Hit-and-run accidents have been a serious problem in DuPage County, Cook County, and throughout the Chicago area for quite some time now. According to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, the problem may be getting worse.

Indeed, a new study highlights that deadly hit-and-run crashes are at a historical high. For Chicagoland residents, that news is particularly devastating given the recent string of hit-and-run collisions that have injured and killed motorists and pedestrians alike. For example, last summer a police officer and a civilian suffered injuries in a hit-and-run accident, and a pedestrian was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while attempting to cross the street last month.

What should pedestrians and motorists alike know about the rising rates of hit-and-run crashes?

Are runners in DuPage County at higher risk of injury in a car crash than pedestrians who are walking leisurely or simply headed to work on foot? According to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, the laws surrounding where a runner should be on the road can make jogging a complicated form of exercise, and it may place runners at greater risk of getting hurt in a collision with a motor vehicle.

Running With and Against Traffic: What Places a Jogger at Reduced Risk of a Collision with a Car or Truck?

When there is no sidewalk for a runner, should that runner be moving with traffic (behaving more like a motorist) or against traffic (more like a pedestrian who is walking)? That is a question posed by the recent article for situations in which two runners are on the road, jogging in opposite directions. In this scenario, one of the runners is moving with traffic and the other is moving against traffic. Yet who is abiding by the law, and who is at a lower risk of personal injury in a traffic collision?

When we think about pedestrian accidents involving a person’s distraction, we often think about distracted driving and make assumptions about a motorist’s behavior behind the wheel. However, as a fact sheet from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) highlights, distracted walking is a problem, too. To be sure, distracted walking may be a factor in pedestrian accidents involving motor vehicles.

What are the facts you need to know about distracted walking? And when might a jury hold a distracted pedestrian liable for a car accident?

Getting the Facts About Distracted Walking and Auto Accidents

Pedestrians are often in the bulls-eye of danger when it comes to car accidents. Traffic at intersections can be a major area of confusion and concern. About 40 percent of the estimated 5,811,000 crashes that occurred in the United States in 2008 were intersection-related crashes. Although road rules can be seemingly clear, many drivers—for a multitude of reasons—can find themselves involved in a nasty car accident scene.

Sometimes, signage and a lack of courtesy can lead to an accident, but so does negligence. If a driver displayed negligent conduct, and you were injured because of this negligence, then you may have a case.

Being involved and injured in a car accident is a traumatic situation. However, moving forward with a court case can be overwhelming too. Yet having an experienced and diligent car accident attorney by your side increases your chances of a successful litigation to receive compensation for injuries sustained.

News stories about dog bite injuries are reported nearly daily. One of the most recent involves a young man who was attacked by a pit bull while collecting money for the D.A.R.E. drug program. He will need plastic surgery to repair his lip, and his face may very well be scarred for life. Tragic as his story is, it is unlikely that he was the only victim that day. In fact, statistics indicate that as many as 1,000 U.S. citizens per day are treated in an emergency room for a dog bite injury. Many will face expensive medical bills, therapies, and lost time from work. What kind of compensatory recourse do they have? 

Dog Bite Injury Victim’s Right to Compensation

In the state of Illinois, victims may be owed compensation if a dog or other animal bites them, without provocation, and causes injury. Sought from the owner of the animal, this compensation may include damages for a victim’s: