Because Illinois is in the center of the nation, its roads are a major source of trucking traffic. Tens of thousands of big rigs and smaller trucks travel through Illinois every day, and while the vast majority of these trips are taken safely, tragedy can strike when unsecured loads come loose and fall into the road, causing an accident. If you were injured when objects in the road caused you to strike the objects or swerve and crash into another vehicle, you deserve compensation for your pain and trauma. 

Are Trucks Always Responsible For Shifting Loads? 

Sometimes truck loads come loose even when best loading practices are followed. But when trucking company employees and drivers fail to follow state and federal safety laws that regulate how cargo must be distributed and secured, they fail in their duty to keep those around them safe. They may be held responsible for accidents that result from the falling load. 

But it can be difficult to prove that a fallen load is responsible for an accident, especially when trucking companies’ insurance policy providers will be sure to fight to avoid taking responsibility for your injuries. Having an experienced attorney with the tools and knowledge to conduct a full investigation can help you prove the trucking company or driver was responsible. 

Around 4,000 people accidentally drown and die every year in America; around twice that number non-fatally drown. For children, the risk is even higher - drowning is the leading cause of death after car accidents for children between ages one and 14. And while parents and children can glean great enjoyment from a neighbor who is generous with their swimming pool, the threat of drowning without proper supervision and pool safety measures is a serious risk.

Parents who have lost, or almost lost, a child to drowning because a neighbor did not place proper safeguards around their swimming pool know the deepest kind of hurt and trauma a parent can experience. If you find yourself in this situation, you may justifiably wonder whether there is something you can do to recover compensation and make sure other children are kept safe from drowning. 

How Do Pool Drownings Happen? 

While adults often drown because they cannot swim, disregard risky situations, or fail to read warning signs about dangerous water conditions, children usually drown because of the following reasons: 

Every year, more than a dozen children across the United States die in toy-related incidents. Many hundreds of thousands more are seriously injured by dangerous toys. In addition to the injuries caused to children, the experience of watching a child choke, cut themselves, or otherwise get injured in the safety of one’s home can cause lasting psychological trauma to parents. The tragic death of a young child is something many parents never fully recover from. If your child has been injured or killed by a broken toy, you may want to know whether an Illinois defective product attorney can help you hold the manufacturer responsible. 

Common Types of Dangerous Toys

Because of their inexperience and lack of judgment, children are at risk from many objects that are harmless to adults. Even something like a balloon can become stuck in a child’s mouth or throat, causing suffocation. Examples of other toys that pose a potential danger include: 

• Buttons on a doll’s clothing

  ...

You are out celebrating with your family at a restaurant or enjoying a concert with friends. Suddenly, two other patrons start fighting. You try to move out of the way, but it is too late. Even though you were just a bystander, you end up being sent to the hospital because of your injuries. Outside of ruining your night, you are now stuck with medical bills and have to miss work while recovering from the injuries. If the venue did not provide proper security, or the security that was present was negligent, you may be able to hold the venue responsible through a premises liability claim. 

Responsibility of Venue Owners and Operators in Illinois

Any owner or operator of an entertainment venue or restaurant has the responsibility to keep their customers and visitors safe and free from harm. This can include protection from other patrons. If the owner did not take proper steps to ensure their guests' safety, they can be held liable for injuries that their guests incur. 

The venue where patrons congregate should have enough security staff to properly protect the safety of their customers. This can include inside the venue, as well as outside when visitors are exiting the building. In the case of an entertainment venue or a restaurant or bar that serves alcohol, the owner may be liable if they did not have proper measures in place to prevent harm to their patrons from these types of incidents. This can include hiring adequate security staff who will remove patrons who are belligerent or aggressive and who can break up a fight if one occurs. If the patron or patrons who started the fight were clearly drunk and causing problems for the staff and customers, the owner of the venue may be liable if steps were not taken to remove the person and keep others safe.  

If you were injured due to another individual’s or company’s direct harm or negligence, you could receive financial compensation for damages. However, the personal injury case process can be tricky to navigate. It is easier said than done to file a claim or lawsuit. When choosing to pursue a personal injury lawsuit, it is essential to understand how the legal process works and to make a checklist of the critical items needed. Here is a comprehensive case checklist of what to prepare for a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois. 

Medical, Police, and Other Official Reports

The best place to begin when preparing for your injury lawsuit is to collect all of the official documented reports in your case. There are many different personal injury cases, from car accidents, dog bite injuries, construction site accidents, and product defects. You will want to include any official police reports in your case and the medical documentation that explicitly lists the injuries you sustained. 

Collecting Case Evidence 

The next step in your case checklist is to collect all relevant evidence that can help you in court. Typically, good evidence that will uphold in a case includes: