Illinois police are continuing to investigate a fatal crash that happened recently on the south side of Chicago. In the tragic car accident, a young boy died after the vehicle that he was in was struck. The incident happened as a man was attempting to escape police after allegedly hijacking a car.
Illinois police say that the boy, his brother and his father were in their SUV heading to get the boy’s hair cut for Christmas when the incident happened. Just prior to the impact that took the child’s life, police attempted to stop a car that they suspected of a crime. That is when the driver made his escape, heading into the path of the SUV.
The crash happened in the midday hours of a weekend day near the intersection of West Garfield Boulevard and South Halsted Street in Chicago. In addition to the fatally injured boy, another victim of the incident had to be taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries. Now, the driver who caused the crash may find that he faces not only criminal charges but also personal injury liability.
In car accident cases such as this one, those who caused the injuries to victims are often the subject of personal injury claims under Illinois laws. Such claims can include not only the damages suffered by victims who survive, but also those suffered by the survivors of deceased victims. Such claims are most often for wrongful death. These types of matters can offer some financial help to those who have lost loved ones, but in cases such as this one — where a child dies — there is little that financial help can do for the emotional aspect of the loss suffered.
Source: Chicago Tribune, boy 11 killed 1 injured in Southside crash after apparent carjacking, Patrick Svitek and Adam Sege, Dec. 22, 2013