Recent Blog Posts in June 2009

A serious crash in northwest surburban Elgin outside of Chicago sent two women to the hospital in critical care on Monday night.

Initial police reports stated that one of the drivers was heading northbound on Randall Road when she crossed the center line, striking a Cadillac Eldorado.

The crash sent the Cadillac spinning where it was struck by a third vehicle.

All three drivers were transported to St. Joseph Hospital, where two of them were later flown to a hospital in Downers Grove in critical condition.

So far, no charges have been filed as the accident remains under investigation, but the driver who crossed the center line could be held liable for the other driver's injuries.

If you were injured in a car accident, and feel you are entitled to compensation for your injuries, do not hesitate to contact and experienced Car Accident Attorney.  At Page Cagle in St. Louis, MO, our skilled team of personal injury attorneys are available 24/7 for a free consultation.  Whether you live in Illinois or Missouri, we have the resources and know-how to litigate your case.  Call us today.

Last month, a Chicago Police officer was allegedly intoxicated when he struck a 13-year-old boy on a bicycle with his SUV in the early morning hours.  Instead of claiming responsibility for the incident, however, the officer fled the scene of the accident. 

Now, the family of the young boy has filed a petition with the court to determine liability for a wrongful death lawsuit.

According to police reports, the accident occurred on May 22.  The officer was taken into custody shortly after and charged with, "aggravated driving under the influence, reckless homicide and leaving the scene of the accident with death or injury."  He was also cited for transportation of alcohol and for driving in the wrong direction on a one-way street.

When other officers arrested him, they reported smelling alcohol on his breath but indicated he did not seem impaired after performing a field sobriety test.  According to the Cook County state's attorney, however, nearly four hours passed before he was given a breathalyzer test.

Driving under the influence can have serious and deadly consequences.  If you were injured due to a drunk, reckless or negligent driver, call our offices at Page Cagle in St. Louis today and speak with a Drunk Driver Accident Attorney.  We have the skills necessary to aggressively litigate your case, and can provide you with the help you need.  Contact us today.

A plaintiff filed a wrongful death suit last week over the death of her grandson, who was killed while unloading a truck filled with gravel.  In her complaint, she names a truck driver, his employer and the quarry that filled the truck with gravel.

On April 25, the quarry company loaded the driver's truck with a little over 33,000 pounds of gravel.  The driver complained the truck was overloaded, but the company refused to remove the excess.

The driver, an employee for a construction company asked the plaintiff's grandson and one of his friends to help him unload the truck.  In return, he paid them each $5.  While unloading, however, the dump bed became unbalanced and tipped onto the boy killing him instantly.

The suit names the truck driver as directly liable for the boy's death since he both drove the truck and allowed unqualified workers to help him unload.  His employer is also named since the driver was working within the statute of his employment when the accident occurred.  Finally, the quarry could bear some responsibility since they allowed the truck bed to be overfilled, which may have contributed to it tipping over during the unloading process.

This case is a tragic reminder to always take proper safety precautions when dealing with construction equipment and materials.  Accidents do happen, but they are often worse when necessary safety procedures are ignored.  If you were injured on the job or on a construction site, call our offices at Page Cagle in St. Louis today as you may be entitled to compensation.  Our experienced Construction Accident and Workers' Compensation Attorneys are available 24/7 for a free consultation.  Contact us today.

A California family filed a wrongful death lawsuit last week against the city of Simi Valley over the death of a handicapped woman on a wheelchair access ramp.  According to the suit, the ramp violated building safety codes as well as Federal Americans with Disabilities guidelines.

The accident that spurred this suit occurred at a restaurant in March 2008.  While being pushed up the wheelchair access by her son, the victim fell with her chair off the side due to a lack of safety rails on the ramp.  As a result, she suffered a heart attack and brain injuries that put her in a coma for over a week.  She died earlier this year, having never fully recovered from the injuries she sustained from the accident.

The lawsuit alleges that since the wheelchair ramp was not in compliance with the American Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines for building construction or other safety codes, the woman's son was unable to maneuver around the ramp safely. 

Under the premises liability principle, the defendants were both held responsible for the accident.  As owners and constructors of the building, it was their job to ensure that the property was safe and hazard-free for all patrons.  The city of Simi Valley was also named since it approved the deficient ramp design and allowed the restaurant to open despite the ramp's safety violations. 

Slip and fall accidents or other incidents involving deficient building construction, hazardous property conditions and safety violations, fall under the law of premises liability.  If you were injured on someone else's property due to any of these reasons, you may have a legal claim.  By speaking with one of our experienced Personal Injury Attorneys, you can start building a case and get the compensation you deserve.  Contact us today.

The plaintiffs filed a wrongful death lawsuit this week against a teenager and his parents over the death of their daughter in a November 2008 crash in which the teen was driving.

The wrongful death lawsuit alleges the defendant drove recklessly, and his parents were negligent in allowing their son to borrow their vehicle, despite knowing he was an unsafe driver.

At the time of the crash, the defendant was only 16 years old and therefore had a limited driver's license, which prohibited him from having any passengers in his car other than an adult relative.  Furthermore, he had just received a speeding ticket for driving 48 mph in a 25 mph zone only months before. Despite all of this, the suit alleges that the teen's parents allowed him to borrow their pickup truck knowing that he was unfit to safety operate the vehicle.

Police reports indicate the defendant was under the influence of alcohol and was driving 62 mph in a 25 mph zone when he lost control of the truck causing it to roll.  Of the three people in the car, the plaintiffs' daughter was killed and one other teen was injured. 

The defendant pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in February and sentenced to 6 months in youth detention.  He also lost his license until age 21 and will have to complete 500 hours of community service educating youth on the danger of speeding.

The plaintiffs' attorney stated that due to the defendant's criminal conviction in the case, the court has all the evidence necessary to impose civil liability as well.  The suit seeks unspecified damages that include punitive damages on behalf of the victim and her parents.

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death among teens, largely due to reckless or negligent behavior on behalf of the driver.  If you have lost a loved one or were injured in a car accident because of another person's actions, you may be entitled to legal compensation.  Contact a knowledgeable Car Accident Attorney today at Page Cagle in St. Louis for your free consultation.

A New York family recently settled a lawsuit for $2 million against a hospital in Brooklyn over the June 2008 death of a woman in the center's emergency room.

The suit alleges negligence on behalf of the city-owned hospital and emergency room staff who made the woman wait for nearly 24 hours for medical attention.  When her condition worsened before receiving her chance to see a doctor, she collapsed on the floor. Shockingly, no one attempted to help her, not even hospital staff who walked by.

A surveillance tape of the incident was released publically, receiving national attention and outrage.

Believing the hospital's high level of negligence was to blame for the woman's death, her family filed a wrongful death suit.  According to the family's attorney, "What remains most important is the criminal culpability for those responsible for what happened and those who attempted to cover it up."

If you have been injured as a result of a negligent or intentional act, call a Wrongful Death Attorney at the law offices of Page Cagle in St. Louis today for your free initial consultation.  We specialize in various types of personal injury cases and are available 24/7 for a free consultation.