There are many actions that defensive drivers can take to protect their safety. However, some motor vehicle accidents occur because of actions of others that cannot be avoided or anticipated. For example, police in Illinois believe that a recent car crash was caused by a driver who attempted an illegal U-turn.
The incident happened on a day in September. According to reports, a 57-year-old man was driving a tractor-trailer north on an Illinois highway. While in the right lane, police say he attempted a U-turn in order to head south.
Unfortunately, another northbound vehicle, driven by a 25-year-old man, was in the left lane. Police say that as a result of the tractor-trailer driver’s attempt to turn, the second vehicle struck the trailer, becoming wedged under it. Although he was reportedly wearing a safety belt at the time of the accident, the driver of the car in the left lane suffered injuries requiring hospital treatment; the severity of his injuries is unclear.
Although motor vehicle accidents always have the potential of causing great harm, crashes involving commercial vehicles such as tractor-trailers often do so because of their large size. Unfortunately, a man is now trying to recover from an accident that he could have likely done nothing to prevent. To help cope with the financial fallout of his injuries — including medical costs and lost wages — he has the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit in an Illinois civil court. An attorney with experience with such cases can help him create a plan of action, including identifying all parties, potentially including the driver’s employer, who may also hold responsibility in the crash.
Source: news-gazette.com, “Truck-car accident closes U.S. 45 temporarily“, Mary Schenk, Sept. 23, 2017