Single-vehicle accident in Illinois kills 1, injures 1

Single-vehicle accident in Illinois kills 1, injures 1

On August 18, a car accident occurred in Logan County on Interstate 55 that took the life of a West Chicago man. The accident happened around 7:10 a.m. at the Atlanta exit ramp near mile post 140. According to Illinois State Police, an 18-year-old man was driving southbound on I-55 in a 2006 Chevrolet SUV and lost control of the vehicle as it reached the exit. The SUV left the road and struck a tree.

A 30-year-old passenger in the SUV suffered serious injuries in the crash and died later that morning. The driver of the SUV suffered minor injuries and was transported to a medical center in Bloomington. The SUV was owned by a third party who was not in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

The news source did not mention any speculation from authorities regarding what caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. As of August 20, authorities were still investigating the accident and no charges had been filed.

When a car accident results in a fatality, the victim’s family may suffer serious financial strain from medical bills, funeral expenses and the loss of that person’s income. If such an accident may have been caused by a negligent driver, family members could seek compensation from that party via a wrongful death lawsuit. An attorney experienced with such litigation could advise those relatives on the strength of a potential civil case. If the potential defendant of a wrongful death lawsuit wished to avoid a court battle, an attorney for the family of an accident victim could represent them during settlement negotiations.

Source: My Suburban Life, “West Chicago man dies in car crash in central Illinois“, Kelli Murray, August 21, 2014