Illinois highways are some of the most trafficked roads in the nation, full of semi-trucks, heavy farm equipment, flatbed truck trailers, and more. Not only does Illinois have a large and thriving economy of its own, but it is at the heart of America and handles much of the interstate traffic as goods are moved from place to place. 

While Illinois has its fair share of truck accidents and car crashes, every so often an accident happens on Illinois roadways that is almost too strange to believe. Last month, for example, a truck driver with a load of cattle in a large cattle-hauling truck was driving under the influence and crashed into a parked semi on the side of I-80 in Joliet. Several cattle were thrown out of the truck and killed, while others were freed, wandered away from the scene of the accident, and had to be wrangled up by professional cowboys. The truck driver, who was charged with a DUI, was seriously injured and taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. 

Truckers, DUIs, and Serious Crashes 

Truck drivers are responsible for vehicles that weigh many tons and which often are filled with flammable or toxic chemicals. Even under the best circumstances, driving trucks is dangerous and the smallest mistake can have catastrophic consequences. When you add the influence of drugs or alcohol to the mix, the results can be disastrous. 

For most of us, getting in our car to drive to work, school, or the grocery store is the most dangerous thing we will do all day. While plane crashes and random shootings may make news headlines and give people phobias about flying and going out in public, far more people die in car crashes than in any other accident or disaster. 

Driving at night increases the normal dangers of driving significantly. Although only 25 percent of driving is done at night, about 50 percent of driving fatalities occur after dark. If you have been involved in a car crash that happened at night and another party was responsible, you may want to speak with an Illinois personal injury lawyer. 

Common Causes of Nighttime Car Crashes

At night, all the regular hazards of daytime driving apply - debris in the road, distracted driving, or driving over the speed limit. But a special set of other factors can enhance regular road risks and make night driving much more dangerous. These include, but are not limited to: 

Illinois requires most employers to have insurance that covers employees who get hurt on the job. When employees are injured on the job badly enough that they can never fully recover, future employment can be out of the question. In cases like this, it may seem like common sense to make sure the injured employee receives permanent disability benefits. Unfortunately, employers’ insurance companies usually fight these claims and deserving victims can be left without the resources they need. If you have been injured at work, be sure to talk to a workers’ compensation attorney before you make any decisions. 

What Injuries Cause Permanent Disability? 

Construction workers, truck drivers, police officers, and other high-risk employees are at particular danger of suffering injuries that can cause permanent disability. These injuries include: 

• Traumatic brain injuries 
• Neck and back injuries 
• Quadriplegia and paraplegia 
• Spinal cord injuries
• Amputations 
• Knee injuries
• Severe burns

How Can I Get Permanent Disability Benefits? 

When a workplace accident causes an injury so significant that someone cannot work again, permanent disability benefits are available. While certain injuries, such as the loss of the use of any two of a victim’s eyes, hands, feet, or legs automatically qualifies the victim for permanent disability benefits, it can be difficult to prove that other injuries have made it impossible to work again. An attorney can help make the case that permanent disability benefits are appropriate, as well as help to maximize those benefits. 

When your spouse gets arrested, especially if it is the first time, your first reaction may be one of confusion and you may have many questions. Are they guilty? What are the consequences if they are convicted? What does this mean for my family? And - perhaps more pressing - what do I do now? Taking quick, effective action is essential for protecting your spouse and ensuring they get the criminal defense they need. Here are some important first steps to take when someone you love has been arrested for committing a crime in Will County. 

Encourage Your Spouse to Remain Silent

People who have been arrested often believe that they can explain themselves out of a situation and that the arresting officer or jail employees will be reasonable if the arrestee is friendly and polite. Unfortunately, this is just not true - and everything your spouse says may be used against them later on. As soon as you speak to your spouse, encourage them to stay quiet and only talk to an attorney about their case. 

Post Bail

There are many reasons to get your spouse out of jail quickly, even if you are upset with them. The more time your spouse spends in jail, the greater the chance that they could say something that might hurt their case. Jails can record inmates in many different situations, including when you meet with them. Do not talk about your spouse’s case on the phone or in person at the jail. To post bail for your spouse, you will need to go to the Will County Adult Detention Facility’s Bond Lobby and pay for bail using cash or credit card.  

Nursing home residents are elderly and often frail, requiring extensive care and assistance. Families who have loved ones in nursing homes have to take a leap of faith, putting their trust in the staff and management at a residential care facility which family members often know very little about. The truth is that nursing home residents often face abuse and neglect. Tragic stories of abuse and neglect are frequently on the news, and understaffing is often responsible for the worst outcomes for nursing home patients. 

Bedsores are one of the most common consequences of nursing home understaffing. While you may not be able to monitor your loved one in their nursing home all the time, if your parent or grandparent has bedsores and you have a hunch that they may not be getting the care they need, take action right away. 

How Do Bedsores Develop? 

Simply put, bedsores happen when someone is sitting or lying for too long in the same position. A person’s body weight puts pressure on whichever part of their body is touching a bed or a wheelchair, and when that person cannot move often enough, blood supply is cut off to the compressed part of the body and sores can develop. Bedsores are classified into four stages: