Heavy traffic on an Illinois roadway may have been a contributing factor to a recent fatal incident. The truck accident that occurred on the crowded Chicago area road ended the life of one man. It caused injury to others, though — thankfully — they were not life threatening.
The truck accident began when the driver of a semi-trailer failed to react to slowing city traffic. Because of this failure, the driver did not stop in time at a traffic light, smashing into the small SUV in front of his vehicle. The impact pushed the SUV into the car in front of it, injuring the man inside.
It was the driver of the small SUV that died as a result of the truck accident. The truck driver was cited for traffic related offense by Illinois police. He may also now find that he faces liability claims for his actions that early morning on the road.
In truck accident cases such as this one, victims or their survivors often find that they are able to use our state’s personal injury laws to make a claim against the driver who caused their injuries. When, as was the case here, a victim dies, it is the surviving family who is able to make a claim. In each case, victims seek to be repaid for their financial losses. These include pain and suffering, medical costs and lost wages. A personal injury claim can allow victims of a truck accident, or their survivors, to recover from the incident more easily and without financial concerns that can come after such a crash.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Lanes reopen after man killed in Kennedy wreck,” May 14, 2013