Chicago Personal Injury Blog

What should you do to minimize the impact of a crash?

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Serious injuries and wrongful death on Thursday, July 11, 2019.

Motor vehicle accidents can be so serious that they quickly lead to permanent injuries and fatalities. Among the most dangerous are T-bone accidents and head-on collisions. Why are they so dangerous?

In a head-on collision, both vehicles may be traveling at the speed limit before hitting. This doubles the force of the accident compared to if the vehicles were heading the same direction. In a T-bone accident, there is less framework between the passengers and the person who is hitting the vehicle, which could mean a direct hit to someone inside.

Tired drivers are a threat to others on the roads

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. on Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

Out of everything that a driver could do wrong, being tired behind the wheel is one of the most obvious. When a driver can hardly keep their eyes open, they're not able to maneuver when needed. They're barely able to do what they need to do to stay on the road. In some cases, they can't even do that.

Drowsiness and exhaustion can both lead to serious crashes. Any time you're tired or aren't as alert as you should be, don't drive. If you do, you could fall asleep or make mistakes that put your life in danger.

Know what to do if you're hit while in Chicago

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Motor vehicle accidents on Thursday, July 4, 2019.

Chicago is known for having poor traffic conditions. With busy roads that have pedestrians, bikers and more, it's easy to see why collisions are likely to happen.

If you're driving in Chicago, there are ways to avoid getting into a crash. For example, you can follow the speed limit, stay off your cellphone and pay attention to the road.

Nursing home abuse: Call 911 if your loved one is in danger

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Thursday, June 27, 2019.

Nursing home abuse is a shock to many families who never thought that their loved ones were in danger. In some cases, they cut back on visits after seeing how well their loved one was cared for. Then, weeks or months later, the unexpected happened, and their loved one was hurt as a result of neglect or abuse.

If this sounds like what happened to your family, it's important that you know what you can do to help your loved one. If you discover they were injured as a result of neglect or because of abuse, call 911 and a nurse immediately so that their treatment can begin. The ambulance will take them to the nearest hospital or hospital of your choice, so they can get the medical care they need.

Pay attention to your nursing home's staff ratio

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. on Tuesday, June 25, 2019.

When you choose a nursing home in Illinois for a loved one, you spend time making sure it's the right fit. You might think that you can rest easy once you choose, but the truth is that you should never stop reviewing the nursing home's services.

Nursing homes have an obligation to take care of their patients well and to make sure that they receive their medications on time, get to the restroom when needed, eat regularly and drink enough water. They're obligated to take care of your loved one's mental and physical needs.

Let your attorney help you make good decisions after an injury

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Serious injuries and wrongful death on Friday, June 21, 2019.

Serious injuries of any kind have an immediate impact on your life and on the lives of those around you. Whether you've suffered a brain injury, lost a limb or have other serious wounds that require ongoing treatment, the reality is that your life is going to be changed now.

With serious injuries, there is a high likelihood that you will always have some symptoms of the injury, even years after. For example, if you broke your back and have nerve damage, there's a potential for chronic pain. If you suffered a brain injury, there is the possibility of having chronic migraines, trouble with your speech, memory loss or memory-related issues and many other side effects.

What can you do to avoid a traffic crash?

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Motor vehicle accidents on Friday, June 14, 2019.

Traffic accidents happen all the time. Most people will experience one in their lifetime or at least know someone else who has been in a crash, however minor.

The reality is that avoiding these crashes isn't always easy. People get distracted. People are tired. Drivers aren't always going to follow the rules of the road.

Fatal crash takes the life of 84-year-old woman

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Serious injuries and wrongful death on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.

Sometimes, crashes are severe and injure many. Lives may be lost as a result of a single person's poor judgment. Take, for example, a case out of Chicago involving police officers who were rushing to a crime scene. According to the story, two police vehicles, one marked and one unmarked, were traveling to a call at the 1200 block on North Laramie.

The two vehicles collided, hitting multiple other vehicles in the process. One of the vehicles hit contained an 84-year-old woman. She passed away from the collision.

Bedsores are a sign of neglect in nursing homes

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Friday, May 31, 2019.

Nursing home abuse can happen to anyone in a nursing home's care. It could be a relatively healthy person at the nursing home temporarily, or it could be an elder who requires 24-hour care. Regardless of who the case involves, it's never acceptable for a person to fall victim to nursing home abuse. Nursing homes should have standards in place to prevent abuse or neglect, and if they don't, they should be held accountable for any injuries that take place.

There are typically signs that a person is being harmed in a nursing home. For example, one serious injury that can happen is a bedsore. They can happen almost anywhere on the body if the area loses circulation. They're more common among those who cannot move themselves and rely on others to help them shift their weight since they can't move when their skin or body feels uncomfortable.

Nursing home abuse? Report it immediately

On behalf of Mark L. Karno & Associates, L.L.C. on Wednesday, May 29, 2019.

Neglect and abuse have no place in nursing homes, yet many people struggle with the abuse they face in these very facilities. Nursing home abuse can range from forgetting to give a patient medications or overmedicating patients to ignoring patients when they call for help or are hurt.

As someone who has an elderly loved one, you need to make sure you take steps to guarantee their safety. There are a few things you should do before you choose any nursing home and some things to continue doing after a nursing home is chosen.