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Recent Blog Posts
Who Is Responsible for Workplace Electrocution Injuries?
Electric shocks can cause devastating injuries, and people in certain occupations are at a higher risk of being electrocuted. In fact, electrocution is the sixth most common cause of workplace fatalities in the United States, and 54% of the deaths caused by electrocution are suffered by workers in the construction industry. If you have experienced an electrocution injury while working, you should be sure to understand your legal options for recovering compensation.
Effects of Electrocution
The injuries that occur when electricity flows through the body can vary depending on the type and amount of electrical current and the parts of the body affected. Some common injuries include:
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Severe burns on the body parts which came into contact with electricity and which touched the ground.
What Are the Short and Long-Term Effects of Dog Bite Injuries?
There are nearly 70 million dogs in the United States, and while many of these animals are friendly, loving pets, there are also many instances of people being injured after being attacked by a dog. Whether a dog is considered dangerous or had no previous history of aggressive behavior, its owner may be liable for injuries resulting from a dog bite. However, many people do not realize the full extent of the damage that can be caused by a dog bite, so it is important for victims to be aware of both the short-term and long-term ramifications of these types of injuries.
Short-Term Injuries
The physical injuries caused by a dog bite are often immediately evident, and they can include puncture wounds or lacerations. In most cases, medical care should be received as soon as possible, and stitches may be needed to close these wounds. In addition, a dog may knock someone down during an attack, leading to broken bones, sprained joints, and serious bruises. Elderly people and young children are especially susceptible to these types of injuries.
E-Scooters in Chicago May Soon Lead to Dangerous Injuries
Electric scooters, or e-scooters, are becoming more and more popular in cities throughout the United States. These vehicles offer riders a quick and easy way to get around urban areas, and multiple companies, including Uber, Lyft, Bird, and Lime, have begun offering curbside e-scooter rentals. However, as the use of e-scooters has increased, so has the number of serious injuries in e-scooter accidents.
E-Scooter Injuries
E-scooters have become incredibly popular in a short period of time. In fact, more than 38 million people took trips on shared electric scooters in 2018. Since this is a fairly new form of transportation, many cities have not yet put laws and regulations in place for e-scooters. In addition, the rules and guidelines for the safe operation of these vehicles are not yet fully established, and a large number of injuries have occurred as a result.
Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer or Deal With an Insurance Company Myself?
A personal injury can turn your life upside down. In addition to the difficulties that come with your recovery, your injury is likely to have a major financial impact, including the cost of medical treatment and the loss of income while you are unable to work. If you are planning to file an insurance claim, you may expect to work with an insurance company to ensure that your injuries are covered. However, before doing so, it is important to consult with an attorney who can ensure that you are fully compensated for your damages.
How Can an Attorney Help With My Case?
When you are struggling in the aftermath of an injury, you may feel like you have to accept an offer made by an insurance company so that you can address your immediate financial concerns. However, an insurance company’s goal is to pay you as little as possible, and even if a settlement offer appears fair to you, it is likely that it will not fully cover your costs or meet your ongoing needs.
Can I Receive Compensation for Injuries in a Taxi Accident?
Large numbers of people use taxicabs for transportation throughout the Chicago area every day. Unfortunately, most people are familiar with the experience of being afraid for their safety while riding in a vehicle operated by a cab driver who has little regard for traffic laws. The desire to complete fares as quickly as possible causes many taxi drivers to put passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians at risk. Fortunately, taxi companies’ status as common carriers provides those who have been injured in taxi accidents with the ability to recover compensation for their damages.
What Is a Common Carrier?
Companies, entities, or individuals that transport people or property within or through the state of Illinois are considered common carriers. According to decisions made in Illinois courts, common carriers have a duty to provide the “highest degree of care” to their passengers while transporting them or while passengers are entering or exiting a vehicle.
Dangerous Britax Stroller May Have Injured Parents and Children
Parents often assume that the products intended for use by their children are safe. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and there are many situations in which companies put profits ahead of consumer safety and release defective or dangerous products to the market. This was demonstrated recently when news stories broke about a jogging stroller that had caused injuries to parents and children.
Injuries When Using the Britax BOB Jogging Stroller
The BOB jogging stroller produced by Britax is intended to keep children safe and secure when parents are using it to run on sidewalks, streets, or even dirt paths. This three-wheeled stroller, which typically costs between $400 and $600, appears to be rugged and sturdy. However, hundreds of reports were sent to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) between 2012 and 2018 stating that the front wheel of the stroller could suddenly become detached. When moving at high speeds, the strollers could then flip over, causing serious or life-threatening injuries to both children and parents. Some of the reported injuries included broken bones and teeth, torn ligaments, and severe lacerations.
New Information Comes to Light About Boeing 737 MAX Plane Crashes
After two separate aviation accidents involving Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes within the past six months, the plane’s manufacturer is under a great deal of scrutiny. A Lion Air plane crashed in Indonesia on October 29, 2018, and an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed outside of Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019, with the two crashes resulting in the deaths of 346 people. Investigations have found that faulty sensors and software may be to blame for these disasters, which opens up the possibility that the families of these plane crash victims may be able to pursue product liability lawsuits against Chicago-based Boeing.
Faulty Flight Control Systems
Investigators into both crashes have noted that there are “striking similarities” between the two incidents. In both cases, it appears that a flight control system called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which was meant to prevent mid-air stalls, caused the pilots to lose control of the planes. The MCAS had automatically acted to force the planes’ noses down in response to incorrect readings from the planes’ angle-of-attack (AOA) sensors, and pilots had not been properly trained in how to disengage this system. Experts believe that the combination of faulty data, automated systems, and lack of pilot training proved to be deadly in these cases, and in order to avoid similar crashes, countries around the world have grounded all 737 MAX planes.
$29 Million Verdict Awarded in Baby Powder Product Liability Lawsuit
Recently, reports that Johnson & Johnson baby powder may contain asbestos have alarmed people throughout the United States. This product has been a staple of many families for decades, and the potential dangers that it may pose has led many to worry about their safety. In March of 2019, a woman in California won a major victory against the company when a jury awarded her $29 million because she contracted mesothelioma that she claimed was caused by her use of J&J’s products.
Johnson & Johnson is currently facing around 13,000 lawsuits involving injuries allegedly caused by their baby powder. In another recent case, 22 women in Missouri were awarded $4.69 billion from J&J because they contracted ovarian cancer. Those who have experienced injuries or illnesses that may have been caused by asbestos in baby powder should be sure to understand their options for pursuing compensation through a product liability lawsuit.
Ethiopian Airlines Plane Crash May Have Been Caused By Defective Parts
On March 10, 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed, leading to the deaths of 157 people. This was the second major airline disaster in recent months involving a Boeing 737 MAX plane, and in response, countries around the world have ordered these planes to be grounded. Those who have been affected by these incidents or who have been injured while traveling on a plane should understand their options for pursuing compensation through a product liability lawsuit.
Legal Issues Involved in Aviation Accidents
The cause of the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash has not yet been determined. However, the fact that it occurred so soon after another Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by Lion Air crashed in Indonesia in October 2018 indicates that these planes may have dangerous defects that threaten the safety of passengers. That crash is also still being investigated, but it may have been caused by a faulty sensor that affected pilots’ ability to control the plane.
How to Handle Injuries in a Car Accident With an Uninsured Driver
Being involved in a car accident can be a traumatic experience, regardless of whether the collision is minor or major. Even if a car crash does not result in serious injuries, it is likely to cause damage to your vehicle, and you may experience injuries that are not immediately evident which only begin to affect you in the days or weeks after the accident. In most cases, your injuries and the damage to your vehicle will be covered by the insurance policy of the driver who was at fault. But what happens when you are involved in a collision with a driver who has no insurance?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
All drivers are required by law to have insurance coverage on their vehicles. At minimum, a vehicle must be covered by liability insurance, which will pay for damages a driver causes to other vehicles, drivers, or passengers in a car accident. However, some drivers do not maintain their required insurance coverage. Many people who are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver may believe that they have no way to recover compensation for their injuries or vehicular damages.
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