Here in the United States, underage drinking continues to be a serious safety threat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 30 percent of high school students admit to consuming alcohol. Every year, more than 4,300 teens die due to alcohol consumption. 

If your child was consuming alcohol at another person’s residence, the adults present are in direct violation of social host liability laws. Perhaps nothing can hurt a parent more than finding out that their child has been injured or killed in an alcohol-related accident. 

With the temperatures dropping and the leaves falling from the trees, all Illinoisans know that winter is coming. While the greater Chicago area often resembles a winter wonderland during the coldest months of the year, the changing of seasons also comes with some new dangers. Along with colder weather, ice and snow will soon be finding their way onto sidewalks throughout the state. 

For pedestrians, the inclement terrain that comes during the winter months can be particularly hazardous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 800,000 Americans are hospitalized each year due to slip and fall injuries. If you or a loved one are injured after falling at or near an establishment, you should speak to an attorney to determine whether you may be able to pursue financial compensation. 

What Fall Injuries Can Cost You

While the vast majority of people that suffer a fall walk away relatively unharmed, some are not so fortunate. The majority of hospitalized slip and fall victims suffer either head or hip injuries. Head injuries can cause concussions, painful headaches, and loss of cognition. Injuries to the hip can cause stiffness, loss of mobility, and loss of work hours. Both of these injuries can be excruciatingly painful, and they may require expensive medical treatment. Studies conducted by the CDC found that the average slip and fall hospitalization results in approximately $30,000 in medical costs. 

With the sunshine finally becoming a mainstay in the greater Chicago area forecast, more and more Chicagoans are choosing to spend time outdoors. Many people view summer as the perfect time to be outside with their dogs. While a large number of furry friends on the city’s streets can be a welcome sight for any dog lover, the influx of animals does come with risk. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), roughly 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year. Even more concerning is the fact that 20% of all dog bites nationwide result in dangerous infection to the victim. 

Just weeks ago, a couple were attacked by three dogs in Cook County’s Elgin Forest Preserve. After being startled by the stray dogs, the Gurnee couple attempted to fight off the animals. Still, one member of the couple suffered multiple puncture wounds in her leg, ultimately resulting in stitches, ongoing testing for infection, and potentially lifelong emotional trauma. If you or a loved one suffer a dog bite injury this summer, it is important to understand your options for pursuing compensation from any liable parties. 

Avoiding Dog Bites 

Most property owners understand the basics of premises liability. For the most part, an owner&s liability is tied to that owner&s negligence in failing to maintain safe premises or failure to addresses a dangerous condition on the property. Chicago owners are responsible for any number of dangerous conditions, like a vicious dog or an icy patch.

But a recent decision in an Illinois concealed carry law has some property owners questioning just how far their liability extends. The new law does not provide any answers because it does not specifically address who is liability if something happens because of a concealed carry in an otherwise "gun-free" zone.

Business owners, of course, have the option to post gun-free or no-guns-allowed signs but signs may not prevent someone from coming into the business with a concealed weapon.

The snowstorm hit hard and quickly during the early morning of February 1 this year. Chicago residents know how to handle snow but the conditions of this storm were perfect for slippery paths and sidewalks and a number of individuals were caught off guard.

Just 20 minutes into the storm, first responders saw head injuries, a broken arm, and one person knocked unconscious. Roughly 135 miles south of Chicago at the University of Illinois in Champaign, were it is not uncommon to have busy sidewalks at 1 a.m., students were falling all over the place.

Police officers acted quickly and started to spread salt on the sidewalks to avert more falls. Officers hoped to prevent additional injuries to pedestrians. The number of injuries may have been much worse if law enforcement had waited for businesses to open and take care of the salting and clearing of sidewalks themselves.