blog | Lane Brown, LLC

The recall of General Motors (GM) vehicles with faulty ignition switches has raised many questions. Whether you have already been in an accident in Skokie or you are concerned about being in an accident on the Chicago Skyway, you are probably wondering about the following:

Why is the GM recall different from other automaker recalls? The most important difference in this recall is that GM allegedly knew about the defective ignition switch, but did not issue a recall. As a result, people died, were injured, or were involved in accidents that could have been prevented. On the other hand, Toyota’s recall of approximately 6 million vehicles in April 2014 was not associated with any reported fatalities or injuries related to the defects.
Is there an investigation? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating GM. As of April 8, 2014, GM was being fined $7,000 a day by the NHTSA for failing to answer the agency’s questions by the required deadline. At the same time, GM is facing congressional panels. The NHTSA is also being investigated by congressional panels and the federal Department of Transportation’s inspector general’s office for missing the faulty ignition switch in the now-recalled vehicles.
What should you do if you have been hurt or lost a loved one because of a faulty ignition switch in a GM vehicle? You should contact an experienced lawyer—your injury, or your loved one’s death, may have been preventable.

As government and other investigations into the GM ignition switch recall continue, more answers should become available. Please check our website regularly for important updates.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. As the name suggests, the purpose of this safety campaign is to raise public awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. As a result, the National Safety Council is specifically urging the public to become aware of the hazards associated with using a cell phone while driving. However, cell phone use is not the only type of distracted-driving behavior that causes serious accidents on I-294 and throughout the Chicago area.

Other Forms of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes of the road, your hands off the steering wheel, or your focus from the task at hand—driving safely. In addition to texting while driving or using a cell phone while driving, the following activities may be distracting to Chicago drivers:

Eating or drinking while driving
Programming or using a GPS while driving
Talking or arguing with passengers
Reading while driving
Changing the music while driving

All of these distractions are preventable—drivers simply do not have to do them while driving. They are not worth the risk of causing a serious accident that hurts themselves, a loved one, another motorist, a pedestrian, or a biker.

Get Involved

Now is a great time to take action against distracted driving. Learn what it is and pledge to stop doing it. You can also help by sharing this information with your family and friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus. Doing so may help to prevent a serious distracted-driving accident.

Your child was not touched inappropriately by anybody—for that you are grateful. However, what did happen to your child was appalling at best and permanently harmful at worst. As a result, you may be wondering whether your child was sexually abused without physical contact.

It is Possible

Sexual abuse can take many different forms. It can occur without an assault of physical touching. For example, your child may have been sexually abused if he was:

A victim of sexual harassment, including repeated sexual insults, comments, or verbal threats
A victim of sexual advances
Made to watch pornography
Forced to participate in pornography
Required to perform sexual acts on himself
Made to observe someone else performing sexual acts
Otherwise victimized without touching

Whether your child comes home from a Hyde Park party reporting inappropriate sexual behavior, or you begin to detect signs of sexual abuse over time, it is important to take your concerns, and your child’s health, seriously.

Your Child May Need Help

Sexual abuse without physical contact can have the same devastating effects as sexual abuse with physical contact. It is no less important to protect your child’s health and his legal rights in this type of situation.

We know how hard this is for your child and for your whole family. Our highly trained and experienced lawyers want to provide you with a safe place to explore your legal options so that you can make an informed decision about how best to proceed. You can get in touch with us quickly and easily by filling out the contact form at the top of the page.

It wasn’t you who got hurt. As the horror of the Chicago Skyway truck crash you witnessed plays over and over again in your mind, you are thankful that your vehicle was not involved and that you were not physically injured. Still, you cannot get those who were hurt out of your mind.

You Can Help Those Involved in the Accident

If you are at the still at the scene of the accident then:

The first thing that you should do is to call 911. Do not assume that those involved in the crash are able to do make the call themselves. They may be physically injured or unable to reach their phones.
Wait for the police to arrive. You may need to tell the police what you saw. Do not make any assumptions, however. Simply tell the truth as you saw it. Also, make sure that the police have your name and contact information.

After the accident, you can cooperate with the parties to the crash by giving an accurate account of the accident and being willing to participate in the discovery or trial process, as necessary.

You Can Help Others Avoid Accidents

Now that you have seen the harm that can be done when a tractor-trailer collides with another vehicle, you can help protect your family, friends, and neighbors. Talk to your loved ones about the risks of being hurt in a truck crash and share this blog post on your Facebook page or Twitter feed so that others can be aware of the risks and can know how to help if they witness a crash.

Few places in society suggest a greater need for privacy than a restroom. While we may anticipate that cameras might be in use in public spaces, who among us would expect cameras to be placed inside a bathroom? The answer is likely no one, and the thought is truly unsettling. When using the bathroom, we are all entitled to the privacy that we deserve.

In a shocking discovery, employees at local funeral home Smith and Thomas, located on the West Side of Chicago at 5708 W. Madison, uncovered a hidden camera in the employee restroom. The police were called to investigate on Monday, March 24th, arriving at approximately 5 p.m. A funeral home employee revealed that the camera was located in the unisex bathroom used by employees of the funeral home. It had been placed on the ground level, to the left of the toilet, and behind a wall. The employee rightfully feels as though her privacy has been egregiously violated.

According to the owner of the business, the company is conducting an internal investigation. Employees are being questioned about the hidden camera. The owner did not release any further comment on the investigation.

Smith and Thomas Funeral Homes promotes a wide range of video and social media services to its clients. The business offers customers the ability to broadcast funeral services via webcam and create up-to-date video tributes to their loved ones. Smith and Thomas also advertises itself as “The people that care.” Unfortunately, it is clear that someone at Smith and Thomas does not care enough to ensure that its camera capabilities are utilized responsibly and respectfully.

The attorneys at Lane Brown, LLC, are fighting to protect the rights of the victims of this horrific breach of privacy, and have been retained to represent a number of current and former employees of this funeral home, as well as members of the public whose privacy may have also been violated. We are outraged and dismayed to hear about this unsettling event, and are determined and looking forward to prosecuting those who are responsible and obtaining justice for those affected by this violation.

We will be sharing breaking news about this case as details become available, so please continue to check back for more information, and follow us on social media.

Please contact us at 312-332-1400 to discuss this case with our attorneys.

Last August in 2013, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed new legislation that increased the speed limit on our state’s rural interstate highways to 70 mph, putting us in line with more than two-dozen other states that have already instituted such measures. One group of drivers on the road couldn’t be happier about this new measure: semi-truck drivers. They can benefit greatly from these new changes. However, the very changes that seem to benefit the trucking industry so much are the same ones that have other motorists and the Illinois Department of Transportation worried.

What’s the Problem?

Could higher speed limits cause more frequent and severe semi-truck crashes?

There are two valid sides to the debate, and individual states—and even the counties themselves—get to decide what’s best for their own areas. So, before you hold fast to your opinion about semi-trucks getting higher speed limits, it’s good to see some of the pros and cons from each side.

Pros of Faster Speed Limits for Semi-Trucks

Drivers have deadlines and time schedules to meet. Faster speed limits allow drivers to get to their destinations more quickly.
Drivers are often paid by the mile. Faster speeds mean a faster turnaround time. This allows for optimal income for drivers.
There are time restrictions and sleep requirements for drivers. Faster speeds allow drivers to travel further before needing to sleep, while still following the law.

Cons of Faster Speed Limits for Semi-Trucks

As semis travel faster, there is an increased likelihood for multi-car traffic accidents.
Faster truck speeds result in higher fuel costs for trucking companies and more frequent mechanical problems and truck repairs.
Faster speeds restrict driver control on hazardous road conditions, and can result in truck accidents.
An 80,000 pound semi truck traveling 70 mph will require more time to stop in an emergency than one traveling only 55 mph. Every second counts in a dangerous traffic situation.

The issue of maximum speed limits for semis can be a hot button topic for many individuals—both the inside and out of the trucking industry. But, in reality, the most important factor to consider—above company revenues, driver paychecks, or tire wear—is public safety. Does increasing the speed limit for semis put drivers and other motorists at risk of greater harm?

Tell us what you think. Chime in on Facebook or leave us your thoughts in the comment section of our site.