Blog | Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd

What is the Number One Cause of Truck Accidents?

December 22, 2017/in Blog, Car accident injury law, Personal injury claim, Personal injury law, Trucking accident injury law, Video/by Yao Dinizulu

Driver fatigue is an extremely common problem in the trucking industry. A study done by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found fatigued drivers are the #1 cause of truck collisions.

When these tired and overworked truck drivers cause accidents, as you may know, these are not minor accidents. Car drivers and passengers who are in a collision with a truck are very likely to suffer serious life-long injuries or even death.

There are rules in place to prevent these deadly accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the hours truck drivers can spend on the road per day and per week. Watch the video to learn more.

The law is that truck drivers can work:

A maximum of 70 hrs. in 8 days if their employer operates every single day of the week. If the employer is closed any day of the week, then truck drivers can work up to 60 hrs. in 7 days.
Within these 60 or 70 hrs in about a week, truck drivers must only work a maximum of 14 hrs. per day. Only 11 of these 14 hrs. can be behind the wheel. After a truck driver has driven the maximum of 11 hrs., they must rest for 10 hrs. straight before starting work again.
After working for 8 days or 7 days as per the limit of days that applies to them, truck drivers can only restart work after resting for 34 hrs.

These safety rules were created based on many studies that examined the needs of truck drivers so that they can be alert on the road. They are safety rules that every trucking company should live by to protect us all from danger and mayhem. But many companies force their drivers to skirt these safety rules. Truck companies oftentimes push their drivers to work past the set driving limits in an effort to take shortcuts. This undermines the safety of us all. It creates an environment of fatigued and stressed drivers who are high risks on the road. These exhausted drivers end up injuring not just themselves, but our community members who will suffer more severe and oftentimes irreversible injuries or death.

Truck driver fatigue continues to harm individuals and their families. If you are watching this video because you have your own questions or have a loved one injured due to a fatigued truck driver, you shouldn’t feel alone. Contact the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. at 1-312-384-1920 or 1-800-693-1LAW. We are here to answer all your questions and help you navigate through this difficult time.

Tips to Ensure Your Holiday Drive is a Safe One

December 21, 2017/in Blog, Personal injury law/by Yao Dinizulu

With Christmas and New Year’s only a few days away, you can expect that the roadways are going to fill up quickly with anxious travelers on their way to visit friends and family. Local residents may also be headed out simply looking for a good time. But, the holidays don’t only bring out locals. Many commercial trucks and freight shipping courier companies with also have their vehicles out driving too as gifts and packages are being sent across the country to make it in time for the holidays.

How Often Are Nursing Home Patient Claims Mistaken to be Untrue?

December 15, 2017/in Blog, nursing home neglect/by Yao Dinizulu

In a recently filed nursing home lawsuit in McHenry County, we are learning that a nursing home patient’s reported claims weren’t handled in the proper manner. Although many residents living in a long-term care facility might experience symptoms associated with dementia or Alzheimer’s, it doesn’t mean that everything they report is inaccurate.

Hate Crimes Are Rising Fast. What Can You Do?

December 8, 2017/in Blog, Civil rights law/by Yao Dinizulu

The FBI just released that 2016 was the second year in a row that hate crimes have gone up nationwide. 2017 may be the third.

In Chicago, Illinois, there have been 39 hate crimes just in the first half of 2017. The Police Department has been keeping electronic records of hate crimes since 2012. Since then, Chicago’s on the pace to hit a record high of hate crimes by the end of 2017. This shouldn’t be the pattern the nation or our city should be facing. Want to know how you can fight this disturbing trend? Watch the video to learn more.

Illinois citizens are protected under the state’s hate crime act which states:

Hate crime occurs whether the person who commits it does so by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals.

Effective of Jan 1, 2016 transgendered people are also protected under this law. Gender identity is now a protected provision under sexual orientation. The new law also extends protections to institutions who may be targeted because of sexual orientation or gender identity status.

Because of these protections, I was able to help a lesbian woman Danielle, who was assaulted by an apartment building security guard. The assault took place on the common grounds of Danielle’s girlfriend’s apartment complex. The security guard had continuously harassed the couple because of their lesbian status.

One night while Danielle was sitting on the steps saw alone talking on the phone, the security officer standing over six feet tall and weighing almost 285 pounds approached Danielle who stood 5’1, and weighed a mere 110 pounds. After Danielle asked the security officer to remove the light from her eyes, he turned it off and struck Danielle on her temple with the flashlight, while uttering a gay slur at her.

He later offered a defense that Danielle looked like a boy. Our civil right attorneys in Chicago identified other witnesses who came forward to support this animus the security guard had towards the lesbian community. As a result, this case settled with significant compensation for Danielle.

As hate crime and violent lashing out has become increasingly common, know that there are remedies and legal protections for such wrongful behavior, both criminal and civil. Many times, people don’t come forward because they are not sure whether what happened to them is a hate crime, or people aren’t sure if the law will guarantee them protection. But it always helps to discuss these matters with a professional and experienced civil rights trial attorney.

The Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. has won over seven figures for cases involving discrimination & civil rights cases. If you are watching this video because you have your own questions or concerns about hate crime, civil rights or discrimination, call us at 1-312-384-1920 or 1-800-693-1LAW. Our Chicago-based civil rights lawyers are here for you.

One Foster Child Threatens Another – What Happened Next?

December 8, 2017/in Blog, Media, Personal injury claim, Personal injury law, Wrongful death action/by Yao Dinizulu

There are thousands of children and young adults livings in independent living environments facilitated by professionals. Many of these children have lost their parents to death and drugs to no fault of their own. These children and young adults have been in foster and group homes — and so many have faced unbearable abuse. When our state funds these foster, group homes and private independent living institutions, we expect that these caretakers are attentive and helpful to the needs of these children and young adults. The providers in this case failed in this sacred duty and were examined by state investigators. Watch the video to learn more.

At this facility, my client Tammy and a fellow resident Barbara didn’t get along. In fact, there was a long history of altercations between the two. One altercation turned violent resulting in the arrest of 17 year old child Barabara. While being arrested in front of her care takers Barbara yelled to Tammy my client, “I’m going to get your key and get you.”

This Barbara had lost a lot in her life and was suffering from mental health illnesses and was on psychotropic medication. Barbara had been deemed by DCFS staff as particularly violent. After three months, Barbara was released from jail.

Then, this unstable minor returned to her independent living community and tricked the manager of this institution into giving Barbara, Tammy’s keys. Barbara this disturbed young child in the middle of the night entered Tammy’s home with this key, grabbed a knife and stabbed Tammy to death.

Tammy’s distraught siblings contacted me. Our Chicago wrongful death attorneys investigated the matter and learned that the independent living institution was to meet Barbara at release, but they did not show up in time. Being concerned, one of the social workers called her manager to inform her that she was concerned for my client Tammy’s safety. You see this social worker witnessed the threat Barbara made to Tammy. We also uncovered that the entire independent living institution should have been aware that a DCFS social worker indicated that Barbara would someday kill someone.

We also were able to prove that the manager that turned over the wrong key, failed to follow the known procedures of checking the room key with the person’s name. Compounding this error, the manager failed to follow-procedure and remove Tammy from the impending danger.

No one should ever have access to your apartment without your consent, especially not a sworn enemy who in front of the police threatened to get you. After uncovering the evidence of institutional failures, this case settled for a significant amount for the death of Tammy.

If you have a question about abuse or neglect in a foster or group home, or in an independent living environment, you may need an experienced wrongful death lawyer or personal injury trial attorney. Based in Chicago, the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. handles these matters all the time. Contact our office at 1-312-384-1920 or 1-800-693-1LAW.

Is Your Loved One the Victim of Resident to Resident Elder Mistreatment (RREM)?

December 1, 2017/in Blog, nursing home neglect/by Yao Dinizulu

The residents who occupy the rooms of Chicago nursing homes are there for a reason. They are elderly, fragile, or simply cannot take care of themselves in the manner that supports overall health and wellness. While nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are expected to care for these individuals and protect them from danger, nursing home abuse is evident in many facilities located all across the country, not just in Illinois.

Commercial Truck Accidents are Among the Deadliest Types of Automobile Accidents

December 1, 2017/in Blog, Personal injury law, Trucking accident injury law/by Yao Dinizulu

A tragic truck accident occurred just a few weeks back leaving three people dead and one critically injured. The accident involved a semi tractor-trailer and a 2012 Chevrolet passenger car. The occupants who didn’t survive the accident were 19-year-old Julius J. Green, Precious M. Horace, 19, and Monteene D. Taylor, 21. The last passenger, who managed to survive the collision, was said to be in critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center. According to the Chicago Tribune, the occupants of the Chevrolet were not wearing their seatbelts and one person was partially ejected from the vehicle.

Four Tips on How to Make Your Next Drive a Safer One

November 13, 2017/in Blog, Car accident injury law/by Yao Dinizulu

Looking for ways to be a better driver in the city of Chicago? Do you have a teen who just received their license and is in need of some additional tips they can implement as they now spend more of their time out on the roadways? If so, the Chicago truck accident lawyers at Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd have a few helpful ones you can begin implementing immediately.

18-Year-Olds Now Allowed to Drive 18-Wheelers

November 10, 2017/in Blog, Car accident injury law, Trucking accident injury law/by Yao Dinizulu

Last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which monitors safety regulations for the trucking industry introduced a three-year pilot program to allow 18-21 year-old drivers haul large trucks and tractor trailers across state lines. Why is this considered a good idea?

According to the CDC, teen drivers are already disproportionately prone to fatalities when driving cars, and 18 to 21-year-olds are already allowed to drive trucks, but not across state lines. This law based on state line restrictions is an arbitrary way to control how long a teen truck driver can be on the road. For example, a drive from Chicago to Southern Illinois may well be over 300 miles, while a much shorter drive from Chicago to Gary, Indiana is about 30 miles. The latter of these two drives is not allowed for teen truck drivers because they would be crossing state lines. However, it is just as risky, if not more so, when teenagers are allowed to haul large vehicles for the longest of distances within their states. Therefore, it would be safer for everyone if teen truck drivers would be limited to driving a set number of miles rather than being restricted on crossing state borders.

The new pilot program limits truck drivers under 21 to drive 100 miles into neighboring states, but this policy still has its flaws. This pilot program begs the question for how long would these teen drivers be driving in total? If a teen truck driver is traveling 100 miles in the neighboring state, this is in addition to what distance driven from the home state to get to the neighboring state?

Furthermore, the pilot program is using a very selective sample as a generality for the average teen truck driver. The 18 to 21-year-olds selected for the pilot program are military veterans who drove trucks as part of their service. The problem with using this sample group is that most of these veterans would be 21 or closer to 21, because the military starts to admit recruits at 18 years of age.

Another problem is that it’s very different working for the nation’s security as opposed to a for-profit trucking company that’s looking out for its bottom line. When rushed by their customers and bosses, young truck drivers are more likely to make deadly mistakes. Eric Penucci, a veteran truck driver interviewed by NPR said, “There’s a lot of stress in the trucking business. All customers are in a hurry to get their stuff. Traffic causes delays. Truck drivers need to be experienced, calm under pressure, and able to make good decisions.”

The trucking industry is facing a shortage of drivers, which may only get worse. Older and experienced drivers are retiring or leaving the industry altogether. Future truck drivers may be overworked, underage, and less-knowledgeable on roadway safety. These factors create fatalities on our highways that will only grow unless safer policies are put in place.

I am a truck accident lawyer in Chicago and often times I am dealing with the tragedy these accidents bring to families and communities. If you or your loved one was injured in an accident involving a truck you shouldn’t feel alone. Get the help and legal representation that will help you or your loved one move forward. Committed to your needs, our truck accident attorneys understand what you may be going through. The Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. is available to answer all your questions and help you navigate through this difficult time. Our number is 312-384-1920 and 1-800-693-1LAW, or reach us by email at info@dinizululawgroup.com.

Cars Have Gotten Safer. Have Trucks?

November 3, 2017/in Blog, Car accident injury law, Trucking accident injury law/by Yao Dinizulu

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has reported that over the past few decades cars have gotten safer and fatalities have gone down. This trend can be linked to advances in safety features, such as airbags, electronic stability control, and anti-lock brakes, among other technical advances.

While this same technology is also available for trucks and trailers, the trucking industry hasn’t implemented such safety equipment. In United States, only about 3% of the Class 8 trucks—the heaviest ones which includes most tractor-trailers—are equipped with any collision-avoidance technology. In Europe, most such heavy trucks are sold with this technology.

These large trucks are disproportionately involved in fatal accidents. According to the New York Times, these heavy trucks are involved in 1 out of 8 of all fatal accidents and 25% of all fatalities in construction-zone accidents.

The trucking industry claims the cost of these safety technologies hurt their bottom line. The trucking industry, through its chief trade group, the American Trucking Association, continues to lobby Congress against safety laws, claiming expenditures on safety technology will raise rates for shippers and consumers.

But what the trucking industry has failed to notice is that stronger safety measures prevent higher insurance rates and also prevent millions of dollars from being spent in resolving injury claims. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also estimates $99 billion to be the annual cost to the economy for truck and large vehicle crashes.

Many of these expenditures can be avoided if Congress were to pass a common-sense safety bill that addresses the concerns of car drivers, truck drivers, and creates a trucking industry that is safer and more profitable in the long run.

At the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., we are safety advocates. Those who injure others through their careless actions must be held accountable for their wrongdoing. That is why our team of truck accident lawyers in Chicago has your back. With over 50 years of combined experience, we know the strategies the defense will use to discredit your injuries. But we bring commitment and expertise to each case and help you get results. Set up a free initial consultation with one of our truck accident attorneys in Chicago. Call 1 (312) 384-1920 or 1 (800) 693-1LAW, or reach us by email.