Drivers sometimes fail to realize that an accident can occur to them at any time and at any place. This is because even if you drive as safely as possible, you may still be at the mercy of the other drivers on the road. Even a short time driving in Chicago will illustrate the fact that drivers tend to speed, run red lights, and fail to completely stop at stop signs. Any of these negligent acts can and often does lead to a collision, some of which cause serious injuries.
When an accident results, the laws in Illinois and in Chicago require that all drivers involved remain at the scene until they are cleared by police with very few exceptions. Failing to abide by this law is generally described as a hit-and-run and it is very serious. In addition to any underlying traffic charges stemming from a crash, a fleeing driver may also face a misdemeanor or criminal charge for fleeing the scene of an accident, potentially resulting in fines, a loss of license, or even incarceration.
But the penalties leveled by the State of Illinois may just be the beginning of the effects felt by a negligent fleeing driver. The injured victims of a crash can choose to retain a lawyer and to bring a claim for their damages against the responsible driver, seeking monetary compensation for their injuries and their pain and suffering.
A hit-and-run accident can affect any type of individual near a street, not just those in a car. Rather, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians are victims of fleeing drivers every year in Chicago and often, they are more seriously injured than they would be if they had been traveling in a car.
That appears to be the case in a West Rogers Park accident last night around 8:30 p.m. Police have reported that an unknown driver in a black Toyota Avalon was driving west on Devon Avenue and approaching Maplewood Avenue. Three individuals were walking in the area and the driver allegedly struck all three, a 72-year-old woman, a 68-year-old man, and a 28-year-old man.
All three victims were left in critical condition and were transported to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston for evaluation and treatment of their injuries. The driver of the Avalon reportedly fled the scene of the crash without stopping to see if any victims were injured and without calling for help. Anyone with any information regarding the driver involved in this crash is asked to contact the Chicago Police Department.
In many cases, a hit-and-run driver is later apprehended and charged in connection with a crash. Regardless of whether or not an at-fault driver is later found, though, the law still entitles victims of an accident to seek financial relief either against the responsible driver or against their own insurance through an uninsured motorist claim. This allows a victim to receive proper compensation for their damages and provides victims with the ability to obtain and pay for needed medical treatment.
If you have been injured in an accident with a hit-and-run driver or if your loved one has been killed, you may have a claim. Call the lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us provide you with a free, no obligation telephone consultation. We are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 to take your call, so do not hesitate. Call us today and let us help you.
Prior Blog Entry:
Chicago Accident Lawyers Receive $92,879 Award at Arbitration on Behalf of Car Crash Victim, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published December 20, 2013.
Resource:
3 critically hurt in hit-and-run in West Rogers Park, by Peter Nickeas, Chicago Tribune, published December 23, 2013.