Posted on November 19, 2014 in Personal Injury

While severe weather can happen in varying degrees at any time of the year, the fall and winter months can prove particularly treacherous for drivers. Various conditions, including heavy rain, strong wind, snow, sleet, or ice can be present on the roadways and can make driving dangerous for those traveling. When weather is severe enough, or can be predicted far enough in advance, many individuals will choose to forgo their travel plans in favor of staying safe at home. However, drivers do not always have this luxury. Sometimes, traveling is a necessity. Other times, severe weather may hit without warning and drivers can be caught in the middle of a storm through no fault of their own. These dangerous conditions can quickly lead to a car accident, capable of causing injury, damage, and other tragic consequences.

Safety Tips

A news article recently published online by a local news outlet promoted safety tips for driving in severe weather, presumably in an effort to reduce the number of car accidents that occur due to weather-related factors. As stated in the article, it is important for drivers to realize that weather conditions can dramatically change rather quickly, leaving drivers to navigate the roadways in dangerous circumstances. However, the good news is that drivers can regain some control over being caught in inclement weather by acting in advance to know safety procedures and proper precautions to follow if such a scenario does present itself.

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 Posted on November 17, 2014 in Family Law

A recent bill signed into law in Illinois will have a tremendous impact on custody and visitation rights. The law amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act by determining that when one of the parties who has custody or visitation rights with the child(ren) must leave the child for a significant period of time with a third party (for example, nanny, family member, or current spouse), then he or she must offer a right of first refusal to the other custodial parent to take care of the child.

Purpose of the “Right of First Refusal” law

The presumption put forward by the court is that it is advantageous and in the best interests of the child to let the child have significant time with both parents. Most divorce decrees keep this presumption in mind and the courts tend to lean on the favor of joint custody arrangements so that the child may spend significant time with both parents.

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 Posted on November 17, 2014 in Personal Injury

When traveling on roadways in any part of the country there is always a risk of being involved in a car accident. However, it can also be said that certain behaviors and conditions can significantly increase a driver's risk of being involved in a collision, while still others can reduce such a risk. Many agencies and organizations focus on traffic safety and promote safe driving. According to a recently published news article, a transportation advocacy group in the state of Illinois ranked the most dangerous intersections in the Chicago area.

Dangerous Intersections

The Active Transportation Alliance made a list of the 20 most dangerous intersections in the Chicago metro area recently. The group promotes bicycling as well as other modes of alternative transportation in the Chicago area. In order to rank the intersections included in the list, the Alliance analyzed crash data, staff feedback, and public input in order to come up with the results.

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 Posted on November 12, 2014 in Immigration

One of the biggest bones of contention in the American immigration debate is the question of which laws, if any, apply to undocumented immigrants. Some of the most hotly debated are unemployment laws. Additionally, one question is frequently asked: Are the undocumented protected by laws like minimum wage and overtime restrictions? The answer, at least in a general sense, is yes.

On-the-Job Laws

The first laws that often come to mind when discussing employment are the minimum wage laws and the regulations that govern overtime. However, there are many others, almost all of which we interact with on any given work day without noticing, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for workplace safety. All of the major ones do apply to undocumented immigrants.

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 Posted on November 12, 2014 in Personal Injury

There is much focus on the dangers of distracted driving and the tragic consequences that can result from the practice when car accidents occur. In fact, there are many traffic laws and regulations in place to prohibit, or at least curb, the practice of distracted driving. However, according to a recently published news article, a new study is focusing not on the specific dangers of distracted driving, but how limited types of the practice can actually aid in driver safety.

New Study

A new study performed by a University of Illinois researcher examined how a driver talking on a cell phone or to a passenger affected how he or she operated a vehicle. A driving simulator and video phone were used in the study to help determine whether whom a driver was speaking with had an effect on his or her safety while on the road. The latest study represents just a small fraction of the research that has been performed on the topic of distracted driving over the years. Previous results seem to show that passengers are usually not distracting to drivers, and can even be helpful if they are experienced drivers themselves.

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 Posted on November 10, 2014 in Family Law

Spousal maintenance is often one of the most contentious issues during divorce. Often referred to as “alimony,” this payment of support from one spouse to another has come under criticism in recent years. As a result, some legislatures across the country have revised the legal aspects of maintenance in an effort to provide more structure to when and how it is awarded.

Traditionally, in most jurisdictions around the country, it has been left to the judge’s discretion about whether spousal maintenance should be applied in any given case. After various factors are considered, the judge may decide upon a maintenance award that he or she believes would best support the designated spouse.

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 Posted on November 10, 2014 in Personal Injury

The fall weather and upcoming holidays will undoubtedly keep many pedestrians walking along sidewalks and roadways across the country. While the Chicago area of Illinois in particular sees a lot of foot traffic from walkers, it is by no means unique in that aspect from other cities and communities in the United States. One factor that many, if not all, of these locations have in common is pedestrian safety. To that end, a recently published news article reported that government agencies and private organization alike are taking this matter into account in promoting both pedestrian and driver safety.

Staying Safe

Despite the number of people occupying sidewalks and making up street traffic this time of year, there is a concern that many of them indicate they are not well versed in traffic safety. The National Highway Safety Administration released information saying that neither walkers nor drivers are particularly knowledgeable in how to stay safe while traveling on the road. In fact, the data shows that the state of Illinois has a relatively high number of pedestrian crashes that result in death. In 2012, for example, 138 pedestrians were killed as the result of being involved in car crashes that year alone.

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 Posted on November 05, 2014 in Immigration

The majority of visitors and potential immigrants to the U.S. apply for and receive visas in roughly five or six categories: business (B1), tourist (B2), investor (E), student (F or J), and ‘priority workers’ (EB). However, the United States has over 30 different types of non-immigrant visas alone, with the immigrant visa categories pushing the total to over 100. Depending on your situation, you may be better suited to apply for a more specific type of visa that fits your individual needs.

Specific Jobs

Many people who intend to conduct some kind of professional activity in the United States and do not intend to remain apply for a simple business visa, a B1/B2, which is a combination business and tourist visa that can be customized by the consulate granting it. Depending on factors such as nationality, ties to one’s home country, and documentation regarding the reason for the visit, B1/B2 visas can be granted for single, double or multiple entries, as well as for varying lengths of time; the maximum is usually one year, though a six-month extension may be available.

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 Posted on November 05, 2014 in Personal Injury

The state of Illinois has seen its fair share of tragedies this summer involving car accidents on the roadways. While many of these collisions resulted from different sets of facts and circumstances, it seems a notable portion of them occurred in or around construction zones.

Even though construction season is near its end as summer is over and fall is upon us, officials in Illinois are still focused on the importance of careful driving in construction zones and are encouraging motorists to take the proper precautions in order to avoid any further incidents.

Continuing Crashes

According to an article recently published by a local news outlet, both police officers and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) spokespeople are continuing to urge drivers to use caution in working zones as construction season draws to a close. This focus was especially emphasized after a crash that occurred in a construction zone on Monday, October 6. In light of this recent event, officials are continuing to encourage motorists to be careful while navigating through a construction zone, especially since the final weeks of the construction season are expected to be busy and hectic.

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 Posted on November 03, 2014 in Personal Injury

Since the start of the school year, law enforcement officials in the state of Illinois are noticing the continuation of a disturbing occurrence. Many drivers are violating the law and are simply not stopping for school buses across the state. According to a news article recently published, police officers are considering this practice a sign of trouble.

Common Occurrence

Officers have apparently reported seeing a car illegally pass a school bus while in the process of picking up or dropping off students a few times a week throughout the school year. This violation happens all across the town of Danville, Illinois, and undoubtedly occurs in other communities throughout the state as well. Despite the fact that on many of these occasions, the school buses have stop arms out and lights flashing, as well as posted signs instructing motorists not to pass buses, the violations still occur. Some drivers pass the buses in the farthest left lane and may think that is acceptable; the fact is, however, it is not.

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