Latest from Phillips Law Offices Blog

Crash News | Chicago

A 20-year-old Chicago man has been charged with DUI and reckless homicide after a crash on the Stevenson Expressway left an SUV passenger dead early Saturday morning. According to Illinois State Police, Armando Gonzalez Vargas was driving southbound on Interstate 55 near Wentworth Avenue around 4:30 a.m. when his GMC Suburban collided with a white Nissan SUV. Court records indicate Gonzalez Vargas was traveling more than 20 mph over the speed limit before the crash.

The GMC then left the roadway and struck a concrete barrier. A passenger in the vehicle, 26-year-old Carlos Vasquez, was pronounced
Continue Reading Chicago Man Charged with DUI in Deadly Accident on Stevenson Expressway

One person was killed and another was hospitalized after a two-vehicle crash on the Stevenson Expressway early Saturday morning on Chicago’s Southwest Side. According to Illinois State Police, troopers responded to the crash in the southbound lanes of Interstate 55 near Wentworth Avenue, close to the Bridgeport neighborhood, at about 4:30 a.m.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while another victim was injured and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Southbound I-55 was temporarily closed while authorities investigated the crash, with traffic diverted to southbound Interstate 94. The lanes have since reopened.

The cause of the crash
Continue Reading Chicago I-55 Crash Today: 1 Dead, 1 Hurt on Stevenson Expressway Near Wentworth Ave

Crash News | Chicago

A vehicle caught fire Thursday evening on DuSable Lake Shore Drive near Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood, causing concern for motorists traveling through the area. The incident reportedly occurred in the southbound lanes near Chicago Avenue, close to downtown Chicago.

Video shared from the scene showed the vehicle fire and emergency response activity. ABC7 crews observed at least one person being taken to an ambulance following the incident.

Chicago fire and police officials were contacted for additional information, but further details about the cause of the fire and any injuries were not immediately available.

Source: ABC7 Chicago

At
Continue Reading Chicago Crash Vehicle Catches fire on DuSable Lake Shore Drive Near Streeterville

Accident News | Chicago

A driver was killed late Tuesday night after a high-speed car crash involving an empty school bus in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. Police said the crash happened around 10:55 p.m. in the 2700 block of West Augusta Boulevard, where a gray car traveling at a high rate of speed struck a parked, unoccupied school bus.

The force of the collision pushed the school bus into four other parked cars, all of which were unoccupied. The driver of the gray car was pronounced dead at the scene. Chicago police’s Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating the crash.
Continue Reading Deadly High-Speed Accident Into School Bus in Chicago

Accident News | Chicago

A Chicago man has been charged with DUI and leaving the scene of a fatal accident after a series of crashes in the Lakeview neighborhood over the weekend left a 25-year-old woman dead. According to Chicago police, the incident happened around 9:20 p.m. Saturday in the 1400 block of West Irving Park Road.

Police said the woman, identified as 25-year-old Sarah Milcarek of Columbia, Missouri, was walking between parked vehicles when she entered the roadway and was struck by a dark blue sedan. The driver fled west on Irving Park Road and later collided with an
Continue Reading Chicago Man Charged With DUI in Crash that Killed Woman in Lakeview

An estimated 36,640 people died in traffic crashes across the United States in 2025, and 39,254 died in 2024, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In Illinois, roughly 1,196 people died in traffic crashes in 2024, including 217 pedestrians, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s 2024 Crash Facts. Below is what the most current federal and state data actually shows, where each number comes from, and what it means if you or someone you love becomes one of these statistics.

How Many People Die in Car Accidents Each Year?

Nationally, traffic deaths have been
Continue Reading Car Accident Statistics: National and Illinois Data

Car Crash News | Chicago

A car rolled over onto its side early Monday morning after a crash involving another vehicle in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin community.

According to Chicago police, the crash happened around 1:19 a.m. at Central Avenue and Fullerton Avenue. A 23-year-old man driving a Ford van southbound on Central Avenue reportedly ran a red light and struck a Honda Accord traveling west on Fullerton Avenue.

The impact sent the Ford van into a nearby pole, leaving the vehicle overturned at the scene. The van driver suffered unspecified injuries and was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in
Continue Reading Car Rolls Over in Accident in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin Community

Car Crash News | Illinois

One person was killed and three others were injured Saturday morning in a crash involving a car and a school bus carrying student softball players in central Illinois. According to Illinois State Police, the collision happened shortly after 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of Illinois Route 9 and Ford County 1000E Road near Gibson City.

Police said a car traveling on 1000E Road failed to yield while entering Route 9 and crossed into the path of the school bus, which then struck the vehicle. One person inside the car died, while three others were
Continue Reading 1 Killed in Crash Between Car, School Bus Carrying Student Softball Players in Central Illinois

A jackknife truck accident can cause devastating injuries, extensive property damage, and lasting emotional trauma. Yes, if you were injured in a jackknife truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you can sue for compensation. Victims may recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical care, rehabilitation costs, and other losses. Liability may extend beyond the truck driver to include the trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, vehicle manufacturers, or other negligent parties.

In Chicago and throughout Illinois, jackknife truck accidents frequently occur on major highways such as I-90, I-94, I-55, I-290, I-294, and I-80, where
Continue Reading Can You Sue for Injuries After a Jackknife Truck Accident?

Construction sites are essential to building new homes, offices, roads, bridges, and commercial developments, but they are also some of the most dangerous workplaces in the United States. Every day, thousands of workers perform physically demanding jobs while operating heavy machinery, working at significant heights, handling electricity, and moving through constantly changing environments. When proper safety measures are ignored, even a routine task can turn into a life-changing accident within seconds. Construction accidents often lead to severe injuries, permanent disabilities, lost wages, emotional trauma, and, in the worst cases, wrongful death.

Chicago remains one of the busiest construction markets
Continue Reading What Are the Common Causes of Accidents on Construction Sites? | Chicago Construction Accident Guide

Accident News | Kendall County, Illinois

Three people, including a 4-year-old girl, lost their lives following a four-vehicle crash in Kendall County on Friday night. According to Illinois State Police, the collision occurred around 9:15 p.m. on Illinois Route 71 near Walker Road in Millbrook. Investigators said one driver attempted to pass several southbound vehicles before colliding head-on with an oncoming vehicle, triggering a chain-reaction crash involving four vehicles. Five people were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries, and authorities later confirmed that three of the victims died. The Kendall County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased as 65-year-old James Witter,
Continue Reading 3 Killed, Including 4-Year-Old Girl, in Kendall County Crash

Car Crash News | Chicago, Ill

A wrong-way crash on Interstate 94 claimed one life and left several others injured Friday evening on Chicago’s South Side, prompting a large emergency response and significant traffic delays. According to Illinois State Police, the collision occurred around 5:48 p.m. in the northbound express lanes of I-94 near 55th Street after a driver reportedly entered the interstate traveling in the wrong direction near 31st Street.

The vehicle collided with multiple cars near Garfield Boulevard, resulting in a fatal crash. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while several others were transported with
Continue Reading Wrong-Way Crash on I-94 in Chicago leaves 1 Dead, Multiple Injured

Buses are complete monsters out on the road. They’re huge, make a lot of stops, take on a large number of people, and they make their way down our city streets and blocks without any type of safety restraint. There are no airbags and/or seatbelts on buses. There are a lot of different dangerous scenarios that can occur involving a bus. Accidents can happen often, especially when you consider how much time they spend on the roads. If you are in an accident involving a bus you may need a personal injury lawyer.
Due to their massive size, when
Continue Reading Common Bus Accidents and Lawsuits

Accident News | Prospect Heights, Ill

A woman has been charged after authorities say she left the scene of a fatal pedestrian crash near Chicago Executive Airport in northwest suburban Prospect Heights. According to Prospect Heights police, officers responded shortly after 9 a.m. on May 3, 2026, to the area near 79 E. Palatine Frontage Road, where they discovered an unconscious man along a fence line near the airport’s public viewing area. Emergency responders pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene. During the investigation, police identified a Chevrolet Silverado as the vehicle involved in the collision and later identified 33-year-old
Continue Reading Prospect Heights Woman Charged in Fatal Crash Near Chicago Executive Airport

Accident News | Illinois

A fatal two-vehicle crash in Hillside early Thursday morning left one person dead and another injured, prompting an ongoing police investigation. According to Hillside police, the collision occurred at approximately 4:54 a.m. on Mannheim Road near the intersection with Washington Street. Investigators said a Chevrolet Trailblazer traveling southbound collided with a Ford Mustang that was attempting to turn west onto Washington. The 22-year-old driver of the Trailblazer suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The 22-year-old driver of the Mustang was transported to Elmhurst Hospital for treatment of injuries. Authorities continue to investigate
Continue Reading 1 Killed, 1 Injured in Hillside Crash

Short answer: If an unlicensed or no-license driver hit you in Illinois, you still have the right to recover compensation. Their lack of a license does not reduce your claim — the at-fault driver is still responsible. The real challenge is often whether they have insurance, which is where your own coverage can protect you.

Does it matter that the other driver had no license?
For your injury claim, what matters most is who caused the crash, not whether the other driver was licensed. Driving without a valid license is illegal and can support your case, but you still have
Continue Reading I Was Hit by an Unlicensed Driver in Illinois — What Are My Rights?