There are a host of technical factors that have an impact on a civil trials, like those involving personal injury lawsuits or wrongful death lawsuits in connection with auto accidents. Some of them include jury pools, evidentiary motions, and expert witness certifications. Another issue is jurisdiction – otherwise known as which court in which venue will hear the case.
Jurisdiction may be at the forefront of any civil lawsuits filed in connection with an auto accident in Rock Island County this week. Around 6:15am on Tuesday morning, a two-vehicle collision was reported on the Centennial Bridge that links Illinois with Iowa across the Mississippi River. Authorities say that an Illinois-bound vehicle crossed the center median and slammed into an Iowa-bound vehicle. News footage show firefighters cleaning up after a crash between a pickup truck and a car. Two people had to be transported to nearby hospitals. The icy roadways are believed to have been a factor in the crash.
From the information given, it appears that the driver of the Illinois-bound vehicle will be held primarily responsible for the crash. That would be the case despite the ice on the roads, since all drivers are responsible for their vehicles even during inclement weather. As a result, the two injury victims (or one of them, if the other is the at-fault driver) have solid grounds to file personal injury lawsuits against the driver of the southbound vehicle. But it isn’t clear from the news reports on which side of the bridge the auto accident occurred. If it took place south of the Illinois-Iowa border, any civil lawsuit would have to be filed in Rock Island County. However, if the wreck happened north of the border, the legal action would have to be initiated in Iowa.
The plaintiffs could stand to receive reimbursement for medical bills, compensation for lost wages due to work absenteeism, and perhaps monetary damages for pain and suffering.