The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) tracks and reports on known car accidents throughout the state and as they happen throughout the year. The data that the IDOT collects can shine a light on what type of traffic collisions are happening and possibly why. Although we are only in May, our team from McHargue &…
When you are driving, you probably follow all speed limits, whether they are posted or not. Most drivers do the same without knowing why those speed limits are chosen in the first place. Although you probably knew that speed limits are not all arbitrary or random, you might not know how much work goes into…
Repetitive stress injuries happen quietly. You don’t fall, slip, or get crushed by machinery — instead, your body breaks down from lifting, bending, typing, kneeling, scanning, pulling, twisting, or standing for years. Many Illinois workers aren’t sure whether these injuries qualify as workers’ comp claims. The answer is: often, yes — but the insurance company…
Yes — in most Illinois workers’ compensation cases, you can choose your own doctor.If you are injured at work in Chicago, your employer or its insurance company may tell you that you must treat at a company clinic such as Concentra Medical Center. Under Illinois workers’ compensation law, injured workers generally have the right to…
Do Pedestrians Always Have the Right of Way? It’s a common saying: “Pedestrians always have the right of way.” And while it is true that motorists should always do everything they can to avoid hitting people on foot, there are certain times when Illinois law requires pedestrians to yield to oncoming traffic. In Chicago and…
Is Illinois a No-Fault Car Accident State? In the U.S., different states follow different systems when it comes to motor vehicle accident claims. Specifically, states can either follow a no-fault or a fault-based system. In no-fault systems, injured victims do not need to prove that anyone else was at fault for the accident that caused…
When someone is assaulted, you might expect that they can file a lawsuit against their assailant for damages. Criminals can be frustratingly good at doing bad things, though, so catching an assailant is not always easy or possible. Yet an unidentified assailant does not mean that the assault victim is out of options for collecting…
If man’s best friend becomes your worst enemy and you suffer a dog bite or attack, what you do afterward will be crucial. Depending on the steps you take after a dog bite, your chances of recovering fair compensation later will increase or decrease, so you want to make certain you are doing the right…
Every defective product case is unique. Even when the same product hurts different people in similar ways, there will be some details to one case that will not be found in the other. Yet there are some essential elements to every product liability claim that must be present in order for the case to be…
The holiday season is the busiest time of year for many industries, including retail, warehousing, delivery, and manufacturing. As workloads increase and winter conditions create additional hazards, workers face a higher risk of injury on the job. Importantly, seasonal and holiday employees have the same rights to workers’ compensation benefits as full-time employees under the…
It seems that everywhere you drive in America, you will come across a big rig along the way. The trucking industry is a cornerstone of our country’s economy, allowing goods and products to be transported from one state to another in a relatively short amount of time. It makes sense that there are so many…
A low speed rear-end collision might seem like “not a big deal” compared to most other car accidents. What many people do not realize is that this seemingly mundane type of crash can cause whiplash in anyone who was in the front vehicle at the time of the crash. If left untreated, whiplash can cause…
Across the United States, the summertime has always been the best months of the year to go on a road trip, visit relatives in other states, and just spend more time outside of your own town. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, people are still planning ways to escape their normal routines throughout July and August….
Construction work is consistently ranked among the most dangerous occupations in the United States, and Chicago construction workers face serious risks every day on job sites throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. Each year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that construction accidents remain among the most frequent and severe workplace injuries nationwide….
June 2020 is National Safety Month, as coordinated by the National Safety Council (NSC). Each year, National Safety Month shares with the country several safety topics that need more attention. This year, the focus is put mostly on the workplace and how everyone can be safer and healthier at work. Pay Attention to Your Mental…
