Opting to go without a vehicle with the goal of leading a more eco-friendly, economically efficient, and active lifestyle is an admirable decision that is becoming increasingly widespread in urban areas of the United States. With this in mind, it is important for drivers and pedestrians alike to be aware of what is expected when sharing roads. 

Recent estimates suggest that pedestrian accidents have greatly increased in the past few years. While choosing to ride a bike or walk to work and social events may fit well into an individual’s lifestyle, pedestrians should understand what dangers they may face on the roads and what actions they can take to better avoid being involved in a pedestrian accident.

What Factors Most Often Lead to a Pedestrian Accident?

Certain dangerous behaviors, on both the driver and pedestrian part, are more likely to contribute to a pedestrian accident than others. 

Tractor-trailers, tanker trucks, flatbed trucks, and other large commercial trucks play a crucial role in transporting goods across the United States. Unfortunately, these trucks can also cause severe damage during traffic accidents. If you or a loved one were hurt in a truck crash, you may be left wondering how you will pay for the medical expenses resulting from the injury. Medical debt can be a huge burden on a family – especially when the injured person is also unable to work and earn an income after the crash.

If another party’s negligence or recklessness caused the crash, that party may be liable for the victims’ medical expenses. However, determining who is liable for a truck crash is often a difficult task.

Liability for a Truck Accident Varies

The costs resulting from a commercial truck accident are often high enough to bankrupt a victim. Medical expenses, lost wages, and vehicle damage are just some of the expenses an injured victim may be forced to contend with. According to Illinois law, when a party’s negligence causes someone to be injured and suffer damages, that party is legally responsible for reimbursing the injured person for their damages. However, it is not always clear who is at fault for a truck crash. Liability could fall to:

Patients with serious health conditions often require complex medical procedures and precise courses of treatment, and they rely on their health care providers to execute this treatment to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, with so many important details to attend to, it is not uncommon for a medical professional to err, which may result in serious harm to the patient.

One common risk for patients is the potential for medication errors. If you have suffered harm after taking a medication and there is evidence of negligence on the part of a doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider, you may be entitled to compensation through a medical malpractice claim.

Many construction workers in Illinois are aware that if they are injured at work, they can obtain financial relief through their employer’s workers’ compensation coverage. However, the availability of these benefits may sometimes lead employees to overlook other sources of compensation. In many cases, it is possible to pursue a third-party personal injury claim to recover compensation for the full extent of the damages you have suffered in a construction accident.

When Is a Third-Party Claim Appropriate?

While workers’ compensation benefits may be available regardless of who caused your work-related injuries, the situations in which you can file a third-party claim are more limited. In order to pursue a third-party claim for construction accident injuries, you must be able to demonstrate that someone other than you or your employer was wholly or partially responsible for the circumstances that caused your injuries. Some examples of third parties who may be involved in construction accidents include:

• Other employees or contractors on the worksite

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Over the last couple of decades, with the growing prevalence of text messaging and smartphones, distracted driving has become one of the most dangerous risks of injury on the road. Most distracted driving accidents involve passenger vehicles, but commercial truck drivers can also fall prey to distraction. If you have been in an accident with a distracted truck driver, your injuries may be especially severe. However, you may also be entitled to substantial compensation, and a personal injury lawyer can help you take the necessary steps to secure it.

The Dangers of Cell Phones for Commercial Truck Drivers

For truck drivers, using a cell phone while driving is risky on multiple levels. Reading or typing a text message means that a driver’s full attention is not on the task of driving, and research shows that it may lead a driver to take their eyes off of the road for almost five seconds on average. Texting also typically requires the use of a driver’s hands, which makes it more difficult for the driver to make steering adjustments or otherwise control the vehicle.

Distracted driving can have outsized effects among truck drivers since the adjustment time to change direction or bring their vehicle safely to a stop is longer than the time for a typical passenger vehicle. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that texting makes truck drivers 23.2 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near-crash. Even simply dialing a phone by hand can make an accident or near-accident six times more likely.