The Illinois legislature is currently considering changes to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act which would have extreme negative consequences for injured workers in Illinois. It is essential that anyone who cares about the rights of injured workers in the State of Illinois contact their respective State Senator and State Representative to express their opposition to any attempt to gut the rights of injured workers.

What are the changes being proposed?

One proposal calls for the complete abolition of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act thus forcing injured workers to take their claims to the circuit courts of Illinois. The repeal of a law that has protected injured workers for a century would overwhelm the circuit court system with cases. Injured workers would no longer receive weekly disability benefits and would lose access to medical care. They would also be denied any recovery unless they could prove that their employer was negligent in causing the accident.

Other potential changes include:

1. Shifting the cost of medical treatment to other sources, including Public Aid and Medicaid/Medicare, thus relieving businesses of their responsibility to care for the injured worker and burdening Illinois taxpayers.

2. Reducing the amount of money doctors can charge for treatment to an injured worker potentially limiting the number of doctors willing to treat injured workers.

3. Giving the employer control over where an injured worker can seek medical treatment, thus eliminating the ability of working people to choose their own physician.

4. The use of American Medical Association Guides which would employ a “one size fits all” approach to measuring disability and lead to unjust outcomes in numerous claims.

These proposed changes are being rushed through the legislature without a detailed analysis on the consequences for every resident of Illinois. Where is the urgency? Workers’ compensation claims have dropped by 40% in the last decade. At the same time insurance costs for employers have continued to climb, along with the profits of the insurance companies.

Why is the legislature seeking “reform” on the backs of injured workers, rather than by better regulation of the insurance industry?

Here at Capron & Avgerinos we have dedicated our professional lives to representing the rights of injured workers and to helping them to obtain what they are entitled to under the law. We favor of an agreed bill process that produces only changes that are negotiated by all parties who participate in the workers’ compensation system: labor, management, attorneys and physicians.

We urge everyone to contact their elected State officials to register their strong opposition to any changes in the law that do not respect the rights of injured workers.

To learn the phone number and email address of your state representative or senator, go to http://elections.illinois.gov. Click on “Search Option,” then on “District/Official Search.”

Little over a month ago,  Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn signed a new bill into law initiating the secure exchange of electronic heath records in Illinois.  The Health Information Exchange and Technology Act creates  the necessary framework through which health care providers and insurance companies can electronically share health records.  While patients may fear that making health records available electronically exposes them to the same risks of corruption as storing and sending financial information online, the benefits outweigh the potential risks.  Millions of financial transactions are made online each day in order to facilitate business transactions and the same efficiency is needed for health care providers and insurance companies. 

The ability of providers and insurance companies to exchange medical information electronically speeds up many processes in the industry.  An insurance company can approve procedures without having to wait for the records to arrive in the mail; this means that a patient’s treatment will not be delayed.  However, concerns for privacy are not unfounded; medical records are documents concerning very private, personal health information.  The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (also known as HIPPA) recognized that these are legitimate concerns and sought to establish some minimum privacy and security standards in the health care industry. 

Despite the government’s best intentions to protect patients’ privacy rights, there still exists the independent threat of corruption associated with electronically sharing medical records.  The government’s privacy regulations for the most part govern only the improper release of information by the provider; an individual taking that information by breaking through the system is another matter entirely.  The comparison to financial transactions earlier may not seem comforting given the fact that people’s bank account and social security numbers continue to be stolen, but the example does serve to put those threats in context.  More often than not, those who get personal financial information stolen are not because of the fault of banks which have comprehensive electronic security systems in place.  Rather, it is quite often the individuals themselves making transactions with limited knowledge on how to securely conduct a financial transaction online that attract the malice of hackers.  The Health Information Exchange and Technology Act is designed with those threats in mind to create a system for providers and insurance companies where efficiency and value is not compromised by susceptibility to security breaches.

            What does all this mean for the patient?  Particularly for those who have been injured it means faster approval for procedures.  Prescription refill approvals may be transmitted electronically and clinical results forwarded to a treating physician with little, if any, patient involvement. Most importantly, the new legislation also aims to provide more information to patients regarding their treatment and providers.  A patient’s ability to make informed decisions, including his or her choice of doctor, is crucial in order to receive proper treatment. 

This is particularly important with work injuries and workers’ compensation claims where employees may feel pressure from their supervisor to visit providers or medical facilities that have an established relationship with their employers. Unlike in many states, an employee who is injured on the job in Illinois, or whose injury provides for the claim to be processed in Illinois has the right to choose their doctor or medical provider.  The law does limit this choice, but not unreasonably so; a patient being seen for a work-related injury may choose up to two different doctors to treat the injured worker, provided the treatment is reasonable and necessary. The two doctor rule refers to the initial treating physician — any subsequent treatment for a work-related injury ordered by that doctor such as x-rays, physical therapy, or referral to a specialist must also be paid by the employer and is considered to be an extension of the original treatment, regardless of how many different facilities the patient must visit. 

Clearly an injured employee governed by the “two doctor rule” benefits from the new legislation passed by Governor Quinn.  Facilitating the transition from one treatment to another by making records of providers and treatments available on demand, the framework the bill put in place is a positive step toward protecting patients and empowering them to make better decisions regarding their health.

Capron & Avgerinos, P.C. has been representing injured workers and their families in Illinois and Iowa for over 20 years.  We are available to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have regarding your rights and can be reached at 1-800-535-4542.

Several workers in northern Iowa were working to unclog a sewer line when one of the sewer workers was overcome by sewer gas and died. The work site was in North Sioux City, Iowa. It’s reported that the safety rules were not followed and the men were overcome by sewer gas while working to unplug the line. Confined space safety is the issue IOSH and OSHA will be investigating. Lombardi Law Firm has written about worker safety in confined spaces and what that means for sewer workers not just in Iowa, but all over the country. Injury and death by asphyxiation are common when safety rules are not followed by the company or the work site supervisor. Be care, be knowledgeable and be safe. Live another day to work.

For additional reading see these stories:

Did the Sioux City Sewer Pipe Workers Received Confined Space Training? Lombardi Law Firm

North Sioux City Sewer Line Worker Death is covered by work comp…  Lombardi Law Firm
Posted on 8/4/2010

Welding in a Confined Space can be deadly. Lombardi Law Firm

Web Results

OSHA investigates N. Sioux sewer death

Jul 16, 2010 … SiouxCityJournal.com, Sioux City Iowa News and Advertising … He said incidents of workers being overtaken by sewer fumes happen more often than they should. … Judge finds Hill guilty in baby daughter’s death … siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_8165337b-9f35… – Similar

Worker injured in sewer accident remains hospitalized

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When you are injured at work in Iowa, it is unlikely your employer will permit you to choose which doctor you see.  The Iowa Workers’ Compensation system limits workers’ choice of medical care to treat occupational injuries.  In fact, with few exceptions your employer generally has the right to select and direct your medical care provided they do so promptly and without undue inconvenience.  Most of our Iowa clients would prefer to select their own doctor.  They would feel more comfortable visiting with their family doctor and obtaining a referral to a specialist, if necessary, or obtaining a referral to a medical provider from someone who they know and trust. 

There are a few remedies and options available to injured workers in Iowa who are dissatisfied with the medical provider chosen by their employer.  For example, if you feel that the doctor is not providing medical care reasonably suited to treat your injuries you have the right to request a hearing with the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner to obtain alternate medical care.  A second exception to the general rule permitting the employer or workers’ compensation insurance company to choose your medical care occurs when a has been denied.  In that instance, you are free to select your own medical provider.  A third exception arises with respect to emergency medical care in which case the injured worker would be allowed to obtain his/her own medical care.  Lastly, you may also have the right to secure your own doctor if the medical provider chosen by the employer abandons medical care, or otherwise concludes that he/she has nothing else to offer by way of medical treatment.  However, it will be important to demonstrate that the medical treatment obtained improved the condition or was beneficial.

It is possible to find out whether a physician is in good standing with the Iowa medical licensing agency. The Web site Administrators In Medicine can provide information about charges or disciplinary sanctions against physicians through the Iowa Board of Medicine in Des Moines. 

When dealing with this process, it can be very helpful to have an attorney to offer guidance, especially a firm with experience in handling Iowa workers’ compensation cases.  Please contact us at 1-800-535-4542 if you would like to visit with one of our attorneys.

For more information, see:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services

Iowa Law, Picking a Doctor – Steve Lombardi

Iowa Board of Medicine  

Administrators in Medicine

A strike by laborers in the construction industry devastates progress for crucial projects and has widespread effects, from increased traffic which is the product of stalled roadwork, to businesses that rely on the timely completion of a project.  For almost three weeks now, construction workers on strike in Illinois have been holding out for better medical benefits, affecting projects such as work on the Edens Spur and completion of hospitals and universities.  This weekend Contractors Association of Will and Grundy Counties reached an agreement with Local 150 and members of the Laborers’ District Council of Chicago, in which laborers will get an increase of 3.25 percent for three years to help pay for their health care and other benefits.  None of those benefits demanded by the workers will increase their wages.  Last week, the Chicago Area Independent Contractors Association and the Illinois Valley Contractors Association were able to agree to similar deals with the unions.

Negotiations are now being held with the lead contractor, Mid-American Regional Bargaining Association, which proposes only a 4.25 percent increase while the strikers are demanding 13.65 percent over 3 years.  Although construction and material transportation has resumed in many areas for the first time in weeks due to the recent agreements, work for any contractors associated with MARBA will not resume before an agreement is reached.  A statement from Tom Nordeen, MARBA Chairman, and Dave Snelten, President, blames the union for both sides’ failure to arrive at an agreement.  They stressed that “union leaders refuse to face the reality that we are in the worst financial state of our lifetime” by asking for help to cover the costs of health care benefits.

Despite the inconveniences of such demands in a troubled economy, the construction industry is one in which health care is of incalculable value and cannot not be underestimated.  Strenuous activities are a day-to-day reality for construction workers.  An accident in the industry can cost one of its workers as little as a scratch and as much as a limb or a life, but their work produces buildings that make a city like Chicago famous.  Tours along the Chicago River downtown highlight the genius of the leading architects; the toil of laborers who implement the designers’ dreams goes mostly unnoticed.  The strikers today are demanding recognition in the form of adequate medical care in an industry where there is an obvious physical toll on the workers.

According to the Construction Chart Book, “costs associated with work-related injuries and illnesses make the construction industry one of the most expensive of all U.S. industries.”  Many construction companies do not provide health insurance, which means they are less likely to have a regular medical provider and more likely to use costly emergency rooms and services.  Construction workers who have insurance through their union may appear to have more options, but inadequate funding for those benefits can limit workers’ access to providers and treatment.  Difficulty in obtaining adequate medical care can worsen an already unhealthy condition, particularly in an industry where strenuous repetitive motions are common and whose cumulative effects that ultimately result in injuries may not be immediately apparent.  These types of injuries by nature can be difficult to treat and diagnose, and are even more difficult to prove as being work-related in order to receive benefits such as workers’ compensation.

If you have been injured working on a construction site, be sure to report any injury to the appropriate authority as soon as possible, such as the site or project manager.  Especially with injuries that are the result of repetitive motions such as carpel tunnel syndrome in the wrist and arm, or a rotator cuff tear in the shoulder, immediate medical attention serves to lower the risk of a condition worsening, and also provides an opportunity to allow a medical professional to determine the origin of the injury.  A doctor’s opinion as to what caused the injury is crucial for determining workers’ compensation benefits, and if a third party suit is filed against one or more parties (such as the contractors or subcontractors), that opinion will also be necessary.

Anticipating risks in the construction industry is as important to preventing workplace injuries as timely medical attention is to treating them.  As part of their ongoing research, the Center for Research and Training provides a comprehensive guide to safety solutions for construction, broken down by type of work activity.  Their website details how the database provides workers and contractors with resources to “identify hazards associated with specific construction tasks, and provide options for actually controlling those hazards.”

We at Capron & Avgerinos have been serving clients who have had to deal with these types of accidents for over 20 years and understand the pain and frustration they generate, so please contact our office at 800-535-4542 if you would like to speak with an attorney about your work or personal injury.

Any classic American occupation can conjure iconic images. Mentioning “construction work” reminds us of the Industrial Revolution, with capable men raising skyscrapers protected only by a pair of sturdy boots and a yellow hard hat. Every bridge, highway, and city skyline as we know it today was built through the efforts of these hard working people. While we can celebrate the great successes of the construction industry by visiting Chicago’s Willis Tower or the St. Louis Arch, we must not forget the dangers that face construction workers as they perform the job we depend on. While the construction industry comprises only 8% of U.S. laborers, it endures 22% of workplace fatalities, which is more than any other industry sector. Because working in construction can be life-threatening, there are a variety of organizations in the Midwest devoted to safety development in the industry.

Safety Conference

This year in February, the Chicagoland Construction Safety Council hosted the 20^th annual Construction Safety Conference and Exposition in Rosemont, IL. This three-day event boasts over sixty exhibitors and seminars all devoted to safety in the construction workplace. The Conference draws crowds with notable keynote speakers and a Safety Awards Ceremony to honor those using excellent safety practices. The Conference serves to demonstrate current innovations and advances that can enhance safety technology and procedures.

The Conference offers one such opportunity for safety advancement through a seminar on Construction Safety Certifications. Currently, many workers are becoming certified Safety Practitioners. This professional or paraprofessional certification affords workers more responsibility, higher wages, and more highly skilled work. Most importantly, it equips their workplace with a higher degree of safety expertise.

The Conference also serves as a setting to promulgate information about new safety standards. This year, OSHA finalized new crane safety rules. The Conference led a seminar to help managers and safety officers decipher the complicated regulations, such as crane operator certifications, signaling, and requirements for power lines. The Conference also helped to update attendees on new fall protection standards and to offer general safety equipment tips.

Accident prevention

Even though safety measures are constantly being updated to keep companies on the cutting edge of worker protection, accidents are bound to happen in such a dangerous environment. Common workplace accidents include falling accidents, falling objects, vehicle accidents, exertion injuries, chemical incidents, fires, and explosions. The damage can range from a muscle strain to serious injury or death. When a fatality occurs on a construction site, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) launches an investigation. This investigation uses an evaluative report called a Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation, otherwise known as the FACE Program. The FACE program aims to determine the reason for a workplace fatality in order to prevent similar future accidents. The FACE program aims to continuously revise safety procedures in the workplace and prevent future fatalities.

Despite the sophisticated procedures to do so, no one ever wants to complete a fatality investigation. The best method to promote safety in the work place is with a sound accident-prevention plan. Most if not all companies assemble safety teams and hold inspections, and important issues to discuss with the safety team include:

1. Fall protection/fall prevention
2. Personal Protection Equipment
3. Emergency procedures
4. Electrical safety
5. Ladder safety/Scaffold safety
6. Fire prevention/fire extinguishers

An excellent way to keep track of multiple safety issues is to have a lead safety official keep a Safety Checklist, either to complete or distribute to other safety officers.

The aftermath of construction accidents

Even with excellent prevention, thousands become victims of construction accidents each year. While the actual accident is often devastating in itself, many workers are unprepared for significant issues that can arise after an injury occurs. Some examples include missing shifts due to injury, expensive medical bills, light duty work, lost wages and/or using up all your sick days, and negative pressure from your employer to avoid a workers’ compensation claim.

After an injury, these types of problems tend to pile up, and it can be extremely difficult handling them, especially if you are unfamiliar with legal issues. It is your right to consult legal counsel to discuss any questions or concerns that you may have following a personal injury. Capron & Avgerinos, P.C. has been handling complicated construction accident cases for more than 20 years. If you are injured in a construction accident, the first thing you should do is contact a medical professional as your health should be your most important concern. However, an attorney experienced in construction accidents and personal injury claims can help you in understanding your rights and potential remedies.

For more information, please see:

The Construction Chart Book

The Illinois Safety Council

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration

It happens on the last Friday of every month. They meet in places like the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, under the Waterloo Bridge in London, and in the Chicago Loop. Bicycle riders from all over the world join to ride together in a group called Critical Mass. And kids, this is no ordinary afternoon bike ride. In fact, it would be an understatement even to call this a “group” of cyclists: sometimes the Critical Mass attendance hits the thousands on any given Friday in just one location. While never forsaking its humble beginnings in San Francisco in 1992, where a few dozen cyclists who had received flyers on Market Street joined for a ride, Critical Mass now stretches to every continent and has found global acclaim.

The dynamics of this phenomenon are simple: Bikers gather and ride through the city in a large swarm. They stay close by one another to appear as a giant, unified mass. With very large groups, bikers often practice a Critical Mass technique called corking, where a few riders block traffic on side streets so that the bikers can freely proceed through red lights as a group. Corking allows the mass to perform its signature activities, such as forming a cyclone, hoisting their bicycles in a tradition known as a “Bike Lift” (also known as a Chicago hold-up), or holding a “die-in” where participants lie on the ground to represent cyclist injuries caused by cars.

Because there is no formal leader of Critical Mass, it is hard to tell what the group’s mission is. Could it be merely a recreational celebration of cyclists? A monthly protest aimed at biker awareness? A rebellious reclaiming of the streets? Although Critical Mass may not fit into a neat category, it is clear that its activity makes car drivers wake up and notice this group, often to their dismay. As dozens of lights turn from green to red back and back again, drivers sometimes become frustrated, and a few even try to drive through the mass or engage in altercations with cyclists. While Critical Mass is troubling for drivers, some bikers explain that it is the one time a week they arent taking a backseat to cars. Critical Mass serves to raise awareness on the benefits of alternative transportation, and to assert cyclists’ right to the road.

Traditionally, cyclists have a hard time finding a place to ride, especially in urban areas. In Chicago, bicycles are not permitted on the sidewalks, but they are often in danger on the streets because of inattentive or impatient car drivers. Unfortunately, this means that bikers are uniquely susceptiple to personal injury; sometimes bikers are severely injured or killed after colliding with an automobile. Often the medical treatment required to aid and injured biker is complicated and intricate. Despite attempts at raising bicycle awareness, such as Bike To Work Week, it seems bikers are still getting the short end of the stick when it comes sharing the road. 

A group like Critical Mass is a good reminder to be polite and conscientous on the road, but biker courtesy should be taking place each day of the week, not just Friday at 5:00 PM. Bikers should follow the rules like wearing helmets, signaling, and minding traffic flow, but drivers need to be aware of dangers too. Some of the driver behaviors that can cause personal injury to bikers are listed here:

1. Dooring – When a driver opens his car door after parking, not noticing an oncoming cyclist.
2. Impatient turning – When a driver aims to “make the light” or get ahead of cross traffic and proceeds hastily into an intersection.
3. Parking or stalling in the biker lane – These lanes are here for a reason, drivers!

The benefits of biking are obvious – no exhaust fumes, parking right in front of the building, and good exercise. But even if you arent going to be biking to work anytime soon, you are still responsbile in part for the safety of bikers around you. Remember to share the road, obey traffic laws, and always look out for bikers. 

 For more information, see:

Bikes and Brain Injuries Go Hand in Hand – Steve Lombardi

Chicago Bicycle Law – Chicago Department of Transportation

Safe Cycling Project – The Iowa Bicycle Coalition

Love the festivities that draw crowds to the city in the summer, but hate the traffic?  Get there smarter and faster-bike to avoid the wait in traffic.  There’s nothing like breezing past a long line of cars in the bike lane, but contrary to what you may think, bike lanes are not always safer than biking on the road with other vehicles.  Despite regulations intended to create safer bike lanes, many still fail to incorporate enough distance from the curb in order to leave room for open car doors.  This puts the unsuspecting rider in danger of a surprise attack by an unforgiving car door that can result in serious personal injuries.  Keep an eye out for signs that a car door is opening to avoid an accident; it can make the difference between life and death.  In particular, watch out for cars that have just turned off their engine and taxi cabs stopped to let people out. 

Familiarize yourself with the rules for passing vehicles and getting passed.  Knowing when you are expected to yield and when you should be yielded to is important for safely maintaining the flow of traffic.  This is just as important when it comes to passing other bikers; audible warnings are necessary when passing another bicycle and allow others to make the needed adjustments. 

While it is important that riders and drivers alike are aware of the rules for bicycles on the road, operating a bicycle does not require a license, so there is no requirement that cyclists have a minimum knowledge of the laws designed to protect them.  Simple precautions such as using a light while biking at night is one example of an accessory that is required by law after dark that can help to prevent accidents.  No one wants to suffer injuries that could have been easily avoided by following the rules of the road.

Check out Ride the City where you can plan your trip using maps that provide routes with the safest bike lanes and bike-friendly streets.

Don’t forget to tip the valet

Many events this summer offer a bicycle valet that allows you to leave your bicycle in good company and under a watchful eye while you explore the festivities.  It’s a convenient service that gives you the peace of mind that your bicycle is safe in all the crowds and helps make the trip even easier. 

Wrigley Field provides a similar service for every home game courtesy of SRAN and World Bicycle Relief.  The valet opens two hours before the game and closes one hour after the game is over.  Not only a great service, it also helps support a good cause.

Also check out McDonald’s Cycle Center in Chicago’s Millennium Park.  Its facility provides bicycle parking, shower and towel service, tours, bicycle rentals, tours, and even a repair shop.

At last, summer in Chicago is settling in.  The luckiest of Chicagoans will make their way to boat clubs and harbors to set sail on beautiful Lake Michigan. Days of sunbathing, cocktails, and water sports can make for a great trip, especially for a young boater. However, as carefree as a day on a boat should be, it can quickly turn sour if you get into a boating accident. Unfortunately, inexperience can leave a new boater high and dry when it comes to handling a problem on the water.

So, you have gotten into an accident: Now what do you do?

Even though federal law mandates reporting boating accidents, the U.S. Coast Guard found that boaters only report 5-10% of non-fatal boating accidents. In some states, failing to file a Boating Accident Report (BAR) is a misdemeanor crime. Thus, if you are in an accident, you need first to file a BAR with the nearest state boating authority, like your state’s Department of Natural Resources. Reporting the accident is especially crucial if someone is injured or dies on the boat or if there is property damage over $2,000. If a person disappears from the vessel or dies within 24 hours of the accident, the BAR must be filed within 48 hours to avoid legal repercussion.

What if the accident wasn’t your fault?

Boating accidents, much like automobile accidents, can be legally complicated.  An attorney who is familiar in boating and maritime law can help answer your questions and assist you in recovering any compensation for damages that you sustained.

A reliable way keep you out of trouble and in compliance with local reporting ordinances is to stay up-to-date with local boating laws.

Let’s not forget the bigger picture.

 A damaged boat will put a damper on your summer, but it does not compare to the devastation of an injured boater. It is vital that boaters follow general safety standards. In fact, only ten percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety instruction. And the safety issues that cause the most accidents? Alcohol and passengers who are not wearing a life jacket. Ninety percent of all fatal boating accident victims were not wearing a life jacket. What’s more, capsizing and falls overboard account for over 70% of boating fatalities.

A common misconception is that if you know how to swim, there is no need for a life jacket. Even strong swimmers at times are not used to an open body of water with currents and low temperatures – this is a lot different from your local swimming pool! Drowning occurs when you lose so much body heat that the energy depletion makes you too tired to keep swimming. Here are some tips to staying warm in the water:

1. Make sure you are not swimming too long; open water is chilly even in the summer.
2. Have blankets and towels on board to warm up after you hop in for a swim.
3. If you have fallen overboard, assume the H.E.L.P. (heat escape lessening position) by holding your knees to your chest as you rock back in the water.

When it comes down to it, boating is all in good fun, but you need to remember the basics of safety  before you step behind the helm. Do not operate a boat while drinking, ensure the boat is in working order, and insist that your passengers wear a life jacket. 

For more information, see:

Have a Safe Boating Weekend, by Brooks Schuelke – Austin, Texas.

 Think Safety With National Boating Week, Mike Bryant – St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Boating and Boozing. Beth Janicek – San Antonio, Texas.

Boating in Iowa, Let’s be careful out there!, Steve Lombardi – DesMoines, Iowa.

Safety First When Boating This Summer , Devon Glass – Lansing, Michigan

Be prepared for the boating season. 

Safety standards and licensing for boats deserve just as much attention as their on-land counter parts, but how many boaters are compliant and aware of these regulations?  To find out if you are up to date on boating safety and regulations, test your knowledge with a boating safety quiz or check out some frequently asked questions on boating laws in Illinois.

Another great resource for ensuring your boat meets regulations is the free safety check of your vessel that the Coast Guard provides to ensure that vessels meet state and federal safety standards.  Taking advantage of this service can be crucial by ensuring that the owner was using proper care in the event of an accident. 

For more information on boating education and safety courses available, check out the boating classes at Chicago Sail and Power Squadron or the free classes offered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Don’t become another statistic.  

Last month the Chicago Tribune highlighted some important statistics on last year’s boating accidents in Illinois.  Don’t forget-simple precautions such as ensuring that there are effective and properly-fitted personal flotation devices (PFD) for everyone on board can make a big difference and save lives.  In Illinois last year, it meant almost half of those who died might have been saved had they been wearing proper PFDs.

Additional risks are created when alcohol is present, and the operator of the vessel is legally responsible for ensuring that it is driven safety.  Even just suspecting someone might be intoxicated means that they should not be operating the boat.  Boats that carry passengers for hire may be held to higher standards of care.  It is important to be aware of what constitutes unlawful operation as much as it is to know your rights as a passenger.  In the unfortunate event that you are involved in an accident, contact an attorney with experience in boating and maritime law as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Join the fun!

It’s easy to find a boating event to watch or participate in during the summer.  You can find a calendar of events at the Chicago Yacht Club, or check out the Poor Man’s Yacht Club for a deviation from the traditional boat club experience.

Finally, keep an eye out for the annual Race to Mackinac which begins on July 24^th the Chicago lakefront.  You can visit their website for more details. 

 Check out the links below for more information:

Have a Safe Boating Weekend, by Brooks Schuelke – Austin, Texas.

 Think Safety With National Boating Week, Mike Bryant – St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Boating and Boozing. Beth Janicek – San Antonio, Texas.

Boating in Iowa, Let’s be careful out there!, Steve Lombardi – DesMoines, Iowa.

Safety First When Boating This Summer , Devon Glass – Lansing, Michigan