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December 19, 2024

Chicago Realiza Mejoras en la Seguridad de los Peatones

Cualquiera que circule por Western Ave. en Chicago ha notado toda la construcción que se está realizando a lo largo de las aceras para agregar salientes de bordillo y otras adiciones diseñadas para favorecer a los peatones. Los salientes de bordillo son bordillos que se extienden hacia la calle, creando más espacio en la acera en las esquinas. Según el sitio web del Departamento de Transporte de Chicago, la filosofía detrás de los salientes de bordillo es que hacen las calles más seguras y reducen las lesiones de peatones que resultan de ser atropellados por un automóvil:

Reduciendo la velocidad del tráfico al estrechar la calle.
Obligar a los conductores que giran a reducir la velocidad para completar los giros.

December 18, 2024

Lesiones en Escaleras Comunes en Chicago

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Los abogados de resbalones y caídas de Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. observan que los casos más comunes de lesiones en propiedades son las caídas en escaleras. Bajar escaleras es intrínsecamente peligroso, ya que una caída desde cierta altura genera la fuerza necesaria para causar esguinces graves, fracturas y traumatismos craneales. Caminar por las escaleras requiere equilibrio, coordinación y concentración. Si las escaleras son resbaladizas o tienen defectos como cemento agrietado o iluminación inadecuada, las caídas son más probables.

Los peligros de las escaleras inseguras

Cada año, miles de personas sufren lesiones debido a escaleras inseguras. Según el Consejo Nacional de Seguridad, las caídas son la segunda causa principal de muertes relacionadas con lesiones no intencionales en los Estados Unidos. Las escaleras son particularmente peligrosas, y una investigación de la revista American Journal of Emergency Medicine estima más de un millón de lesiones relacionadas con escaleras anualmente.

December 17, 2024

Slip & Fall Injuries in Chicago

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Slip and fall accidents are among the most common types of personal injury cases in Illinois. They often occur in grocery stores, big box stores, Targets, Home Depot and all other stores open to the public. Injuries can be serious, such as broken bones, head trauma, or spinal injuries. These types of cases can be difficult to prove so it is important to hire experienced slip and fall lawyers such as Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. to handle your case.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are often caused by dangers that could have been prevented with proper care. Common causes include:

October 22, 2024

“Los SUV Son Peligrosos para Otros Coches en la Carretera.

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Las leyes de la física se aplican a todo, incluidos los accidentes de vehículos. Cuando un SUV o camión de 5,500 libras choca con un automóvil que pesa 3,300 libras, es de esperar que el automóvil sufra más daños y, en consecuencia, es más probable que el conductor del automóvil resulte herido o fallezca. Los abogados de lesiones automovilísticas de Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. han observado que cuando automóviles más pequeños están involucrados en choques con SUVs grandes o camiones, el automóvil más pequeño sufrirá significativamente más daño. The Economist realizó recientemente un estudio en el que recopiló diez años de datos de accidentes de informes policiales de 14 estados. Sus hallazgos fueron publicados el 7 de septiembre de 2024 en un artículo titulado “Peligrosamente pesados”. Los números son sorprendentes. Para los vehículos más pesados, aquellos que pesan alrededor de 6,800 libras, los conductores de estos vehículos experimentaron 4.1 “muertes en el propio vehículo” por cada 10,000 accidentes, en comparación con 6.6 “muertes en el propio vehículo” para autos que pesan un promedio de 3,500 libras. Sin embargo, estos vehículos más pesados fueron responsables de 37 “muertes en el vehículo contrario” por cada 10,000 accidentes. Entonces, si bien los conductores de los vehículos más pesados estaban ligeramente más seguros, el resto de nosotros en autos corríamos un riesgo sustancialmente mayor de sufrir lesiones o muerte. The Economist observa, basándose en estos datos, que “por cada vida que los SUVs y camiones más pesados salvan, se pierden más de una docena de vidas en otros vehículos”. Para los vehículos en el 10% superior de peso, que pesan al menos 5,000 libras, la tasa de mortalidad fue de 26 muertes por cada 10,000 accidentes. El conductor del SUV o camión experimentó 5.9 de estas muertes por cada 10,000 accidentes, mientras que el desafortunado vehículo contrario experimentó 20.2 muertes por cada 10,000 accidentes. Para la siguiente categoría, de vehículos que pesan entre 5,000 y 4,500 libras, la distribución fue de 5.4 muertes del conductor del SUV o camión por cada 10,000 accidentes y una tasa de mortalidad de 10.3 muertes por cada 10,000 accidentes para el vehículo contrario. Lo que las estadísticas dejan en claro es que el peso mata. Además, también es evidente que el peso de los vehículos más pesados se puede reducir sustancialmente con solo un impacto mínimo en la seguridad del conductor del SUV o camión, mientras se salvan muchas más vidas de personas que conducen vehículos de peso promedio.

Dadas estas estadísticas tan contundentes, uno pensaría que se prestaría más atención a este problema de seguridad. Sin embargo, los abogados de lesiones de Zneimer y Zneimer, P.C. señalan que los automóviles estadounidenses solo están aumentando de peso, creando un ambiente de carrera armamentista en el que los conductores estadounidenses necesitan comprar vehículos cada vez más pesados solo para estar seguros de otros conductores. El automóvil nuevo promedio en Estados Unidos ahora pesa 4,400 libras, mientras que el automóvil promedio europeo pesa 3,200 libras y el automóvil promedio japonés pesa 2,600 libras. Una solución sería imponer un fuerte recargo a los vehículos más pesados. Antes de que una idea así pueda ganar tracción, sin embargo, es necesario que las personas sean más conscientes de los peligros que representan los SUVs y camiones más pesados en las carreteras.

Publicado en: Accidentes automovilísticos y Accidentes de camiones

October 4, 2024

Are Zero Bike Deaths Possible in Chicago?

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Written by Peter Zneimer

Chicago has had only 0ne bicyclist fatality in 2024 as of September 16, 2024. Though any bike death is a tragedy, that number is a vast improvement from previous years. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, Chicago reported seven bicyclist deaths in 2023, 10 deaths in 2022, and 11 in 2021. The question that Chicago city officials and bike safety advocates is contemplating is whether the decrease is a fluke or whether the decrease can be attributed to actions taken by the city to improve bike safety.

The bike injury lawyers of Zneimer and Zneimer P.C. note that the city of Chicago has been committed to broad program to improve bike safety in the city. Chicago, in recent years, has instituted 50 miles of bike safety upgrades and 27 miles protected bike lanes that have been completed by the Chicago Department of Transportation. Though improvements have been made, Chicago has a ways to reach its vision zero goals of zero traffic deaths since there have been 22 pedestrian deaths and 41 traffic deaths in Chicago through July of 2024 according to the Chicago Department of Transportation.

August 14, 2024

Motorists in Chicago Do Not Stop For Pedestrians in Crosswalks

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Written and Reviewed by Peter Zneimer

Chicago in recent year has invested heavily in improving cross walk safety. The city has added cross walk signs to many crosswalks. Some have included warnings that it is a violation of state law not to stop for pedestrians in a cross walk. The fanciest crosswalks have flashing lights that are activated by pushing a button that warn motorists that pedestrians are crossing. The City’s efforts to upgrade pedestrian safety should be commend given the rise of pedestrian injuries in Illinois. The personal injury injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. note that pedestrian accident cases typically have severe injuries because these accidents most often involve a motor vehicle striking a human body.

Given the steady rise of of pedestrian deaths in Cook County the money spent on improving pedestrian safety is wisely spent. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) pedestrian accident fatalities in Cook County increased by 28% between 2016 and 2020. In another study done by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) study showed that pedestrian deaths in Illinois rose 55% from 2005 to 2020.

July 17, 2024

Embracing Micromobility in Chicago: Take A Ride on The Wild Side

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Written and Reviewed by Peter Zneimer

Wandering around Chicago, one will witness firsthand the micromobility revolution. In high traffic areas, everywhere you look in Chicago you will see people riding e-scooters, e-bikes and pedal bikes. The surge in micromobility is fueled by corresponding surge of on-demand bicycle and e-scooter networks such as Divvy, Lime and Spin flooding the city. Such services, hypothetically, offer young, solo riders an easy, cheap, and eco-friendly way to take way to take short trips. Over 4 million e- scooter trips have been recorded in Chicago since 2022.

Along with the benefits come with many safety risks. The rise of micromobility vehicles has been accompanied by emergency room visits by users of these vehicles. The e-scooter injury attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have experienced first hand the rise of e-scooter accidents with injuries by the number of call we are getting. Anyone driving a car or walking around Chicago has most likely had a close call with a Divvy bike or a Lime, Spin, Divvy E-scooter. One of the major problems with micromobility is the limited number of protected bike lanes in Chicago. Most of the so called bike-ways are at best, a painted bike lane that runs parallel to the parked car lane. At worst, the bike-way is simply a street with a bike painted on it. This state of affairs leads to micromobility commuters being exposed to getting hit by a motor vehicle. Damen Ave. and Lincoln Ave. are examples of bike-ways with painted on bike lanes that offer minimal protections. Damen Ave. in particular goes from wider bike lanes, to narrower bike lanes to bike lanes so narrow they barely afford room for a bike and car to fit on the road.

June 27, 2024

What Are the Most Dangerous Bike-ways for Biking in Chicago?

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

When biking in Chicago, at times it feels as if one is risking life and limb just to commute from one place to another. The statistics seem to bear out that riding a bike not only feels dangerous but actually is dangerous. From June 2023 to August 2023 there were 819 bike crashes with 75 of these leading to serious injuries according to CDOT. Everyone who bikes on a regular basis in Chicago has stories of being involved in crashes with motorists or close calls. The bicycle injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have had many clients that have been injured in bicycle accidents where the motorists are simply not keeping a look-out for bicyclists, either when making a right turn, when opening a car door or when making a left turn in an intersection.

Chicago has made a concerted effort in recent years to improve the infrastructure for bicyclists in recent years, adding 400 miles of bike-ways between 2018 and 2022. Though that sounds like a lot, the reality is the vast majority of new bike-way lanes are simply painted on the roadway and offer little protection to bicyclists who are essentially still out in the traffic.

In Chicago, several intersections are notoriously dangerous for bicyclists due to a combination of heavy traffic, poor infrastructure, and the presence of multiple road users. Here are some of the most hazardous intersections and the reasons why they are considered risky:

June 19, 2024

Is Biking Becoming Safer in Chicago?

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Written and reviewed by Peter Zneimer, Zneimer & Zneimer P.C.

The bike lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. observe that there are more bicyclists on the road than ever and with that more bicycle injuries than ever. Chicago, like other major USA cities has made a major push to encourage people to ride bicycles and have added hundreds of miles of bike lanes to Chicago streets. The push is bearing fruit. A study by the Chicago Department of Transportation has shown that biking is up 119% in Chicago between the fall of 2019 and the spring of 2023. The comprehensive survey also showed that bicycle trips are up 117% for shopping, 93% for eating out and 8% for commuting to work.

Though other major US cities may have invested more in bike infrastructure in the past, Chicago maybe catching up. According to CDOT, last year the city of Chicago completed 27 miles of new and protected bike lanes and 18 miles of greenways with more bike lanes planned. Bicycle advocates argue that the data shows that improvements in bike infrastructure lead to large increases of bike use and that if the city keeps improving the infrastructure, bike usage will continue to grow in the future.

March 7, 2024

The Dangers of Electric Bikes on Chicago Lakefront Trail

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Anyone who regularly rides their bicycle along Chicago’s Lakefront Trail will have noticed the proliferation of people riding electric bikes in the last few years. The bike injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. note there appears to be a dearth of research regarding the safety of electric bikes in relation to regular pedal bikes. As the popularity of electric bikes continue to grow and as more electric bikes are being ridden on our roads and bike paths, there has been growing awareness that perhaps electric bikes need to be treated differently than regular bicycles.

In a recent study conducted by U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission it was reported that there were 53,200 e-bike crash injuries recorded. More telling is that the study showed that electric bike injuries increased from 3,500 in 2017 to 24,400 in 2022 which shows how rapidly electric bike injuries are increasing. Governmental entities are currently grappling with how to treat electric bikes. Should they be treated like pedal bicycles or should they be treated more like motorcycles. Safety experts point out that electric bike users face a greater risk of serious injury or death for the obvious reason that electric bikes are heavier and faster than regular bikes. WaBiffl MD, trauma medical director at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and trauma surgeon at Scripps Clinic is quoted on Scripps Health website regarding electric bikes: “They go much faster, and this may create risk for hitting pedestrians who can’t get out of the way in time, or with motor vehicles, whose drivers do not anticipate a bike moving so fast,” He continues: “There’s also more momentum and the stopping distance will be much greater.”

As a frequent bicycle bike rider on Chicago’s Lakefront Trail, Chicago bike accident lawyer, Peter Zneimer, of Zneimer & Zneimer PC has noticed a big change within the last two years with the increase of electric bike usage. The Lakefront trail has always been dangerous. The path is often congested in the summer months with bicyclist of all types from people who regularly ride on the path to tourists who have rented bikes and are on the path for the first time. Add to the mix pedestrians, including children and people unfamiliar with the park walking and crossing the path without paying attention, unaware of the dangers. There are also roller bladders, runners, families with baby strollers, skateboarders and everyone else enjoying Grant Park in the summer. The trail was plenty dangerous already with bicyclists riding too fast given the many potential dangers, causing serious injuries to both pedestrians and other bicyclists. Now the situation is exponentially more dangerous. It is not unusual today to be pedaling a bicycle at a good clip on the bike path and be passed by someone on an electric bike that more resembles a motorcycle than a bike a bicycle going 20 to 35 miles per hour. At the present time, there appears to be no restrictions as to what class of electric bikes are permitted on the Lakefront Trail. There are no Chicago ordinances nor any signage on the path itself restricting speeds or restricting the types of electric bikes allowed. The city of Chicago seems to be relying on people to use their common sense to go slow in crowded areas when so many children, pedestrians and tourists are present. Unfortunately, common sense seems to be in short supply on the bike path. Peter Zneimer has on many occasions witnessed people on electric bikes weaving at high speed through crowds of pedestrians and other bicyclists. Sadly, Peter Zneimer, has also witnessed serious injuries and even death on the bike path due to bike riders going too fast for conditions. Inevitably, with the higher speed and heavier electric bikes there will be even more severe injuries and deaths on the Lakeshore Bike Trail. The wise course would be to restrict electric bike speed and classes on the bike path proactively and not wait until the injuries and deaths pile up before taking action.