An Illinois community was rocked with grief after a recent roadway tragedy. When fatal motor vehicle accidents like this one occur, investigators often have their work cut out to determine what or who may have caused a particular incident to occur. In this case, a group of people who were traveling in a limousine together had no way of knowing that their lives were about to change forever.
As the 39-year-old limo driver carried his group of passengers along Route 34, another vehicle veered across the yellow line and hit the limousine head-on. Behind the wheel of that car was a 27-year-old man. The sudden impact of the crash was so forceful, both drivers were killed. Everyone in the limo was immediately transported to area hospitals for emergency treatment of their injuries.
Sadly, one passenger, age 42, died after arriving at a local hospital. It took approximately six hours for clean-up crews to clear the road of debris after the collision. The consequences of such tragedies are often permanent, as in the case of these multiple fatalities; however, those who survive their injuries also often bear permanent emotional or physical scars as well.
Illinois motor vehicle accidents caused by driver negligence often wind up being litigated in civil court. If the person who caused an accident did not survive his or her injuries, a recovering victim or immediate family member of a deceased victim may file a legal claim against his or her estate to seek financial recovery for their losses. The loss of human life is not replaceable; however, compensation awarded in wrongful death claims can help grieving families offset funeral expenses and other costs that may be associated with the fatal collision that caused a loved one’s death.