Tag Archives: free legal consultation

Summer Pool And Swim Safety Tips

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We are in the dog days of summer. Those with kids have no doupt been regulars at their local pools and ,if lucky, visited beaches. Swimming is one of the most popular summer activities for kids. It’s such a normal and regular activity, that we as parents can often forget the basic safety precautions we should take. This is especially true with young children who have not had formal swimming lessons yet. Below are some important safety tips from the American Red Cross. These are precautions that we should all take into consideration regardless of whether at a home pool or at the local community pool or club.

Tips for supervising children:

  • Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards. Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.
  • Provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising, even when a lifeguard is present, no matter how well the child can swim or how shallow the water. Avoid distractions including cell phones.
  • Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
  • Designate a water whatcher whenever in a group setting.
  • Stay within an arm’s reach of any weak or inexperienced swimmer who is in the water. 
  • Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
  • Do not rely on the use of water wings, swim rings, inflatable toys or other items designed for water recreation to replace adult supervision. 
  • If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers to prevent unsupervised access to the water.Many children who drown in home pools did so during non-swim times – when they weren’t expected to be in the water, including as the swimming activity was coming to an end and everyone was thought to be out of the water. 

What to do in case of an emergency:

  • If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
  • Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.
  • Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
  • Enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and learn-to-swim courses.
  • Enroll in Red Cross home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.

Have fun out there this summer, but remember these tips especially if you are with someone who can’t swim or if supervising children.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago personal injury accident, then call Chicago truck accident lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Tips To Remember When Involved In A Traffic Accident

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We are in the heart of summer vacation and there a lot of motorists out on the road. Numbers are indicating that the country is inching closer to pre-pandemic levels of travel.

A car accident or a truck accident can be a very stressful moment for many people. It’s improtant to keep your cool and think rationally if you have been involvedin a car crash. Below is a comprehensive list of things you should and should not do if you are involved in a traffic accident.

• Do get names, addresses, license plate and phone numbers of those drivers involved. This includes any witnesses.
• Do call the police immediately or have someone at the scene call for you;
• Do take photographs of scene and your injuries;
• Do take care of your injuries-concentrate on getting better (i.e. go to the emergency room or set an appointment with your primary care physician);
• Do keep records of your medical treatment and time missed from work;       

• Do make sure to purchase adequate full coverage auto insurance, including uninsured motorist coverage in case you are struck by an uninsured driver or the victim of a hit and run;
• Do not talk or give a statement to the other driver’s insurance company;
• Don’t attempt to negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company before your medical treatment is completed;
• Don’t wait months from the date of injury before hiring an attorney, as your right to file claim or lawsuit may be barred; and
• Don’t wait days or weeks from the time you are injured to seek medical attention. Your health comes first and also insurance companies are wary of paying for medical bills if treatment is postponed.

This is not an exhaustive list, but they are simple steps you can take in order to protect your rights as an accident victim. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, at 312-614-1076 for a free legal consultation.

Chicago Speed Camera Ticket To Remain At 6 MPH

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The Chicago city council voted down an ammendment to the speed camera tickets which would have raised the threshold from 6 mph over to 10 mph. The measure lost 26 to 18. If caught on camera driving 6 mph over the limit will bring you a $35 ticket. 10 mph or over will bring a $100 ticket. These speed camera tickets are considered non-moving violations and will not add points to your drivers license.

Opponents to the 6 mph ticket threshold argued that they were simply a cash cow for the city. Estimates put the revenue for these tickets at about $70 million per year.

I don’t disagree with that argument. Do these cameras actually make our streets safer. The numbers say they don’t. There were 174 traffic related deaths in 2021 and those numbers (according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot) continue to rise in 2022. If the number of fatalaties continue to rise despite these speed cameras, then why are they even in place. What are they doing to make our streets safer?

These cameras are here to stay and so is the 6 mph threshold, we can only hope this causes people to slow down and eventually lead to less traffic fatalities.

If you or a loved once has been seriously injured in a Chicago traffic accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago injury attorney, Aaron J. Bryant for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Chicago City Council Passes Ordinance To Curb Drag Racing

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If you live in the West Loop or were out and about there last weekend, you were probably startled to see the huge crowds of people and vehicles congregating. Those cars were drag racing and drifting (often referred to donuts). Video clips played on the local news showed how close these vehicles were to striking a pedestrian. That and the incredibly loud noises caused a lot of complaints from West Loop neighbors and business owners.

42nd Ward Alderman, Brendan Reilly, looked to hopefully put an end to this issue. He sponsored a bill, which passed today, which allows police to use picture and video evidence and camera detection of license plates for cars to track down vehicles and impound them. It would mean a $5,000 fine to get that vehicle out of the impound lot. Reilly stated the following on the new ordinance: “With the investments that my colleagues and I have been making in infrastructure for the police, like license plate reading cameras, these cars will pop up as hot — as drag racers — and so using camera systems in good detective work, we can find where these folks are parking these cars and take them, whether they are not…  So I do think this will be an effective tool. Our police commanders of told us they’re going to take full advantage of it.”

I think this is a good measure, but it may be a little tougher to actually impound the vehicles as the following steps need to take place prior to impounding a vehicle:

• Before impounding a car, police are required to mail the car owner a “notice of intent to impound.”

• The notice would include a statement of probable cause, police report, description of vehicle, and the date and time of violation.

• The car owner would have the right to contest the impoundment.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Chicago To Give Away Bicycles To Underprivelidged

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Chicago’s Department of Transportation (“CDOT”) is doubling down their approach as the most bicycle friendly city in the country. I wrote last week about the construction of concrete barriers protecting bicycle lanes throughout the city. CDOT announced this week that they are distributing 5,000 free bicycles to those who cannot afford them.

“Riding a bike is an affordable, sustainable, and healthy way to travel that reduces car congestion and improves quality of life,” said CDOT Commissioner Gia Biagi. “Along with improving and expanding the City’s network of bike lanes and trails, CDOT is committed to making biking a more popular and practical option for all residents – and Bike Chicago will do just that. We’re excited to launch this program and start distributing bikes and safety gear this summer and throughout the next several years.”

In order to qualify for a bicycle, applicants must:

-Be a Chicago resident

-Be at least 14 years old (Under 18 applicants will need a guardian present when picking up bike
-Have a household income at or below 100% of the Area Median Income for Chicago
-Not already own a bicycle
-Face higher mobility hardship or be a participant in the CDOT Mobility program

For more information, visit www.chicago.gov/bikechicago.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago bike accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Chicago To Add Concrete Barriers To Bicycle Lanes

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Multiple news outlets including Block Club and the Chicago Tribune reported last week that the Chicago department of transportation will be adding concrete barriers to all dedicated bike lanes by 2023.

This isa monumental step forward for bike safety advocates in Chicago. Chicago has proven to be one of the most bicyle friendly cities in the country, but has had to deal with a multitude of safety issues as more bike lanes were laid out throught the city. The concrete barriers provide much needed protection for both bicyclists and drivers.

The city will add concrete barriers to 15 miles of bike lanes by the end of 2022 and make the same upgrades to another 13 miles by the end of 2023, said Erica Schroeder, spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Transportation. Those 28 miles of bike lanes currently have bollard or delineators separating them from the roadway, Schroeder said.

The city also will add another 10 miles of new protected bike lanes this year, totaling 45 miles of lanes throughout the city with either a concrete barrier, bollard or delineator.

Beleow is a list of bicycle lanes that will get concrete barriers this year:

  • Kinzie Street between Milwaukee and Wells
  • Lake Street between Pulaski and Damen
  • Logan Boulevard between Rockwell and Diversey
  • Milwaukee Avenue between Addison and Irving, Chicago and Division and Kinzie and Ohio
  • Independence Boulevard between Douglas and Harrison
  • Douglas Boulevard between Independence and Sacramento
  • 119th Street between Ashland and Halsted and the Major Taylor Trail

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago bike accident or Chicago traffic accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Chicago City Council Holds Off On Speed Camera Vote

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Last year Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot included a controversial wrinkle in her yearly budget. The budget included fines for those caught on camera speeding between 6-10 miles per hour over the limit. These tickets are non-moving violations. Lightfood has touted this change as safety issue, but detractors to the fine saw it as nothing but a money grab.

An alderman has an ammendment that would eliminate the 6-10 mph fine and only fine those caught going 11 mph and over. The new law would make those tickets $100. The current fine is $35.

ABC 7 and Block Club Chicago reported that the amendment was deferred and continued to a later date by one of Mayor Lightfoot’s alies on the council. It is unclear why the mayor and her alies did not want the vote or why they did not allow at least a debate on the issue.

According to Block Club the speed cameras issued 2.3 million tickets in the first 10 months of 2021 after the speeding threshold was lowered to 6 mph — nearly as many as the city issued in 2018, 2019 and 2020 combined.

Mayor Lightfoot’s other argument is that if these fines are removed, the city would lose $45 million in revenue annually. I have yet to see any studies or data as to whether th 6-10 mph threshold actually makes the city’s streets safer. We will be following this closely in the weeks ahead.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, at 312-614-1076 for a free legal consultation.

“Rebuild Illinois” Infrastructure Projects Underway In Champaign County

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I think it’s fair to say that most driver’s troughout Illinois are tired of crumbling roads. They are sick of potholes. They are frightened of old rickety bridges. If you drive on I-55 from Chicago to Springfield and all the way to St. Louis, there are sections of that highway that are completey unsafe. The same can be said for I-57. Hopefully these complaints will be coming to an end as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s infrastructure planned titled “Rebuild Illinois” is taking affect. WCIA recently reported nine projects are either underway or scheduled to start soon throughout Champaign County.

Rebuild Illinois, which was signed into law three years ago by Governor Pritzker is supposed to be an answer to the old roads and bridges throughout the state. Rebuild Illinois is a $45 billion investments in roads, bridges, railroads, universities, early childhood centers and state facilities over six years.

Below are a list of projects in Champaign County, which cost total about $270 million:

  • Interstate 74 bridges over Canadian National Railroad and Market Street in Champaign: Deck repairs began in August of 2020 and are expected to finish this fall. Two lanes of traffic remain open in each direction.
  • Interstate 74 west of St. Joseph: Bridge deck repairs are underway and are expected to be complete in December. There are permanent lane closures with a barrier wall.
  • U.S. Route 150 from County Road 2350 E in St. Joseph to the Vermilion County line: Road resurfacing began this month and will end in September. Intermittent lane closures will occur every day of the project.
  • Interstate 57 from Rantoul to Thomasboro: Resurfacing began this month and will end in December. Daily lane closures will occur.
  • Interstate 57 from Rantoul to the Ford County line: Resurfacing begins in August and will continue into next summer. Daily lane closures will occur.
  • U.S. Route 45 from Saline Branch Ditch to just north of Olympian Drive: Installation of new shoulders and rumble strips will begin in July and will be complete in September. Intermittent lane closures will occur every day of the project.
  • Intersection of U.S. Route 150 and Illinois Route 49 in Ogden: Drainage improvements will begin in August and will end in December. Intermittent lane closures will occur every day of the project.

These projects to repair roads and bridges are incredibly important to the state. They create a safer driving experience for everyone. Hopefully the safer roads and bridges will lead to less traffic accidents and traffic fatalities. An addded bonus is that Rebuild Illinois is also creating thousands of well paying jobs.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Illinois truck accident, then call Illinois personal injury lawyer, Aaron Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Ford Recall 2.9 Million Vehicles For Gear Shift Defect

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The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) announced this week that Ford is recalling 2.9 million vehicles that might not shift into the correct gear and could move in an unintended direction.

The issue in certain Ford sedans and SUVs is that the gear appears to be in park even though it may not be in park. Drivers have exited a vehicle only to have it roll, increasing the risk of injury or crash, according to the safety regulator. The NHTSA has reported six (6) property damage and four (4) injuries regarding this potential defect. Luckily no deaths have been reported.

The vehicles recalled include model year 2013 to 2019 Escape, the 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion and the 2013-2021 Transit Connect. If you or someone you know owns one of these vehicles, it is important to return the vehicle to a local dealer for the appropriate repairs.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a auto defect accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Chicago Department of Transportation Announced Start Of “Complete Streets” Program

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As reported by Block Club Chicago, the Chicago Department of Transportation (“CDOT”) announced the start of long awaited bicycle lane construction in the Logan Square and Avondale neighboorhoods.

CDOT announced the installation of curb-separated bike lanes on Belmont from Kimball to Western avenues this summer as part of its Complete Streets program. The program is aimed to increase road safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers. The bike lanes, which will provide an east-west connection to other lanes across the city, are one part of a much larger project to revamp Belmont. Also included in the Belmont Avenue improvement project are pedestrian crossings, floating bus stops and a dedicated bus lane coming to Diversey and Kimball intersection where the Belmont Blue Line station sits.

In Logan Square, CDOT announced a complete overhaul of Milwaukee Avenue between Belmont and Logan Boulevard. The plan includes ew raised sidewalks, gutters, street lighting, traffic signals and trees, along with curb extensions and bike lanes.

Also in Logan Square and Avondale, the city wants to install bike lanes and make other infrastructure improvements along Kedzie Avenue from Diversey Avenue to Addison Street. That project is in the planning phase, but construction should begin this summer, city officials said.

These are ambitous projects that are long awaited. CDOT stated that they should take about two years to complete. Unfortunately, the city has mourned the loss of two todlers who died in bicycle traffic accidents the last few weeks, which has created a public outcry for better or more dedicated bicycle lanes throughout the city. Although Chicago is one of the most bike friendly cities in the country, these improvements cannot come soon enough. Traffic congestion is back after the pandemic shutdown. Now is the time to improve our streets for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago bicycle accident or a Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076