How often have Illinois motorists been forced to take evasive action in order to avoid a collision? Many times, these drivers manage to avoid being involved in motor vehicle accidents, count their blessings and keep going. Sometimes, however, things to terribly wrong, and even though a driver avoids the first potential accident, he or she ends up in another crash.
This is what happened on a recent Saturday afternoon at approximately 12:50 p.m. Police reports indicate that a vehicle stopped on southbound Route 78, awaiting an opportunity to turn left onto another street. The vehicle behind the first vehicle failed to stop and slammed into the first one. The first vehicle flipped onto its roof and was shoved into the opposite lane of travel.
A third vehicle swerved to avoid the wreckage and ended up in a ditch, where it slammed into a culvert. From there, it continued flipping until it finally came to rest on its roof. The 86-year-old man survived the crash and was treated for his injuries before being released from the hospital. His 86-year-old passenger died from the injuries she suffered. The drivers of the other two vehicles received citations for separate violations.
The family of the Illinois woman who died retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against the party or parties believed responsible. If surviving family members establish negligence through applicable evidence, the court will consider an award of damages. Even though a monetary judgment will not bring their loved one back, it could help with the unexpected financial losses that are typically incurred in the aftermath of fatal motor vehicle accidents.
Source: starcourier.com, “Kewanee woman dies in three-vehicle accident“, March 20, 2017