Springfield Legal Blog

Cohabitation facts involving marriage and divorce

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC posted in family law on Friday, November 15, 2019.

In 2019, cohabitation, marriage and divorce are all closely linked. People are more likely to cohabit before getting married these days, as the social stigma has shifted. Young couples used to feel like they had to live separately or get married, but they now increasingly decide to live together before the marriage.

It's important to know how this can impact their relationships. With that in mind, here are a few key facts of which all couples need to be aware:

While many couples look at cohabitation as a trial-run for marriage, studies have shown that they are actually more likely -- not less -- to get divorced after marriage if they lived together first.
Most couples who live together do end up marrying, though just barely. It's slightly over 50%.
Most of the divorce risk comes at the beginning of the marriage. If a couple makes it for seven years, the divorce odds drop and become the same as the risks they would see if they had never lived together prior to the marriage. In other words, it's most common for cohabitating couples to get married and then quickly divorce.
Infidelity is more common in cohabitation relationships than it is in marriages.
Even if they do not get married, cohabitating couples tend to split up quite often. The separation rate that they see, for instance, is five times the rate seen by couples who did get married. It's easier to split up when it doesn't require a divorce.

Jogging and aggressive dogs: Tips for staying safe

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC posted in animal bites on Thursday, November 7, 2019.

Unfortunately, one thing you have to contend with when you go for a jog may be an aggressive dog. Every year, many runners suffer serious bite injuries when the owners do not properly contain or control their pets.

The main thing you need to do is remain alert at all times. It's probably best not to listen to music while you run. If you have to, try listening with one earbud instead of two. You want to feel completely aware of everything happening around you.

Putting the kids first when announcing a divorce

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC posted in family law on Saturday, November 2, 2019.

For you and your spouse, a divorce is something you spend a lot of time thinking about and talking about before you make it official. However, during this time, you do not tell your children. You don't want them to worry or feel involved in the process.

That's wise; you certainly do not want to tell them before you know for sure. After you do, though, how do you break the news in a way that puts the kids first?

Understanding how to stay safe while traveling in adverse weather

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC on Thursday, October 31, 2019.

With cooler climates settling in, the concept of having to travel along Illinois roads during adverse weather conditions is a likelihood you might soon encounter. While you may feel it best to avoid hitting the open road during icy or snowy conditions, such a preference might not always be a possibility.

Should your plans for the day require you to operate a vehicle during adverse conditions, understanding how to stay safe in inclement weather is likely in your best interests. Unfortunately, you also share these roads with others, some of whom might not approach the situation with the same level of caution.

11 injured when car rear-ends hayride

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC posted in car accidents on Monday, October 21, 2019.

Hayrides are very popular in the fall all over the Midwest, but one unfortunately turned tragic in Illinois when a vehicle rear-ended the hayride on the highway. A farm vehicle was pulling the trailer, which was full of passengers. Both the car and the trailer flipped and overturned during the wreck.

When the emergency crews got there, they found that a number of those who had been injured were still unconscious -- not a good sign in any accident. Numerous people also had broken bones.

How far does a texting driver actually go?

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC posted in car accidents on Tuesday, October 15, 2019.

When someone decides to send a text message while driving, one of two things usually happens. First, they may just not understand that it's dangerous at all. Second, even if they do know it's dangerous, they think that they can do it fast enough to eliminate that danger.

But can they? Per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the average time someone spends looking down to either write or read a text is about five seconds. If that car is going 55 miles per hour while they do it, the car can drive for 100 yards -- the same distance as a whole football field -- before they look at the road again.

Brake failure a common factor in truck crashes

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC posted in truck accidents on Wednesday, October 9, 2019.

These days, tractor-trailer trucks traveling across Illinois and other parts of the nation substantially outweigh standard passenger vehicles, making it critically important that these oversize vehicles have high-functioning braking systems. At Kerley & Talken PC, we recognize that navigating commercial trucks downhill safely requires not only functioning brakes, but also well-trained truck drivers who understand that they cannot rely on those brakes, exclusively, to see the trucks safely downhill.

According to Transport Topics, air brakes, which are common on most of today’s commercial trucks, can fail in at least two ways. When air brakes fail, a truck driver may lose control over the vehicle entirely, potentially leading to catastrophic crashes and associated injuries. Furthermore, many crashes involving brake failure also involve truck drivers who are young, inexperienced or both, suggesting that experience and proper training go a long way in terms of preventing brake-related truck wrecks.

Sullivan County bus accident takes life of student

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC posted in car accidents on Sunday, October 6, 2019.

It is always tragic when a child is killed in a motor vehicle accident. When Illinois parents send their children to school in buses, they expect these vehicles to be safe enough to protect their children in a collision. Unfortunately, as a recent incident illustrated, not all accidents involving school buses are minor.

According to School Transportation News, on October 1, an SUV stopped at a stop sign before continuing through the intersection into the path of an oncoming school bus from the Sullivan County School District. Authorities said the bus struck the SUV driver’s door. The driver of the SUV and a 5-year-old boy, who was on the bus, were killed. Officials were unclear whether the bus was equipped with restraints, but three-point seatbelts are not required on Illinois school buses. Some residents are petitioning for a four-way stop to be placed at the intersection where the bus accident occurred, indicating that it may be a hazardous intersection.

Road rage accidents are a growing epidemic

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC on Thursday, October 3, 2019.

Driving can be stressful, and not just because you have to focus on things like merging onto the interstate or following the speed limit. It is becoming more and more likely that you will encounter an angry driver while on your morning commute or running errands around town. It is these angry drivers who are causing an increase in road rage accidents.

While vehicles can cause a lot of damage, they are not the only thing that angry drivers use to threaten or intimidate other drivers. According to the nonprofit news organization The Trace, drivers are brandishing and firing guns at other drivers and passengers. It tracked at least 325 of these incidents between January and June 2017.

How can a dog bite attack mentally affect you?

On behalf of Kerley & Talken PC posted in animal bites on Friday, September 27, 2019.

Illinois residents like you who have been attacked by dogs may end up with severe physical damage. While many people focus on these physical injuries and how to care for and recover from them, the mental wounds that an attack can inflict on you are spoken of less frequently.

Healthline takes a gruesome look at the life of a victim of a dog bite attack who suffered from symptoms close to those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In fact, many studies have shown that victims of dog bite attacks can and do suffer from PTSD as well. PTSD symptoms can manifest in an aversion to dogs of all shapes or sizes. Some have such an intense negative reaction that they become afraid to even go outside for fear of running into a dog.