Being involved in a car accident can be a traumatic event.  It can also be an overwhelming experience to deal with insurance companies, figuring out who will pay medical bills, property damage, lost time from work, and more. However, there are steps that you can take immediately after an accident to help add value to your case, such as:

1. Do not admit fault or agree to pay for anything
2. Call the police and make a report
3. Exchange personal information and insurance information. Get the other driver’s name, phone number, address, driver’s license number, license plate number, insurance company and policy number
4. Take photos of the damage to all cars involved and any visible injuries
5. Go to the emergency room for any pain or discomfort you are feeling, even if it seems minor or you think it will go away. Make sure you tell the doctors at the ER all pain and discomfort you are feeling, even if some areas are not as bad as others.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
6. Call Shammas Law Office so you can get the proper guidance and advice on how to move forward with your injury and property damage claims.

Living in Chicago presents a higher risk of injury due to bus and train accidents.  CTA bus and train operators are held to an even higher standard because they transport the public.  Injuries can be sustained whether a bus or train operator is guilty of negligent driving, or if the bus or train has not been maintained properly.  Because of the size of buses and trains, the resulting injuries can be very extensive.

Losing a loved one is never easy.  It can be especially devastating when the death comes unexpectedly due to the careless acts of another.  Often times, a family is not only losing a loved one, but also a provider of income, and a provider of care and companionship.  The family of a person killed due to the wrongful conduct of another is eligible to receive money damages for economic loss, pain and suffering, grief, sorrow, and loss of companionship.

Trucking accidents are different from car accidents because the trucking industry is regulated by the Federal Government.  Many truck accidents occur because of driver fatigue, improper loading techniques, negligent truck maintenance, improper training, and other acts of negligence.  The Federal Trucking Regulations place certain requirements on truck drivers and truck companies to guard against accidents, and many times, trucking accidents occur because one or more Federal Regulations have been violated.  It is important to hire an experienced attorney who knows how to take the proper steps to preserve critical evidence and use the proper investigation techniques in building a trucking case.

Men and women involved in construction perform their jobs in an environment where slight carelessness or oversight can lead to disastrous consequences.  This is because often times construction projects involve heavy machinery, several different types of equipment and other objects in the area, and various individuals from several trades working in coordination at the same time.  Constructions workers injured on the job usually have two separate cases that can be filed.  Since the person was hurt on the job, they can file a workers’ compensation claim with their employer.  Since a workers’ compensation claim is not based upon fault, the injured worker can also bring a claim against the general contractor of the project or another company who caused or contributed to the injuries.

Pedestrian accidents are especially high in a busy city like Chicago.  With heavy vehicle, taxi, bus, bike, and train traffic, pedestrians are often forgotten or just not seen and become the victims of awful injuries as a result.  Common causes leading to pedestrian injuries include:

• Drivers failing to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks
• Drivers failing to stop at stop signs or red lights
• Distracted drivers
• Fatigued drivers
• Drunk drivers
• Drivers who are fatigued

Many injuries occur because of a dangerous condition on a property.  Whether somebody slips on a liquid substance, or trips over an object or other dangerous condition, usually the injured person can recover if they can establish that the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition, and failed to take the appropriate steps to fix it.  The same applies for dangerous conditions in the actual structure of the building, or with improper inspections and maintenance of a property that lead to injury.

We place our trust in doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to use their education, training, skills, and judgement when providing care.  Many times doctors and other health care professionals fail to provide the “standard of care” required when providing treatment.  “Standard of care” means the standards that are generally-accepted within the medical community.

A doctor or other health care professional may have failed to meet the standard of care if he/she failed to provide the care or treatment that a reasonable medical professional would provide under the same circumstances.  Common types of medical malpractice cases include:

• Providing improper treatment
• Providing the wrong treatment
• Failure to diagnose
• Delayed diagnosis
• Missed diagnosis
• Surgical errors
• Medication errors
• Birth injuries

Placing a loved one in a nursing home can be the most difficult choice a person has to make.  You place your trust in the nursing facility to care for your loved one with dignity, and to follow the plan of care to ensure they are being treated and monitored properly.  Nursing home cases can be brought for many different types of situations, including injuries or death due to falls, pressure sores, malnutrition, abuse, and more.  Sadly, many nursing home residents do not communicate instances of abuse or neglect out of fear, embarrassment, and often times, because they no longer have the mental capability to communicate it.  However, there are some signs to look out for when visiting your loved one in a nursing home, such as:

• Pressure sores and open wounds
• Bruising
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Changes in emotional behavior
• Sudden decreases in weight
• Poor hygiene
• Irritable behavior

Motorcycles are no exception to the rules of the road.  Whether you were hurt while riding the motorcycle, or hurt by an individual riding the motorcycle, your rights are the same and you should follow the same steps provided above with car accidents.

Companies that design and manufacture products have a responsibility to make sure that the products are free from defects in the design and manufacturing of the product.  Usually these cases are proved by showing that the company designed or manufactured a product that was unfit for its intended purpose.  Sometimes, fault can be established by showing that a company could forsee that a product would be used in a way that was unintended.

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act covers employees injured on the job, regardless of who was at fault.  Usually, employees can have their medical bills paid and can recover a percentage of their wages until they return to work.  Employees who may not be able to return to work after a serious injury can receive a percentage of their wages permanently.  The amount and duration of the benefits received for wages and medical costs depends upon a number of factors.  For this reason, it is best to consult a knowledgeable attorney who can explain how the Workers’ Compensation Act will apply in your specific case.