Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
If you drive in Chicago, you agree to obey all the local and state rules of the road while acting in a safe and reasonable manner. You also agree to face punishments imposed by the state if you fail to follow the laws or to live up to the legal requirements governing your conduct. One clear rule in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs requires anyone involved in a car accident or other traffic collision to remain at the scene until cleared by officials. There are very limited exceptions to this rule and generally exist only in the case of medical emergencies and when a driver otherwise leaves the scene, it is called a hit-and-run accident.
Though a hit-and-run is a crime in Illinois, thousands of drivers continue to flee the scene of a collision every year in an effort to avoid the fallout from that accident. But what many people do not realize is that a large number of those drivers are later apprehended and generally will face stiffer punishments when they are caught than they would have otherwise. The reasoning behind this strict enforcement and punishment is to encourage motorists to comply with the laws and also to punish negligent and reckless behaviors that can leave injury victims at the scene of a crash, in need of medical help and without the ability to call for that help on their own.
When a hit-and-run driver is subsequently apprehended, those who were hurt by that driver’s actions in a crash may be entitled to seek financial compensation against the driver and/or that driver’s insurance company. But even if authorities are never able to capture a fleeing driver, a victim who is hurt in a crash may still be able to recover financially for their pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost wages simply by bringing a claim for their injuries. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer in Chicago can help victims realize their options and whether they have a valid claim for relief.
Now, police in Chicago investigating a crash earlier in the week have confirmed that they arrested the suspected driver involved in the incident which claimed the life of a woman walking nearby. The incident took place in Tinley Park shortly after midnight on Saturday near the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Oak Park Avenue. A 54-year-old woman was walking in the area when a vehicle allegedly driven by a 21-year-old woman approached. The driver struck the pedestrian and caused massive injuries before the driver fled the scene without checking on the pedestrian or alerting authorities.
Emergency medical crews transported the pedestrian to a nearby hospital but her injuries were too extreme and she was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
With the help of eyewitness testimony, police were able to identify the vehicle and the driver they suspect were involved in the crash and the driver was arrested Wednesday. She faces several charges related to the accident including reckless homicide and police believe she may have been speeding and using a cell phone prior to the impact.
If your life has been affected by injuries you sustained in a collision with a hit-and-run driver or if your loved one was hurt or killed in a crash, do not let yourself or your family continue to suffer. Call the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. and speak with one of our licensed lawyers today about your rights and your legal options.
We offer all those who have been hurt and who call us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 a free, no-obligation case consultation and we have a lawyer available 24 hours a day to help you. Everything discussed during the consultation will be kept confidential and if we represent you, we will fight for the best outcome possible in your case.
Prior Blog Entry:
Driver Flees Scene of Car Crash on Foot in Logan Square, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published July 23, 2015.
Resource:
Woman charged in fatal Tinley Park hit-and-run crash, by Jordan Owen, Chicago Sun-Times, published July 22, 2015.