On Sunday, October 12, 2003, Kathryn Kuk, Steven Kuk and Megan Kuk were passengers on a Metra train (2 locomotives and 5 passenger cars) that was transporting passengers from Chicago to Joliet, Illinois. Steve had just run the marathon that day and his wife, Kathryn and daughter, Megan were there to help Steve celebrate the achievement. They boarded Metra train 519 and headed home. As the Metra train approached the intersection of Federal Street and 47th Street in Chicago, the train's engineer missed a red stop light. The train derailed at a speed of 68 mph, where the maximum speed was …

Michael D. Durkee, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene of an accident at 3 p.m. Tuesday, said Grundy County Coroner John Callahan in a press release.The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday on Pine Bluff Road, about two miles east of Illinois 47, according to the dispatch calls."Preliminary findings of the crash indicate Mr. Durkee was eastbound on Pine Bluff, approaching the curve, when he suddenly went into the westbound lane of traffic and struck a semi-tractor-trailer in a head-on collision," said Callahan in the release. "At this time, it is unclear as to what may have caused Mr. …

The names of the two men who lost their lives in a deadly accident on the first day of duck season have now been released. Rock Island Coroner Brian Gustafson tells us 50 year-old David Slater from Davenport and 42 year-old Thomas Trainer from Canton, Illinois were killed while duck hunting Saturday. Investigators say they were two of seven people on a jon boat when it collided with a concrete day marker. Officers are not releasing exactly what happened next, but we know three other people were seriously hurt. Police say just one person was wearing a flotation device when the accident …

There is always talk about how stressful divorce can be for children, because the parents are fighting and shouting, but an amicable divorce can be a lot to deal with for the children too. It is not always easy for a child to understand why their mom and dad cannot be together when they get along just fine. The issue was addressed on a post at www.circleofmoms.com.It is easy to find information about dealing with an ugly divorce, but what to do when there is no drama and it confuses your kids? We will try and provide you with some useful points on this topic.Time, as always, will heal. Your …

Illinois law offers divorces in two ways: those where a specific reason is given (“grounds), and those where no reason is given (“irreconcilable differences”). Before filing for an Illinois divorce it is important to discuss with your attorney the best course of action for citing a reason, as giving a reason with grounds could present burden of proof issues that could affect the outcome of the divorce dependent on the intent of your ex-spouse. In Illinois we use the term "irreconcilable differences" to describe what others know as a "no fault" divorce. No-fault divorce is a divorce in …

Ruling in a case brought in Cook County, the Illinois Supreme Court opened the door Thursday to divorce for people who need guardians because of mental disabilities.For years, Illinois has barred guardians from seeking a divorce on behalf of the mentally disabled people under their protection. That meant the disabled person could not get a divorce unless his or her spouse started the process.The ban affected people with severe brain damage, but it also covered those who could make their wishes known — people with Alzheimer's, for instance, or with a mental illness whose effects come …

The McCourt divorce was national news as it was finalized a year ago. It was just a part of the maelstrom which engulfed the world of Dodger baseball for the past three years. Frank McCourt, the former owner of the MLB Los Angeles announced that he was separating from his wife on October 14th, 2009 after 30 years of marriage. After nearly two years of battling for control of the Dodgers franchise, the Los Angeles Dodgers were forced to file for bankruptcy. Finally on October 17th of last year, a divorce settlement was reached awarding Jamie McCourt the amount of $130 million and no ownership …

In order to file for dissolution of marriage, or what is more commonly known as divorce, in the state of Illinois, either you or your spouse must be a resident of Illinois for at least 90 days. If the your spouse has never lived in Illinois or taken any action to put himself or herself under the jurisdiction of the Illinois court, then you can get divorced in Illinois, but the court will have no power to order your spouse to do anything, such as pay child support or pay marital debts.A divorce action is initiated when you file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage in the circuit court of the…

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced recently that fatal crashes, injuries and the number of motorists killed in accidents involving deer declined in 2011. IDOT and IDNR also reminded motorists to once again be alert for deer along roadways during one of the most active periods of the year for wildlife activity.“Throughout the fall deer hunting season and into the winter months, we strongly remind all motorists to please slow down, drive defensively, obey posted speed limits, and be especially alert for wildlife …

Despite saying that a moving train presents an obvious danger, the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a $3.9 million jury award against a trio of railroad companies according to the Madison Record.In a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Charles Freeman, the court found that the circuit and appellate courts committed reversible error when they let the jury determine the defendants' duty to the plaintiff, who injured himself attempting to jump onto a moving train."This determination of defendants' duty is a question of law for the court," Freeman wrote, explaining that…

Additionally, all pension benefits are marital property, regardless of which spouse participates in the pension plan, and all stock options, vested or non-vested, are marital property as well. If it can be proven that the benefits or stock options were acquired before the marriage, they will be considered non-marital property and should not be subject to division.

Megabus USA LLC, Chaoch Leasing Inc., Coach USA Inc. and the driver, Preston Taylor have all been names as defendants in a lawsuit filed by the parents of an Indian graduate student who was killed after the double-decker bus she was riding in struck a concrete pillar on Interstate 55 in Litchfield, Ill., south of Chicago. Aditi Avhad, 25, a student at the University of Missouri, was traveling back to the university, accompanied by her parents when the accident occurred in August. The girl’s mother, who suffered a broken leg and broken hip, was just recently released from the hospital.…

Thomas Anderson, a 68-year-old radiologist narrowly missed a harrowing death in early October when a hit-and-run driver hit and injured one of the two dogs he was walking in Wicker Park. According to the Chicago Tribune, the “hit-and-run happened near the intersection of Damen Avenue and Schiller Street—three blocks south of where police said [Hector De Anda Martinez] already had sideswiped a taxi while speeding.” Martinez has since been charged with a felony aggravated DUI and cited for not having a valid driver’s license or insurance, police told the Tribune.Rosey, a 10-year-old …

A middle-aged man was seriously hurt when a driver struck him with a car and fled the scene. The Chicago Tribune reported a story about the still-unresolved case.The incident took place on September 24 in the Kilbourn Park neighborhood of Chicago just before 4 p.m., a community alert from the police's Major Accident Investigation Unit said. The victim was hit by a silver SUV, and he flew on the car's windshield before falling on the ground. The driver got out of the vehicle to ask the victim, who was lying on the ground, if they are okay - only to run back to his SUV and drive away …

1. Talk to an attorney first! - It is very important that you talk to an attorney before doing anything else. Your lawyer will help you to assess the case and should thoroughly educate you in the area of Divorce law. You can contact our Hinsdale divorce attorneys for a free initial consultation. 2. Talk to your spouse second! - Obviously, once you have an idea of what is going to happen in your divorce, you are better able to talk with your spouse and try to work things out. But without first consulting a divorce lawyer, you are in no position to negotiate a deal. 3. Explore Mediation with …

White non-Hispanic construction workers are awarded higher workers' compensation settlements in Illinois than Hispanic or black construction workers with similar injuries and disabilities, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health.The disparity amounted to approximately $6,000 more for white non-Hispanic claimants compared to minority workers in the same industry, says Lee Friedman, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at UIC and lead author of the study, which was published in the October issue of the …

The last fifteen years has seen the growing popularity in divorce coaches.  These professionals were once psychologists, attorneys, and other professionals who rebranded themselves to help people through divorces.  It is comparable to having a wedding planner to walk you through your wedding.  These coaches help people with the equally stressful, emotional and sometimes disorienting process of divorce.Since their original inception, divorce coaches have become specialized in certain fields like law, finance or counseling.  Yet, it’s hard to know if all divorce coaches have received …

In a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, experts explain how difficult it may be for victims of domestic abuse to leave an abusive relationship. The victims must be physically, mentally and financially ready before they can end the relationship.According to Dawn Dalton, executive director of Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network, fear is one of the biggest reasons for not getting out. Victims are often viewed as having caused the abuse to happen with their own behavior. "There needs to be a shift in the way domestic violence is viewed so that when someone is a victim, there isn&…

People are injured all the time under different circumstances, but when you get shot, not much is left to imagination regarding your injury. A home invasion on October 2 in North Aurora led to two people getting shot. Both victims survived the incident, and police are now looking for two suspects. The Chicago Tribune reported a story about the incident.The two victims were in an apartment on South River Road when the shooting took place around 7:05 a.m. When the police arrived at the scene, they found two men, ages 22 and 23, with one gunshot wound each. The 23-year-old was shot to the chest …

In a lot of divorce cases, courts have to make decisions that affect children, for example, custody determinations in divorce proceedings and termination of parental rights. These decisions must be done in the best interests of the child.According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, “the best interests of the child” refers to the discretion of courts when deciding what is best for a child and who is best suited to take care of a child. Courts have to consider a number of factors when they decide what is best for a child such as “the circumstances of the child and the circumstances…