Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

The family of William B. Waite has reached a $1.5 million Illinois truck accident settlement with Double D Express and Spring Valley trucker Mark D. Boehm. Waite, a 49-year-old tow truck driver, died on June 23, 2008 after he was struck by the semi that Boehm was driving.

At the time, Waite and another man, Christian Henninger, were helping a tractor-trailer that had broken down on Interstate 80 close to Utica. That is when Boehm’s large truck hit them from behind. The truck driver told police that he was changing radio stations when the catastrophic Illinois truck collision occurred.

The family’s Chicago truck accident lawyer says that they chose to settle because they didn’t want to bankrupt Double D Express and add to unemployment in the area. He claims that the company failed to buy adequate liability insurance—a statement that the defendant disputes.

Earlier this year, Double D Express settled its Illinois semi-truck crash lawsuit with Henninger for $3 million. Henninger broke his vertebrae and sustained spleen and liver lacerations during the accident.

Distracted Driving
Seemingly harmless activities such as selecting a new playlist on the iPod that’s hooked up to the vehicle, conducting a MapQuest search on a PDA to get the right directions, calling a friend to let them know you are running late, or putting on makeup while the traffic light is red can turn into dangerous actions when they contribute to causing a catastrophic Chicago, Illinois tractor-trailer accident. You may even have grounds for a Chicago wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit.

Tow truck driver's family settles for $1.5 million, NewsTribune, August 11, 2010

Man Settles Illinois Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawsuit for $3 Million, Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer, June 18, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Fars Encyclopedia

Distracted Driving

According to TruckingInfo.com, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has ordered trucking company Hester off the road. The order was reportedly issued in June. Hester was involved in a deadly semi-truck collision on I-65 in Kentucky last March that claimed 11 lives.

Per a state police report trucker Kenneth Laymon may have been taking on a cell phone and speeding when he drove his 1999 Freightliner truck that was pulling a 53-foot semitrailer over a 60-foot wide grass median, struck a four-cable guardrail barrier, hit a 15-passenger van, drove over other travel lanes and struck a stone wall. His tractor-trailer would go on to burst into flames. Killed in the tractor-trailer accident were Laymon and 10 of the people riding in the van, most of them Mennonites from the same family.

Investigators have been trying to figure out whether Laymon went on any rest breaks from the time that he departed Lansing, Michigan for Cullman, Alabama. The catastrophic tractor-trailer collision occurred during the 13th hour and approximately 243rd of a 690-mile route that Laymon was driving. Unfortunately, the trucker’s log book was destroyed in the blaze and the truck did not have an electronic board recorder.

Following the catastrophic truck crash, the FMCSA audited Hester Inc. The federal agency ordered the trucking company to cease operations after failing to remedy “critical violations.” The FMCSA says that Hester used truckers before getting back their pre-employment drug tests results, let drivers operate their vehicle beyond the 11-hour federal limit for truckers, and allowed a truck driver who was suspended following a roadside inspection to continue driving. The trucking company cannot reopen its doors for business until the FMCSA deems that it is “fit” to do so and it gets back its registration.

Our Chicago tractor-trailer accident lawyers represent truck crash victims and their families in Cook County, Will County, Lake County, and DuPage County, Illinois.

Trucking firm ordered to halt operations after Munfordville accident that killed 11, Courier-Journal, September 1, 2010

FMCSA Orders Alabama Carrier Off the Road and Following Fatal Accident TruckingInfo, September 7, 2010

Lisa Going is blaming Mike Hahne Towing and tow truck driver John Claus Jr. for the IIllinois tow truck crash injuries she sustained on October 2, 2004. She is seeking over $150,000 plus costs from the defendants.

According to Going’s Illinois truck collision complaint, Claus Jr., who was driving a 1987 Ford FSR, rear-ended her in Glen Carbon on Route 159 at around 8:12 in the morning. She contends that Claus failed to keep a proper lookout, did not keep his truck under proper control, failed to swerve or stop to avoid the collision, neglected to obey a traffic control device, and drove too fast. Going also says that Kathy and Michael Hahne caused the truck crash through Claus and that they should never have let him drive because they knew he was not capable of properly operating the tow truck.

Going says that as a result of her truck accident injuries, she experienced discomfort, pain, has been physically restricted and limited, incurred medical expenses, and lost income.

Chicago, Illinois Tow Truck Accidents
Pedestrians and the occupants of vehicles involved with any kind of large truck are at a huge disadvantage and often at high risk of sustaining painful injuries. In Chicago truck crash cases involving a negligent truck driver, it is not uncommon for an injury victim to also seek damages from the trucker’s employer and other liable parties.

The best way to determine whether you have grounds for a Chicago truck accident case is to explore your legal options with an experienced Chicago injury law firm that handles truck collision claims and lawsuits.

Towing company and driver blamed in rear-end accident , August 27, 2010

Related Web Resources:
The Truck Safety Coalition

Michigan Center for Truck Safety

Truck Safety, AAA Exchange

An appeals court has upheld the $65 million semi-truck accident verdict that a jury had awarded to Kendra Lymon last year. Lymon, who was 19 when she was injured in a tractor-trailer crash in 2007, has serious injuries and can no longer take care of herself.

Trucker Robert Bohn, driving part-time for Bynum Transport, was operating the large truck that struck Lymon’s Dodge Neon. According to her semi-trailer accident lawyers, she was the one with the green light at the time.

Prior to the tragic truck collision, Lymon worked at Florida Institute of Neurologic Rehabilitation and could speak six languages. She was also majoring in psychology at a local community college. After the traffic crash, she was hospitalized and in a coma for months.

Now, according to her mother, Lymon must be constantly supervised and cannot bathe, eat, dress, go to the bathroom, or tend to other simple tasks alone. She also needs a wheelchair and has difficulty walking.

The defendants had tried to get the tractor-trailer award reduced, arguing that it was excessive. They were specifically challenging the $41,443,401 awarded to Lymon for her pain and suffering, disfigurement, disability, physical impairment, a mental anguish, aggravation of disease or physical defect, and loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life.

Catastrophic Injuries
Living with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other catastrophic injuries can be very expensive. While obtaining Chicago truck accident recovery won’t make your loved one’s injuries go away, it can help cover the costs for necessary specialized care. Many catastrophic injury patients need round-the-clock nursing care, specialized therapies, medical equipment, and other medical services.

Appeals Court Upholds $65 Million Verdict for Woman in 2007 Crash, The Ledger, August 18, 2010

Woman deserves $65M for crash injuries, jury says, NewsChief.com, March 20, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Truck Safety Coalition

Another truck accident victim is seeking personal injury recovery from trucker Jose Alberto Sarmiento and trucking company Spartan Logistics LLC over a deadly collision involving multiple vehicles that occurred on Interstate 81 in 2008. In this latest tractor-trailer crash lawsuit, William Morgan is seeking $500,000 for his permanent and serious injuries and the damages that his vehicle sustained.

Morgan contends that as a result of his injuries, he continues to experience “great pain” and cannot properly see to his personal and business affairs. He is accusing Sarmiento of operating his truck in a careless, negligent, and reckless manner.

Four other civil lawsuits have been filed over the deadly semi-truck collision. Earlier this year, the family of siblings Ivan Ryman, 4, and Maggie Ryman, 1, sued the trucker and his trucking company for wrongful deaths, as well as for the wrongful death of their grandmother Cordula Elma Lear, 80. The mother of the two children, 40-year-old Serena Vera Lear Ryman, is seeking damages for personal injury. She was driving the car that all of them were in at the time of the deadly truck accident. Separate jury trials for each case are scheduled.

Sarmiento, who admitted to three counts of reckless driving, was ordered to pay a fine and received a suspended jail term.

Lawsuit filed in accident on I-81, NVDaily.com, July 29, 2010

Bond Set for Sarmiento, WHSV, December 2, 2008

Related Web Resources:
Large Trucks, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Insurance Information Institute

Continue reading "Fifth Truck Accident Lawsuit Filed Against Trucker Over 2008 Accident" »

With their semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, semi-trailers, and other large trucks weighing and carrying thousands of pounds, truck drivers cannot afford to drive carelessly or recklessly in any way. Taking their eyes off the road for just a few seconds, such as when retrieving a text message, can prove catastrophic for pedestrians and the occupants of the other vehicle in the event that a Chicago truck accident were to occur. Drowsy driving, or even worse, falling asleep at the steering wheel, kills many people each year, as does failure to stop at red light.

Another type of bad driver behavior that can cause catastrophic Chicago, Illinois truck crashes is drunk driving. Driving under the influence of drugs or heavy medication can slow down the trucker’s reaction time, cause blurry vision, poor coordination, and disorientation, impair the abilities to reason and act swiftly, and lead to blackouts. All of these side effects can turn a truck driver into a very dangerous motorist who has lost the ability to drive safely and keep his/her large vehicle in control.

As a Chicago truck accident victim, it is important that you do not speak with the trucking company or their insurance company without exploring your legal options first. Some trucking companies will try to persuade you to settle immediately. While this option may seem like the solution to the expenses you will likely incur because of the damage to your vehicle, any medical and recovery expenses, and the time that you need to take off work to recover, you don’t want to sign away your right to receive all the compensation that you are owed—especially once the full extent of your injuries and other costs can be assessed.

Drinking & Driving, Alcohol: Problems and Solutions

Impaired Driving, CDC

Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

DUI, Illinois State Police

According to Illinois State Police, a multi-vehicle collision involving four tractor-trailers and three other vehicles has claimed the lives of two people and sent three others to the hospital. The Illinois tractor-trailer accident happened yesterday afternoon on Interstate 57, north of West Frankford.

Vehicles were stopped close to a construction zone when one of the tractor-trailers crashed into the line of traffic, resulting in multiple vehicles colliding. Two other commercial trucks were also unable to stop in time. Killed in the Illinois semi-truck accident were trucker Randy Reynolds, who allegedly failed to stop, and truck driver Carl James Jones Junior.

Also involved in the catastrophic Illinois semi-truck accident were two pickup trucks and a Jeep. One victim was flown to a hospital while two others were transported to a Benton hospital. A fire had broken out at the Illinois truck accident site, caused in part by fuel and the fact that one of the semi-trailers was carrying a cargo of vehicle batteries.

With so many parties involved in any kind of multi-vehicle collision, it can be a challenge to determine who should be held liable unless you have experienced legal help. Trucking companies often will fight to disprove liability, which can be especially confusing for everyone else involved—especially when there are multiple commercial firms determined to minimize any blame.

Two killed in fiery wreck on I-57, Pantagraph.com, July 16, 2010

2 truckers die in seven-vehicle crash on I-57 in Illinois, The Associated Press/The Trucker, July 16, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Truck Accidents Web Resources, Justia

Continue reading "Illinois Tractor-Trailer Accident Involving Seven Vehicles Kills Two Truckers" »

Chicago Heights trucker Tinauris C. Wise is facing a negligent homicide in the traffic accident death of Jose Aragon, 60 The Illinois tractor-trailer driver had parked his truck on a shoulder around a curve of Interstate 70, which forced Sharon L. Diaz to swerve her Ford Focus into another lane where it was rear-ended by another vehicle. According to authorities, a number of other vehicles were also forced into the left-hand lane because of the way Wise had parked his semi-truck.

The impact of the rear-end crash caused Diaz’s vehicle to rollover, throwing Aragon from the vehicle. Diaz and Aragon were both airlifted to the hospital.

Wise, 33, had placed reflective triangles on the interstate after his truck broke down. His truck was parked on the Interstate for nearly eight hours before the tragic traffic crash happened. He told police his son, niece, and nephew were in the truck cab and that he had put cones on the road to block the right-hand westbound lane because “trucks kept passing too close to him and that a motorist hit one of those (cones).” He says that he had waited all day for a tow truck to arrive. According to one State Patrol trooper, this was the first-time the officer had seen a lane closure in such a high-speed area, “let alone a downhill curve,” where motorists were given such a short time to react. Wise is also facing charges of obstructing a highway and reckless endangerment.

Chicago, Illinois Truck Accidents
Tractor-trailer drivers can be held responsible in both criminal and civil courts if their negligence, carelessness, or recklessness contributed to causing an Illinois 18-wheeler truck collision where personal injuries or wrongful deaths were involved. In Cook County, Will County, Lake County, and DuPage County, Illinois, contact our Chicago, Illinois truck accident law firm.

Cops say traffic cones he placed contributed to interstate wreck, GJSentinel, July 1, 2010

Trucker faces charges in fatal I-70 crash, Denver Post, June 30, 2010

Related Web Resource:
Improving Highway Safety, FMCSA

A jury has awarded the family of Rodney Jennings $2.025 million for his truck accident death in 2007. The 28-year-old, who was a prison inmate at the time, was struck by the truck while he was in a work detail picking up trash. The defendants in the wrongful death lawsuit are private dump truck driver Wayne H. Goss Sr. and the state’s department of public safety and correctional services.

The dump truck accident happened on August 23, 2007. According to the other inmate crewmembers, Jennings and at least two other inmates were trying to cross the freeway ramp when a tractor-trailer and a dump truck approached and tried to go through the exit at the same time. While the tractor-trailer was able to get through, the dump truck went off the ramp and struck Jennings.

The dump truck driver, Wayne H. Goss Sr., said he “leaned on" his horn when he saw the three inmates. While two of them stayed in the grassy area next to the ramp, Goss says that Jennings ran across the ramp and directly in front of the dump truck. Jennings’ legs were crushed and he was knocked unconscious. A fellow inmate was able to revive him but he was later pronounced dead at a medical trauma center. He reportedly experienced severe pain prior to his passing.

Under state law, many civil jury awards have a $680,000 non-economic damages cap. However, the family’s truck accident lawyer says that his clients are likely to receive close to $1.4 million of the $2.025 million verdict because the jury found both the trucker and the state liable. Jenning, who was serving two years in prison for a drug distribution conviction, was scheduled to get out of jail in 2009.

Jury awards $2 million in highway death of Md. inmate, Baltimore Sun, June 24, 2010

Inmate on Work Crew Killed on I-495 in Pr. George's, Washington Post, August 24, 2007

Related Web Resources:
FARS Encyclopedia, NHTSA

Large Trucks, IIHS

A multi-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck sent six people to the hospital. The Illinois truck accident happened on June 13 in a construction zone on Interstate 57.

At the time, the interstate was just one lane. Illinois State Police say that the semi-truck struck four other vehicles that had slowed because of the construction zone. The large truck then hit another semi, which caused the latter to overturn and hit a construction vehicle. According to KFVS, three vehicles that could not stop in time then struck each other.

Among the injury victims were semi-truck Jose Bruno, who police are calling the offending motorist, Angel Triana, who was co-driving along with Bruno, Susan and Robert Laley-Mahomet, and Priscilla and Guillermo Lopez-Elmhurst. Four of them were transported to a Herrin hospital while the other two were flown to a hospital in Evansville. Bruno received a citation for failure to reduce speed.

Four other people involved in the Illinois truck accident were treated at the crash site before being released. They are Michael Roper, Toni and Kellon Baccus-Eddyville, and Kathy Lacy-Herin.

Construction Zone Driving
It is so important that motorists obey construction zone laws and directives. Construction zones are there to protect not just the people that are working there, but also the motorists, who comprise a majority of the construction zone deaths that happen every year. Of the 31 work zone deaths that occurred on Illinois roads in 2008, 2 of them were construction workers. In 2007, only 2 of the 27 construction zone fatalities were workers. In 2006, only one of the 29 Illinois construction zone deaths was a construction worker. According to Illinois State police, driver inattentiveness and speeding were the most common reasons why these fatalities occurred.

Drivers must slow down in a construction zone and adapt to the traffic conditions to avoid hurting others motorists, as well as the workers, who are placing themselves at risk by working in the road construction area.

Six people hurt in crash on Interstate 57, KFVS 12, June 13, 2010

Construction zone warning: Slow down, pay attention, Quad City TImes, May 12, 2009

Related Web Resources:

FMCSA

Road Safe America

Continue reading "Illinois Semi-Truck Crash Causes Multi-Vehicle Collision that Injures Six" »

Roxann Bohstedt is suing truck driver Desmond Ashley and Markare Services for Illinois personal injury. Bohstedt is seeking over $100,000 plus costs.

According to her Illinois truck accident lawsuit, on March 18 the truck that Ashley was driving for Markare Services struck Bohstedt’s motor vehicle on I-55. Ashley was changing lanes at the time.

Bohstedt says that as a result of the Illinois tractor-trailer crash, she sustained permanent and severe injuries to her cervical spine and shoulders. She also contends that she suffered great mental anguish and pain, incurred medical expenses, and lost a great deal of income because she has been unable to pursue her usual occupation.

Bohstedt is accusing the truck driver of driving too fast, failing to keep the semi-truck under control, neglecting to keep a proper lookout, not keeping enough distance between his truck and the other vehicles, neglecting to keep his tractor-trailer in the correct lane, failing to yield the right-of-way, failing to lower his speed to avoid a truck crash, and driving his truck without regard for others’ safety.

Back injuries, shoulder injuries, spinal cord injuries, and neck injuries can be extremely painful and debilitating. They can require costly medical care, including surgeries, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. Depending on the seriousness of the injury, the victim’s quality of life can be seriously impacted.

If you were injured in a semi-truck crash that was caused by the truck driver, it is important that you not deal with trucking company's insurer on your own. Many insurance companies will try to get you to settle your Illinois semi-truck case and this can often cause you to agree to a smaller sum of money than you would have obtained if only you’d sued for Chicago truck accident compensation.

Woman claims truck driver caused I-55 accident, The Record, June 15, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Illinois Department of Transportation

Truck Driver Regulations, FMCSA

Nearly six years after he suffered a concussion, injured his back, and fractured his left rib, a jury has awarded Michial Jacobs $1.5 million for his big rig truck crash injuries. The verdict was issued after an 11-day trial and is believed to be the largest known verdict for a single person injury in the county.

On October 4, 2004, Jacobs, 63, was driving his trailer on I-505 when he was rear-ended by a semi-tractor trailer rig carrying 40 pounds of sugar and going at a speed of about 55 mph. The truck accident happened because truck driver Thomas Lloyd fell as asleep while driving.

Jacobs, who has not been able to return to work as a carpenter since the semi-truck accident, sued Lloyd and Ernie Newland and Pacific Transportation Services for truck driver negligence. He accused Lloyd of failing to exercise due care when operating the large truck.

Drowsy Truck Driving
A drowsy truck driver is a dangerous driver because his/her reflexes are slowed and paying attention to road conditions becomes very hard when someone is very sleepy. Drowsy truck drivers are like drunk drivers in that their driving becomes impaired. A trucker that falls asleep behind the wheel of a large truck is even more dangerous because he/she is for all intents and purposes driving while unconscious. Drowsy driving is negligent driving and can be grounds for a Chicago truck accident lawsuit.

In addition to commercial truck drivers who drive long hours for long distances and may have an undiagnosed sleep disorder, other persons at high risk of drowsy driving are:

• People that work night hours or the graveyard shift
• Narcoleptics
• Persons suffering from obstructive sleep apnea
• Medical house staff who work odd hours
• A person taking strong medication
• A person who is so drunk to the point of nearly passing out
• Young drivers
• Motorists who are not used to driving late at night or very early in the morning.
• Someone who is sleep deprived

Yolo jury awards man $1.5M for '04 accident, Daily Democrat, June 4, 2010

The Drowsy Driver, DCMSOnline.org

Related Web Resources:
Large Truck Accidents, NHTSA (PDF)

According to the Federal Highway Administration, 3 of the 10 most congested truck corridors in the US are located in Chicago. Ranking number one on the list is the Circle Interchange, which is the downtown junction located between Eisenhower Expressway and the Kennedy and Dan Ryan Expressways. The average speed in this junction is 30 mp but traffic can slow to as low as about 23 mph during rush hour.

The Kennedy Expressway junction with the Edens Expressway, located on Chicago’s North Side, is number two on the list. Average rush hour speed is 23 mph, with an average non-rush hour speed of 39 mph even though the speed limit in this corridor is 55 mph.

Dan Ryan Expressway where it joins up with the Bishop Ford Freeway takes the number 9 spot. Average speed clocked in is about 50 mph during non-rush hours, 47 mph overall all, and 38 mph during busy travel periods.

The I-290 at Interstate Highway 355 in Chicago’s western suburbs is number 67 on the list, while Interstate Highway 80/94, in the Chicago-Northwest Indiana corridor, is listed as the 85th most congested truck bottleneck in the US.

This information, provided by the Federal Highway Administration and American Transportation Research Institute, will hopefully help trucking companies do a better job of figuring out their delivery routes and schedules so that they can avoid having to go through the busiest corridors during their peak hours. However, not only are truck drivers responsible for getting their cargo to its destination in a timely manner but also, he/she must drive to the current driving conditions to avoid causing a Chicago truck accident, which can occur if a large truck follows too closely behind the vehicle in front of it, fails to slow down when traffic starts to back up, or attempts to talk on the cell phone or text while driving.

Unfortunately, there are truck drivers who fail to obey traffic laws or go with the flow of traffic. When this happens, pedestrians and the occupants of other vehicles are the ones that suffer the most.

Chicago has top 2 truck bottlenecks in nation, study finds, Chicago Tribune, May 26, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Federal Highway Administration

American Transportation Research Institute

Continue reading "Chicago is Site of Two Leading Truck Bottlenecks in the US" »

Samuel Clines is suing Charles K. Foster III, Curt Foster doing business as Foster Brothers' Salvage and Recycling, and Steven R. Hilton for his Illinois tractor-trailer crash injuries. He is seeking a judgment greater than $150,000 plus costs.

According to Clines’ Illinois truck accident lawsuit, on May 30, 2008 he was in O’Fallon and stopped for traffic on West Highway 50 when he was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer being driven by Hilton. Clines contends that the trucker failed to stop his large truck.

The plaintiff is also accusing Hilton of negligent driving, including following too closely behind the vehicles ahead of him, not keeping a proper lookout, driving too fast, failing to properly control his tractor-trailer, and operating his truck in a manner that caused the traffic collision.

Clines says that he sustained injuries to his neck, back, arms, shoulders, spine, ribs, spinal cord, vertebrae, joints, invertebral discs, bones, and skin, and that he suffered neck pain, headaches, back pain, nausea, swelling, nervousness, inflammation, dizziness, the impairment of his natural functions, and limitation of motion. He claims that some of these injuries continue to remain active. Cline says that as a result of his injuries, not only has he incurred medical bills but also his ability to enjoy life has been diminished.

Illinois Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Negligent truckers and their trucking companies can be held liable for a victim’s personal injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one. Illinois truck crash lawsuits can be tough to win without an experienced 18-wheeler truck accident law firm representing you. The sooner you get legal help the easier it will be for your tractor-trailer crash lawyers to begin pursuing your compensation.

Driver claims tractor-trailer rear-ended him, The Record, May 24, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Trucks and Trucking News, New York Times, May 26, 2010

Truck Safety, AAA

Regis J. Jennings and Sharon Bricker are suing C. Grantham Co. and truck driver Lawrence C. Haas for Jennings’ Illinois truck accident injuries. Jennings, a semi-truck driver, says he was driving his 2001 Freightliner semi- north on Illinois Route 127 in Bond County on April 28, 2008 when a wheel from the semi-tractor that Haas was pulling with his truck came off the vehicle. The wheel then struck Jennings’ tractor-trailer, causing him to sustain serious and permanent injuries.

Jennings says that in addition to causing him to experience pain and suffering and incurred medical expenses, his Illinois semi-tractor injures have prevented him from attending to his daily responsibilities and doing his job to the extent that he was able to do so before. He therefore cannot earn the same amount of money.

Jennings’ wife, Sharon Briker, is claiming loss of her husband’s comfort and care and loss of consortium. She says that she too has incurred medical expenses because of her husband’s injuries.

The plaintiff says that the defendants did not properly inspect the nuts, bolts, wheels, and other wheel fasteners on Haas’ semi-trailer. They also failed to systematically repair, inspect, and maintain the large truck. Jennings claims that considering the wheels’ condition, Haas was traveling at an unsafe speed and that the defendant’s unfitness, inexperience, and incompetence contributed to causing the Illinois truck crash. Jennings claims that Haas was never properly trained on how to drive, inspect, or maintain semi-trailers and semi-trucks.

The couple is seeking over $600,000 plus costs.

Truck driver's inexperience contributed to accident, suit claims, The Record, May 3, 2010

Related Web Resources:
FMCSA

FARS-

The young children of Vashawn L. Brinson, 5-year-old Amber and 6-year-old Jeremiah, have been awarded $1,003,750 in the truck accident death of their father. Brinson died in 2007 after he was struck by a truck while crossing I-75. His body was thrown 233 feet before being hit by other vehicles.

The 30-year-old paralegal had left his overheated vehicle in the emergency lane when he crossed the road to get water for the car. He was wearing dark clothing and at 6am it was still dark when trucker Richard D. King struck him.

During the wrongful death civil trial, witness experts attempted to show jurors that King had failed to move into the inside left lane, was speeding, neglected to step on the brakes to slow down, and failed to keep a proper lookout to avoid striking Brinson. King was never ticketed over the tragic truck crash.

The jury found transportation company Landstar Ranger Inc. liable and awarded each of Brinson’s kids $1 million for mental pain and suffering and $7,500 for funeral expenses. They agreed with the defense that Brinson was 50% liable. The judge upheld the jury’s verdict.

Chicago, Illinois Truck Accidents
The death of a family member is always difficult. Not only does it mean having to live without someone you love, but also that loss may place you and the rest of your family in financial hardship. If a trucker was responsible for causing your loved one’s untimely passing, you may be able to sue them by filing a Chicago truck crash lawsuit against the driver and the trucking company that employs him/her. Damages may include compensation for the death, funeral expenses, medical bills, loss of financial support, loss of benefits, and (depending on the specifics of your case) other losses.

Judge awards 2 Lee County children more than $1 million after father killed in I-75 crash, NaplesNews, April 20, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Road Safe America

Fatalities From Large Truck Crashes, SmartMotorists.com

The family of Yessina Cruz is suing Tuff Car Co. Inc. for Chicago personal injury involving injuries to a minor. Cruz was injured in 2009 after one of the towing company’s trucks tried to tow away the pickup truck that she was sitting in.

Cruz had just returned home after undergoing an appendectomy. Because she wasn’t feeling well, she remained in the backseat of her dad’s 1993 Ford F-150, which was parked outside their Cicero residence.

The driver of the tow truck saw the pickup and took steps to impound it. Even though the young girl was visible inside the pickup, the Chicago injury lawsuit claims that the truck driver did not check inside the vehicle.

As the truck driver attempted to tow the pickup, Yessina opened the back door and fell out while trying to escape. According to the Chicago injuries to minor complaint, the fall accident caused her stitches to tear. She ended up having to spend days in the hospital and undergo additional medical treatments.

The Chicago personal injury lawsuit is seeking over $50,000 for Yessina’s physical injuries, emotional suffering, and mental trauma.

Chicago Truck Accident Lawsuit
If you’ve been hurt in any kind of Cook County injury accident involving a truck, you should consult with a Chicago truck crash law firm. Illinois injury lawsuits involving trucks are different from other kinds of motor vehicle complaints, and you will want to be represented by someone who knows how to successfully pursue your financial recovery.

Suit says truck was towed with ill child inside, Chicago Breaking News, April 8, 2010

Family sues tow truck co. over injuries, UPI, April 9, 2010