Safe travel tips for Fourth of July weekend

June 30, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Independence Day is a prime time for celebration. It’s also a time for high alert. In 2014, the National Safety Council declared Fourth of July the deadliest American holiday. Between 1986 and 2002, July 4th weekend consistently ranked at the top of car crashes, totaling 2,743 deaths annually.

The factors of such high crash rates are what you might expect. Of the major U.S. holidays, the Fourth is one of the most notorious for alcohol abuse. Forty-one percent of deaths generally involve high blood alcohol concentrations, second only to New Year’s Eve. Drivers also must share the road with more people traveling over the long weekend. You’d be doing yourself a favor by remembering these safety tips.

Drink responsibly

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a beer or a cocktail. There is something wrong when you’ve had several and make poor choices. It’s not worth the trouble, even if you’re not driving. Dumbing your sense makes you more susceptible to significant injury, whether it’s car-related or handling fireworks. That said, moderation is the key to a stress-free holiday. Manage your limits, or enlist a buddy to make sure you’re staying within the bounds of normal. You might also consider purchasing a certain amount of booze and sticking to it; once it’s gone, switch to seltzer.

Avoid rush hour traffic

Traffic spikes over the July 4^th weekend. AAA estimates that 42 million drivers will travel more than 50 miles from home close to or on the Fourth. The Boston Globe asked for advice from experts at the traffic app Waze. Anticipate busy roads on the following dates and times:

3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, June 29
2 to 4 p.m. Friday, June 30
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 1
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, July 2
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, July 3
3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 4

Another thing to remember: Driving fatigue accounts for at least 100,000 crashes per year. Packing and organizing for a road trip often deprives people of sleep, or at the least, alters their normal schedule. Consider taking 15-minute breaks at rest stops in between travel legs to recoup your energy.

Leave the car at home

Most towns and cities organize firework displays from public areas. As a result, people gather en mass. You’re better off taking public transit, an Uber, or alternate forms of transportation to get where you need to go. As noted by several people on TripAdvisor, specifically having to do with the fireworks display at the National Mall, it is “crazy crowded.” You can bet other parts of the country—from Illinois to California—will be too, as thousands of people gather at one central location. It goes without saying, driving anywhere near a mass crowd is a headache you don’t want to deal with.

Improving Milwaukee Avenue: Community meeting tomorrow night

June 28, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Who/What: Mobilizing for a Safer Milwaukee Avenue: The Active Transportation Alliance and apparel/equipment company Arc’Teryz hosts a community meeting to discuss the much-traveled Milwaukee Avenue. Over the last several months, the city has hosted public meetings to solicit input from residents on impending improvements. The meetings have generated discussions about safety for cyclists, many of whom commute on Milwaukee Avenue daily.

Bonus: Free beer from Revolutionary Brewery and refreshments provided by Boxed Water.

When: Thursday, June 29, 6-8pm.

Where: Arc’Teryz Chicago, 1630 North Damen Avenue.

Why: As we’ve written before, Milwaukee Avenue is one of the most notorious roads in Chicago. Car and pedestrian accidents are frequent and sometimes fatal. Between 2010-2014, the city reported 1,097 crashes at the intersection of Milwaukee/Damen/North Ave, the majority of injuries suffered by cyclists or pedestrians—and that’s just one intersection. The City of Chicago has labeled Milwaukee Avenue a “spoke route,” meaning it’s a prime target for the city’s prospective network of protected bike lanes, but details are lacking as to what it might mean.

The Alliance points out that between 2010-2015 the Chicago Department of Transportation reported 74 dooring crashes, accounting for 6 percent of the citywide total. And more still, based on a blog post published on June 20: “More than 5,000 people cross the Milwaukee/North/Damen intersection on foot during a.m. and p.m. peak hours – yet crosswalk markings are faded or missing altogether.”

Last week, the Active Transportation Alliance launched an online petition to raise awareness about forthcoming developments to the Milwaukee/Damen/North Avenue intersection, scheduled to begin at the end of the summer. The Alliance says it launched the petition to encourage city officials to “think big,” perhaps stemming from the fact that the scheduled improvements to Milwaukee Ave. includes no plans for dedicated bike lanes. DNAinfo reports that the petition has already garnered more than 900 signatures.

Final stage of construction project at Western/Belmont set to begin next week

June 27, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Monday marks the beginning of the end for the lengthy Western/Belmont/Clybourn construction project, now approaching the final stage a roughly year-long plan.

Starting Monday (and barring any issues arising from the state’s budget impasse), construction crews are expected to repave Western Avenue to make way for a newly revitalized stretch of road that Chicagoans travel frequently. The construction project stems from the removal and demolition of the Western/Belmont overpass in 2015.

For how long: Like previous stages (there are five total) of the plan, repaving will take place at night and last for two weeks.

Why it matters: The city is expected to shut down at least one lane in each direction between Logan Blvd. and Waveland Ave., based on information provided by the Chicago Department of Transportation. That means more traffic congestion, slower speeds, and longer commutes.

On the bright side: The finished project will create a much more conducive environment for a smoother traffic flow for motorists and commercial buses, making it safer on multiple levels. That includes nearby pedestrians. The revitalization project has been a long road (no pun intended) to pay dirt, but it’s certain to improve safety and encourage better driving. We can safely say it was long overdue for an upgrade.

Advice: The CDOT encourages motorists to find alternate traffic routs to avoid long delays. As has been in effect since the beginning of the project in March 2016, Ashland Avenue is recommended as a north-south alternate route. Diversey or Addision are recommended for those heading east-west.

Public transit: CTA routes will not be affected. You can email additional questions directly to the CDOT at westernavecdot@cityofchicago.org.

The difference between uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage

June 22, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Our managing partner explains

Note: Transcript edited for clarity, readability, and brevity

“People are obsessed with finding ways to save on car insurance. It’s a sentiment channeled through advertising: ‘15 minutes saves you 15 percent,’ etc. But here’s the thing: You should never skimp on insurance. Many drivers are irresponsible, and they either don’t have insurance, or they don’t have enough. That’s a problem when victims begin adding up the costs of their medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.

Fortunately, there are ways that drivers can protect themselves from those situations. Two types of insurance that we strongly encourage people to analyze is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage because it’s designed to protect you from the unknown. You can drive with some semblance of peace knowing that you won’t suffer because of the regrettable actions of others.”

Uninsured motorist coverage

“In a typical crash situation in which both motorists are insured, you’d file a claim with the other driver’s insurance company and recoup compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. The situation gets more complicated when the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance to begin with. That’s where uninsured motorist coverage comes into play. Very simply: if you’re involved in a crash and the other driver is at fault, or it’s a hit-and-run situation, uninsured coverage kicks in.

In Illinois, the state requires drivers to carry some form of liability coverage, which includes a legal minimum of uninsured coverage that matches your liability. You can bump that number even higher if you choose, giving you more protection.”

Underinsured motorist coverage

“Underinsured motorist coverage protects if you’re involved in a crash in which another driver is at fault and they have some insurance, but not much. It’s not uncommon for us to deal with sub-standard insurance policies, which probably says much more about the provider than the person who ended up causing the accident. The sad fact is, many people can’t afford premium insurance packages so they opt for what’s cheapest and meets state minimums. The problem is that you can’t anticipate the extent of an accident or crash, which range from mild to extremely severe. In severe cases, you could be looking at medical expenses that exceed what the at-fault driver’s insurance covers, and that’s when lawyers get involved. UM and UIM cases are typically resolved through arbitration, which is like a trial but different, namely, a jury isn’t involved.

You want to be sure to talk to an attorney who handles these types of cases so they can guide you through the process, and look in places where you might insurance coverage—places you didn’t think existed.”

Jay Stefani is the managing partner of Levinson and Stefani.

Do I need rental car insurance?

June 21, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Protection comes in many forms

The conundrum for many consumers renting cars is whether to buy supplemental insurance. Upon pickup, an attendant will likely ask whether you’d like to purchase some form of liability coverage for an extra cost per day. The price effectively goes from $150 to $300 in a matter of seconds. In the back of your mind you know it’s the right thing to do. But you could be spending double for one simple reason: You don’t know that you’re already covered.

We always advocate for the best and most comprehensive form of insurance money can buy. That said protection comes in many different forms. It doesn’t always depend on what companies like Avis or Enterprise try to offer (or more accurately, sell). Below we include three different forms of protection (including rental protection) and how they work. This isn’t to suggest you should save as much money as possible. Instead, we hope to educate readers about what types of coverage exist and why you should take time to understand them.

Your auto insurance policy

Many insurance companies factor rental coverage into their contracts, which can be a nice incentive for those who travel on a regular basis. But it depends on the type of package you choose to buy. The caveat: knowing what and whom your policy covers under different circumstances.

Three primary forms of coverage provided by your insurance company: liability coverage, comprehensive coverage, and collision coverage. Each protects you in different ways, but favoring one more than another puts you at greater risk. That’s because the extent of your coverage depends on the nature of the crash. For example, liability coverage covers another person’s medical bills and property damage if you happen to be responsible for the accident. By contrast, collision coverage is designed to take care of your own bills and damage.

What to do: Discuss your insurance coverage with a representative over the phone or in-person. Have your rep outline what your contract stipulates and how you’re covered under the guidelines of the agreement.

Your credit card policy

Most credit card companies offer some form of consumer protection, including minimum liability coverage for rental agreements. We’re not suggesting that simply owning a credit card guarantees you complete coverage. In fact, coverage often depends on the credit card company and the policies they choose to enforce. An American Express Gold Member may have better coverage than a standard Discover Card as it pertains to annual fees, etc. The big thing to know in this case is that credit card liability coverage is minimal compared to your personal auto insurance policy and what rental companies offer.

What to do: Contact your credit card company by calling the number listed on the back. A representative can provide a written document outlining terms and conditions in greater detail.

Rental insurance

Rental companies typically offer at least four forms of insurance coverage: Liability, Collision, Personal Effects, and Personal Accident. As we lay out above, liability and collision take care of different aspects of a crash if you happen to be responsible. But rental insurance differs from standard coverage in the sense that rental coverage is designed to protect their property, less so the driver.

What to do: Do a little advance research online and understand the definitions of what the rental provider offers. Rental carriers are less concerned with explaining the nuances of their protection packages as they are with selling them. Ultimately, the idea is to get you to buy; you shouldn’t expect them to cover everything in concise detail.

What to bring for your first attorney-client meeting

June 20, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

You’re meeting your attorney for the first time. It can be strange, even a little awkward. But like anything else, you shouldn’t feel intimidated if you’re prepared. Our associate attorney Brett Manchel lays out five essentials for your first attorney-client meeting, and how each aids the legal process.

Police report

“It’s probably the most important piece of information we require from the get-go. A police report establishes a few things: which driver is at fault, who the potential defendant might be, any witnesses. It provides information like the weather, time of day, the degree of impact, road conditions, and an official determination by the attending officer as to the cause of the crash. It also tells us if someone received a traffic citation or if a commercial vehicle was involved. And most importantly, it provides insurance information, which allows us to reach out and let them know that we’re filing a claim. The sooner we see the police report, especially if there are discrepancies, the sooner we can get the ball rolling.”

Health and auto insurance information

“Especially important for the immediate care of our clients. We need both sources of information to ensure that bills are paid by your insurance provider in a timely manner, as opposed to dealing with a collections agency in the aftermath of a crash, especially when there are many moving parts involved. Also, you typically have a duty to report any type of crash to your insurance company, so providing us with the proper information not only allows us to follow protocol but also allow us to find out if you have MedPay or Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage, all of which can be used to cover medical expenses under the right circumstances.”

Pictures/video

“Pictures and video of a crash are indispensable, and in many cases, indisputable. If you have picture or video of the site of the crash, damage to your vehicle, any injuries—all of it puts you and your attorneys in a winnable position. In crash cases, it’s important to establish property damage and put together a visual of what happened, and as it relates to a jury, it’s always better to see something than to imagine what might have happened. Pictures and video are also important if someone suffers scarring and deformities, like a split lip, broken nose, missing teeth. We’ve had clients who required full dental reconstruction, and it’s thanks to pictures that we got them comprehensive compensation to cover costs.”

FORD

“We use this acronym frequently: Family Occupation Recreation Dreams. You should be prepared to talk about these things during your first meeting. It’s intended to give us a complete picture of who you are and what or whom might be affected by the results of a crash. Family, for example. Are you living with an elderly parent who requires lots of care? Are you responsible for children? As for occupation, are you missing work because of your injuries? Are you at risk of being terminated? Do you collect disability checks? We also want to know what you do for fun. Are you an athlete? Do you have hobbies? Are you part of any organizations, social leadership? Do you walk your dog every day? We want to know about your dreams and long-term plans. Did you have plans to climb Mount Everest? We want to know all these things to know exactly how your injuries might impact your life moving forward, and how we can tell your story in front of a jury. We had a case not long ago in which a client suffered a traumatic brain injury. She had dreams of doing medical research. Now her dream is basically altered forever. All that must be considered when we’re fighting to get you the compensation you deserve. In other words, be prepared to talk about a wide range of topics so we can get a complete picture of who you are and what you do.”

Miscellaneous

“No detail is too small or insignificant. Bring a list of any witnesses, especially anyone who isn’t listed on the police report. Bring medical records or discharge reports, letters from your insurance company, letters from the person who hit you, text messages, Facebook messages—anything related to the crash. If it’s a record or document, it matters.”