If an Illinois driver is operating a vehicle that is hauling a trailer carrying a heavy load, it can place nearby motorists at risk for injury if the load is not properly secured. If the proper restraints are not used or something malfunctions, the item or items on a trailer can suddenly become airborne, possibly striking a nearby vehicle. A recent motor vehicle accident on Route 159 involved a John Deere skid steer that was being carried on a trailer.
A 37-year-old man was behind the wheel of the vehicle that was hauling the skid steer at the time. He was traveling in a southbound direction when the equipment fell off the trailer and landed in the northbound lane. A 57-year-old woman happened to be traveling in that lane, and her vehicle struck the skid steer head-on.
When rescuers arrived at the scene, they had to help extricate the woman from her vehicle. While she was still alive when responders pulled her from the car, she later died after being transported to an area hospital. No other vehicles were involved in the collision.
When a motor vehicle accident results in a fatality, it often leads to litigation in an Illinois civil court. State law allows an immediate family member of a deceased accident victim to file a wrongful death claim in court against any person believed to have caused the death through negligence. A plaintiff in such a case is tasked with providing evidence to the court to show that negligence occurred and was directly responsible for his or her loved one’s death. This type of litigation is challenging, which is why most plaintiffs rely on experienced personal injury attorneys to represent them in court.