If you have been involved in a commercial truck accident, you know just how bad these crashes can be. Semi-trucks are enormous vehicles capable of causing extreme destruction in an instant. The responsibility truck drivers have to drive safely is extremely important. Truck driving is a job that requires careful attention at all times, because a single mistake can cause serious harm to others or even lead to fatalities.

Often, commercial truck accidents because a driver has either broken a law that was meant to prevent trucking accidents or driven in a careless manner. On other occasions, it was the trucking company that is to blame for failing to maintain its fleet in a safe condition. One of the things your attorney will need to do is try to get to the bottom of what caused your accident through careful investigation. 

Most Common Reasons for Truck Crashes

There are a few very common mistakes drivers and trucking agencies make that put everyone on the roads in danger. These common mistakes include: 

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No one signs up for a personal injury case. Rather, people become plaintiffs in a personal injury lawsuit because something out of their control has happened to them - due to another party’s negligence. Dealing with your injuries is likely already painful and difficult. Fighting to force the party who injured you to compensate you can also be challenging in many ways. It is necessary to introduce substantial evidence to prove the extent and nature of the physical harm that was done to you.

If your case goes to court rather than settling, this may mean that you necessarily will lose some privacy in your medical information. If you are naturally a private person, this may be difficult for you. Understanding the ways that medical evidence may be used in your trial is important so that you are well-prepared. Our attorneys do, of course, always make an effort to secure a settlement you are happy with first. 

Types of Medical Evidence Used in Personal Injury Cases

People are often apprehensive about giving up medical privacy. One of the first things you should know is that the defendant does not have free reign to go diving into your entire medical history. The medical evidence that can be introduced to court is limited in scope and must be relevant to the case at hand. Some types of medical evidence your attorney may want to use include: 

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When elderly adults reach the point that they need live in a full-time residential care facility, their health and well-being can easily be put at risk by improper care or monitoring. Although many Illinois nursing homes have well-trained staff who are responsive to the needs of their patients, the news is full of stories about nursing home residents who have been seriously injured or even died because staff are untrained, overworked, neglectful, or abusive. 

One early sign that nursing home abuse or neglect may be present is the appearance of bedsores. Fortunately, the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act guarantees nursing home patients a basic standard of care, and there are legal remedies available to take action if patients are being treated poorly. 

What Are Bed Sores? 

Bed sores, also called pressure ulcers, are injuries that happen when someone has been lying in the same position for too long. A person’s body weight puts pressure on the areas where the body comes into contact with a bed or wheelchair, cutting off circulation and causing sores to develop. Generally, sores first appear on a patient’s elbows, buttocks, back, or legs, and sores begin to worsen in gradual stages. 

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The death of a loved one is a terrible shock. In addition to the grief survivors suffer, plans for the future must be completely recalibrated; for example, when the deceased individual is the primary breadwinner for a family, children are deprived both of a parent and that parent’s crucial financial support. In cases like these, a wrongful death lawsuit can be a lifeline for suffering families. If you recently lost a loved one and are wondering whether you can take legal action, read on. 

Who Can Bring a Wrongful Death Lawsuit? 

Illinois law allows a person’s next of kin to recover damages for wrongful death. “Next of kin” is generally the decedent’s spouse and children. If the decedent is not married, children and sometimes even parents can file a lawsuit. For example, if an infant is killed during childbirth because of a medical mistake, the parents may be able to sue the doctor responsible for the error. 

If the person who died is not married and has no children, the people who may be considered “next of kin” may broaden to apply to other relatives like grandchildren or grandparents. Friends and fiancés are generally not considered next of kin.

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People can be seriously injured when they slip, trip, or fall, and the hazards of poorly tended surfaces are heightened for elderly and disabled individuals. Accidentally falling is one of the leading causes of unintentional deaths in America, and millions of people are treated in the hospital for injuries sustained in falls. It is important to understand your rights in Illinois if you are injured when you slip and fall. You may be eligible to receive compensation from the responsible party for your injuries, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more. 

How Does Illinois Premises Liability Law Work? 

The Illinois Premises Liability Act is intended to hold property owners and managers responsible if someone who has a right to be on the property is hurt because of carelessness or negligence on the part of the property owner. In some cases, property owners may be liable for injuries that occurred even when someone was trespassing. 

This is because property owners and managers have a responsibility, or a legal “duty,” to make sure people on the property are safe from injury. This involves keeping the property safely maintained and removing or alerting visitors about dangerous conditions as soon as they are known. 

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