Illinois Personal Injury Blog

Our readers may have seen the reports about a recent construction accident in a nearby Illinois community west of the Arlington Heights area that left one construction worker dead and another construction worker injured. One worker was killed and the second worker was critically injured when a steel beam fell on them at the construction site. A crane was being used to unload steel beams at the site at the time of the construction accident. The beam was approximately 30 feet in the air when the crane failed and the beam dropped.

A 55-year-old construction worker was killed in the accident and a 27-year-old worker was injured. The worker who was killed was first taken to the hospital and then pronounced dead. The 27-year-old worker was also taken to the hospital and was listed in critical condition. He had to be extracted from underneath the steel beam. Construction workers were working on a nine-story apartment building at the time of the accident. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has opened an investigation into the accident.

Realizing that a loved one is no longer capable of caring for him or herself is incredibly difficult. You may have struggled with the decision to place your parent, aunt or grandparent in the care of a nursing home but probably came to the conclusion that it was for the best. After all, these facilities are supposed to have trained staff and the right equipment to provide careful and loving care to patients. 

Unfortunately, nursing home abuse is a widespread problem not just in Illinois, but across the rest of the United States. Patients with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other disorders that affect the brain are especially at risk. 

A dog attack can leave victims suffering from physical and emotional injuries and may also leave them with a stack of medical bills and an inability to work while they recover from their injuries. Fortunately, personal injury legal protections are available to help victims with the physical, financial and emotional damages suffered in a dog attack, but it helps to know what dog bite laws are.

Dog bite laws in Illinois protect victims. Because Illinois dog bite law is what is referred to as a "strict liability" law, it provides a high degree of protection for victims injured by another party's dog. In Illinois, pet owners are strictly liable to victims for the harm their pets cause. This means that even if the owner was unaware that the dog had a propensity to bite, they are still liable if the dog attacks and injures or otherwise harms a victim.

Workers can suffer serious injuries in workplace accidents and construction workers can be at even more risk of suffering harm in a construction accident. Because construction accidents can threaten the livelihood of injured workers, it is important for injured workers to be familiar with their legal protections and rights.

Construction accidents and injuries can occur in a variety of situations including injuries that result from dangerous scaffolding; falls from ladders or other areas on the job site; harm resulting from poorly maintained equipment; injuries caused by falling debris; electrical hazards on the job; and violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules and standards. Whatever the situation may be, a construction accident leaves an injured worker unable to work to provide for their families and oftentimes facing mounting medical bills and expenses.