Driverless Car Accidents: How Do You Sue?

Auto Accident AttorneyDriverless cars are not limited to sci-fi movies anymore. Autonomous technology is an emerging market in real life as 19 companies are competing to put driverless car on the road by 2020, including the likes of tech giants such as Google and Tesla among many global car manufacturing companies. In light of huge investments and successful trials of self-operating cars in recent times, it is imminent that these cars will be on roads of Illinois in near future. A driverless car may be considered a safe option for driving and could potentially eliminate many causes of auto accidents pertaining to human drivers such as DUI, distracted driving, reckless driving, to name a few.

However, driverless cars are still prone to accidents, which is evident from the incident in Arizona where a self-driving Uber killed a woman in a fatal crash. This accident raises some extremely important questions such as: if you are involved in a car accident with a driverless car, which party can be held liable and how can you establish a liability in order to obtain compensation for your injuries?

Which Party Can be Held Liable?

In an autonomous car, there is no human behind the steering wheel. However, that does not mean that you cannot sue anyone for your damages. As a matter of fact, auto accidents resulted due to self-driving cars contain a bottomless list of defendants.

Firstly, the manufacturer who designed the software being used in the vehicle accident comes under investigation. The software is analyzed to find out defects, design errors, and programming efficiency. Moreover, it is assessed whether the company knowingly implemented autonomous technology despite the chances of errors. Secondly, if an accident is caused due to a defective piece of equipment, then the company who manufactured that equipment can also be added to the list of defendants. If a court is unable to determine which company was negligent, then both of the companies may be held liable for any damages caused by a driverless car. Finally, a car owner can also be held liable provided that they did not update the software or properly maintain their vehicle, which ultimately led to the accident.

How can an Auto Accident Lawyer Help You Establish Liability?

Autonomous vehicles are equipped with a range of sensors and cameras, which track, record, monitor, and measure surroundings. Information stored in the system by these sensors can be used in order to establish a liability. However, an average citizen may not be able to extract that information. Therefore, if you are involved in an unfortunate car accident caused due to a driverless car, it can be beneficial to acquire services of a professional auto accident lawyer. A competent and experienced attorney can assist in retrieving sensor data, which can be used to reconstruct the scene of the incident. This will strengthen your case and help you obtain maximum compensation for damages caused due to the accident.

Personal Injury Attorney

If you wish to find out more about this topic or schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced auto accident lawyer.

Collecting Evidence after an Auto Accident

Auto Accident AttorneyDue to vast number of vehicles on road and reckless drivers, mainstream media and even the internet is constantly brimming with news regarding auto accidents. According to a study, almost every American gets involved in some form of auto accident at least twice during his or her lifetime.

Despite the widespread occurrence of auto accidents, there is a severe lack of awareness and education regarding how to deal with such incidents. According to experienced local auto accident lawyers, a lot of evidence is lost due to lack of awareness and this makes it almost impossible for victims to get the rightful compensation.

What Evidence Is required to Establish Liability in an Auto Accident Case?

Under the law, any person who sustained damage to their property or body can seek damages and compensation from the person or entity responsible for accident. But in order to do so, the person must be able to establish his claim and prove the defendant’s liability. For this purpose of substantiating the claim, you need irrefutable evidence. Now, in the case of a car accident any camera footage can be quite useful. Furthermore, the medical records are extremely important documents during the court of a personal injury lawsuit.

Moreover, the registration number of the cars involved and identities of the drivers can be extremely crucial in the formation of your lawsuit. It is often advised by auto accident lawyers to take photographs in the aftermath of the accident. These photographs can help your lawyer establish liability on the negligent driver and get you rightful compensation in a streamlined manner. So, it is imperative that you collect and keep all relevant evidence safe in order to strengthen your case.

How can an Auto Accident Lawyer Help You Collect Evidence?

It can be quite cumbersome for an average citizen to collect evidence therefore most people acquire the services of experienced and reputable auto accident lawyers. Using their clout and connections, a good lawyer can procure CCTV footages and hospital records to build your case more comprehensively. Working as a team with your lawyer, you can ensure a positive result for your auto accident lawsuit and get compensated as soon as possible.

Personal Injury Attorney

If you wish to find out more about this topic or schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced auto accident lawyer.

Can I be Compensated for a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic Brain Injury AttorneyWe witness thousands of motor vehicle accidents every year, which mainly happen due to negligence and carelessness of the drivers. Most people get away with minor scratches, but not everyone is that lucky. An accident can result in severe injuries or even death of a person. For instance, an impact on the head can lead to a traumatic brain injury, which can be detrimental for the victim.

What should you do?

If you were at the receiving end of such an injury, you have a right to file a lawsuit against the offender. However, in most cases, it is not as simple as it may appear. Therefore, it is imperative that you contact a brain injury lawyer, who will allow you to focus on the injuries while they deal with the legal processes on your behalf.

How can a lawyer help you get compensated?

There are many reasons that you should hire a professional personal injury lawyer to get compensation for your traumatic brain injury. If you suffered a brain injury, you may experience side effects such as poor concentration and memory lapses, among other symptoms, which can affect your mental capacity. Moreover, unlike physical damages, the healing time and damage of brain injuries are extremely difficult to predict. A trusted lawyer will work in your best interests during this difficult time.

Furthermore, you must seek medical and financial professionals in order to prove traumatic brain injury and establish liability, which can be quite expensive. In addition to that, you may find it difficult to pay upfront costs pertaining to the case. Being represented by a professional lawyer will help you to delay and lessen these costs, allowing you to focus on getting better.

Most professional personal injury lawyers have connections with people who can help in gathering and sorting out evidence pertaining to the accident. From eyewitnesses to affidavits, your lawyer will make sure that all evidence is properly documented and presented in court to increase your chances of getting compensation for your injury.

Finally, a reputable lawyer may be able to get your case settled before it makes it to the trial room. This can be particularly beneficial if you do want to avoid legal troubles and are willing to get a reasonable settlement.

Personal Injury Attorney

If you were a victim of a traumatic brain injury and wish to schedule a free consultation contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

What to Do if Injured in a Carnival Accident

Personal Injury AttorneyCarnivals are exciting places to spend a weekend with your family and friends but if an accident occurs, it could turn your enjoyable experience into a traumatic one. Most of the rides within such carnivals are mobile rides, which are set up only for a small period of time. This means that these rides might not get the adequate amount of safety checks, unlike proper amusement park rides, which are developed and operated under strict scrutiny. Therefore, whenever you step on a carnival ride, you are exposed to the risk of being injured. Many people who are injured due to carnival accidents do not sue the people responsible due to lack of awareness regarding their legal rights.

What should you do if you are involved in a carnival accident?

As mentioned earlier, carnivals tend to be more prone to accidents due to negligence of the organizers. Despite certain measures taken by the authorities, the number of carnival accidents continue to soar. If you or your family members are involved in an unfortunate accident at a carnival accident, the first thing you need to do is seek immediate medical treatment. As soon as you are done with that, you should contact an experienced and reputable personal injury lawyer to obtain reasonable compensation for your pain and suffering.

However, in order to do so, you must have a solid claim against the carnival’s management and be able to prove that it was their negligence which resulted in your injury. Therefore, you must gather sufficient evidence to support your claim and present it rationally and reasonably in the court. If you want to strengthen your chances to win the case, it is imperative that you hire a professional personal injury lawyer to represent you, especially if your injuries are severe.

How can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help You?

Empowered by their vast experience and knowledge regarding such accidents, a personal injury lawyer can help you get compensated for all your damages and pain in an expedited timeframe. From collecting evidence to sending out legal notices to the people responsible, a lawyer can help you build your case substantially.

If you were a victim of a carnival accident and wish to schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Can Car Manufacturers Be Held Responsible for Auto Accidents?

Auto Accident AttorneyEvery year hundreds and thousands of car accidents take place across the country due to a wide range of reasons. According to statistics, over 8 million drivers are involved in some form of automobile accidents every year. While most accidents are caused due to negligence of one of the drivers involved, especially in hit and run accidents –there are many instances where certain manufacturing defects were found to be responsible for causing an accident. In such a situation, one can file a lawsuit against the company which manufactured that particular vehicle.

According to local auto accident lawyers, in many cases the drivers do not properly maintain their vehicles and blame it on the manufacturer to avoid being held liable for their negligence and reckless driving.

How Can Car Manufacturers Be Held Liable For Auto Accidents?

If you believe that the car accident you were involved in was caused due to the negligence of the car manufacturer, rather than any of the drivers involved then there are some aspects you need to consider. First of all, you need to ascertain whether it was a design defect which caused the accident or a manufacturing defect. The differentiation between the two is important due to their widespread implications.

Primarily, design defects is the term used to refer to inherent flaws in the basic structure of the car, meaning all other cars of the similar model and make would be prone to similar accidents. Whereas, manufacturing defect refers to a defect made in that particular vehicle only, during the production process.

Once, the type of defect is ascertained, your lawyer would establish liability on the company by proving how their negligence caused you pain and suffering. As compared to individual drivers, the car manufacturing company would have a greater insurance coverage, which means that you could potentially get a more sizeable amount in damages. But being a large organization, these companies would have the most expensive lawyers to defend them. Therefore, it is imperative that you acquire the services of the most astute and experienced auto accident lawyer to win your claim or land yourself a reasonable settlement.

Personal Injury Attorney

If you wish to find out more about this topic or schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced auto accident injury lawyer.

Work Injury at After Hours Event

Workers' Compensation AttorneyThe common perception is the employer is only liable for their employees’ safety during work hours –that is not the case. In order to reward employees or take a break from work, companies organize picnics and parties for their employees after work hours. While these events and picnics play a significant role in increasing employee motivation, resulting in increased productivity and loyalty, these events could also increase the liability of the employer. According to workers’ compensation lawyers, the employer can be held responsible for any injuries or harassment faced by an employee at such events and parties.

How can an employer be held liable for any injuries at an after work event?

While these company parties and gatherings are held after work hours, the court finds them as work as attendance is compulsory. Although it may not be overtly mandatory for all employees to attend such events, the growth and progress of their career are attached to their attendance making it compulsory for them to attend. Using this rationale, the courts deem such events to be a part of working hours, therefore any injuries sustained by the employees are to be compensated by the employer.

In order to establish liability on an employer, you must be able to prove that the event was organized by the company. Furthermore, it is important to prove that the negligence of the company caused the injury to you or your friend. The most common form of incidents that take place at company organized events are sexual harassment and drunken brawls between intoxicated employees.

How can a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer help you?

In most cases, the employer would deny liability by stating that the incident or injury was sustained after work hours, therefore, he or she cannot be held responsible. Acquiring the service of an experienced Workers’ Compensation lawyer might help you change his mind or take the matter to the court. Using their knowledge and vast experience, a workers’ compensation lawyer can help you get rightful and reasonable compensation for the physical, emotional and financial loss you may have suffered.

Personal Injury Attorney

The law provides comprehensive rights and protection to the employees from all kinds of workplace related incidents. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, contact The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. today at 847-395-2200 to speak with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer on this topic.

Dealing with Slip & Fall Accidents

Slip and Fall AttorneySlip & Fall accidents are the most common reason for injuries and emergency visits to the hospitals. According to a survey held by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, falling or slipping injures more than a million people annually. Whereas, fifteen percent of the accidental deaths were also caused by slip & fall incidents. A vast majority of these incidents occur due to lack of safety precautions and subpar infrastructure in public and private workspaces. These injuries can cause minor injuries such as minor abrasions up to major injuries such as bone fractures or other injuries which could lead to permanent disabilities.

According to slip and fall lawyers, people are often unaware of their rights and how to deal with such accidents. Under the law, you are entitled to rightful compensation if your injury was caused due to the negligence of your employer or the owner of the property.

How to deal with slip and fall incidents

Once you have received medical treatment, you should consult a personal injury or a slip and fall lawyer. Using their experience and knowledge, a slip and fall lawyer will assess your case and let you know if you can hold your employer or the owner of the property liable. Essentially, slip and fall injuries fall into the category of personal injury claims. Each case varies from one another depending on the location where you slipped and fell. For instance, if you were injured at work, you could file a workers’ compensation claim.

Whereas, if you suffered a severe injury at a public place or a third person’s property, you could file a claim against them. By establishing premises liability, you can easily get compensated for your medical and emotional suffering. But in order to establish premises liability, you or your lawyer would be required to prove that your injury was caused due to the negligence of the property owner. Negligence could be reflected by lack of security signs or safe non-slippery floors. In order to prove negligence and link it directly to the injury sustained, you would require an experienced slip and fall lawyer.

For more information on this subject or to schedule a free consultation, contact The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. today at 847-395-2200 to speak with an experienced slip and fall lawyer on this topic.

How to Deal with Auto Accidents

Auto Accident AttorneyAuto accidents are such a common occurrence in the US that almost every second person is involved in one before they turn 30. Auto accidents involve a wide array of situations which result in different levels of severity. From minor scratches on the side mirror to complete destruction of multiple vehicles, different auto accidents have different consequences. In most cases, people who are responsible for the auto accident stop and take responsibility for their mistake. In such cases, there is no need to file a claim as other party admits its liability voluntarily and offers to cover the damages.

But in many cases, people who are responsible for the accident refuse to be held liable. In some cases drivers escape from the accident sites, hoping that they can avoid the consequences of their negligence. According to auto accident lawyers, such incidents are known as hit and run accidents. Although in these cases, it is often difficult to track down the fleeing driver, it’s relatively easier to establish liability as their flight is deemed as an indication of their guilt.

How to deal with a hit and run accident

It could be quite frustrating to be involved in an accident where you are hit by another vehicle and sustain damage/injuries while the other driver does not even bother to stop and check up on you. Nevertheless, the law provides you the opportunity to be compensated for your damages and injuries. But in order to be able to bring the culprit to justice, you must note down their license number or at least memorize the model, make and color of the vehicle. Any information that you collect regarding the car responsible for the hit and run accident can help the authorities track down the reckless driver.

Finding the driver is a major challenge in such cases, therefore it is imperative that you try to get as much information as you can. If the person involved in a hit and run accident is unable to identify the other vehicle, auto accident lawyers look for eye witnesses to track down the driver who ran away.

Personal Injury Attorney

If you were a victim of a hit & run auto accident and wish to schedule a free consultation contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Receiving Compensation after an Auto Accident

Auto Accident AttorneyWith over 260 million registered vehicles in America, auto accidents are an extremely common occurrence. While some auto accidents are relatively harmless, some cause extreme damage, injuries and even death. According to studies, over 2 million people sustain injuries of varying severities every year in the US alone. Almost 40,000 people lost their lives due to auto accidents in just one year. The major reason behind all auto accidents is the negligence and recklessness of drivers, often driving under the influence of alcohol. It is only fair that people who are involved and injured in auto accidents due to the negligence of others be compensated for their loss and suffering.

In most cases, people are unaware of their rights protected under the state law, which bars them from seeking rightful compensation. Whilst others lack the legal acumen to substantiate their claim. Therefore, it is recommended to seek the guidance of a reputable local auto accident lawyer right after the accident.

How do you seek damages after an auto accident?

Once you have sought the necessary medical attention, you must immediately contact your auto accident lawyer to initiate your case. Taking too long to file your claim can make your case weak and even restricts you from filing a claim at all if the statute of limitations runs out. An auto accident lawyer would collect all necessary information and evidence regarding the accident and file a claim accordingly.

Although, there is some information that you need to collect yourself which can help your case immensely. This includes the registration number of the vehicle that hit you and the insurance details of the driver. Once your claim is filed, the court will hear the case where your lawyer will have to establish liability in order to win the case.

How is liability established in an auto accident case?

It is important for you to understand the significance of establishing liability. Without fully establishing that the other person is at fault and hence liable to pay for your loss, you cannot get compensation. Liability can be established by proving that the negligence of the other person or entity directly caused you damage and injury. Furthermore, you also need to substantiate the full scope of the damages, pain and suffering caused to you by the other party so that the court can award damages accordingly.

Personal Injury Attorney

If you wish to find out more about this topic or schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced auto accident attorney.

Injured in an Airport Accident? Here’s What to do

Airport Injury AttorneyAs the number of passengers who travel through air increases every day, the number of airport accidents increases despite strict precautions taken by Federal Aviation Administration. Although air travel itself has become safer over time, airports have increasingly become places where passengers sustain serious injuries due to negligence and dangerous infrastructure. The most common types of airport accidents include falling on slippery floors, escalators or boarding ramps. In most cases, people involved in an airport accident have no idea what to do and fail to seek compensation for the injuries they sustain.

What should you do if you were involved in an airport accident?

A vast majority of people assume that there is no remedy available to them for the injuries they have sustained in an accident that took place at an airport. It’s mostly due to lack of awareness or the assumption that since the accident occurred in an airport outside their state or country, they do not have a case in the United States. Any personal injury lawyer familiar with aviation law would tell you that you can seek remedy for injuries sustained in any airport around the world. Although the process might be a tad complicated due to the involvement of multiple state governments and agencies, an attorney experienced in dealing with airport accidents will be able to assist you in filing a claim.

How can a personal injury lawyer help you with an airport accident claim?

At its core, the term personal injury refers to any bodily harm incurred by the claimant. If you have sustained an injury which has caused you physical or mental pain, a personal injury lawyer is a person you should consult with as they are trained, and have the experience to deal with cases of this nature. Since airport accidents can occur anywhere, in different jurisdictions thousands of miles away from your home state, the gathering of evidence to substantiate your claim would require a great deal of effort and knowledge of different state laws. An attorney with vast experience dealing with such cases would be better equipped to help you deal with an injury or harm you sustained.

Personal Injury Attorney

For more information or to schedule a free consultation, contact The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. today at 847-395-2200 to speak with an experienced attorney on this topic.