Author Archives: abryant633

Motor Carrier Safety Bulletin Issued Following Megabus Crashes

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The Chicago Tribune reported last week about a bulletin issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration cautioning motorcoach companies to prevent tire failures by properly loading passengers and cargo and increasing pressure in tires on the rear wheels to the maximum marked on the tires when buses are carrying heavy loads.

This warning comes as a result of two Megabus crashes that have taken place this summer. The most first occurred outside Litchfield, Illinois, that killed one Megabus passenger and injured dozens of others when the bus carrying 70 passengers from Chicago crashed into an overpass. Illinois State Police said the bus accident may have started with a blown tire that caused the bus driver to lose control.

Another bus accident involved a Megabus that caught fire Aug. 8 after a tire blew out on Interstate Highway 85 near Lavonia, Ga. No one was hurt in that incident, police said.

“A tire on a motorcoach loaded beyond its weight rating and operated at highway speeds for a significant period of time is more likely to overheat and fail, potentially placing the safety of passengers and other motorists at risk,’’ the motor carrier agency said in a statement. “Under specific circumstances motorcoaches ultilizing the double-deck design may be susceptible to exceeding the tire weight limit when loaded with passengers and luggage at full capacity.’’

The bulletin said bus operators should reduce passenger and cargo loads, seat passengers evenly throughout the bus and increase tire pressure when appropriate, to ensure the tires remain within the allowable tire weight rating and state vehicle weight limits.

It appears that Megabus did something wrong, which caused these bus accidents to occur. Or they were using faulty tires that do not have the load bearing capabilities that they were believed to have.  Several lawsuits have already been filed in Illinois on behalf of some of victims of the crash.

In my eyes, actions like those described above, are some of the positive results from lawsuits filed by personal injury attorneys. Not only are the attorneys attempting to compensative those who have been injured and the families who have lost loved one, but hopefully industry changes occur which will prevent an accident like this from happening again. Hopefully Megabus takes the necessary precautions and makes appropriate changes so another bus crash like this never occurs again.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago bus accident or Chicago car accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com. 

Study Outlines Key To Decreasing Number Teen Car Accidents

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The Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety (“IIHS”) recently published an article which
outlines the best way for every state to decrease the number of car accidents
and traffic fatalities. The IIHS looked at the 5 best graduated driving laws for
teen drivers in each state, and concluded that if combined, it would provide
the maximum amount of driving safety. Below are those 5 different laws that
would best promote teen driver safety:

1. Minimum
intermediate license age of 17; 2. A minimum permit age of 16; 3. At least 65 supervised practice hours for
new drivers; 4. During
the intermediate stage, a night driving restriction starting at 8 p.m; and 5. Ban
on all teen passengers.

Graduated licensing
enables new teen drivers to gradually build up driving experience as they
mature and develop on-the-road skills. The system has three stages: a
supervised learner’s period, an intermediate license (after passing a road
test) that limits driving in high-risk situations except under supervision, and
a license with full privileges. Teens with learner permits should get lots of
supervised driving practice, and once they have intermediate licenses they
should be subject to limits on night driving and teen passengers. The longer
the restrictions last the better. The IIHS’s research has shown that
states with the strongest laws enjoy the biggest reductions in fatal car crashes
among 15-17-year-old drivers and the biggest reductions in collisions reported
to insurers among 16-17-year-old drivers, compared with states with weak laws.

This is excellent data
provided by the IIHS and provides meaningful solutions that could lead to less
car accidents on the road. The problem is convincing legislatures in each state
to adopt all of these measures. None of the 5 restrictions listed above have
been adopted by a single state. What if the federal government intervened. I
can almost guarantee you that if the federal government promised and/or withheld
federal highway funding based on states adopting these laws, it would dramatically
effect whether this could be done. The same approach was taken when Bill
Clinton was in office 15-20 years ago with drunk driving laws. The federal
government withheld highway construction funding to states until states lowered
blood alcohol content (BAC) laws to .08. States did not receive funding from
the federal government until they lowered BAC requirements to .08. Maybe the
same approach could be used for teen driving requirements.  

If you or someone you
love has been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then
call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at
312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago. com. 

Ford Recalls 485,00 Escape & Maverick SUVs

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The Associated
Press reported last month that Ford Motor Company has recalled nearly
500,000 of its Escape and Maverick sports utility vehicles. The announcement
from Ford stated that the recall is based on sticking gas pedals that can cause car accidents.  The worldwide recall affects the 2001 through 2004
model years that are powered by 3-litre V-6 engines with cruise control.

The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received 68 complaints about the
problem, including 13 crashes crashes, nine injuries and one death. A teenage girl
died when an Escape crashed in Arizona in January. It’s the third recall
in two weeks for the Escape, which was the top-selling SUV in the U.S. last
month. A week ago Ford recalled 11,500 of the all-new 2013 models with
1.6-litre engines because the fuel lines can crack and leak gasoline, causing
fires. A few days before that, it recalled 10,000 2013 Escapes to fix carpet
padding that could interfere with braking.

NHTSA said investigators would look into whether
the sticky throttles could have been caused by repairs made as part of a 2004
recall of the same vehicles. About 590,000 of the vehicles were recalled in
December of 2004 to fix an accelerator cable defect, and NHTSA documents say
the repairs could have damaged the cruise control cable.

This is similar to the type of auto defect and
recall that Toyota made two (2) years ago, which involved sticky pedals, pedals
being caught in the carpet and sudden acceleration. This is good to see this
recalls as there are already a reported 68 complaints and 13 car accidents. Hopefully
this will prevent any future car accidents.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago car accident or believes they have aChicago auto defect case, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm
website at www.blgchicago.com. 

Illinois Car Accident Deaths Up 9% This Year

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According to an article
published today in the Chicago Sun Times, there are a reported 533
traffic deaths in Illinois so far this year, which is up 9% from this time last
year. At this time last year there were only 488 traffic deaths. This includes
motorcycle accidents and bicycle accidents.

Illinois Department of
Transportation has stated the cause is partially due to the increased number of
drivers on the road due to the warm weather we have had this Spring and Summer.
“Distracted
driving is playing a role,” Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Ann
Schneider said. Despite public awareness campaigns, roughly 10 percent of
the state’s traffic fatalities this year are tentatively tied to distracted
driving — or texting while driving and checking e-mail, Schneider said. Officials
also mentioned that there have been an increase in DUIs and wrong way accidents
in and around Chicago.

Although this is
stating the obvious, it is important to be fully aware of your surrounding and
focus on the road when driving this time of year due to the increased amount of
traffic as per a local traffic source. As always, put your cell phones down when behind the wheel.

If you or someone you
love has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago motorcycleaccident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a freeconsultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at
www.blgchicago.com. <span< a=””> style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, serif; “></span<>

Simple DOs and DON’Ts For Workers Compensation Petitioners

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The Illinois Workers Compensation Act has been developed and refined through the years. The basic premise remains the same: the laws were enacted to protect workers who are injured on the job. If you are injured on the job in Illinois, employers are required to provide you with medical treatment and to pay you for any time you miss from work, which is called Temporary Total Disability (or TTD). At the end of the case you are also owed a lump sum award or settlement amount for Permanent Partial Disability (or PPD).  Through proper Disability Claim Application, there are also awards and/or settlement amounts for those workers who are no longer able to work (permanent total disability) or are unable work their previous job and thus earning less (wage differential).

Unfortunately, many workers do not know their rights and some employers and/or insurance companies will not go out of their way to make sure those rights are fulfilled. I always recommend injured workers contact a workers’ compensation attorney to discuss their rights and to make sure they are receiving all of the benefits owed to them under the law. Below is a simple list of DOs and DONT’s if you happen to be injured at work:

-Do report the incident to your employer (or supervisor) immediately, both orally and in writing

-Do seek medical treatment immediately or as soon as
possible

-Do have your doctor list any work restrictions in writing
and forward to your employer

-Do contact a workers’ compensation attorney to discuss your legal options

-Do not disobey your doctor’s orders regarding treatment,
restrictions or return to work

-Do not miss any doctors or therapy appointments unless
unavoidable

-Do not forget to inform your workers comp attorney when
your doctor sends you back to work

-Do not forget to inform your workers comp attorney when
your doctor releases you from care

If you or someone you love has been injured on the job and believes they have an Illinois workers compensation case, then call Chicago workers compensation attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com.

DOs And DON’Ts When Involved In A Car Accident

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If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a car accident, there are some very simple steps to take to make sure your rights are protected. I have made a list of DOs and DON’Ts when involved in a car crash. Please take a look at the list below and always
call a personal injury attorney to discuss your options because I can guarantee you the other driver’s insurance company does not have your best interests in mind when reviewing the case. Insurance companies are only worried about their bottom line, which means they will attempt to save as much money on your case as possible. 

-Do notify the authorities immediately after the auto accident.

-Do get names, addresses, license plate, phone numbers and insurance information of the drivers and witnesses of the car accident.

-Do take photographs of the accident scene and your damaged vehicle.

-Do take photographs of any bruises or injuries to your body.

-Do seek medical treatment if necessary and take care of your injuries.

-Do keep track of all medical providers and lost time from work due to your injuries.

-Do not give any recorded statements to the defendant’s insurance company.

-Do not negotiate or accept any settlement from the insurance company until you have completed medical treatment.

-Call a car accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your options.

-Do not wait to seek medical treatment. If you are injured, seek treatment immediately. 

If you or someone you love has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com. 

“Stop For Pedestrians” Signs Being Installed Throughout Chicago

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I previously wrote about
a Chicago ordinance enacted last year that requires Chicago drivers to come to
complete stops at pedestrian crosswalks. Pedestrian safety has been an issue
that Mayor Emanuel has put to the forefront on several occasions. This ordinance
along with the speeder cameras in school zones have been a top priority for
Emanuel’s administration to help cut back in the number of vehicle pedestrian accidents. 

The Chicago
Tribune reported this week that the city has begun installing signs  warn motorists that a state law requires drivers
to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.  The first of the signs were
installed Tuesday. The department is installing 50 signs in areas suggested by
aldermen where pedestrians and autos “can come into conflict,” including near
schools, parks, public transit and hospitals, according to a release.  The
signs are 4 feet high and warn motorists that state law requires them to stop
for pedestrians in a crosswalk.

I think
it will be important to see if there is a dramatic drop in vehicle pedestrian accidents once these signs are installed. I think it is fair to say that many
drivers often ignore pedestrian crosswalks throughout the city. Hopefully these
signs along with the threat of a ticket will act as a deterrent for drivers to
come to complete stops.

If you
or someone you love has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a
free consultation at 31-588-3384 or go to the firm website at
www.blgchicago.com.  

Massachusetts Teen Charged With Vehicular Homicide After Texting And Driving

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In a historic court
ruling, Massachusetts teen Aaron Deveau was
found guilty for vehicular manslaughter after texting while driving and his vehicle swerved across the center line and
crashed head on into Donald Bowley‘s truck, killing the 55-year-old father of three.  Deveau was charged with motor vehicle homicide and negligent
operation of a motor vehicle, using a mobile phone while operating a motor
vehicle, reading or sending an electronic message, a marked lanes violation,
and two counts of negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use.
 After being found guilty Deveau was sentenced to 2 years in prison and his drivers
license was suspended for 15 years.  

This is
historic for many reasons. First, it is the first defendant to be charged with
vehicular manslaughter for causing a death while texting and driving. Second,
and more importantly, this sends a message that this type of negligent behavior is no longer going to to be tolerated by district
attorney’s offices. I have written many times in the past that texting and
driving will not be taken seriously by  drivers until they know that they
will face stiffer penalties. Specifically, I have suggested tougher penalties
for driver’s who have caused injuries while using their cell phones in their
vehicles. Massachusetts was the first to step up and enforce their laws. We
will have to wait and see if other district attorneys offices take the same
steps. Also, it will be interesting to see if texting and driving accidents
actually go down now that drivers know that they will face severe
consequences. 

If you
or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury
attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultationat
312-588-3384. 

IL Governor Quinn Signs New Cell Phone Ban Into Law

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 The Illinois legislature
and Governor Quinn continue their quest to protect drivers and pedestrians with
a new law that bans make
it illegal for drivers to make calls with a hand-held phone within 500 feet of
an accident scene where emergency vehicles have flashing lights, except for
reporting emergencies. It also bans sending picture and video messages while
driving at any time.   Supporters say it would reduce the risk of
careless drivers hitting accident victims or emergency personnel. Cell phone
use by drivers already is banned in construction and school zones. 
 It is also illegal in Illinois to text or email on your cell phone while
driving.

I do
not know the specifics or the genesis of this bill but I imagine it serves
several purposes. First, when drivers are passing by an accident they tend to
be distracted by the flashing lights and all of the commotion from the
accident. Banning cell phone use I believe is an attempt to prevent an already
distracting driving situation. Second, there may be some concern with blocked
lines and airwaves with emergency personnel and responders. Regardless, this
was necessary action taken by the legislature and will hopefully lead to safer
roads and less car accidents.

If
you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or
Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant
for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website
www.blgchicago.com. style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, serif; “>

Are Chicago’s Pedestrian Safety Laws Protecting Walkers?

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I wrote last year
about Rham Emanuel’s pledge to make Chicago’s streets safer at crosswalks for
pedestrians.  The stricter ordinance enacted by the city required drivers
come to a complete stop when pedestrians are walking through a cross walk. This
was a significant step taken by the mayor and the city to help prevent
vehicle-pedestrian accidents.  Unfortunately, as the Chicago
Tribune, reported last month, the new law has not achieved the desired
results.  A spokesperson for the Chicago department of transportation was
quoted as saying, we’ve
seen a change in behavior.  A little bit. Somewhere less than 10
percent are usually stopping,” she said. It gets better, up to 30 or 40
percent, at places where police actually enforce the law.”

So
what will it take to force drivers to come to complete stops at crosswalks?
 I think this is similar to the problem with texting and driving. I
believe there must be stiffer penalties, especially when a pedestrian is
injured. I do no believe drivers change their habits until they know they face
stronger repercussions. Do the penalties need to be as strong as a first time
DUI (class A misdemeanor)? Probably not. But I don’t think the behaviors
will change until there are stiffer penalties such as higher fines. 

If
you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or
Chicago vehicle-pedestrian accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney
Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website
at www.blgchicago.com.  style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, serif; “>