A trucking accident which took place in Chicago this week illustrates this point. Early Tuesday morning around 2am, a sport utility vehicle was driving in the Near North neighborhood about a half mile north of the Chicago River. The SUV was traveling north on Dearborn Street when an eastbound tractor-trailer reportedly ran a red light on Ohio Street and T-boned the SUV. An 11-month old girl who was in the SUV was ejected from the vehicle, and she was rushed to a nearby hospital where she is listed in stable condition.

The baby was reportedly being held on the lap of an adult when the trucking accident occurred. The truck's driver was cited for running the red light, and the driver of the SUV received citations both for unlawful restraint of a child and not having a valid driver's license.

Some child advocates might read this report and assign blame in the accident to the SUV's driver, the child's parent, or the person on whose lap the girl was sitting. After all, a strong case can be made that the baby would not have been injured at all had she been lawfully secured in a child safety seat.

But even though this outcome might seem "fair" to some, it's not the way that civil law works in Illinois. In reality, the driver of the truck (and his/her employer) will probably be held completely liable for the crash and the injuries to the girl because of the red light infraction. So the girl's mother could file a personal injury lawsuit against the big rig driver and the trucking company in the hopes of collecting reimbursement of medical expenses incurred from the child's hospitalization.

Furthermore, the notion that the child's injuries may very well have been less severe (or even nonexistent) had she been safely secured in the SUV does not have any bearing on the outcome of this lawsuit - nor does the reason why a baby was out on the street at 2am, or the fact that an unlicensed individual was driving the SUV.

This might have been the case this week in Springfield. On Thursday morning shortly before 8:45am, a school bus carrying a couple of special education students was on its way to an elementary school. The bus was traveling north on MacArthur Boulevard when it tried to make a left turn to go west on Lawrence Avenue. In doing so, the bus turned in front of a 2008 Chevy Impala that was moving south on MacArthur. The car slammed into the school bus, which was pushed into a 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that was waiting at the traffic light on the eastbound side of Lawrence.

Thankfully, neither of the students was hurt in the school bus accident, but a 62-year old woman acting as a bus monitor was injured. Plus, the 22-year old pregnant woman who was driving the Impala also had to be taken to an area hospital with injuries. The bus driver, a 64-year old woman, was cited by Springfield Police for failing to yield the right of way.

Because the bus driver will probably be held solely responsible for the school bus accident, the pregnant woman may elect to file a personal injury lawsuit in order to get reimbursement for ambulance charges, treatment expenses, and other related medical costs. The suit might name not just the 64-year old woman, but also either the school district or the company that was being contracted to provide bus service for the students. That's because Illinois law states that employers are responsible for the actions of their employees when it comes to collisions while on the job.

That's largely because the outbound lanes were closed for more than three hours due to a fatal trucking accident. Around 6am Monday morning, a 65-year old man was driving his Ford Escape on the Kennedy Expressway just prior to East River Road a couple miles east of O'Hare Airport. When he slowed for congested traffic, his sport utility vehicle was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler driven by a 45-year old man. The elderly man was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The truck driver was cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

From the information given, it appears that the 45-year old trucker will be held primarily or solely responsible for the death of the SUV driver. That means that the victim's surviving relatives could choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit against not only the driver of the tractor trailer, but also the company that employs him (since Illinois law stipulates that all employers are responsible for the actions of their employees). This legal action could allow the grieving family to collect reimbursement for hospital and burial expenses, as well as monetary damages for loss of care and companionship and/or pain and suffering. If the victim was still working, the plaintiffs could also receive the estimated future wages that he would have earned throughout his working lifetime had the trucking accident never taken place.

Sadly, one motorist in a rural part of Lake County might not have been as careful around a bicyclist as he or she should have been. Last Thursday afternoon around 2:15pm, a 34-year old woman was celebrating her birthday by pedaling her bicycle southbound on Route 45 just east of Fourth Lake in unincorporated Lake Villa. Prior to reaching the intersection with Grand Avenue, a 2000 Toyota Camry also heading south struck the bicycle from behind. The woman was rushed to a Libertyville hospital, but was subsequently pronounced dead.

Though no criminal citations have been issued as of yet, it appears that the driver of the car will be held primarily or solely responsible for the death of the bicyclist. If that does turn out to be the case, the woman's surviving family members could elect to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Lake County against the driver. This suit could allow the plaintiffs to collect reimbursement for ambulance charges, hospital expenses, and burial costs. A jury may also award monetary damages for pain and suffering and loss of care or companionship. And the grieving family might also be entitled to compensation for future wages the woman might have earned in her lifetime had the tragic accident never taken place.

Sadly, that's what occurred on the South Side of Chicago this week. On Wednesday morning shortly after 10:15am, a woman in her 50s was driving to work on South Yates Street just south of East 76th Street in the city's South Shore neighborhood. A sport utility vehicle being driven by Chicago Police was pursuing a different vehicle in the area when the SUV collided with the woman's Pontiac. The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital, but succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter.

As of now, it's unclear precisely how the auto accident took place. The police SUV should have had its lights and sirens operating if it was involved in a police chase. This would have given the vehicle the right-of-way in almost all situations. Still, it has yet to be determined whether the Pontiac failed to yield the right-of-way to the SUV, or the police vehicle slammed into the car despite the woman obeying the law - or even if the SUV's lights and sirens were in fact operating.

If the latter case turns out to be accurate, the surviving family members could choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the woman. This suit would not only name the police officer who was driving the SUV, but also the Chicago Police Department and perhaps the city of Chicago itself. That's because Illinois law states that an employer is responsible for the actions of its employees. A jury may choose to award monetary damages to the plaintiffs for pain and suffering and loss of care or companionship; as well as future unearned wages and reimbursement for hospital and burial expenses.

Let's examine a fatal motorcycle accident which took place in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago last week. On Friday night around 11:30pm, a man was riding his motorcycle north on South Dorchester Avenue (which is a one-way street) just north of South Chicago Avenue and the Chicago Skyway when he slammed into the side of a passenger vehicle. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, and the 52-year old male driver of the vehicle died about an hour later at a nearby hospital. Chicago Police are still investigating the crash and have not issued any citations as of yet.

Armed only with this information, it's impossible to tell which man was at fault in the deadly crash. If the 52-year old man pulled out in front of the motorcycle without yielding the right of way, the motorcyclist's family members could file a wrongful death lawsuit against the estate of the vehicle's driver. However, if the motorcyclist ran a red light, ignored a stop sign, or otherwise failed to yield the right of way to the vehicle, the relatives of the 52-year old man could file a wrongful death lawsuit against the estate of the motorcyclist. Either type of suit could allow the plaintiffs to receive reimbursement of burial expenses, compensation for lost future wages, and monetary damages for pain and suffering or loss of care and companionship.

That's what happened in Chicago this week in the Austin neighborhood. On Wednesday afternoon about 4:30pm, a car was traveling north on North Central Avenue just south of West North Avenue when it left the roadway, darted across the front lawn of a home, smashed into a brick front stoop, and ran into a wrought-iron fence. A total of six people, including a 9-year old girl and an 11-year old boy, had to be taken to area hospitals, with some of them in serious-to-critical condition. However, none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

Chicago Police are still investigating exactly what caused the car to leave the street, and it's unclear how many of the injured were passengers, bystanders, or residents of the home. But it appears that the car's driver will be held responsible for the auto accident and the subsequent injuries.

All of the victims (except for the driver, if he or she is among the injured) probably have solid grounds for personal injury lawsuits against the driver - whether they were inside or outside the car. These suits could allow the plaintiffs to receive reimbursement for ambulance charges, hospitalization and/or treatment expenses, medications, follow-up doctor's visits, and physical therapy sessions. If any of the four adults are unable to work due to their injuries, they may be eligible for unearned wages as well. A jury may even award monetary damages to the plaintiffs for pain and suffering.

Sadly, that's exactly what happened to a man in Chicago this week. On Sunday around 11am, the man was crossing Ogden Avenue on foot at Pulaski Road (on the border of the Little Village and Lawndale neighborhoods) when a car traveling westbound on Ogden reportedly ran a red light and slammed into the man, sending him several feet into the air. The car then sped away on Ogden without stopping. The man, who was a day away from his 51st birthday, suffered what was called "significant blunt trauma" and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in very critical condition.

The driver of the car has not been located, but Chicago Police are saying that the vehicle resembled a gold or orange colored 2002 or 2004 Pontiac Grand Am. Not only is it important for the individual who ruined the victim's birthday to be brought to justice, but it also allows the man who was injured in the auto-pedestrian accident to identify against whom he can file a personal injury lawsuit. Such legal action would allow the victim to receive reimbursement for medical care expenses; including ambulance charges, hospitalization costs, surgery or treatment, medications, and even physical therapy. He could also collect compensation for any unearned wages from the time he will be forced to miss work while he recuperates. A jury may even award the plaintiff monetary damages for pain and suffering or even loss of livelihood.

But when someone has been arrested a dozen times for various crimes, you can probably infer that the individual is guilty of at least a dearth of good judgment.

On Thursday night around 10:30pm, a 31-year old man was driving a 2003 Ford Explorer in Wheaton. An 18-year old woman was a passenger in the sport utility vehicle with him. While traveling south on Shaffner Road toward Mack Road (near Cantigny Golf Course), the SUV left the roadway, crashed, and rolled over. The woman was killed, and the man was arrested and charged with aggravated driving under the influence after his blood alcohol content was measured to be .173, which is more than twice the legal limit in Illinois. The 31-year old man, who has been arrested a dozen times over the last nine years on charges that include drug possession and burglary, told police he had started drinking shots at noon that day.

It's a near certainty that the man, who lived in the same Warrenville apartment complex as the woman, will be held solely responsible for the auto accident. That means that the woman's surviving relatives could opt to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the man. This could enable the plaintiffs to collect estimated future wages that the woman would have earned in her lifetime, as well as reimbursement for burial expenses and monetary damages for pain and suffering and loss of companionship.

This is apparently what happened in a trucking accident last week that killed a pedestrian. On Monday around 8:30am, a tanker truck was driving south on the Kennedy Expressway when it exited in the West Loop. As it was turning right onto Randolph Street, its rear wheels struck a 24-year old woman who was believed to be walking to work. The victim was pronounced dead on the scene. Though the truck-pedestrian accident is still under investigation, the 55-year old truck driver from Minnesota was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

If the probe concludes that the truck driver was fully responsible for the fatal accident, the surviving family members of the woman could elect to file a wrongful death lawsuit against him. They could also name the company for which he was driving as a defendant as well, since employers are responsible for the actions of their employees in the state of Illinois.

This type of legal action could allow the plaintiffs to collect the estimated future compensation that the young woman would have earned in her lifetime has the accident never occurred - which could potentially run into the millions of dollars. A jury could also order the defendants to reimburse the family for burial expenses and even pay out monetary damages for loss of care and companionship and/or pain and suffering.

One such incident took place last weekend in Grundy County. On the night of Sunday, April 21, a 17-year old boy was driving an Infiniti in Minooka when he reportedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of U.S. 6 and McLinden Road (a couple miles north of the Illinois River). The Infiniti was struck on the by a Honda, and a 15-year old Channahon girl in the back seat was killed. Another female back seat passenger suffered serious injuries, and the front seat passenger was hurt as well. The driver of the Honda also sustained injuries.

Since the Infiniti driver was ticketed for failing to obey a stop sign, it appears that he will be held solely responsible for the auto accident and the resulting casualties. So the parents of the Channahon girl who died may choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of their daughter; and the parents of the injured victims may elect to file personal injury lawsuits as well. All of these lawsuits would name the parents of the 17-year old as defendants because he is a minor.

A wrongful death lawsuit could allow the family to collect reimbursement for burial costs, compensation for estimated future wages, and monetary damages for pain and suffering and loss of companionship. The personal injury lawsuits could reimburse the plaintiffs for medical expenses incurred as a result of the crash.

That appears to be what happened in Rockford last month. Around 4:30am on Saturday, March 23, a 64-year old woman from Ridott was driving on the eastbound side of U.S. 20 near the Rock River when she came upon a crash that had happened earlier in the morning west of Kishwaukee Street. A tractor-trailer in front of her vehicle switched lanes to avoid the accident scene, and the woman slowed her vehicle to let the big rig complete its lane change. But another 18-wheeler slammed into the back of the woman's vehicle near the Rock River. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

It's not clear what caused the tractor-trailer to crash into the woman's vehicle. But from the evidence presented in the story, it appears that the driver of the rear-ending semi will be held solely responsible for the trucking accident and the death of the 64-year old woman. Since Illinois law says that employers are liable for the actions of their workers while on the job, both the truck driver and his or her employer may be named as defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit that could be filed by the woman's surviving family members.

Such a lawsuit could allow the plaintiffs to collect reimbursement for the burial costs they incurred, as well as monetary damages for pain and suffering and loss of care or companionship. If the Ridott woman was still working, her family may also be entitled to the estimated wages she would have earned in her lifetime had the trucking accident never taken place.

We told you about an injury crash on I-80 when an 18-wheeler rear-ended a disabled pickup truck that was just sitting on the side of the road. Now, there's another trucking accident where a car was rear-ended - but this time, it was deadly.

On Thursday morning around 5:45am, a 2005 Nissan was traveling southbound on the Tri-State Tollway in Elmhurst on the western edge of Cook County. A tractor-trailer carrying paper slammed into the back of the car near Lake Street, sending the Nissan onto the bridge deck and leaving it dangling over Lake Street. The driver was rushed to a nearby hospital; but two passengers, a 56-year old and a 72-year old, were killed in the trucking accident.

Police indicated that a chain-reaction crash resulted from the initial incident, but it's not known precisely why the 18-wheeler rear-ended the Nissan. But it appears that the truck driver is either primarily or completely at fault.

That means that the truck driver and his or her company could be named as defendants in civil suits stemming from the collision, since employers in Illinois are held accountable for the actions of their employees. The Nissan driver could file a personal injury lawsuit to collect reimbursement for medical costs, monetary damages for mental anguish and pain and suffering, and compensation for unearned wages due to lost time at work. The surviving family members of the two passengers could file wrongful death lawsuits in the hopes of receiving reimbursement for burial costs, future unearned wages the victims might have earned in their lifetimes, and monetary damages for pain and suffering and loss of care or companionship.

Sadly, a botched U-turn in Springfield resulted in an unscheduled trip to the hospital for two people. Just before 3:15pm on Wednesday afternoon, a 67-year old woman from Brownstown was driving south on Sixth Street, which turns into Interstate 55 about a mile south of Stevenson. Apparently, the woman did want to merge onto the interstate, because she attempted a U-turn on Sixth Street. That's when her vehicle was struck by an 18-wheeler. Both the woman and her passenger, a 65-year old man from Shobonier, were injured enough to require transport to a Springfield Hospital. The driver of the semi was unhurt.

It's pretty obvious that the Brownstown woman is responsible for this auto accident. Since all drivers in Illinois are responsible for the safety of their passengers, the Shobonier man has grounds for a personal injury lawsuit against the woman. If he were to file such a suit, he could be eligible for reimbursement of medical expenses, including ambulance charges, hospital and treatment costs, and even physical therapy sessions that are necessary to make a full recovery. He may also be compensated for any unearned wages from work absenteeism due to the auto accident, and perhaps even monetary damages for pain and suffering.

What the woman probably should have done is merge onto I-55, taken the first exit, made two left turns, and reentered the interstate, which would have taken her back to the spot where she tried to make the U-turn. 

Thankfully a rollover accident which occurred in Chicago last week did not claim any lives, nor was anyone critically injured. On Tuesday morning just before 11:15am, a car was traveling on South Racine Avenue south of Garfield Boulevard in the Englewood neighborhood when it rolled over near Moran Park between 57th and 58th Streets. According to a Chicago Fire Department official, the car rolled over onto its roof and then flipped back onto its wheels. Three people in the car were injured and were taken to area hospitals. One person was in good condition, and the other two were in stable condition.

There is no immediate information on what caused the car to roll over. So unless evidence arises that indicates otherwise, the driver of the car will probably be held solely responsible for the auto accident and the injuries to his or her passengers. If they wish to do so, the two passengers may file personal injury lawsuits against the driver. Such legal action might allow the plaintiffs to collect reimbursement for ambulance charges, hospitalization expenses, treatment and medication costs, and even future physical therapy sessions. A jury might also order the plaintiff to pay out compensation for unearned wages due to work absenteeism, as well as monetary damages for pain and suffering. 

Apparently, that didn't happen in Grundy County this week. On Tuesday afternoon just before 3:45pm, a tractor-trailer was traveling on the eastbound side of Interstate 80  heading toward Morris. When the 18-wheeler was about four miles northwest of Seneca, it slammed into a pickup truck that was on the right shoulder of the interstate near Nettle Creek Road. Morris Fire Department officials had to extricate the two occupants of the pickup. A man was transported by ambulance to a Morris Hospital, while a woman was airlifted to a hospital in Downers Grove with more serious injuries. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not hurt.

The trucking accident is still under investigation, but all evidence points to the truck driver being held solely responsible for the crash and the injuries to the two people. Should they choose to do so, they could each file personal injury lawsuits not only against the truck driver, but also against the company that employs the trucker (since Illinois law states that all employers are responsible for the actions of their employees while on the job). The legal action could allow the plaintiffs to collect reimbursement for medical expenses (such as ambulance charges, treatment costs, and physical therapy sessions), compensation for any unearned wages due to missed work, and possible even monetary damages for pain and suffering. 

It's true that some DUI offenders fit that profile. And then there are those who are completely ordinary. But both types can cause serious harm to others.

An example of the latter type of suspected drunk driver caused a serious auto accident last month on the Cook-Will County line. On Wednesday, March 27, a 19-year old woman was driving a 2001 Mercury Mountaineer on Steger Road in Steger along the southern border of the Cook County Forest Preserve. Near the intersection with Richton Road, the sport utility vehicle crossed over the center line and slammed head-on into a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer.

The 26-year old male driver reportedly broke his T-12 vertebra in the auto accident, which paralyzed him from the waist down. The teen was arrested on charges of aggravated driving under the influence after her blood alcohol content was found to be .117, which would be above the legal limit in Illinois even if she were 21 years of age or older.

There is a strong likelihood that the paralyzed man will file a personal injury lawsuit against the woman, who has no previous criminal record whatsoever. This suit could allow the victim to collect reimbursement for ambulance charges, hospitalization expenses, and treatment costs; as well as the estimated medical expenses he will incur throughout the rest of his lifetime because of his paralysis. In addition, the man could collect any estimated wages that he is now unable to earn because of his inability to work due to the auto accident. Finally, the jury may award monetary damages for pain and suffering and perhaps even loss of consortium, as well as possible punitive damages if the teen is convicted of DUI.

According to a witness at the scene, an employee of the Greater Chicago Auction House in Matteson reportedly got behind the wheel of a Mercedes sport utility vehicle on Friday morning around 9am, but then accelerated too quickly. The SUV plowed into a small group of pedestrians and then hit a Maserati. A total of four people had to be taken to area hospitals with a variety of injuries, though none of the injuries were considered to be life-threatening. The employee was issued a citation by police for driving too fast for conditions.

It's pretty clear that the driver of the Mercedes will be held solely responsible for the auto-pedestrian accident. This means that the person could very well be named as a defendant in personal injury lawsuits filed by the four victims. But if the SUV driver was performing some duties in connection with his job at the auction house, then the business could also be named as a defendant in these suits - because Illinois law states that companies are responsible for the conduct of their employees.

These personal injury lawsuits could allow the plaintiffs to collect compensation for unearned wages due to work absenteeism caused by the auto-pedestrian accident, as well as reimbursement for ambulance charges, hospital expenses, and medical costs related to their recovery. If the injuries are serious, a jury may also award monetary damages for pain and suffering as well.

But when you drag someone almost a quarter mile after running over them, there shouldn't be any doubt as to what happened.

Sadly, that's what happened this week in the Goose Island neighborhood of Chicago, which is just east of the Kennedy Expressway. On Thursday around 4:15am, a westbound dark-colored Hyundai Sonata reportedly struck a 40-year old pedestrian as he was walking on Division Street between Hickory and Cherry Avenues. Chicago Police say the Hazel Crest man was dragged by the car for over 1/5 of a mile all the way to the bridge which spans the North Branch of the Chicago River. Once the man was discovered, he was rushed to Northwestern Hospital, but died about four hours later. The driver of the Sonata is still at large, and anyone with information about this incident is being urged to contact Chicago Police.

Hopefully, the hit-and-run driver will soon be apprehended and face justice. But once he is identified, the surviving family members of the 40-year old man can file a wrongful death lawsuit against him or her. Such legal action could allow the plaintiffs to collect monetary damages for pain and suffering and loss of care or companionship, reimbursement for hospital expenses and burial costs, and compensation for the estimated future wages that the Hazel Crest man would have earned in his lifetime had the auto-pedestrian accident never taken place.

This tragic scenario played out last week in the Brighton Park neighborhood on the Southwest Side of Chicago. Last Tuesday around 3pm, a 21-year old man was driving a Pontiac Grand Am along South California Avenue just south of the Stevenson Expressway. The car crashed into a Cadillac which was being driven by a 21-year old pregnant woman, who was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries. But the force of the collision led to the death of her nine-month old fetus on Thursday morning. The man was arrested after Chicago Police discovered traces of cocaine in his system and a blood alcohol content reading of .254, which is over three times the legal limit in Illinois.

Since it's a near-certainty that the man will be held responsible for the auto accident, the woman can file a personal injury lawsuit against him in the hopes of getting reimbursed for medical expenses and perhaps compensated for any lost wages due to work absenteeism stemming from the collision.

But it's also within her rights to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of her fetus against the man accused of driving under the influence. If her attorney can demonstrate that the crash was indeed the precise cause of the fetal death, she might be entitled to estimated future wages that the woman's son or daughter would have earned in his or her lifetime; as well as monetary damages for pain and suffering and loss of companionship.