Chicago Personal Injury Law Blog

When settling an accident claim does not make sense

On behalf of Audrey Jarach of The Jasmer Law Firm on Friday, December 28, 2018.

Few things can ruin your day faster than a car accident. For fender benders, automobile collisions are often a minor inconvenience. In a major accident, however, you may receive long-term injuries that could plague you for the rest of your life.

Car accidents are on the rise across Illinois. While you may drive responsibly, you likely cannot eliminate your chances of swapping paint with another vehicle. Following an accident, an insurance company may pressure you to settle the claim quickly. While settlements are often advantageous, they are not appropriate in every instance.

Car accidents: protecting children from fatal injuries

On behalf of Audrey Jarach of The Jasmer Law Firm on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

More and more often, media attention focuses on the causes of accidents, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving and drowsy driving. This is a good thing, and it is important to also emphasize the outcomes.

One of these that happens far too often is the serious or fatal injuries children suffer in motor vehicle crashes.

Car accidents can exact a unique toll from children

On behalf of Audrey Jarach of The Jasmer Law Firm on Wednesday, June 27, 2018.

If you, an adult, are hit by another car, you are likely to experience a range of emotions. This is true whether you are injured. You might find yourself reliving the moment of the crash for a few days or even weeks and could be nervous about driving for a while. You have suddenly been confronted with mortality and are unsure of what to make of it.

Children tend to have emotional reactions as well, but these feelings can be quite deep and intense compared to those of adults. In some cases, they even rise to the level of PTSD (they can for adults, too). It is important to check on the emotional health of your child after a car accident.

Catastrophic bridge accident causes physical and emotional trauma

On behalf of Audrey Jarach of The Jasmer Law Firm posted in blog on Wednesday, April 4, 2018.

In March, a well-publicized tragedy occurred when a pedestrian bridge under construction in Miami, Florida, collapsed over a busy roadway. You and other Illinois residents may be interested in learning how construction accidents can affect non-workers in the wrong place at the wrong time, as well as the potential for long-term physical and emotional damage.

You may be familiar with this story, in which six people were killed – one was a construction worker, and the other five were people stopped in their vehicles at a red light beneath the bridge. Investigators are still unsure of what exactly caused the collapse of nearly 960 tons of concrete and metal onto the roadway, which flattened the cars underneath.

3 essential tips for winter driving in Chicago

On behalf of Audrey Jarach of The Jasmer Law Firm posted in blog on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.

Winter is well underway, which means driving in Chicago just got tougher. Whether you have lived here for years or are new to the area, it is always good to be aware of some essential winter driving tips.

When everyone else is freaking out, getting stuck in the snow and causing car crashes, you can be confident in your ability to navigate through Chicago even when it is snowy and icy. Brush up on these guidelines to handle winter driving conditions without a problem.

What are some causes of serious truck accidents?

On behalf of Audrey Jarach of The Jasmer Law Firm posted in truck accidents on Monday, October 23, 2017.

If you have ever found yourself surrounded by semi-trucks on the expressway, you know how scary it can feel to be dwarfed by these giant rigs. The combination of trucks' heavy weights and high speeds plus your car does not always make for a good result.

Commercial truck drivers are held to high safety standards, but serious accidents continue to happen. Here is a look at some of the most common causes of truck accidents and what you can do to stay safe when driving around trucks:

What it costs to live with spinal cord injuries

On behalf of David Jasmer of The Jasmer Law Firm posted in Spinal Cord Injuries on Friday, September 29, 2017.

It could be argued that a great portion of responsibility in building a successful truck accident claim is on the attorney's shoulders. This is certainly true because a good attorney knows how to collect the right evidence to support your claim and knows how to present this evidence to the court. However, we believe that a team approach is often the best way to build a winning claim.

A team approach means that the plaintiff and the attorney work together to strengthen the case. Playing such an important role can often imbue the victim of a truck accident with a sense of purpose, which can help with emotional and physical recovery. A team approach does not mean that you do the lawyer's work. Rather it simply means that you play an important role in standing up for your rights and keeping your case on track for success.

Defining responsibilities in Chicago truck accident claims

On behalf of David Jasmer of The Jasmer Law Firm posted in Truck Accidents on Wednesday, September 20, 2017.

It could be argued that a great portion of responsibility in building a successful truck accident claim is on the attorney's shoulders. This is certainly true because a good attorney knows how to collect the right evidence to support your claim and knows how to present this evidence to the court. However, we believe that a team approach is often the best way to build a winning claim.

A team approach means that the plaintiff and the attorney work together to strengthen the case. Playing such an important role can often imbue the victim of a truck accident with a sense of purpose, which can help with emotional and physical recovery. A team approach does not mean that you do the lawyer's work. Rather it simply means that you play an important role in standing up for your rights and keeping your case on track for success.

Driver fatigue: A real risk to everyone on the roads

On behalf of David Jasmer of The Jasmer Law Firm posted in Commercial Vehicle Accidents on Friday, September 15, 2017.

When a truck driver is behind the wheel, it's of the utmost importance that he or she is alert and well-rested. If the individual hasn't had enough sleep, he or she could make poor decisions that lead to a crash.

Some of the symptoms of driver fatigue that impact the ability to drive include zoning out, which is when you're not focusing on the road, daydreaming and trouble focusing. Other outward signs could include head nodding, drifting in or out of your lane or actually falling asleep behind the wheel.

What kinds of injuries are common in car accidents?

On behalf of David Jasmer of The Jasmer Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Friday, September 8, 2017.

Sometimes even the most minor fender bender can leave a victim with serious injuries. Other times, a car accident leaves the vehicle completely destroyed while its occupants walk away without a scratch. In other words, it is not possible to predict the outcome of car accidents with any true accuracy.

However, it is easy to see injury patterns in many cases. In turn, these injury patterns can allow drivers in Illinois to understand what can, but might not, happen to their bodies in a car accident.

Broken bones: It may not feel like it at the time, but breaking a leg or an arm in a serious car accident is actually a great outcome if you consider what could have happened. Breaking one or more bones is a common result of car accidents.
Head injuries: As you might expect, injuries to the head can be very serious. Common head injuries include concussions, traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures and other types of damage.
Back injuries: Back injuries can also be serious, especially if the spinal cord suffers damage. Common injuries to the back include disc injury, spinal cord injury and paralysis.
Chest injuries: The trunk or torso protects vital organs like the lungs and the heart. When victims suffer chest injuries, it could result in cardiac arrest or internal bleeding.
Neck injuries: Common injuries to the neck can range from serious ligament and neck muscle injury to generalized swelling and pain. Some car accident victims have even experienced temporary vocal cord paralysis from injuries to the neck area.