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Motor Vehicle Accidents 
On January 1, 2016, a new Illinois law that hopes to reduce nursing home abuse went into effect. According to this law, nursing home residents will be allowed to install electronic monitoring devices in their rooms.
Most of the more than 30,000 traffic accident fatalities that occur in the U.S. each year are due to human error. Every driver is guilty of distracted driving at some time. When traveling at low speed, the driver has a bit more opportunity to pull back into their lane when the car tires leave the road and go on the soft shoulder.
Neighborhoods lull drivers into a sense of safety. Tree lined streets and beautifully trimmed lawns present an image of tranquility and peace that mask a number of inherent dangers. Each year, this sense of safety causes drivers to relax and lose focus as they near home.
Nursing home abuse is all too common in Illinois, and a recent study indicates that a great number of these cases are at the hands of other residents. With so much focus placed on abuse by staff, the dynamic between patients is often overlooked by advocates for the elderly.
Accidents involving large trucks are some of the deadliest in America. In 2014, nearly 438,000 large trucks were involved in crashes across the United States. These accidents claimed the lives of 3,903 motorists, pedestrians, and truck drivers. Nationally, 8.3% of all fatal accidents involve semi-trucks, motor homes, and other “large trucks.”
After an accident, some companies may be reluctant to report violations or take responsibility. All severe work-related injuries must be reported within 24 hours to OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A workplace fatality must be reported within eight hours. Over 10,000 severe injuries were reported nationwide in 2015.
Being involved in a truck crash takes the complex nature of accident claims to a higher level. Trucks are subject to more regulations than common cars. Injuries in truck accidents are more severe and deaths are more common. What’s more, multiple parties can be held liable for damages that occur.
In mid-2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed a commitment from 20 of the nation’s leading auto manufacturers to include automatic braking technology on all new vehicles by 2022. The announcement demonstrates a commitment to making life-saving equipment standard.
A study found that nursing homes commit medication errors 21.2 percent of the time. The study observed 2,025 instances of medication dispenses and found that 428 of them were in error. Regardless of error rates, nursing homes will only continue to grow in size and importance. It is projected that nearly one in five Americans will be over 65 by 2050.
A new law was proposed by an Illinois lawmaker that would prohibit anonymous parties from reporting nursing home abuse or neglect. Supported by nursing home lobbying groups, proponents suggest that the law would cut down on false complaints.