Each year in the United States, an estimated 2.8 million people experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI), including many whose conditions were caused by car accidents. Of those, approximately 50,000 do not survive their injuries, and another 280,000 are hospitalized and ultimately released. The rest are treated in emergency rooms and then released home to heal. What makes the difference between these three groups of people? Sometimes, it is the severity of the injury itself, but being able to recognize the early signs and symptoms can also be crucial for both the short- and long-term prognosis of a victim.

Early Detection is Crucial

In situations involving a severe brain injury, time can mean the difference between life and death. However, even in cases of mild or moderate TBI, early detection can be important. It ensures that the victim does not do things they should avoid, such as tasks that involve concentration and activities that can result in a secondary injury. Early detection can also ensure that victims receive proper treatment.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury

Although a traumatic brain injury can be caused by any jolt, blow, or sudden and violent movement of the head, traffic accidents and falls are the most common causes. In addition, traffic accidents are among the leading causes of TBI-related death. As such, all car, truck, bicycle, and pedestrian accident victims should know the signs and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury.

Restaurant and bar owners in Northern Illinois are hopeful that their businesses will soon be able to resume limited indoor dining after restrictions due to the increasing number of cases of COVID-19 in the region. If they are able to open soon, as local news outlets are reporting, they will be just in time for the National Football League’s championship weekend.

Unfortunately, the combination of alcohol, tension, and competing team loyalties can lead to verbal and even physical altercations. People often lose sight of the fact that no perceived slight or indignity related to a sporting event is grounds for assaulting another person. When flared tensions result in personal injuries or even emotional distress in some instances, there are consequences in both the state’s criminal courts and, if a personal injury victim should choose, civil courts. If you have been injured in a physical altercation in an Illinois bar or restaurant, whether as an intended victim or mere bystander, you have the legal right to hold the at-fault party responsible for the harms that you have suffered.

Battery is Both a Crime and a Tort

Physical violence has long been codified in criminal and civil law. In common law (the antecedent to American law), the tort of battery is a “harmful or offensive” intentional contact. Examples include a shove, punch, kick, grab, or inappropriate sexual contact. Importantly, in the context of battery in a bar or restaurant, the legal doctrine of “transferred intent” allows for liability for harm intended by a tortfeasor—the individual who caused the injury—to one person to be transferred when someone other than the intended victim is harmed.

If you have been injured in any type of accident where someone else is at fault, you have likely thought about how much money is necessary to compensate you for your injuries. While no one can fully restore your health or erase the pain you have felt, monetary damage awards can certainly help to make you whole again.

The ultimate goal of any personal injury suit is to help the victim return to a life as close as possible to his or her life before the accident occurred. In order to achieve this goal, Illinois law recognizes several types of damages that may be awarded in such a lawsuit. The two most common types of damages are “economic damages” and “non-economic damages.” Together, these two types of damages comprise what Illinois law calls “compensatory damages.”

Economic Damages for Personal Injury Victims

Economic damages are those out-of-pocket expenses that are tangible and can be documented. For example, medical bills are economic damages because a medical provider invoice can be used to prove how much the treatment costs. Another example of economic damages is property damage. With this type of damage, a repair shop’s invoice can be used as evidence of how much property damage was caused by the accident.

For many Illinois residents, dogs really are “man’s best friend.” Dogs can assist people with disabilities, comfort those in distress, or just be a furry friend. However, dogs are animals, and like all animals, their behavior is not always predictable. Sometimes man’s best friend can become dangerous. Because of this, it is the dog’s owner’s responsibility to keep his or her dog on a leash and secured when necessary. If you have been injured in a dog attack, the owner may be required to pay for your medical expenses and pain and suffering.

Strict Liability For Illinois Dog Owners

Illinois dog owners are strictly liable for bite-related injuries caused by their dog. The term “strictly liable” refers to liability that is imposed without a finding of fault. So, when a person is bitten by a dog, he or she does not have to prove that it was the owner’s fault. The owner is automatically held responsible for any injuries caused by the dog bite. An owner cannot escape liability on the basis that he or she did not know the dog would bite. Even if the dog has never been aggressive before, the owner is still responsible for the dog’s biting behavior.

Negligence Concerns

Strict liability also applies to cases in which a dog injures another person without biting them. This would include situations such as a large dog jumping on someone and knocking them down, causing injury. The injured person is not required to show evidence that the owner failed to use reasonable care and that the owner’s negligence caused the injuries. Instead, the victim would only need to show that he or she did not provoke the dog and that he or she was in a place in which he or she was legally allowed to be.

Any driver knows that he or she assumes certain risks by getting behind the wheel. A driver with a history of safe driving often believes those risks to be fairly well minimized. After an accident, however, even the best drivers may find themselves financially impacted by the actions of others, especially if those others are underinsured or uninsured drivers.

Uninsured Drivers

There are an estimated 32 million vehicle owners in the U.S. currently without auto insurance. This means that nearly 13 percent of drivers on the road have no protection in the event of an accident, and in some states, the number is closer to 25 percent. Industry estimates suggest that more than $2 billion is paid annually on uninsured driver claims, not including fatalities or claims of permanent disability.

Insurance industry experts recognize that uninsured drivers usually struggle to afford the cost of insurance premiums. Many drivers who are able to maintain coverage often buy only the minimum coverage required in their states, which, in many cases, is insufficient for serious accidents. Consumer Reports found that the average cost of medical care for a “non-incapacitating injury” after an auto accident was $23,400, higher than the minimum bodily injury requirement in 14 states.