Motor vehicle accidents happen all of the time throughout Chicago. In fact, even the presence of single-vehicle accidents on local roads can create dangerous situations for other area drivers. Just recently a tragedy occurred in North Chicago and claimed the life of a 17-year-old boy. The entire incident began with a one-car crash.
The boy was driving north on Skokie Highway when he apparently crashed his car into the highway’s median. He then got out of his vehicle to look at what had happened and the situation quickly escalated into a serious incident. While looking over his damaged vehicle, the boy was struck by a second vehicle that was also traveling north on the highway.
Although he was taken to the hospital for treatment, the teen passed away after the incident. Authorities noted that while responding to the second crash there were several other car accidents in the area, all from other vehicles and drivers attempting to avoid the boy’s one-car accident and the subsequent fatal collision. Police have not charged the second driver at this time and no other injuries were reported.
When an individual’s negligence or recklessness causes another party to experience harm, the first party is often thought to be civilly liable for the injured party’s damages. Drivers are generally responsible for avoiding the obstructions and hazards that appear before them on the road. As more details about this recent situation become available, the victim’s family and any individuals who suffered harm in the subsequent crashes may want to research whether they have claims to recover their auto accident-related losses.
Source: nbcchicago.com, “Beach Park Teen Killed While Checking Damage After Car Crash,” Dec. 30, 2014
