Chicago Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

Illinois has passed several laws to protect pedestrians. They reflect the danger that cars, trucks, and other vehicles pose. They also consider the grave toll these accidents would have on victims. The following summarizes the main rules from these laws.

• When must drivers stop for pedestrians? Drivers must stop when pedestrians are in crosswalks or on school days when they enter/leave a school zone. Drivers must also stop if doing so would prevent further injury or accident. 625 ILCS 5/11-801
• When must drivers yield to pedestrians? Drivers must yield when turning at a red light or intersection; when pedestrians are on their side of the road; when pedestrians have the right of way; when pedestrians are already in the crosswalk when the light turns green; when pedestrians are leaving a driveway, alley, private road, or building; and when yielding would prevent an injury or accident. 625 ILCS 5/Ch. 11 Art. IX
• When are vehicles allowed on the road? Drivers can only use Illinois roads to safely enter, merge, start, or stop with traffic. All unauthorized use of roads, highways, shoulders, alleys, or other avenues is strictly prohibited. 625 ILCS 5/11-709.1
• How must drivers operate their vehicles? In Illinois, drivers must use all due care in order to avoid accident with pedestrians and other vehicles. It is incumbent on them to operate their cars or sound their horns in order to prevent incident. 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1

This summarizes the main rules of the road in Illinois. The onus is on drivers to avoid accident. When incidents arise, the assumption is that the driver caused it. These laws protect pedestrians and penalize drivers.

Yes, parents can sue on behalf of their children for injuries related to a pedestrian accident. Consider Illinois’ rules on negligence to see if you have a case. To sue for a negligence, you must show that the driver acted unreasonably and caused your child’s damages. 720 ILCS 5/4-7. If that person shows that your son or daughter was responsible for the crash, then you might lose. 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. However, children under five generally cannot be held liable. If you can successfully demonstrate these points, then you will be able to recover for all your child’s economic and non-economic damages. Also, remember to bring the action within the appropriate statute of limitations. 735 ILCS 5/13-212.

In Illinois, injured pedestrians have two years to file a lawsuit for their injuries. 735 ILCS 5/13-212. This statute of limitation prevents plaintiffs from filing cases long after the accident. That reduces court resources and makes it difficult to ascertain the truth of the matter. However, that also means victims of pedestrian accidents must move swiftly. They need to investigate the facts, build a case, and file suit in a short timeframe.

$278,311 AWARD; PEDESTRIAN HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT; COOK COUNTY ILLINOIS

Antonio Cazarez was walking along a road in Rolling Meadows, Illinois when a car came over the curb and hit him. Then, the vehicle drove off into the night leaving Antonio with serious bodily injuries. The driver had been drinking at a local restaurant and was significantly intoxicated while operating the car. Cazarez sued the restaurant and the driver in Cook County for civil damages. His claims against the driver revolved around negligence and willful and wanton conduct. His claims against the restaurant centered on the Dram Shop Act. Both defendants denied all charges but a jury found the store responsible and awarded the plaintiff $278,311 in expenses and suffering.

$65,000 AWARD; PEDESTRIAN AND TRUCK ACCIDENT; ILLINOIS

Out of nowhere, the plaintiff here was hit by a Fed Ex truck when it turned into his path and hit him. He sustained numerous injuries including a herniated disc, back pain, and head contusions. He sued the company and the driver to recover for these harms and the expenses that resulted but the trial just turned into a whole lot of finger pointing. Both sides argued that the other was negligent and caused the incident. The jury was tasked with deciding fault and damages. It found in favor of the jogger and awarded him $65,000 in damages for pain and suffering and medical bills.

$900,000 AWARD; PEDESTRIAN AND VAN ACCIDENT; ILLINOIS

Here, an elderly man was hit by a minivan then dragged by a truck for a significant amount of time. Eventually, he died as a result of the injuries he experienced. His estate sued. It contended that both drivers were negligent. However, the defendants shot back that the old man was not paying attention and was as much responsible for his injuries (or even more) than they were. The jury found that the defendants were 75% responsible for the crash and the decedent was 25% responsible for the crash. The family (the man had three surviving family members) received approximately $900,000 in compensation from the lawsuit.

$2,000,000 SETTLEMENT; PEDESTRIAN AND CAR CRASH; COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

A cop car went through a crosswalk and slammed into a child scarring his liver and puncturing his bowels in Chicago. The mother of the child watched it happened and suffered severe emotional distress. Both the mom and the kid brought suit against the City of Chicago for the injuries they sustained because of this incident. In their complaint, they claimed that the cop was negligent and caused thecollision. Rather than go through the ordeal of trial, the defendants decided to settle. They gave the child $1,600,000 and the mother $400,000 in damages.

$134,263 AWARD; PEDESTRIAN SLIP ACCIDENT; ILLINOIS

Here, an elderly woman was walking around the town of Glenview when she slipped over some unpaved sidewalk debris. She sued the city for negligence. Her complaint contended that the city should have maintained the walkway better. The jury agreed with her in part. It awarded the city 63% of the responsibility for the incident and the woman with 37% for the incident. The plaintiff received $134,263 in compensation for pain, suffering, hospital bills, and other damages.

A pedestrian accident attorney can ensure that you recover damages from the driver who caused the incident. Like in all accident cases, as the party injured, you have the burden of establishing that the negligent conduct of a driver resulted in the collision and your injuries. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers knows the law related to Illinois accident cases, and when you hire us, a pedestrian accident lawyer in Chicago can immediately get to work assembling the most favorable case for clients involved in these situations. This will help you obtain a pedestrian car accident settlement.

Our attorneys regularly take the following steps on behalf of our injured clients.

• Ordering medical records and bills
• Obtaining witness statements
• Consulting with treating physicians to appreciate the significance of the injury
• Calculating wage loss information related to injuries
• Seeking court intervention in order to secure video footage of an incident
• Photographing the scene of an accident
• Communicating with insurance carriers for drivers involved
• Communicating with medical insurance companies to seek subrogation payment from a case

We are deeply committed to the success of your case and feel strongly that these steps are necessary to obtain full and fair compensation.