Chicago residents should be aware that a personal injury award may be reduced if they are found to have contributed to the cause of an accident. It is important to remember that all those involved in a car accident are not always blameless.
Recently, a Chicago car was involved in an accident with a fire truck. The fire truck was returning to the station after responding to a call. A pick-up truck went through a stop light and collided with the rear of the fire truck. The pick-up driver and two passengers were taken to the hospital in serious to fair condition. The driver of the fire truck was also taken to the hospital for observation.
The initial report suggests that the pick-up truck was traveling at high speeds and lost control before colliding with the fire truck. The fire truck had its lights on during the accident. The police issued citations.
It is important for drivers to remember to yield for emergency vehicles with their lights on. Emergency vehicles often travel at high speeds, which can create a hazard for other divers on the road. Chicago drivers need to remember to use caution when there are emergency vehicles present.
In this case, the pick-up truck driver may be at fault for the car collision. In that case, the driver may not be able to recover compensation for injuries. However, she may be liable to compensate her passenger and the driver of the fire truck for damages such as medical expenses that resulted from the accident.
A civil lawsuit for a car accident can be very complicated. Victims can turn to an experienced attorney to help guide them through the process.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “3 injured in accident involving fire truck on South Side“, Denise William-Harris, March 5, 2013
