Chicago Completes First Protected Bike Lane

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NBC Chicago reported today that the Chicago Department of Transportation completed its’ first fully protected bike lane on a stretch of Kinzie Avenue in the River North neighborhood. The half-mile lane on Kinzie stretches from Milwaukee Avenue to Wells Street.  The lane completely separates cyclist traffic from vehicle traffic.

The bicyclist lane is the first step by the Rham Emanuel administration, who pledged to make Chicago a state of the art bicycling city. The plan aims to make roads safer for bicyclists and hopefully clear up some of the congested traffic we see day in and day out in Chicago. 

Typically, cycle tracks are separated from vehicles by planter boxes or construction barriers, however for this pilot project, flexible posts were used instead.The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) originally received a $3.2 million federal grant to build a test track on Stony Island Avenue between 69th and 77th streets, but the project was dropped due to low cyclist traffic.The next phase of protected lanes are expected to be added to Jackson Street between Halsted Street and Damen Avenue.

Click here to watch the press conference from today’s announcement.
 
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago bicycle accident or Chicago car accident, then call Chicago car accident attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com.

Ford To Recall Over 20,000 Trucks

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The Detroit News online site reported today that Ford Motor Company is recalling over 20,000 of its’ Ford Ranger trucks manufactured this year.  This has been a common occurrence by many of the major auto makers over the past year and a half. I have reported multiple times in the past about Toyota’s trouble with its’ brake and electronic systems.  BMW and Lexus both also had recalls in the past year.

Ford announced that it is recalling these pickup trucks because of a defective switch could cause the turn signal, tail lights and brake lights to fail. Ford said the recall affects about 20,000 2011 Ford Ranger pickups built between January and April at its Twin Cities Assembly Plant. It also includes about 6,000 vehicles that were serviced with a defective switch including some 2004-2011 Ranger, 2002-2005 Excursion SUVs, and 2002-2007 F-250, 350, 450 and 550 trucks.

Ford did report to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration that they do not know of any accidents or injuries due to this default.  The company told dealers on July 8 to stop selling the vehicles with the defective parts until they were repaired. The vehicles being recalled that were previously repaired with faulty parts were serviced between January and June of this year.

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

2011 Safe Drivers Act Introduced In Congress

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I have written many times in the past about the dangers of cell phone use while driving. These dangers including talking on your cell phone, texting, emailing or surfing the internet. Up to this point, the U.S. Congress has left it up to states to regulate their distracted driving laws.

This could change shortly as Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., has introduced legislation that would federalize driving and cell phone usage, laws that are currently managed by individual states. [1] Under the proposed legislation, the bill would direct the U.S. Department of Transportation to set up a nationwide standard, prohibiting cell phone use while driving. The lone exception would allow drivers to call for help during an emergency.

The proposed legislation includes some exclusions such as allowing drivers to use voice-operated, vehicle-integrated devices, as well as voice-operated GPS systems. McCarthy’s bill would require the DOT to conduct a study on distracted driving, focusing particularly on the issue of cognitive distraction and the impact of distraction on young and inexperienced drivers. Within two years, the DOT would be required to report its findings to Congress, providing recommendations for revising the minimum distracted driving prohibitions and penalties states must comply with. States would be given two years to comply with the law or face a 25 percent reduction in federal highway funding.

This is a similar approach that federal government used in the 1990s when they strongly encouraged states to adopt stricter drinking and driving laws, specifically the .08 blood alcohol limits.

Many believe this is long over-due as distracted driving accidents are one of the leading causes of vehicle fatalities.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 5,474 people died as a result of driver distraction in 2009, accounting for approximately 1 in 6 of all auto crash fatalities that year.

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

Chicago Honor Student Charged For Alleged Deadly Vehicular Crash

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The Chicago Sun Times reports that a Chicago teenager and honor student, Marquis Harrison, has been charged with the vehicular death of Chicago 911 dispatcher Marciea Adkins.  The 16 year old admitted he was drunk on vodka and high on marijuana and ecstasy when he stole a car and crashed into a 911 police dispatcher, killing her as he tried to elude officers, authorities said Monday.

Adkins was driving home after her shift, said Roderick Drew, a spokesman for the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication.  Harrison is an honors student, basketball player and quarterback of the football team at Urban Prep Charter Academy’s East Garfield Park campus.

During Sunday’s police chase, Harrison ran through a stop sign at Armitage and Hoyne avenues and slammed the silver 2004 Range Rover he allegedly stole into Adkins’ car, causing it to careen into a fire hydrant, Costello said.

Emergency workers had to extricate Adkins from her car before she was transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she succumbed to her injuries.

This is a tragis story obviously because of the pointless loss of Ms. Adkins, an innocent bystander. It is also tragic because Harrison, a promising young man, who apparently excelled both academically and athletically, will most likely lead the life as a felon, all for a pointless joy ride. I hate discussing stories such as these but they are all too common of a tale in a city the size of Chicago.

If you or someone you love is a victim of 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.

Illinois Governor Quinn Signs New Seat Belt Law

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The Chicago Sun-Times reported last week that Illinois Governor, Pat Quinn, signed into law which requires all vehicle passengers to wear seatbelts. The law requires those sitting in the back seats to buckle up as well.

The law was introduced and signed in an effort to help protect Illinois drivers from suffering serious injuries and lower traffic fatalities for those involved in car accidents.  The law carves out exceptions for taxi cabs and emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and police cars, and would also does not include buses.

State police director Hiram Grau aplauded the law and described the measure as “common sense legislation that we are very much in support of.” “We’re going to work very closely with other local and state agencies to make sure these laws are enforced,” Grau added, according to WJBD Radio.

Others opposed the law as an example of government overreach. Rep. Daniel Beiser (D-Alton) told the Daily Chronicle he did not support the measure as he was “not in favor in dictating what the public should do. It is a choice.”

The law; as well as a similar piece of legislation making it illegal for passengers to ride in trailers, wagons and other similar vehicles being towed on highways; will officially go into effect on January 1, 2012.

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

HBO Documentary, Hot Coffee, Reveals Truth About Tort Reform

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HBO released a documentary film this month called Hot Coffee, which debunks many of the myths about runaway juries and the tort reform lobby in the U.S.

The first story they discuss is about Stella Liebeck, who famously sued McDonalds in the early 90s after she spilled hot coffee on her lap. A product liability case was brought alleging that the coffee was too hot. Ms. Liebeck won a 2.86 million dollar judgement before a New Mexico jury. This verdict brought a swell of outrage from the media and from Congress. The funny thing was that neither the media nor members of congress ever looked at the actual facts of the case before rushing to judgement. The directors of Hot Coffee point out that Ms. Liebeck suffered serious burns to legs and pelvic region, which led to numerous surgeries and permanent scarring and pain and suffering. They also pointed out that McDonalds, up to that point, had received over 700 complaints of burns due to the temperature of their coffee, yet failed to take any action. The film also points out that following this verdict, McDonalds decided to lower the temperature of their coffee based on these safety concerns. Finally, the film also points out that the judge lowered the judgement against McDonalds down to $486,000.

I encourage everyone to watch this film and listen closely to each of the case studies. The photos of Ms. Liebeck, by themselves, will make you re-think your position on the McDonalds Hot Coffee case and tort reform in general.

The media, the Republicans in Congress and the Tort Reform lobby do an excellent job of shielding the truth about personal injury in this country.  Watch the film and encourage your friends to watch as well. What if this was you or someone you love who was seriously injured by the wrongdoing of someone else or some giant corporation?  Would you want Congress to determine how much you or your loved one is owed?  These types of cases are why we have juries and why the 7th amendment was enacted. I guarantee you will re-think your views on tort reform after watching Hot Coffee.

Click here to watch the trailor for this documentary.

If you or someone you know has been injured in serious accident or has personal injury case, 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.

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety Says SUVs Are Safer Than Ever

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USA Today published an interesting article last week about the safety developments of SUVs.  The improvement in SUV safety is largely due to the installation of electronic stability control, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Stability control, which uses brakes and engine power to keep vehicles on the road, was introduced more quickly on SUVs.  The death rate for SUV drivers dropped 66% from 82 per million vehicles for 1999-2002 models to 28 per million for 2005-2008 models.

Unfortunately compact vehicles are not nearly as safe when involved in a car crash. The death rate for drivers of small, four-door cars was 72 per million vehicles for 2005-2008 models, down 35% from 110 per million in 1999-2002 models.”The rollover risk in SUVs used to outweigh their size/weight advantage, but that’s no longer the case,” says Anne McCartt, the institute’s senior vice president for research.”It’s a dramatic change and a testament to the incredible effectiveness of electronic stability control,” she says.

The question that remains is what can car makers do to improve safety of smaller vehicles.  This data creates somewhat of a dilemma because federal regulators continue to require auto makers to develop smaller, more energy efficient vehicles that are more eco-friendly. Is there a way to develop and manufacture safer vehicles that are also energy efficient. This is the challenge that both lawmakers and auto makers will face in the coming months and years.

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. 

Chicago Launches ‘Pedestrian Plan’ To Make City Streets Safer

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The Chicago Tribune reported today about a new initiated launched by the city of Chicago to help promote safety for pedestrians.  The plan is to reduce car crash-related pedestrian injuries by 50 percent. Almost all vehicle crashes involving pedestrians result in injuries.  “We have to set a goal of zero pedestrian fatalities and then find meaningful steps to get there,” said deputy transportation commissioner Luann Hamilton.

The “Chicago Pedestrian Plan” begins this week with the first of eight public meetings this summer to collect input on improving safety for pedestrians across the city. Recommendations and an action plan outlining the top priorities will follow in a draft report scheduled for release by year’s end, said Kiersten Grove, pedestrian safety coordinator at the Chicago Department of Transportation.  Possibilities include pedestrian countdown timers at crosswalks that are becoming more prevalent citywide; curb bump-outs that improve safety by shortening the distance of crosswalks; and median islands that provide a safe place for pedestrians who find themselves in the middle of a crossing when traffic signals change.

City officials, meanwhile, said they are studying whether additional laws are needed to force better compliance with traffic laws affecting pedestrians. They said it is too early to determine the effectiveness of a new state law the General Assembly passed last year requiring drivers to stop — rather than yield — to pedestrians in crosswalks.

This is a necessary plan undertaken by city officials. A city like Chicago where there a so many walkers in just about every neighborhood in the city, needs leadership by its’ officials to help make streets and crosswalks safer for pedestrians. We will be watching closely to learn the results of the meetings taking place this summer.

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

Mayor Emanuel Announces Chicago’s First Protected Bike Lane

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I have written in the past about former Mayor Daley’s steps to make Chicago a more bike-friendly city.  It appears that Mayor Emanuel is picking up where Daley left off as he announced that a stretch of Kinzie Avenue in River North will contain the first protected bike lane.  The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the lane designated lane is located closest to the curb, flanked by a roughly four foot-wide “buffer lane” and a row of parking. This results in 12 feet between bicyclists and the flow of vehicular traffic.

“I am proud that we are gonna have the first protected bike lane in Chicago with many more miles to come. I’m glad that Chicago will go from basically being in the middle of the pack as it relates to bike lanes to leading the pack. Planners [from around the country] will come to our city and see what the future holds: an integrated approach to transportation where biking is an essential ingredient.”

City leaders view this expansion as not only a promotion for bicyclists but also a way make city streets safer for everyone.  Newly appointed Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein said the “holistic approach” to transportation that he favors is about “much more” than just protected bike lanes. “It’s about balancing our right-of-way for the safety of all users,” he said. “When we add bike lanes like this, we make it safer for pedestrians. We actually make it safer for motorists, and we slow motorists down.”

I will be following closely to see when and where the city will designate additional ‘bike-only’ lanes. It will be interesting to see if this leads to less bicycle – motor vehicle accidents, including dooring accidents.

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

A Recap Of Changes To The Illinois Workers Compensation Act

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Illinois Workers Compensation reform was a major issue during this year’s Spring legislative session. As of the Sunday before the final day, the bill appeared to have failed, resulting in no changes. But alas, Illinois House legislators worked hard to pass the bill and move forward to Governor Quinn for his signature.  The Chicago Sun times provided an excellent description of how the bill was passed, which can be read here. 

As an Illinois Workers Compensation attorney that represents Petitioner employees, I first have to ask whether the changes stripped away any rights and protections for Illinois workers.  The short answer is yes. Below are the major changes and how they will affect Illinois workers. My thoughts are in italics.

Section 8(d)(1)
 
The changes to  this section of the Act involve wage differential claims.  The previous law stated that when an employee returns to work with a lower average weekly wage than the wage held prior to being injured,  the worker would be entitled to receive 2/3 of the difference between the two wages every week for the rest of his or her life. The new law states that wage differential claims that occur after September 1, 2011 shall be effective only until the employee reaches the age of 67 or five years from the date the award becomes final, whichever is later.

The new law definitely strips the award potential for Illinois workers, but, in my opinion, this is a not a major blow the rights of Illinois workers. The law still allows for the same award, but it is limited basically to a worker’s retirement age. I would have preferred not to see this change, but it is not a drastic change.

Section 8(e)(9) 

The new law makes specific changes to hand injuries involving carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive or cumulative trauma. The new law states that the value of the hand be returned to their pre-2005 scheduled amount of 190 weeks, and places a disability limit of 15% loss of use of the hand in such cases, unless clear and convincing evidence can show an award should exceed this amount. In such cases the award should not exceed 30% loss of use of the hand.

Apparently lawmaker and the insurance company lobbyists believed there was excessive fraud when it came to carpal tunnel syndrome cases. I could not disagree with this change more, but, it must be remembered, that the new law does not eliminate carpal tunnel or repetitive trauma claims, it merely limits them to 15% of the hand and decreases the number of weeks a hand is worth down to 190. The interesting question here is what will qualify as clear and convincing evidence when determining whether and injured hand is worth more than 15%. I would imagine that there is clear and convincing evidence when more than one surgery is performed on the hand and the medical testimony clearly connects all treatment to the work injury. If this is the case, I have to believe that the arbitrators will find that the injury is worth more than 15%. This is one area of the new law to keep a close eye on.

Section 8.2

The new law contains medical fee schedule modifications. The new law states  that if a fee schedule amount is in place, effective September 1, 2011, the charge shall be no more than 70% of the fee scheduled amount. If a fee schedule amount cannot be determined, the default reimbursement shall remain at 76% until September 1, 2011 at which time a 53.2% reimbursement rate shall apply.

Above is just a very brief synopsis, but this is probably the biggest amount of reform in the Act. It basically means that the treating doctors will receive less money pursuant to the new fee schedules.  On its’ face, this change does not directly affect Illinois workers or take away any of their rights. Although, one could argue that, due to the lower fee schedules, fewer doctors will be taking workers compensation patients because they do not want to take lower fees. This could possibly lead to a smaller pool of doctors to choose from an ultimately impact the type and/or quality of treatment  workers receive . It is too early to tell at this point whether this will affect quality of treatment but it is something to follow.

There were many other changes to the Act, but these are the main ones I wanted to point out and discuss. I am not pleased with any changes that strip away workers compensation rights for my clients, but, all in all, it could have been worse, and sometimes you have to compromise with the other side of the aisle.

If you or someone you love has been involved in an Illinois work accident or needs help on their Illinois workers compensation claim, then call Chicago workers comp attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free consultation at 312-588-3384.