Truck driver infographic

How Truck Drivers’ Health Conditions Pose Risks to Others

The sedentary nature of truck drivers’ jobs increases their incidence of health problems which, in turn, raises the probability of them causing a motor vehicle accident. Truck drivers are forced to sit for lengthy time periods, and the nature of their jobs also make them likelier to have poor sleeping and eating habits. The combination […]

Woman wearing seatbelt

New California Car Seat Law Targets Older Children

With the new year came new laws, including a new California car seat law that requires children to use a booster seat until they are age 8 or 4 feet, 9 inches tall. The previous California law only required children to remain in car seats until they were 6 years old or weighed 60 pounds. […]

Amtrak train on railroad tracks

Illinois Court Considers Liability of Truck Driver for Amtrak Accident

In March of 1999, in Bourbonnais, Illinois, an Amtrak passenger train collided with a semi-tractor trailer driven by John Stokes, causing a serious accident that resulted in many deaths. A number of lawsuits followed and, recently, in Dowe v. Birmingham Steel Corporation, Nos. 1-09-1997, 1-09-2006, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, considered liability for […]

White semi truck at loading dock

Should truckers be banned from using cell phones?

The National Transportation Safety Board recently recommended that commercial truck drivers be banned from using cell phones while driving. A horrific car accident that occurred in Kentucky in 2010 was the impetus behind the recommendation. In that case, a trucker who was believed to have been talking on his cell phone at the time of […]

Truck in a ditch, workers comp lawyer

NTSB focuses on deadly truck and bus accidents

Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) convened a 2-day panel focusing on ways to reduce truck and bus accidents. Participating in the discussion were federal regulators, safety experts and representatives from both the truck and bus industries. One of the goals of the panel was to examine the trends relating to truck and […]

Couple holding hands in funeral

Family of Worker Killed on the Job can Sue Third Party -Logo Liability Imposed on Owner of Truck

By Howard Ankin Illinois attorneys might be surprised by the recent holding of the state Appellate Court that allowed tort damages in a case involving injuries on the job. The ruling shows that workers’ comp attorneys should routinely assess all potential third party claims before concluding the sole source of recovery is under the Workers’ […]