The Illinois Department of Transportation maintains assorted traffic statistics on its website. As of September 27, there were 665 fatal crashes throughout the state in 2013. In the city of Chicago alone, there were 88 fatal crashes during the same time period. From this data, we can see that car accidents have the potential to cause serious injuries and far too often, death. And while the lawmakers do their best to propose and enact traffic safety measures, accidents continue to occur. A victim injured in a car accident as a result of another’s negligence may be entitled to compensation for their suffering and losses. A local injury attorney with experience handling car accident cases can help you achieve a fair and appropriate settlement.
According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, a 31 year-old woman was driving day workers to a temporary job in the western suburbs when the SUV rolled down an embankment and flipped over on the Eisenhower extension in Addison. Of the eight people in the SUV, four of the women died on the scene, and the other four people (three men and one woman) were all taken to area hospitals with serious injuries. Reports indicate that three of the women who died were ejected from the vehicle as it rolled down the embankment into a wooded area. Police believe that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it veered off the road, just west of Illinois Route 83.
Authorities do not believe that drugs or alcohol were involved in the devastating crash, but that high speed and lack of seat belt use contributed to the fatalities. The police charged the operator of the vehicle with driving without a valid license and driving on a suspended vehicle registration. Further, she was cited for failing to reduce her speed, improper lane usage, and driving without insurance. Anyone injured in this crash may be entitled to bring an injury action against the driver, who so far, appeared to be driving in a negligent manner. The accident is still under investigation.
Automobile accidents can be caused by a variety of factors, such as problems with the roadway, vehicle issues, driver impairment or distraction, or any combination of these items. As in the case mentioned above, speeding is a huge factor in many car accident cases. One of the tragic results of an accident involving speeding is that it could have easily been prevented. Victims can endure life threatening and life altering injuries, such as brain trauma, internal injuries, broken bones, and even paralysis. Someone who experiences any kind of an injury from a car accident involving a negligent driver should be entitled to recover damages for their suffering.
In order to bring a car accident claim in Chicago, it is important to contact a knowledgeable injury attorney, who knows how to file the necessary documents, has experience negotiating with insurance companies, can navigate the local court system and will handle the entire case from start to finish — with confidence and assurance that you will receive a fair settlement under the circumstances.