Illinois Divorce and Joint Parenting Agreements

 Posted on November 14, 2013 in Family Law

Most parties are able to agree to the terms of a divorce without having to go through the trial. In these cases, the parties would memorialize the terms of the agreement into a marital settlement agreement, which they present to the judge for approval. Absent some glaring deficiencies, the judge will usually make the agreement part of the final divorce decree.

Parties who have hired qualified divorce attorneys will also present the judge with a joint parenting agreement (“JPA”), which sets out the child custody provisions. For example, the JPA will state whether parents have joint legal custody or whether only one has legal custody and the other has visitation rights. In cases where parents are splitting physical custody, the JPA will set forth the daily custody schedule. Yes, the attorney will take a calendar and note on each day which parent has custody.

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Chicago Considers Licensing to Increase Bike Safety

 Posted on November 14, 2013 in Personal Injury

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School Bus Crashes into Building in Niles

 Posted on November 11, 2013 in Personal Injury

It is natural to assume that you are only at risk of being caught in an auto accident when you are in a car or traveling near the road. But in reality, even when safely inside a building, there is a chance you may be hurt as a result of mistakes made by a driver. Car, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and other vehicles often leave the road, causing serious injury and property damage to anything or anyone in their path.

For example, earlier this month The Bugle reported on a school bus that careened out of control and crashed into an animal shelter in Niles, Illinois. According to reports, on October 2nd a bus owned by the Alltown Bus Service left the roadway and slammed into the side of a building--the Wright-Way Rescue animal shelter--at 7136 W. Touhy Ave. Fortunately, no children were on the bus at the time. In addition to the driver, an assistant was on board during the accident but neither was injured. A few animal shelter employees were inside the building at the time. Luckily all were in the rear of the building during the impact and none were hurt. A Niles Herald-Spectator story explained that the bus driver was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Per company protocol, the driver was also undergoing drug and alcohol testing to determine if impairment contributed to the accident--though no results were made public. Traffic tickets often play a role in any subsequent civil case arising from an auto accident. If a driver receives a traffic ticket or faces a criminal charge as a result of their actions, it does not automatically follow that they will be found liable if an injured party brings a civil lawsuit. However, depending on the specific situation, the ticket or statements made in dealing with the criminal case, may be used to show liability in the civil case. Most notably, if a defendant pleads guilty in a traffic court proceeding, then that plea may be used in the civil case as an admission of guilt. Many Illinois court opinions have reiterated the admissibility of this evidence. Contact an Accident Lawyer

The risk of serious injury and property damage is always high when any vehicle leaves the road, let alone a large machine like a school bus. As seems to be the case in this situation, errors made by the driver are often the root cause of a collision. When a driver makes a mistake like this and causes injury or property damage, Illinois law allows those affected to protect their legal rights via negligence lawsuits. If you are hurt in this way, be sure to contact a qualified injury attorney to learn more.

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Could Self-Driving Cars Cut Down On Accidents?

 Posted on November 08, 2013 in Personal Injury

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Divorcing Someone with Mental Illness: Special Considerations

 Posted on November 07, 2013 in Family Law

The anxiety of divorce can be amplified when you are attempting to part ways with a partner afflicted with mental illness. According to Susan Pease Gadoua, founder and executive director of the Transition Institute of Marin in California, understanding the scope of the mental illness before getting a divorce can be helpful in preparing you for some of the challenges you might face.

One of the challenges in considering dissolving a marriage with a mental ill partner is that he or she may lead you to believe that they need you in order to cope with their illness or overcome it. This can feel like an extra burden and may make you feel guilty, too. If you have already put in months or years of helping your spouse manage or work through the issues related to their mental illness, making that final determination to divorce is all the more difficult.

Gadoua says that guilt over leaving a partner is a leading reason why partners stay in these relationships and marriages. One of the biggest challenges in living with a mentally ill partner is that behaviors that would be “red flags” or reality checks in other relationships become everyday normality for the healthy partner.

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$30 Million Settlement in Boston Scientific Defective Device Case

 Posted on November 03, 2013 in Personal Injury

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Can I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit For an Accident that Occurred Years Ago?

 Posted on October 30, 2013 in Personal Injury

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What is the Difference Between Annulment and Divorce?

 Posted on October 28, 2013 in Family Law

If your marriage is on the rocks and you and your spouse feel you have no choice but to separate, there is another route you may have the option to take instead of divorce: annulment. Divorce, by law, dissolves, terminates, or ends a legally valid marriage. Annulment, on the other hand, “erases a marriage by declaring the marriage null and void and that the union was never legally valid.” Although annulment technically erases your marriage, it is true that the marriage record will remain on file.

A simple way to understand the divorce vs. annulment topic is to think of divorce as ending a marriage, making both parties involved single again, while an annulment ends the marriage because the parties agree the marriage should not have happened or was never legal.

There are various reasons to turn to annulment rather than divorce, which include:

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How to Stay Safe on Dangerous Illinois Roads

 Posted on October 25, 2013 in Personal Injury

Now that the weather is cooling off and the rain is coming down, the roads are becoming more dangerous. Rain begins to freeze and turn to snow or hail, so the roads get slippery in the fall and winter seasons. It is important to drive cautiously to keep yourself safe from a possible car accident and Illinois personal injury claim. The Weather Channel has shared some tips for staying safe on dangerous roads. The easiest way to stay out of harm's way when road conditions are bad is to remain indoors, but if you must go somewhere, here are some driving tips. If you are driving on icy roads:

• When stopping at a light or for traffic, begin stopping early and leave plenty of room behind the car in front of you. Use three times the space normally taken to brake.
• Use your lights on even in the middle of the day. If snow or rain is heavy, visibility will not be clear.
• Avoid cruise control on icy roads.

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How Brains Operate: Insight into Accident Cases

 Posted on October 24, 2013 in Personal Injury

The brain is one organ that still has many mysteries to unlock. Two people could each have seemingly identical blows to their heads that result in completely different brain injuries. Different parts of the brain could be affected, which may lead to diverse issues throughout the body. Injuries can occur from something as small as a fall on a bike to something much more serious like a car accident or even playing too roughly with friends or getting shoved and hitting your head on a hard surface. When someone suffers from a brain injury, a number of changes can occur including how a person acts, thinks, feels, and even moves. Other effects that may take place that are less noticeable to others include body temperature regulation, bowel and bladder control, and blood pressure. The Brain Injury Association of America explains different areas of the brain that, if injured, can affect certain functions. Parietal Lobe:

• Differentiation of sizes, colors, and shapes

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