construction | Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd

Our client was a passenger of a vehicle being driven through a poorly lighted construction site. It was extremely dark, and the placement of the construction barrels appeared to create a lane of traffic. As a result, the driver of the vehicle struck the exposed end of a median wall. Starting only with the Smart Crash Traffic Report, our attorneys began our own investigation. Watch the video to learn what happened.

From one line in the accident crash report we learned that the Crash Reconstruction officer had determined that the configuration of the orange construction barrels, suggested that there were three lanes of travel instead of two, leading the driver into a concrete crash barrier for an underpass.

We filed a lawsuit and learned that this road used to have four lanes and was currently under construction lead by the general contractor K-Five construction whose subcontractors were Highway Safety, the subcontractor responsible for temporary safety control devices, and Midwest Fence, the subcontractor responsible for the selection and implementation of the crash cushions.

A crash cushion typically is those big yellow barrels with black tops that are placed on the highways when you are getting off a highway. Those crash cushions are created to soften the blows when drivers don’t see the concrete walls, especially when dark.

According to the design plans designed by Graef-USA, for the Illinois Department of Transportation– K-Five construction was to implement this construction site following the Federal and State Highway Construction Rules of the Road – which were being done to expressly address a history of crashes in to the concrete barrier wall at that overpass.

We learned that the Highway construction rules mandated, a flashing arrow board was supposed to be placed in front of this third lane — the driver went down, type III barricades were to line the lane along with orange construction barrels for 100 yards and finally they were mandated to have crash cushions for any new construction sites. None were present on the day of the crash. The only traffic devices that remained on the roadway were a few random barrels, which were not properly placed.

Had K-Five construction chosen to follow the rules they were required by IDOT– by maintaining proper traffic control devices our client would be alive today to care for his family. This case settled for a significant amount.

If you have questions about roadway construction accidents, call 1-312-384-1920 or 1-800-693-1LAW or reach us by email. With over 50 years of combined experience and millions recovered in verdicts and settlements, let our experienced car and truck accident attorneys in Chicago help you. Visit our firm’s media page, where you can view more videos and media content from the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd.

Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd.
221 North LaSalle
Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601
1-800-693-1LAW
1-312-384-1920
info@dinizululawgroup.com

For the severely injured, a Life Care Plan is a detailed assessment of the severely injured victim’s needs. It should take into account:

Current and future medical needs: Things like cost of medication, specialized furniture, assisted living professionals, rehabilitation expenses should be included in the life care plan.

Transportation needs: Would the injured victim need to have special equipment for traveling? Recreational opportunities also need to be factored into a life care plan.

Construction modifications to the home: Specialized medical equipment may require changes to the layout of the home. Perhaps an elevator lift is needed. These very large expenses need to be looked at very thoroughly to create a proper life care plan.

In an injury lawsuit for a severely injured victim, the Life Care Plan is instrumental in building your case. It can show to the jury the extent of a victim’s injuries, and the long-term cost of living with such life-changing injuries. When a Life Care Plan is led by a personal injury lawyer who is well-experienced in litigation and trial, the recovery results could ensure that the injured victim is able to live with dignity and financially independence. Watch the video to learn more.

At the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., when our Chicago personal injury lawyers consult with a Life Care Planner, we collaborate with an entire team of medical and financial experts and ensure assessments by doctors, psychologists, counselors, and economists are all taken into account and factored into the Life Care Plan. We do this to ensure all of the injured victim’s needs are considered. This means including present and anticipated future needs into the life care plan. Is future medication included in the plan? Will the medication be supported across providers? The Life Care Plan needs to be a complete and comprehensive document.

Once created, the Life Care Plan is given to the jury so that the jury can fully understand you or your loved one’s needs and recognize your compensation claim as genuine. A skilled and well-experienced personal injury lawyer will help the life care planner get the testimony and documentation from the entire team of medical and financial experts that’s admissible in the court so that the jury may hear all parts of the life care plan.

Many personal injury lawyers don’t understand how important it is to be fully involved in the creation of the Life Care Plan, and as a result, your recovery suffers.

At the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd., we pay close attention to the life care plan and present our clients’ complete needs in court. We have been thoroughly involved in many very complex life care plans and have advocated for our clients’ complete needs successfully. With over 60 years of combined experience, our Chicago personal injury attorneys are known for their expertise and tough litigation. Contact us by email or call us at 312-384-1920 to schedule a consultation with one of our personal injury trial attorneys practicing law throughout Illinois.