Many, if not most, dogs are lovable, loyal companions. However, it is important to remember that dogs are still animals and that animals have the potential to attack and seriously injure a person. Severe dog bite injuries can cause permanent damage and disfigurement or even death. Dog bites can be especially detrimental to children. If your child was bitten by a dog, you may be wondering whether or not the dog’s owner is liable for the attack.

Strict Liability Dog Bite Laws in Illinois

Unlike some other states, Illinois uses the principle of “strict liability” when it comes to dog bites. A dog owner is liable for a dog bite injury even if the owner did not know the dog was aggressive. Even if a dog has never bitten or attacked someone before, the owner is legally responsible for the damages the dog causes in a bite attack. Strict liability also means that the victim does not need to prove that the owner was negligent or allowed the bite to occur.

However, strict liability for dog bites only applies if the victim was in a public place or was in a private place lawfully. This means that if your child was trespassing on the owner’s property and was bitten, the owner is not strictly liable for bite injuries. Similarly, if your child provoked or antagonized the dog into attacking, the owner would not be held liable under this principle. Cases involving child victims of dog bites are often complicated because a child might not be aware that or she is trespassing or provoking a dog. For this reason, among many others, you should speak with a qualified dog bite injury attorney for guidance on how to proceed.

The trucking industry is absolutely essential to the flow of goods across the United States. An estimated 80 percent of U.S. cargo is transported by hard-working men and women who drive tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, and other large trucks. Driving a semi-truck across the country can be a tedious and isolating job. Truck drivers are expected to endure harsh road and weather conditions, long periods of time away from family and friends, and erratic sleep schedules. Unfortunately, some truck drivers turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the strenuousness of their job. Considering how destructive truck accidents can be, the prevalence of drug and alcohol use in truck drivers is extremely concerning.

Fatal Truck Accidents Kill Thousands per Year

The same features that make 18-wheelers and other large trucks so useful for transportation make them deadly during a traffic accident. A large truck cannot maneuver through traffic the way an average-sized vehicle can. If a stalled vehicle suddenly blocks the road ahead, for example, cars may have enough time to dodge the stalled vehicle or come to a stop. A fully-loaded tractor-trailer takes approximately 20-40 percent farther to come to a stop than a small car does. This difference in stopping time can mean the difference between life and death. Data shows that there are more than 5,000 truck accident fatalities in an average year in the United States.  

Half of Truck Drivers Admit to Drinking and Driving

In an extensive worldwide study of truck drivers published in the Journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, it was found that half of truck drivers admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol. Nearly one-third of truck drivers surveyed admitted to using amphetamines. When participants in the study were tested for drugs and alcohol, 12.5 percent of U.S. truck drivers tested positive for alcohol. Although many truck drivers are already required to submit to drug testing, many people are advocating for stricter rules regarding truck driver drug and alcohol use. If a truck driver causes a serious auto accident while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he or she can be held liable for the damages caused.

Warmer weather is right around the corner, and more people will be out walking for exercise, commuting to work, or running errands. However, what started as a healthy pursuit could turn dangerous if you are involved in an accident with a motor vehicle. After years of falling pedestrian accidents and fatalities, numbers have risen again in the last five years, with hundreds of pedestrians injured every year. In 2021 alone, 215 pedestrians were killed in Illinois traffic crashes. Negligent drivers may be speeding, driving recklessly, distracted by cell phones or other devices, or simply not looking out for pedestrians.

Pedestrian Rights and Responsibilities in Illinois

According to the Illinois Secretary of State, pedestrians have the right of way in the following circumstances. Drivers must come to a complete stop and then yield to a pedestrian:

• When a pedestrian is in a marked crosswalk.

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When a person is injured in a car accident, it is important for him or her to seek medical care. In the United States, of course, medical care costs real money. One of the most common questions after such an accident revolves around which party or parties are responsible for these costs. Depending on the details that led to your crash, the at-fault party is likely to be responsible for your medical bills, but getting your medical bills paid may take a substantial amount of time. What are you supposed to do in the meantime?

Covering Your Costs

Filing a claim for compensation in a personal injury situation is an important step, but processing the claim takes time. It is not always immediately clear who was at fault, and even if liability is clear, insurance companies often do not pay out claims immediately.

Your health, however, is most important, so you should not wait to get the care you need. Therefore, you might need to start by covering your own costs or having your medical care billed to your health insurance. You could also file a claim with your own auto insurance company to ensure that your bills will be covered while you wait for your personal injury compensation to arrive. If the at-fault party’s insurance does come through, your health or auto insurance carrier can recover any money paid out in advance through a process called subrogation.

With the spring season right around with corner, people throughout Northern Illinois will soon be looking to stretch their legs and leave winter behind them. Stores and retail outlets are likely to see a boost in sales over the next few weeks and months, but with more customers out and about, there will also be an increased risk of shopping injury. Wet floors, tripping hazards like extension cords, and falling merchandise can all pose serious threats to shoppers. Fortunately, the legal system provides protection—known as premises liability—for those injured on the property of another. At its most basic, premises liability laws require landowners to make sure that their property is safe for other people to enter, but other complications do often arise.

Shopping Injuries

Although people do not often think of shopping as a dangerous activity unless they are lining up for a Black Friday sale, even “normal” shopping can result in a variety of injuries. The most common injuries are the result of slips and trips due to puddles, tripping hazards or poorly maintained floors. These sorts of shopping hazards can result in sprains, bruises, broken bones, and back injuries, but shoppers can experience even more severe injuries.

Many stores, especially warehouse stores and big box appliance retailers, will stack merchandise higher and higher to maximize their storage space. These towers of heavy boxes present serious dangers to shoppers, and many customers have suffered injuries due to this practice. The stacks of merchandise are often unstable, so the boxes can fall when a cart bumps into the rack or when a shopper or store employee tries to retrieve an item. If a falling box hits a shopper, it could result in traumatic brain injuries, which can cause concussions, headaches, nausea, vomiting, strokes, seizures, and even coma or death in more severe circumstances. When these sorts of injuries occur, it is important to understand the store's duties.