The majority of the United States and all of Illinois is headed into its winter weather season. While Illinois residents are no stranger to snow, sleet, and rain, bad weather can still easily impact road conditions and the ability to drive safely. Unfortunately, even with defensive driving practices, the reckless or careless actions of other drivers on the road can jeopardize your safety during winter weather. If you are involved in a serious car accident this winter, make sure you meet with an Illinois personal injury lawyer. 

Weather Conditions Cause Fatal Accidents

Snow, slush, and ice on roadways cause nearly 25 percent of weather-related vehicle accidents and 15 percent more happen during actively snowy or sleety conditions. Almost 1,500 people are killed and well over 100,000 injured every year in these accidents. Besides precipitation actively falling from the sky and accumulating on the roadway, blowing and drifting snow, avalanches, and freezing rain can cause unexpected dangers in the roadway. Black ice, a form of invisible ice that is usually impossible to see, causes many accidents when unsuspecting drivers fail to reduce their speed. 

In fact, more people die in car accidents during the winter than die in severe weather-related causes, like tornadoes and hurricanes, the entire year. Winter weather car accidents can cause many serious injuries, including, but not limited to: 

Most people know that car accidents can cause serious injuries of all kinds, but not everyone realizes that many of the most severe burn incidents happen because of car accidents as well. And while the survival rate for burn victims is high, life quality after a severe burn can be seriously impacted by the pain, recovery, and medical expense of treating burns. 

Car accidents can result in many different burn severities, but when someone is trapped inside a burning car, the damage to their body can be life-threatening and even fatal. When such a car accident is caused by the negligence or recklessness of another driver, cyclist, or pedestrian, those injured by burns may be able to recover compensation with the help of an Illinois personal injury lawyer. 

How Do People Get Burned in Car Accidents? 

Vehicles can catch on fire for several reasons following a car accident. The most common cause of a fire is when a spark causes spilled gasoline to ignite, causing an explosion that quickly engulfs the rest of the car. Other causes include defective gas tanks, contact with live wires from downed utility lines, or fires from other vehicles. 

Vision loss may not be life-threatening, but it will alter your life forever. Whether you lose your eyesight partially or permanently it can be devastating. You will have to re-learn tasks that you used to take for granted and make constant adjustments. If you or your loved one lost their vision due to someone else’s negligence you may be eligible for a personal injury claim to ensure your medical and financial needs are addressed.  

How a Car Crash Can Lead to Blindness

Car accidents are among the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries. What is more, many eye injuries result from head trauma or brain injuries sustained in a car crash. Partial or total blindness is one of the most catastrophic injuries you could experience, and it can happen in the blink of an eye, no pun intended.

Here are some ways in which car crash head traumas can lead to blindness:

Smartphones and other portable electronic devices have revolutionized the way we work, communicate with loved ones, navigate roads, and handle our daily affairs. Unfortunately, some people are so reliant on their cell phones that they cannot put their devices down even while driving. Distracted driving causes auto accidents every day in the U.S. Some distracted driving victims are able to walk away from the collision. Others are left with life-threatening injuries that leave permanent damage.

Smartphone Use While Driving is Ubiquitous

There are many reasons people use their cell phones while driving. Some people think they can multi-task and handle a phone call or text message while behind the wheel. Others are simply addicted to their devices and cannot bear to part with them even for a few minutes. Whatever the reason, cell phone use while driving is dangerous and puts everyone on the road at risk.

When a driver is distracted by a cell phone, they are not paying attention to the road and their surroundings. This can lead to serious accidents, including head-on collisions, rear-end crashes, and sideswipes. In addition, distracted drivers are more likely to run red lights and stop signs, and they are less likely to yield to pedestrians.

Losing a family member in a pedestrian accident is one of the most shocking and devastating things a person can go through. The devastation cuts even deeper if the collision was caused by a driver’s negligent or reckless actions.

Individuals who have lost a loved one in a pedestrian crash may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver. A wrongful death claim cannot undo the grief and despair resulting from the death. However, a claim may accomplish two vitally important acts: Holding the driver accountable and recovering financial compensation for damages.

Wrongful Death Laws in Illinois

Illinois law states that a wrongful death is a death caused by the negligent or wrongful actions of another party. Negligent driving is an umbrella term that includes nearly countless actions. A driver may be considered negligent if he or she causes a fatal pedestrian accident due to: