An Illinois man was attempting to cross a street in Chicago when he was struck down by a car recently. The Friday car accident caused the victim to suffer severe injuries. The motorist who struck the man faces serious criminal charges and may also face possible civil liability for his actions to the victim.
Police say the 87-year-old pedestrian was crossing the street when the motorist ran a red light just after 7 a.m. The victim suffered critical injuries. A representative from the Chicago Fire Department explained that the victim was transferred to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
The driver has been charged with several crimes, including DUI resulting in serious injury, striking a pedestrian and running a red light. In addition, the victim has the right to pursue a personal injury lawsuit arising from the frightening incident. This type of legal action is separate from any criminal proceedings, and is based upon evidence of negligence that is deemed to have caused injury to another individual.
In most instances, a car accident involving a pedestrian can end with a high economic cost to its victims, in addition to significant pain and suffering endured in the struggle to recover. These items of damage, among others, are valid claims in a personal injury action once liability is established by competent proof. The decision to assert a personal injury claim against a driver at fault can be challenging and seeking to understand the applicable laws and legal procedures can greatly benefit an injured victim in assessing what steps may be appropriate to pursue litigation.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Man charged with DUI in crash that critically hurt 87-year-old,” Nov. 10, 2012