuries and Infections
Dogs are commonly called man’s best friend--and for good reason. More than 36 percent of American households own at least one dog. Dogs have even been proven to decrease stress, get us moving more often and are great playmates for children--but they can also be dangerous. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each day, with nearly 800,000 people needing medical attention. Children are most susceptible to dog bites--nearly half of all dog bites that occur happen to children, especially children under the age of 14.
Injuries caused by dog bites can range from mild to severe and may leave lasting damage if the injury was bad enough. It is important to understand that any dog can bite--it does not matter what breed or how big the dog is, there is always a risk of being bitten. Understanding the injuries they cause can help you keep yourself and your loved ones safe around these lovable companions.
Distracted Driving Causes Accidents
Distracted driving has become a problem in recent years, with the number of crashes involving distracted drivers steadily increasing year after year, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that 3,477 people were killed in car crashes involving a distracted driver and another 391,000 injured in 2015.
What Is Distracted Driving?
When people talk about distracted driving, oftentimes the conversation revolves around texting and driving, but that’s not the only distraction that could take your mind off the road. The NHTSA has identified three main types of distractions:
- Visual - taking your eyes off the road;
- Manual - taking your hands off the steering wheel; and
- Cognitive - taking your mind off the road.
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847-232-7180
350 S. Northwest Highway, Suite 300, Park Ridge, IL 60068
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