Category: Auto Accident

With roads 41 percent clearer nationwide from the COVID-19 pandemic’s stay-at-home orders, you’d think that traffic incidents would also drop drastically. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. According to Michael Hanson, the director of the Office of Traffic Safety in Minnesota, there have been “half the traffic and twice as many fatalities” because drivers are abusing how roadways now have significantly less traffic volume.

Cell phones are a major driving distraction that contributes to injuries and death. Kentucky lawmakers have proposed a bill to help reduce injuries and fatalities by banning cell phone use when someone is driving. It’s possible the bill will be brought to a vote in 2020.

While riding in an Uber through Center City, Philadelphia in March 2018, Jillian Kemenosh’s driver ran a red light that caused a car accident so bad that she ended up fracturing her spine as well as sustaining a concussion and traumatic brain injury. After the accident, Kemenosh tried to file a claim against Uber, its local subsidiaries, and the driver for her injuries because they were directly caused by her driver’s reckless actions.

In court, Uber said she didn’t have the right to a public trial, saying that she had agreed to binding arbitration back in 2013 when she joined the app and agreed to their terms of service. When riders sign up for the Uber app, they must agree to the terms of service, which includes that they are 18 years or older, are using a valid credit card, and won’t sue the company in a trial by jury. Instead, they agree to settle by arbitration agreement.

Many people decide to go out on weekends, whether it’s for dinner and drinks or just going to a bar. They may think they’re feeling okay after a drink or two, but then when they’re behind the wheel find that they shouldn’t be driving. It’s common for people to try to just get home, but any kind of buzzed driving is dangerous driving. If a cop sees you driving in a way that’s endangering others, they can pull you over. A breathalyzer test may be administered. If the breathalyzer says you’re below .08, you may think you’re safe from getting a DUI charge, but this isn’t the case. There are other factors in play that you should know about.

A car accident usually leaves you with injuries, some minor and others serious. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported nearly 2 million injuries from car accidents in 2017. About 80,000 of those injuries occurred in Illinois. Some of those accidents result in injuries that cause chronic pain that lasts for a long period of time. If you’ve been in a car accident in Chicago that resulted in chronic pain, you should seek compensation for your injuries and suffering.