Posted on October 19, 2019 in Car Accidents

Defining subrogation

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 Posted on October 18, 2019 in Personal Injury

Most people understand that exposure to asbestos is dangerous for humans, though many people do not understand what asbestos is or where it is found. Unless you have been exposed to this hazardous material or know someone who has, you probably do not think about is every day. Understanding what asbestos is and how to avoid exposure is the most powerful way to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. If you believe you've been affected by asbestos, contact our office today to speak with an experienced Springfield personal injury attorney over a free consultation.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural substance that is found in rocks and soil. These mineral fibers have been used by manufacturers for many reasons over the years because they are flexible and resistant to heat, electricity, and chemicals. Over the years, asbestos was widely used to make construction materials, textiles, automotive parts, and more.

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 Posted on October 18, 2019 in Car Accidents

Car accidents are a common occurrence in Illinois, and car accident injuries especially around major cities. All drivers must have insurance coverage in order to operate a vehicle legally, though the Insurance Information Institute says that approximately 13.7% of all drivers in Illinois are uninsured. What happens if you are struck by an uninsured motorist?

The Illinois car insurance minimums

The minimum car insurance coverage requirement for drivers in Illinois are:

• $20,000 bodily injury per person per accident
• $40,000 bodily injury for all persons per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability
• $20,000/$40,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury
• $25,000/$50,000 underinsured motorist coverage
• $15,000 with $250 deductible uninsured motorist property damage

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 Posted on September 26, 2019 in Car Accidents

When you get into a car accident in Illinois, the aftermath can be confusing, especially if you are dealing with injuries. One of the most important things you need to be aware of is the statute of limitations placed on car accident cases in the state.

Statutes of limitations outline time frames in which a person has to file a claim for damages or injuries after an incident. These limits are strict, and claims filed after the time frame has passed are almost always dismissed.

For most car accident cases in Illinois, actions for damages or injuries must be started within two years from the date the accident occurred.

If a person was killed in a car accident, a wrongful death claim must be filed within two years from the time of the crash or within one year of a person’s death, whichever date is later.

For cases in which the claims are for vehicle damage only, you have five years to make a claim in court.

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 Posted on September 26, 2019 in Uncategorized

Most children start kindergarten at age 5, though some areas have kindergarten programs for children who are only four years old. While most parents like the idea of getting their children into school as soon as possible, there are instances of parents holding their kids back from kindergarten until age six.

Why would any parent want to do this?

By holding a child out of kindergarten until age six, some parents hope their kids will have an academic or athletic advantage over their younger classmates. In other cases, parents may want to give a child who is lagging a bit behind a chance to “catch up” developmentally. Holding the child back would effectively make them a year older than most of their classmates throughout their entire school career. Coined after the football term, this has been called academic redshirting.

Now, legislators in Illinois are considering a bill that would require children to start kindergarten by age five instead of six.  The proposed bill would require children who are five on or before May 31 to attend kindergarten. However, parents of five-year-olds with birthdays during the summer would have the choice of whether to send their child to kindergarten or wait an additional year.

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 Posted on September 24, 2019 in Uncategorized

Parents of young children often struggle to understand which child safety seat is correct and how the state laws apply to them. The Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act outlines the guidelines that parents must follow when they have younger children in a vehicle.

This act says that children under the age of 8 years old must be properly secured in an appropriate child safety restraint system. This includes the use of booster seats that must be used with a lap/should safety belt.

As of January 1, 2019, the Child Passenger Protection Act has been amended to include the requirement for children under two years of age to be properly secured in a rear-facing child restraint system (unless the child weighs more than 40 pounds or is over 40 inches tall).

Can a child ride in a two-seater car?

A child can ride in a two-seater car as long as they are properly restrained according to the Child Passenger Protection Act and the front airbag for the passenger side is turned off. Airbags in a vehicle are designed to protect adults and can cause significant damage and even death in children, even in instances of minor accidents that trigger the airbags to be deployed.

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 Posted on September 23, 2019 in Car Accidents

Concussions are considered mild traumatic brain injuries that occur when a person sustains a blow to the head or is violently shaken. Concussions must be taken seriously and should be treated properly. Those who sustain a concussion in a car accident should seek medical assistance immediately so the doctor can make a diagnosis and rule out a more serious injury. Each concussion is different, and you need to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of this injury.

If you or someone you know has suffered a concussion after a car accident, ensure him/her sees a doctor as soon as possible after the accident. Once the victim is cleared from the hospital, contact Kanoski Bresney to discuss the details of your case over a free consultation.

The statistics behind concussions

According to the latest year of data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 311,679 total motor vehicle crashes across the state. Out of those, there were:

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 Posted on September 01, 2019 in Uncategorized

When most people hear about bicycle accidents, they think about a collision between a bike and a vehicle or a bicyclist losing control. However, there are times when the brakes of a bike fail to engage. When you are riding a bike, you need the brakes to work. There is no questioning that.

When the brakes of a bicycle fail to work, it can lead to disaster for the cyclist. Getting into a bicycle accident almost always means an injury for the cyclist. Even when wearing a helmet, the following injuries are common after a bike crash:

• Bone fractures
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Significant disfigurement
• Dismemberment or amputation
• Loss of or damage to a bodily organ
• Other injuries that inhibit a person’s daily activities

What kind of case are you looking at?

Bicycle accidents can be complicated enough when another driver is at fault for the crash. When the brakes fail to engage, you could also be looking at a defective bike. This means you are looking at three possibilities:

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 Posted on August 30, 2019 in Uncategorized

When you have been driving for a while, you learn to expect the unexpected. However, what happened recently in Springfield caught a few people off guard. Police say that a 92-year-old woman drove her car into a backyard and right into someone’s swimming pool.

Police say that the woman is okay and that nobody else was injured. They say that the woman was “backing out from a driveway on Weymouth Street when she drove across the road, into her neighbor’s yard, and through their fence, landing in their pool.”

The woman was still in the pool when the fire department arrived. She was standing on the seat of her vehicle with her head through the car’s sunroof. Neighbors say they are grateful that nobody was out walking, in the yard, or in the pool when the accident occurred.

What to do if this happens to you

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 Posted on August 29, 2019 in Bicycle Safety

One of the best ways for bike riders of all ages to stay safe is buying and wearing a helmet. However, choosing the right helmet is not always easy. There are certain standards bicycle helmets must meet, and there are plenty of deceptive companies selling faulty helmets.

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