Wrongful death car accident in Chicago kills driver

The family of one man is mourning their loss after he died in a crash with another car on Chicago’s South Side. The automobile accident occurred earlier this month during the early morning hours. The victim was traveling south when, according to police reports, another car coming in the opposite direction turned across his lane.

The impact was sudden and violent. The man’s car was completely spun around by the force of the collision. Accident investigators at the scene of the accident discovered that one car’s engine had been ejected from under the hood and lay approximately 50 feet away.

Five other people sustained injuries in the wreck, including the driver of the other car. The severity of their injuries was not immediately known. Chicago police have indicated their intent to file charges against the driver who caused the accident by turning left across oncoming traffic. Police took him into custody following the crash.

People have significant responsibilities when operating a motor vehicle. Drivers control thousands of pounds of steel, plastic and glass, which can cause significant and fatal injuries even at relatively slow speeds. Every driver has the duty to observe the standard of care, including obeying applicable traffic laws.

The criminal law attempts to deter and punish dangerous driving through fines and incarceration. But the civil law has a place in car accidents too. Victims may have the ability to seek compensation for injuries caused by the negligence of another driver, and families of those killed in car crashes can maintain a wrongful death suit to compensate them for the loss of their loved one.

Source: Chicago Tribune, “Driver arrested after 1 killed, 5 injured in Brighton Park crash,” Peter Nickeas, April 1, 2012.