The Chicago personal injury lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. would like to announce that this week, the Illinois Supreme Court has approved of a pilot program that lets media cameras enter the state's circuit courts for the first time.  Previously, cameras were only allowed in Illinois Appellate Court and Illinois Supereme Court hearings.

The program allows reporters to use still and video recording cameras in Illinois's 23 circuit courts.  Cameras will be allowed to capture both criminal and civil proceedings.

A spokesperson for the Illinois Supreme Court noted that the program is a pilot program that will be used "on an experimental and limited basis."  While federal courts do not allow cameras, many states' courts do.  

A professor of broadcast and online media said of the program, "My excitement isn't just for the newsrooms that might benefit from this, but it's for the citizens who will now have free access to something that they were just hallway observers for."

To learn more about the new pilot program, visit Chicago Tribune.

Chicago has a variety of holiday events going on throughout winter that families in Chicago or visiting Chicago can enjoy.

For example, the ice rink at the Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park will be open through February 26.  Skate rental at the rink costs $7 per person.  Millennium Park also has an outdoor skate rink that will be open through March 11.  Skate rental at Millennium park is $10.

Families may also enjoy taking a ride on the Chicago Trolley Holiday Lights Tour, which runs every Friday and Saturday night through December 23.  The trolley will begin at the Water Tower Pumping Station and travel down the Magnificent Mile and past several of the city's highlights.

Also, the Lincoln Park Zoo is featuring a holiday light display with over 2 million lights.  ZooLights is free to attend and occurs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. until January 1.

The Chicago personal injury lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. wish all a very happy holiday season. 

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Two women were struck by a car while crossing the street near Advocate Lutheran General Hospital last week.  According to Park Ridge police reports, the two women told police that they waited for the cross sign before they entered the intersection at Dempster Street and Luther Lane.  The two were almost at the other side of the road when a driver struck them at around 6:40 P.M. on January 24th.

In addition, witness reports say the driver "plowed" into the victims, a 71-year old Glenview woman and a 43-year old Chicago woman, while turning left onto Dempster and while the crosswalk signal was still displayed.  The driver, a 45-year old Mount Prospect woman, was in a 2003 Acura.

Both victims were injured in the pedestrian accident and treated at Lutheran General.  The 71-year old woman suffered a serious head injury.

To discuss filing a personal injury lawsuit with an experienced attorney, contact the Chicago injury attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 today.

This morning, 3 people were injured in a pedestrian accident involving a vehicle that crashed into the Hero's Submarine Sandwich Shop at Western Avenue and Addison Street in Chicago's North Side.  The accident occurred a little before 11 A.M. when a driver struck two teenage girls crossing the street and then ran into the sandwich shop.  

According to Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford, the two girls, aged 15 and 16-years old, are students of Lane Tech High School located across the street from the restaurant.  Both girls and the driver were taken to area hospital with serious injuries.  Police are investigating to determine what caused the accident. 

If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident, contact the Chicago pedestrian accident attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 today to learn more about your rights. 

An accident occurred on Saturday when a Chicago Transit Authority bus with 70 passengers veered of the road and crashed into trees.

Fire Department authorities say the bus was traveling on Lake Shore Drive at around 6 PM Saturday when the accident happened.  A CTA spokesperson told reporters that they were not sure what caused the bus to veer off the road but they are investigating.

20 people were treated at the scene of the accident for minor injuries like bruising.  One passenger was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, three others in serious condition and about a dozen others in fair to serious condition.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a bus accident, contact the Chicago personal injury lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 to learn more about your rights.