Illinois accident kills construction worker

Illinois accident kills construction worker

A single vehicle accident involving alcohol killed a construction worker on June 22. The crash occurred around 4:18 a.m. when a man allegedly drove while under the influence and crashed into a construction site on South Wester Avenue on the southwest side of the city.

The 19-year-old driver reportedly had a blood alcohol content of .191 percent and was charged with felony reckless homicide in a construction zone, misdemeanor having no car insurance, aggravated DUI resulting in an accidental death, failure to reduce speed and more. The driver and two others in his car were injured, and two people went to the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County while the other was sent to Mount Sinai Hospital.

The male construction worker was pronounced dead at the site at 5:45 a.m. He had four children and two grandchildren. He is originally from Mexico, and the family plans to bury him there in Guanajuato.

The loss of a loved one seems senseless when the reckless actions of one party leads to the death of an innocent person, but families in situations like this have options. Individuals can file a wrongful death claim while police and prosecutors work on criminal charges. This could allow a family to receive compensation to help pay for expenses that can build up while a family grieves and waits for justice. Funeral expenses can be expensive in any situation, but leaving the country for a funeral would add extra costs. Additionally, a family like this may still have a few children at home and just lost one source of income they likely depended on. In drunk driving cases, proof of intoxication could help an attorney prove negligence so a family receives a settlement or award.

Source: NBC Chicago, “Teen Charged With DUI in Crash That Killed Construction Worker“, June 23, 2014