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Recent Blog Posts
Preventing Depression and Abuse Among Your Elderly Loved Ones
After recent studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical experts found that elderly Americans are at an increased risk of depression when compared to other age demographics. For many older people, depression symptoms may be a sign of something more: elder abuse. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), roughly one in every ten Americans over the age of sixty have faced some form of elder abuse.
Elder abuse can range from physical harm, financial exploitation, or emotional abuse, to even sexual misconduct. If your elderly loved one lives in an assisted-living facility, they may be facing an increased risk of suffering nursing home abuse. Maintaining a strong relationship with your elderly loved one can help you identify common symptoms of elder abuse.
Fall Injuries Are Among the Biggest Concerns for Elderly Americans
Every eleven seconds, an elderly American is hospitalized due to a fall injury, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA). Fall injuries are now the sole leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among Americans over the age of sixty five. Throughout American hospitals, an average of 2.8 million people are treated after suffering severe injuries due to falls on an annual basis. Equally concerning is the fact that fall injuries alone account for an average of more than 27,000 deaths each year.
While fall injuries are concerning for all Americans, elderly men and women are among those who face a higher risk of suffering severe injuries due to falling. Recent studies concluded that falls account for roughly 87% of all bone fractures among those over the age of sixty five. If you or a loved one suffer a fall injury, contacting a competent personal injury attorney can be critical in receiving the help and legal guidance you deserve.
Elder Abuse Could Be on the Rise Nationwide
When families elect to place their elderly loved ones in the care of medical professionals at a nursing home facility, they are putting their trust in the hands of the caretakers, doctors, and staff at the facility. Unfortunately, elder abuse is far more common nationwide than most Americans would like to assume. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), as many as five million elderly Americans face some form of abuse each year.
The NCOA defines elder abuse as any form of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse inflicted upon an older adult. Elder abuse continues to be a problem throughout the United States, in large part due to the fact that many of the cases go unnoticed by family members and are never taken to the proper authorities. In fact, one study estimated that less than 10% of all nursing home abuse cases are reported to police. If a member of your family has been abused by medical personnel, contacting a knowledgeable elderly abuse attorney can help your family find the answers and justice you deserve.
Drunk Driving Accidents Are a Continual Concern Across the U.S.
Early this June, a Chicago area rideshare passenger was fatally injured when the vehicle he was traveling in was struck by a drunk driver. The crash was caused when the impaired driver drifted into the other lane and collided head-on with the rideshare vehicle. In all, three victims suffered severe injuries, and one victim ultimately did not survive. The accident is yet another reminder of the on-going dangers of drunk driving.
Throughout the United States, roughly 29 people die in motor vehicle collisions involving alcohol impairment every single day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 10,497 Americans died in alcohol related motor vehicle collisions in 2016 alone. If you or a member of your family is injured by a drunk driver in a motor vehicle collision, you should be sure to understand your options for recovering compensation from the person who caused your injuries.
Recognizing and Preventing Elder Abuse
Roughly one in ten Americans over the age of 60 face regular forms of abuse. Elder abuse, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), can come in forms of overt physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, but also in the form of neglect. Elderly Americans are frequently victims of abuse due to their unique living situations. At senior living facilities, victims often suffer from social isolation, and they can also be more susceptible to abuse due to dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other health issues.
What Can You Do?
In many cases, nursing home abuse can be hard to detect, especially if a senior is afraid to talk about mistreatment by a staff member. Still, there are a few things you can do to help limit the likelihood of your loved one facing elder abuse:
Recovering Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries
This May, a North Chicago woman suffered a traumatic and violent injury when she was bitten by a neighbor’s dog. The attack happened rapidly according to the victim, who was quickly rushed to the emergency room in the aftermath of the incident. The injuries were severe, as the dog jumped up to bite the woman’s face. The victim suffered serious injuries to her face and mouth requiring stitches and emergency medical attention, and she lost a substantial amount of her lip in the incident.
The victim is now stable and healthy, but the ramifications of her injury could be lifelong. She now faces medical bills, loss of work hours, and emotional trauma, which is all too common in the aftermath of dog bite injuries.
Dog Bites Throughout the United States
Severe Hip Injuries Continue to Impact Senior Citizens
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 300,000 Americans over the age of 65 are hospitalized due to a severe hip injury each year. As one reaches an advanced age, the severity of a hip injury increases exponentially. Even a standard hip fracture can bring on serious and even life-threatening complications to those over the age of 65. In almost all cases, hip fractures require surgery and months of laborious physical therapy.
For senior citizens, hip fractures can occur anywhere, but they are almost always brought on by a fall. The CDC estimates that more than 95% of all hip fracture injuries to those above the age of 65 occur due to falling. In many cases, these falls can occur because of negligence, such as icy or wet sidewalks outside an establishment or neglect by a nursing home staff member.
The Dangers of Severe Injuries in Semi-Truck Crashes
Plainfield, IL is home to a convergence of traffic thoroughfares. Highway 59 runs through the city to the north and south, Highway 126 to the west and northeast, and Highway 30 to the northwest and southwest. Each of these three local highways crosses paths with Interstate 55, the mighty freeway that carries commerce and commuters between the Chicago area and St. Louis. If you venture on or near I-55 during morning or evening rush hour, you will doubtlessly see vehicles of every type, including throngs of semi-trucks.
With so much activity, and so much of it ridden with intensity by the time deadlines and the expectations of drivers, accidents involving tractor-trailer trucks are an unfortunate reality in and around the Plainfield area. Fortunately, Illinois state law allows for truck accident victims to seek financial recourse for the harms and losses suffered in a collision.
Pursuing Compensation After Being Injured in a Bicycle Accident
Cycling in the Chicago area gives one cause to feel both free and vulnerable. On the one hand, outdoor exercise provides a sense of well-being and allows for enjoyment of breathtaking sights of area life. On the other, the frenetic whir of traffic and daily life presents a sense of ever-present danger. A safety helmet is an unquestionable must-have item for cyclists of all ages and skill levels, but it can only protect the head and brain, leaving other areas exposed.
When a bike accident occurs, whether with another cyclist or a motor vehicle, the injuries suffered can be severe. The trauma suffered in a bicycle collision can result in substantial medical bills, as well as adverse effects on work responsibilities, educational pursuits, domestic life, and the ability to enjoy recreation and exercise. Fortunately, Illinois state law allows for personal injury victims to recover monetary damages for the harms inflicted by a negligent individual, business, or institution.
Seeking Compensation for Pedestrian Accident Injuries
“Look both ways before you cross the street.” This is one of the first lessons one is taught in learning how to navigate the social world. Years later, when behind the wheel of an automobile, the paramount instruction is “keep both eyes on the road.” For both pedestrians and drivers, there is the ever-present need to comply with all traffic signs and rules of the road.
Strangely, however, social norms enter the picture and erode the lessons and systems which have been put in place to maximize personal safety for all persons in the stream of traffic and everyday life. It becomes customary to drive a few miles over the speed limit, and fellow drivers often become aggressive and express frustration with those who simply wish to follow the precise speed limit. Crosswalks with clear “walk” and “stop” signals are often disregarded in favor of a quick jaywalk across the street. A school zone crosswalk or decreased speed limit is quietly ignored when no one appears to be within sight.
From our office in Plainfield, Illinois, we serve clients in Will County, DuPage County, Kendall County, Kane County, Joliet, Naperville, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Aurora, Orland Park, Lemont, Crest Hill, Shorewood, Lockport, Woodridge, Wheaton, Oswego, Yorkville, Homer Glen, Lisle, and surrounding communities.
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