Train accidents are more common than you may think. According to data from the Federal Railroad Administration, there were nearly 12,000 train accidents and incidents occurred in 2017. As a result, six individuals lost their lives and hundreds were injuries. In most cases, the unfortunate fact is that those accidents could have been prevented if the proper precautions had been taken.

Legal matters involving train companies can become incredibly complex. At Krzak & Rundio, our Chicago train accident lawyers have experience assisting clients with complicated legal cases, including derailments. We can help you, too.

Chicago has a large pedestrian population.  Many people choose to walk around the city rather than drive in the heavy traffic.  Unfortunately, negligent actions of drivers can cause serious pedestrian collisions that result in serious injuries. If you’ve been involved in an accident with a vehicle as a pedestrian in Chicago, a Chicago car accident lawyer from the Krzak Rundio Law Group may be able to help.

Who Has the Right-of-Way on Chicago Streets?

Pedestrians are supposed to have the right-of-way when they’re crossing the road.  Additionally, motor vehicle drivers are expected to give pedestrians plenty of room to walk. They’re not supposed to inch closer or try to intimidate pedestrians into moving more quickly.  They must also be alert when exiting their cars—in a tight, busy area, a driver can hit a pedestrian or bicyclist with their door when exiting their vehicle. This phenomenon is called “dooring.”

Chicago, Illinois is home to many people. Like many metropolitan areas, there are a few main modes of transportation that people use: cars, bicycles, mass transit and walking. Unfortunately, all it takes is for one person to not pay attention for an accident to happen. These accidents can cause devastating injuries that prevent someone from working and enjoying their everyday life. Many of these accidents happen during heavy traffic times.  If you’ve been injured in an accident, a Chicago car accident lawyer from Krzak Rundio Law Group can assist you in pursuing your claim.

What Kinds of Traffic Accidents Happen Regularly in Chicago?

In 2013, motor vehicle crashes increased in Illinois by 4 percent.  At the same time, 130 Chicago citizens died in traffic accidents. This included 34 pedestrians and three bicyclists. Motor vehicle accidents can involve another motor vehicle, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Individuals injured outside of motor vehicles tend to have severe injuries because they lack protection from the impact.

States are always trying to improve their laws to protect its citizens. It’s important to stay informed about law changes happening in your state so you know your rights. Illinois is having a few major changes in 2018 that will affect different areas of the law.

What’s Changing for Drivers in Illinois?

There are a few changes to the law that Illinois drivers should know about.

First, in regard to driver safety, a law has been passed about dealership stickers/paperwork on cars during test-drives.  Often at car dealerships, the windows have stickers or paperwork that could obstruct the driver’s view and create a major hazard. Now, car dealers can’t let motorists drive from their property if the vehicle’s windows have anything that would hinder the driver’s sight of the road.

Something about driving can bring out the worst in people. They may think the person in front of them is going too slow, they may be frustrated at the bumper-to-bumper traffic, or they may be late for something so they react irrationally if anyone gets in their way on the road. They could be in a generally bad mood, exhausted, or angry at another driver for cutting them off or failing to yield. This can lead to drivers becoming aggressive and cause serious safety issues on the road. It’s commonly known as road rage.

If you’ve been in a car accident caused by someone who was driving aggressively, you don’t deserve to cover all the costs on your own because you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s important to remember that you have legal options. A Chicago car accident lawyer from Krzak Rundio Law Group can help you with your claim. You could recover compensation for pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses, past and future lost wages, and property damage.

Summertime brings a lot of opportunities for outside activities for those in Chicago. Many will take advantage of the warm weather and enjoy an outing on Lake Michigan. Boating is a fantastic way to spend a sunny Saturday basking in the sun or a weekday evening viewing the amazing Chicago skyline or the fabulous fireworks displays at Navy Pier on a Wednesday or Saturday night.  However, those who are going should know the risks and take certain precautions to stay safe.

Boating accidents can cause devastating injuries or death. If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident, a Chicago boating accident lawyer from Krzak Rundio Law Group can help you with your claim. Your injuries can be life-changing and result in substantial medical care and may even  keep you from working. We’ll work hard to assure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Plenty of people choose to bike to their destinations. In a bustling city like Chicago, biking is a smart economical choice, and it’s environmentally friendly.  It’s also a great form of exercise. Cyclists can ride in the street.  Unfortunately too many, motorists may not know that or choose to not share the road with people on bikes. Motorists can either be aggressive and not give cyclists enough space or misjudge the distance between them and the cyclist and cause an accident.

When negligence leads to a bicycle accident, you can seek compensation for your injuries. An experienced Chicago bicycle accident lawyer from Krzak Rundio Law Group, LLC will stand up for your rights and expend the resources to get you a just result.  Founding partner, Michael S. Krzak is an avid cyclist and has logged tens of thousands of miles on the road and has participated organized (and not so organized) century rides and charity rides.

One of the more common types of bicycle accidents in Chicago may surprise you. These accidents, often referred to as “Doorings”, occur when a cyclist crashes into or is struck by a car/vehicle door as the door is opening. Doorings result in a range of injuries from minor/non-incapacitating to major, broken clavicle, neck or herniated disk-type injuries.  These injuries usually result in lost time from work and considerable medical bills.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 302 cyclist doorings were reported in Chicago during 2015. This is a 50% jump from data from the previous year—when only 203 cases were reported. The three years before 2014—2011, 2012, and 2013—all reported higher numbers than in 2014, however. Those numbers were 336, 334, and 270 doorings respectively.

More than 100 people are believed to be dead after a plane crashed in Cuba earlier today. Flight DMJ 0972 had at least 104 people on board. It was headed to the eastern Cuban city of Holguin when it fell and crashed into a Santiago de las Vegas neighborhood at 12:08 p.m. Three female passengers were also in critical condition after they survived the crash. The plane ended up crashing into an area of thick vegetation close to the airport runway.

According to CNN, the Cubana de Aviacion Boeing 737-200 crashed on takeoff from Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport. The charter flight “suffered a failure” and crashed about six miles from the airport. The details of this failure are not known at this time.

On Friday, May 11th at 10 p.m., CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini reported on the case of a partially verbal autistic nine-year-old boy who was repeatedly slapped and hit by a bus aide over a period of months who was given the responsibility of safely getting children to and from school.

Appalling video reveals how the bus aide, who was convicted in criminal court in DuPage County, taunted and even slapped the child who was unable to communicate for months because of his autistic condition.