The festive mood that generally surrounds the holidays in Chicago was marred for some by a violent car accident that occurred in Hillside on Christmas night. At approximately fifteen minutes to eleven o’clock at night, a vehicle driven by a 23-year-old man crashed into a second vehicle and caused a number of personal injuries. What makes this accident particularly upsetting is that the driver responsible for the violent crash was drunk at the time of the accident.
The driver had two passengers in the car with him at the time of the collision, which occurred at Harrison Street and Wolf Road in Hillside. He drove through a red light and hit another vehicle in the road, causing one passenger in the other vehicle to sustain critical injuries and causing lesser injuries to himself and three others. All were taken to local hospitals after the crash and the drunk driver was arrested upon his release.
This car accident may leave some of the responsible drivers’ victims with long roads to recovery as they start the New Year. Depending upon additional circumstances of their cases, they may be able to seek civil damages against the drunk driver who caused their pain and suffering. Drivers who commit crimes and inflict personal harm upon others in the process can be liable for civil damages as well as criminal sanctions for their actions.
The holidays and New Year should be happy times for Chicago residents. Unfortunately the actions of drivers like this individual can create suffering and harm for those they encounter. There are mechanisms within the legal system, however, that can help victims work toward becoming whole after the car accidents and injuries.
