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Recent Blog Posts
Causes and Consequences of Cell Phone Use Behind the Wheel
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.
Top 5 Most Life-Changing Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Unlike drivers in passenger vehicles, motorcyclists are not covered by their vehicles in the event of a crash. Helmets and other safety gear offer some protection. However, someone riding a motorcycle is much more likely to be severely or fatally injured in a crash.
If you or someone you love were involved in a motorcycle accident, it is important to seek legal guidance from a qualified attorney. Motorcycle accident injuries can have a long-term impact on a person’s health and quality of life. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you pursue compensation for damages you or your loved one incurred due to the injuries.
Catastrophic Motorcycle Crash Injuries
The consequences of a major motorcycle wreck are often disastrous. Some of the most severe injuries that riders face after a serious accident include:
- Traumatic brain injuries: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Motorcycle riders are especially vulnerable to TBIs because they are not surrounded by a vehicle frame. A helmet can help protect your head in a crash, but it is not always enough to prevent a TBI.
Malpractice Claims for Cosmetic Surgery Mistakes
Surgeons perform over 15 million cosmetic procedures each year in the United States. Cosmetic surgeries such as breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, liposuction, abdominoplasties, and facelifts are more popular than ever. Unfortunately, not all of these surgeries are without incident. Surgical errors during cosmetic procedures can lead to disfigurement, infections, blood clots, brain damage, and even death. Sadly, some cosmetic surgery malpractice victims are not taken as seriously as they should be. Some people believe that because cosmetic surgery is elective, a surgical malpractice victim is less deserving of compensation.
Fortunately, the law does not discriminate between necessary and elective surgery. If you were harmed as a result of a surgical error during a cosmetic procedure, you may be able to sue for monetary damages.
How Does a Truck Accident Lawsuit Work?
You may already know that commercial trucking companies and truck drivers are held to especially high legal standards. If someone is hurt or loses a loved one in a crash involving a commercial truck, they may be able to file a lawsuit and recover monetary damages. However, many truck accident victims fail to take legal action because they are unsure of how the truck accident injury claim process works. The idea may seem too confusing and overwhelming to even consider.
The good news is that victims of truck crashes do not have to handle everything on their own. Personal injury lawyers provide step-by-step legal guidance for these types of situations. This blog will explain the main components of a truck accident claim so you can better understand your rights and options.
Steps in a Commercial Truck Crash Injury Claim
It is important to understand that truck accident injury cases vary depending on the state laws, circumstances of the crash, the at-fault party, and other factors. However, many truck crash injury claims follow a similar pattern:
Study: Sleep Deprived Doctors Are Four Times More Likely to Make Mistakes
Almost everyone has experienced the sensation of sleep deprivation at some point in their lives. Whether it is a new parent kept awake by a crying baby or an employee working a double shift, not getting enough sleep can be miserable. However, when the sleep deprived person is a doctor or surgeon, the effects of sleep deprivation can be catastrophic. Medical mistakes caused by sleep deprived medical professionals can lead to significant patient injuries and even death.
Medical Errors Caused by Doctor Fatigue
Studies show that doctors who have not slept are much more likely to make medical errors. One study found that junior doctors working a 34-hour shift were over 400 percent more likely to make a diagnostic mistake. Another study found that moderate sleep deprivation caused a 53 percent increase in serious medical errors while significant sleep deprivation caused a 97 percent increase in medical errors.
Understanding Your Rights After a Fatal Pedestrian Accident
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:
Medical Malpractice Claims for Sound-Alike Drug Mistakes
Approximately two-thirds of U.S. adults are on one or more prescription medications. Statins, ACE inhibitors, beta-agonists, and opioids are some of the most commonly prescribed medications. When people are prescribed a medication from a doctor, they assume the medication is safe and effective. They assume that the pharmacy that provides the medication has carefully checked the medication and provided the correct drug in the correct dosage.
Unfortunately, prescription medication mistakes are not uncommon. One issue that leads to a surprising number of medication errors is sound-alike or look-alike medications.
Sound Alike Medications Can Lead to Deadly Mistakes
When an individual receives the wrong medication, they may not realize when they initially take the medication. It is only after they begin suffering from worsened symptoms, side effects, drug interactions, or other adverse consequences that they realize something is wrong.
Taking Legal Action After a Car Crash Resulting in Paraplegia
One of the worst-case scenarios in a car crash is losing full use of your body. Paraplegia refers to paralysis of the legs and lower half of the body. Individuals with paraplegia are often unable to walk, run, or live their lives as they could before the paralysis. To say that paraplegia is life-changing is to massively understand the devastation it can cause.
If you or someone you care about suffered a car accident injury that led to paraplegia, you may be able to take legal action against the at-fault party. You may be entitled to financial compensation for damages.
Auto Accidents Leading to Paralysis
The forces placed on a human body during a serious car wreck can lead to catastrophic injuries. Usually, paraplegia is caused by injury to the brain or spinal cord. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center reports that just under 40 percent of spinal injuries are caused by auto accidents.
Anesthesia Mistakes and Medical Malpractice Claims in Illinois
Anesthesia has revolutionized modern medicine and made it possible for millions of people to undergo surgery pain-free. Unfortunately, anesthesia is also not without risk. Negligent medical providers who make anesthesia mistakes can cause devastating and fatal injuries. If you or someone you care about was harmed by an anesthesia mistake, you may be able to take legal action against the responsible party.
Medical Negligence During Surgery
Any surgical procedure carries some risk. However, competent medical providers can mitigate this risk to almost zero. Unfortunately, understaffing, inadequate training and education, poor communication, and simple carelessness increase the chances of surgical complications tremendously.
Anesthesia malpractice can occur for nearly countless reasons, including:
- Insufficient review of the patient’s medical history, allergies, and medical problems
Be Aware of Dangerous Firework Injuries as the Fourth of July Approaches
In 2021, a study was published by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission declaring that injuries and deaths related to fireworks increased dramatically during the previous year. Because many municipalities canceled local fireworks shows due to the Covid-19 pandemic, more people used fireworks on their own, increasing the danger of an accidental or errant discharge resulting in a serious injury or death.
To anyone who has never been injured by a firework, the idea that these fun sources of flashy entertainment could cause serious harm may seem laughable. After all, the vast majority of fireworks displays occur without ever causing harm. But at least 18 people died in 2020 from firework-related accidents and more than 15,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for their injuries. Even firecrackers and sparklers, which seem harmless and are used by children all over Illinois every year, are actually responsible for the majority of fireworks injuries treated in the emergency room. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed by a firework and require expensive medical treatment, you may want to seek compensation.
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