Whether you visit a big city like Chicago or stay in Peru, Morris, or Ottawa here in North Central Illinois, crosswalks are almost everywhere. It’s commonplace to see them in downtown or residential areas and near religious institutions, recreational centers, and schools.

The main purpose of crosswalks is to ensure pedestrians make it from one side of the street to the other safely. However, many Illinois pedestrians and motorists aren’t clear about how to act when they encounter crosswalks. Knowing Illinois crosswalk laws can help keep you safe and can help prevent a crosswalk accident.

It’s a pleasure to share that our personal injury law firm, Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP (SGKR), has again been nominated for the “Best of North Central Illinois” award for 2023. Our law firm, which has one office each in Ottawa, Peru, Chicago, and Morris, has previously won this annual “Best Of” recognition as a contender in the category of “Service: Personal Injury Attorney” for the past three years.

Winning is decided by votes from the community. Voting for our firm and this year’s other nominees kicked off today, Monday, February 20, at 12:01 a.m. and runs through Saturday, March 25, at 10:59 p.m. Studstill Media, the company that presents this regional award competition, will announce winners soon after the voting closes in late March.

An explosion occurred at a chemical manufacturing plant in LaSalle, IL early on Jan. 11, 2023, causing a massive fire and the release of at least one dangerous substance into the environment. Carus, a global supplier of products used for air purification, soil remediation, and the treatment of water and wastewater, says that the explosion occurred in a shipping container that was located at the facility. It is currently unclear what was inside the shipping container at the time of the explosion.

Nearby residents reported hearing multiple loud explosions as black smoke began to fill the air. Local authorities issued a shelter in place order, affecting people in their homes, at work, and at the nearby LaSalle-Peru Township High School.

One of the first things you learn about driving is how traffic lights work. This is an easy concept most of us are taught as children. Green means go, yellow means slow down, and red means stop. As we get older, we also learn that there are more nuances than that.

Green means go when it is safe to do so. When the traffic light is yellow, you should slow down and stop unless you are too close to the intersection to do so safely. You should always stop at a red light, although you are allowed to make a right turn on red in some cases.

If you regularly watch the news, you’ve probably seen many stories about elderly motorists running into other vehicles, stationary objects, and people. Issues like these aren’t anything new. Reports like these have been circulating for what seems like forever.

Many studies have launched over the years where researchers have sought to determine how a person’s age may affect their driving abilities. There have also been proposed initiatives that have come and gone without receiving majority support to restrict our aging relatives’ vehicle operation rights.

In 2021, it was reported by American Trucking Associations (ATA) that the trucking industry was roughly 80,000 drivers short of where it needed to be. That number was projected to pass 160,000 by 2030. The ATA estimated that one million new drivers will need to be recruited and hired over the next ten years to keep up with industry growth and replace drivers who will retire, resign, or be removed from duties for violating regulations.

If you’ve been to a grocery or retail store in recent months, chances are you have seen the effects of the truck driver shortage. As consumers, we experience the obvious effects of an employee shortage in an industry that is integral to over 70% of the nation’s economy – both price increases and lack of inventory.

The attorneys at Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP (SGKR) are thrilled to announce the addition of attorney Melinda Rowe-Sullivan to our experienced and award-winning legal team. Ms. Rowe-Sulllivan, who grew up in the same LaSalle-Peru community that our law office serves, brings a wealth of experience in handling Illinois worker injury cases to our firm. She is eager to help ensure you get the compensation and justice you deserve in yours.

Clients who previously worked with an early ideation of our law firm, Schweickert & Ganassin, may remember working with lawyer Melinda Rowe-Sullivan early on during her legal career. She went on to work as an Arbitrator with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission for six years before recently joining our rebranded law office of Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP.

Matthew Rundio, partner with the North Central Illinois firm of Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP, will be presenting on adjudicating liens at an upcoming Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) Update & Review Seminar. This professional workshop will take place at the Westin Chicago River North on Oct. 10, 2022.

ITLA is a professional organization that brings together attorneys from across our law firm’s service areas of Peru, Ottawa, Morris, Chicago and elsewhere throughout Illinois who have committed their legal careers to representing residents of our state that have been hurt in a personal injury incident, whether they were injured at work, home, or while out and about anywhere else in our great state.

Liens often play a big role in larger personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries. Attorneys must have the necessary knowledge to address these financial obligations on a client’s behalf.

How many times have you felt exhausted after a late night out at a party, concert, sporting event, or after pulling a double shift at work yet drove yourself home? You may have even found yourself in such a predicament because an emergency occurred, or you ventured out to render aid to a friend or family member in need of your help. Some people even stay out longer on the road than they probably should in hopes of reaching a certain landmark on schedule as they drive somewhere.

No matter your reason for being out on the road, most of us probably wouldn’t want to find ourselves out there beyond the point we’re feeling our best. Sadly, some people allow themselves to constantly run on empty and then get behind the wheel of their cars regularly, endangering their lives and everyone else who is in their car or in their path on the road.

Whether you drive a box truck, like those available for rent at U-Haul or Penske, or an 80,000 pound 18-wheeler, there will invariably come a time when you will find yourself driving in inclement weather. While you might want to keep your foot heavy on the gas pedal in such weather conditions to minimize the chances of reaching your destination late, doing so is ill-advised.

Multiple studies show precisely why that is the case, one of which comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to data compiled by the government agency, wet roads and careless driving contribute to some 70% of weather-related vehicle accidents. But the reality of what happens on American roadways in poor weather conditions does not end there.