Posted on April 23, 2025 in Car Accidents

A drunk driving accident can change your life in an instant. If you were injured by an intoxicated driver, you may assume their fault will be obvious — but even in these cases, the burden still falls on you to prove that the other driver’s actions directly caused your injuries. Working with a skilled Cook County, IL DUI injury attorney is essential for building a strong personal injury case and recovering the compensation you deserve.

At Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C., we represent people who have been injured by impaired drivers in serious car accidents. We understand how to gather the right evidence and present a compelling case for financial recovery.

How Do You Prove the Other Driver Was Under the Influence After a Car Crash?

To start, your attorney must show that the other driver was intoxicated at the time of the crash and that their impairment contributed to the collision. Under Illinois law, a driver is considered legally impaired with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher. The legal limit is lower for commercial drivers (0.04), and there is zero tolerance for drivers under age 21.

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 Posted on April 08, 2025 in Car Accidents

Uber and Lyft are popular rideshare companies that complete billions of rides for global customers every year. Rideshare services are generally reliable, but accidents happen. When you are injured in a rideshare accident by another party, you may have questions about liability for the incident.

Our Illinois personal injury attorney at the Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C. understands how concerned you could be about your medical bills, lost earnings, and other losses after a rideshare crash. Illinois personal injury attorney J. Francis Barker offers free consultations to those who think another party’s negligence has injured them.

Liability May Be Complicated 

You requested your ride through Uber, and the driver crashed and injured you. Therefore, Uber should pay for your injuries, right? Not necessarily. Remember, your rideshare driver is an independent contractor, meaning liability in a crash may be more complicated than conventional auto accidents.

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 Posted on March 26, 2025 in Personal Injury

Spring is in the air, meaning that baseball season is underway. Whether you are watching your child’s T-ball game, your favorite high school game, or a Cubs home game, you expect the facility to be safe and well-maintained. Many times, you can file a premises liability claim if you are hurt at a game.

If you are injured as a spectator at a baseball game, you could be entitled to compensation. However, the Baseball Facility Liability Act may apply if the source of your injury is a foul ball or a thrown bat that entered the spectator seating area. Our knowledgeable Cook County, IL premises liability attorney can investigate your accident and explain your legal options.

What Is the Baseball Rule?

People who attend baseball games are supposed to be aware of the potential dangers of being hit by bats and foul balls. While stadium owners and other responsible parties have a duty of care to keep baseball facilities safe, the Baseball Rule puts that duty back onto spectators for specific risks. If you are hit, you may not be eligible for compensation unless there is evidence of negligence. Negligence in these cases could include:

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 Posted on March 13, 2025 in Pedestrian Accidents

At some point during the day, most people are pedestrians. You may walk from your car into a store, to catch a bus, or into your office from a parking area. Many people also walk, jog, and run for exercise. Unless you remain on a sidewalk at all times, chances are that you will share the street with motor vehicles.

Some people believe that pedestrians always have the right of way, and that drivers are always at fault in pedestrian accidents. The reality is that that is not always true. If you are injured in a pedestrian accident, a knowledgeable Orland Park, IL pedestrian accident lawyer can investigate the incident to determine fault and help you pursue the highest possible amount of compensation.

Are Pedestrian Accidents Common in Illinois?

In 2023, there were 4,533 pedestrian accidents reported in Illinois. Those crashes produced 4,336 pedestrian injuries, 956 suspected serious injuries, and 195 fatalities. Each of those numbers is higher in urban areas than in rural areas.

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 Posted on February 26, 2025 in Car Accidents

Rush hour in Chicagoland happens twice every weekday, generally from 6 AM to 9 AM and again from 3 PM to 7 PM. Lunchtime traffic is heavier also. The chances of being injured in an I-80 collision increase during rush hour traffic, especially with so many large trucks in the area. I-80 in Will County sees around 80,000 vehicles every day, with approximately 20,000 being tractor-trailers. A multi-year road construction project is underway to improve safety on I-80, but until it is complete, road construction zones add to the rush hour dangers.

It may not be possible to avoid traveling on I-80 during rush hour, but understanding the increased accident risks may help you stay safer. However, if you are involved in a crash, our dedicated Orland Park, IL personal injury attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.

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 Posted on February 13, 2025 in Personal Injury

Accident-related injuries happen every day, ranging in severity from extremely minor to exceptionally severe. Catastrophic injuries are often life-threatening; if the victim survives, her life is likely altered permanently.

If someone else’s negligence caused your catastrophic injuries, you may be eligible for compensation through a personal injury claim. However, no insurance company actually wants to pay fair value for claims, especially those with high damages. Partnering with the aggressive Orland Park, IL car accident attorney at the Law Office of J. Francis Barker, P.C. means I will fight to obtain the highest possible amount of compensation on your behalf while you adjust to your new circumstances.

What Are Catastrophic Injuries?

Nobody has ever claimed that their injuries are good, but some are, by nature, worse than others. Catastrophic injuries typically have permanent effects that last even after the victim’s condition stabilizes. Car, pedestrian, motorcycle, and truck accidents frequently produce catastrophic injuries, but other kinds of incidents and accidents can also cause them. Examples of catastrophic injuries include:

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 Posted on January 22, 2025 in Car Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents often produce injuries or fatalities. Some cause both. For example, on January 7th, an Oak Lawn collision claimed the life of a father and critically injured his 7-year-old daughter. Felony charges, including aggravated driving under the influence (DUI), reckless homicide, and DUI causing death, were brought against the driver who reportedly caused the crash.

A car accident claim can recoup accident-related expenses and provide compensation for other impacts on the victim’s life. Eligible survivors can bring a wrongful death action to cover various losses. An experienced Orland Park, IL personal injury lawyer can handle your case to optimize results.

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 Posted on January 08, 2025 in Personal Injury

If your family is like most, your children probably received new clothes, toys, and other gifts during the recent holidays. While there are laws governing toy safety, defective products are still produced in the U.S. and elsewhere. Toys are not the only potentially dangerous items; car seats, strollers, jewelry, electronics, and even furniture can harm children.

If a toy or another item harmed my child, what are my legal options? What if that item was purchased directly from China, not through a U.S. retailer? A knowledgeable Orland Park, IL product liability lawyer can help you explore your options for compensation.

What Kinds of Toy Safety Issues Do Laws Cover?

With such a wide variety of toys and children’s items available, the list of safety regulations is lengthy. Manufacturers, designers, and sellers must provide products that are free of:

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 Posted on November 20, 2024 in Car Accidents

Getting hit by a drunk driver can be terrifying. Drivers who are drunk are extremely unpredictable and are often not paying enough attention to other drivers on the road. It is common for drunk drivers to start braking far too late because their depth perception is impaired, causing them to rear-end the driver ahead of them or roll past a red light into the intersection. If you are injured in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, it is important to handle the situation correctly. You will need to call 911, and then reach out to an Orland Park, IL drunk driving accidents lawyer as soon as possible.

Call 911 First

A drunk or high driver causing an accident with injury warrants an immediate 911 call. While minor accidents can usually be reported by calling the police non-emergency number, if someone is hurt and the driver at fault is intoxicated, you need emergency assistance. Calling 911 can get the police and an ambulance to you quickly.

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 Posted on November 08, 2024 in Car Accidents

As food delivery options becomes more and more popular, the amount of accidents caused by food delivery drivers has gone up. Drivers who work for companies like UberEats and DoorDash are usually rushing around from restaurant to restaurant and trying to drop off food as quickly as possible in unfamiliar neighborhoods. This creates a perfect storm of issues like distraction, being in a hurry, and driving unfamiliar routes that can all raise the risk of an accident. Accidents caused by food delivery drivers are often severe enough to cause serious bodily harm to others. If you were injured by a food delivery driver, a dedicated Orland Park, IL car accident lawyer can help you pursue compensation.

Drivers Are in a Rush to Deliver Food 

Drivers working as contractors for national delivery services like GrubHub generally get paid per delivery, and most of their compensation comes in the form of tips. Drivers who deliver food quickly and while it is still hot can get better tips and make more total deliveries while working. This means that these drivers are often in a hurry, causing them to speed or break other traffic laws to get there faster.

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