Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Police officers and other city officials undergo special training to detect and identify potential drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The goal of this training is to stop as many offenders as possible before an accident occurs, thus preventing as many alcohol-related injuries and alcohol-related deaths as possible. Yet even with police on patrol and on alert for impaired drivers, some of these individuals continue to cause accidents every week, leaving innocent victims involved and hurt as a result.
When the negligence of a drunk driver causes an accident that results in injuries, those involved may have the right to pursue a civil claim against the drunk driver to recover for their financial losses. In many cases, this can include medical bills and time missed from work due to injuries and doctor’s appointments. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer in Chicago is the best way to learn about the legal implications of your accident and whether you are entitled to seek relief on your own behalf.
Though officers routinely undergo training to identify impaired drivers, in some instances, it is clear to the general public that another driver may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. That appears to be the case with a suspected impaired driver who was stopped on the Kennedy on Saturday morning after he allegedly drove the wrong way on the busy expressway.
According to witnesses, the 62-year-old male driver was driving northbound shortly before 3:00 a.m. in lanes designated only for southbound traffic. The man was driving a white minivan and reportedly collided with a retaining wall several times at a high rate of speed before his vehicle came to a stop. A snowplow was in the area trying to clear the road’s surface for use by other drivers when the collision occurred and may have been the one to alert local police.
Police responded to the scene of the crash and began an investigation. It appeared that the driver was uninjured in the accident but he was believed to have been under in the influence of alcohol at the time. He has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving northbound in southbound only lanes, and failing to reduce his speed to avoid a collision. If convicted on all charges, the man could face incarceration, fines, and/or a loss of a driver’s license as a result of the accident.
Fortunately this accident did not result in any injuries but when alcohol is involved, that is not the most common outcome. If another driver drove while impaired and left you injured, you should know that you may be entitled to relief for your damages and that relief can be sought regardless of whether the other driver was convicted of impaired driving.
At Abels & Anes, P.C., our legal team devotes itself solely to the representation of those who have been hurt by others. We believe strongly that accident victims deserve to pursue their rights and to make that a possibility, we have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide free case consultations to those who call us at (855) 529-2442. If an accident has left you injured, make sure you understand your legal options. Call us today and let us help you seek the relief you deserve.
Prior Blog Entry:
Clean Up Efforts Continue on I-94 Fatal Pileup, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published January 24, 2014.
Resource:
Man charged with DUI after driving wrong way on Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, published January 26, 2014.