Losing a loved one in a car crash can be devastating under any circumstances. However, some individuals may find fatal collisions that have taken place due to a drunk driver even more harrowing as it could potentially have been avoided if the drunk individual had not gotten behind the wheel. When family members are lost in such a car accident, the surviving loved ones may wish to seek compensation.
One family in Illinois may be considering their legal options after a recent fatal accident. Reportedly, the crash took place at approximately 1:30 a.m. as two vehicles collided head on. One vehicle, which was driven by a 33-year-old man, was traveling on the wrong side of the road when it hit the second vehicle.
The 25-year-old man driving the second vehicle suffered fatal injuries and was declared dead at the scene. A 25-year-old woman who was a passenger in that vehicle was considered to be in critical condition at the time of the report. The wrong-way driver was also considered to be in critical condition. It was also noted that charges of DUI and improper lane usage have been leveled against that driver.
Because one individual died and another was seriously injured due to the actions of an intoxicated driver, the family of the deceased victim and the surviving victim may wish to pursue restitution for damages resulting from the Illinois car accident. The family of the victim may be able to file a wrongful death claim and the surviving passenger may have personal injury claim options. These civil claims could be filed against the driver considered responsible in order to seek compensation for emotional and monetary losses.
Source: wifr.com, “UPDATE: Driver Charged in Fatal Car Crash on Whitman Street Bridge”, Dec. 4, 2015