Nearly 50 Injured In Chicago Car Crash
News broke early Wednesday morning about a multi-vehicle pileup on the Kennedy Expressway near North Avenue in Chicago. The 5:45 AM collision involved nearly 60 vehicles, resulted in injuries to just under 50 people, and 14 were taken to local hospitals. Thankfully no fatalities were reported.
All inbound traffic was blocked on I-90 as emergency workers assisted at the scene. The fire department issued a statement to drivers to not to use the expressway during the morning commute.
Poor weather conditions contributed to the crash, as the Chicago area was hit with a late April snowfall and some drivers were driving too fast for conditions. The road conditions caused fender benders yesterday morning throughout the Chicago area.
The accident lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. have signed on to represent a motorist who was rear-ended near the front of the pile-up. She sustained back and neck injuries and underwent medical treatment.
What To Do At The Scene Of An Accident During COVID-19
Getting injured in an accident during the coronavirus quarantine can pose unique circumstances. At the scene of the accident, you will want to practice social distancing as much as possible.- As you exchange information try to stand as far back as possible while taking photos of the other driver’s ID and insurance card. There’s no need to actually come in contact with the other party. Wear a facemask if you have one.
- Make sure to call 911 and speak to police officers and let them know what happened when they arrive to make the report.
- If possible, take photos of the scene of the accident. And just don’t take one or two, take several photos of your vehicle, the other vehicles involved, and any other relevant evidence at the scene such as skid marks, etc.
- Obtain contact information for any witnesses at the scene, again keeping a safe social distance. This is important, as sometimes witnesses don’t wait for police officers to arrive.
Seek Medical Treatment If Needed
If injured, you will want to seek medical treatment, but there could be additional COVID-19 obstacles that wouldn't normally be present. If taken by ambulance, you can ask to be taken to an ER that typically has shorter wait times where you might be able to practice social distancing. It’s been reported that lately some emergency rooms have had extremely long wait times. In that circumstance you might want to consider other options. Depending on the nature of your injuries, you could try to make a same-day appointment with your primary care physician, an urgent care or an orthopedic medical doctor. There are even some physicians offering consultations and appointments by video due to the coronavirus outbreak.Contact An Injury Lawyer
Once you’ve taken care of any immediate needs for medical care after the accident, it’s recommended that you next contact a car accident lawyer. We recommend that you do this before contacting your or the other side’s insurance carrier. It’s best to let an experienced attorney protect your rights as soon as possible. Insurance companies will want to mitigate their exposure and try to pay you as little as possible on the claim. Whether it’s giving a written recorded statement, so many things can go wrong when accident victims start handling their own case without a lawyer. Also keep in mind that you don't have unlimited time to pursue an injury claim. The statute of limitations in Illinois is two years in most cases, however there are shorter one year statutes for certain defendants, so it's best to seek legal help sooner than later. While many different types of businesses are closed during the Covid-19 quarantine, most personal injury law firms are open for business and offer free consultations, so there's no reason to delay. Some law firms are even offering video consultations on Zoom when requested. Please feel free to call our law firm if you have any questions. Call 312-924-7575 or fill out the online contact form on this webpage.Abels & Annes, P.C. 100 N LaSalle St #1710 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 924-7575 https://www.daveabels.com/chicago-auto-accident-lawyers///freeway/
