Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
The athletic director at a local high school was tragically killed in a recent one-car accident in Carroll County. The 54-year-old Carl Sandburg High School employee was reportedly northbound on Loran Road when his vehicle went off of an embankment near Indian Trail Road and rolled. According to the Carroll County Coroner’s Office, the Orland Park man was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The wreckage was allegedly found more than 12 hours after the 54-year-old was reported missing in Orland Park. The exact cause of the fatal traffic accident is currently under investigation by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.
Sadly, single-vehicle accidents like this one occur all too often. Motorist impairment, speeding, unexpected vehicle malfunctions, road hazards, swerving to avoid an object in the roadway, and hazardous weather conditions are just a few common causes of one-car wrecks. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims 532 individuals were killed in a single-automobile crash in Illinois in 2011. This means one-car accidents accounted for more than half of the 918 fatal traffic crashes that occurred in our state. In general, most single-car wrecks took place in urban areas like the Chicago Metro.
Although it is unclear whether the victim in this accident did so, individuals traveling in a motor vehicle in Illinois are required to wear a safety belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 12,000 lives were saved by seat belt use across the nation in 2009. In addition, using a seat belt reportedly decreases the risk of serious injury and death for people riding in the front seat of an automobile by almost half.
In 2011, an estimated 84 percent of Americans fastened their seat belt when riding in a car or truck. Safety belt use is allegedly higher in primary enforcement states like Illinois. Primary enforcement means a police officer may stop a motor vehicle based solely on a violation of the seat belt law. Drivers and passengers are reportedly more likely to travel in a vehicle without utilizing a safety restraint at night. Additionally, one-car crashes are more likely to take place at night. Approximately half of all traffic deaths happen at night despite that only about one-fourth of all vehicle miles are driven in the dark.
If you were injured while riding as a passenger in a single-vehicle crash, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your medical expenses and other damages. Because Illinois is a comparative negligence accident state, you may be eligible to receive financial compensation for any injuries you sustained in a car accident even if you failed to wear your safety belt or were otherwise partially to blame for your harm. Certain surviving family members of someone who was killed in a one-vehicle collision may also be entitled to recover for the wrongful death of their loved one. A quality personal injury lawyer can explain your options for recovery in more detail.
If you were hurt or a loved one was killed in a Chicago area car accident, please contact the hardworking attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. Our knowledgeable Chicago car accident lawyers are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to discuss your personal injury case. For a free consultation with a competent personal injury attorney, do not hesitate to call Abels & Annes, P.C. at (312) 475-9596 today.
More Blogs:
Two Killed, Two Hurt in Chicago High Rise Building Fire, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, February 10, 2013
Illinois and Other Researchers Identify Signs of Brain Damage in Living Former NFL Players, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, February 7, 2013
Additional Resources:
Carl Sandburg athletic director dies in single-car crash, by Naomi Nix and Ashley Rueff, Chicago Tribune