Bicyclist Injured In Chicago Hit-And-Run Car Accident On North Lincoln Avenue
Truck Accident - July 14, 2023
Female Bicyclist Injured In Lincoln Park, Chicago Hit-And-Run Car Accident Along North Lincoln Avenue
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (July 14, 2023) – A 28-year-old woman was injured in a Chicago hit-and-run utility truck accident while riding on North Lincoln Avenue.
Cook County officials are saying that the accident took place around 11:50 a.m. on Tuesday. A 28-year-old woman was riding a bicycle in Lincoln Park.
She was struck by a black utility truck hauling a trailer as she was crossing the street. The driver involved in the collision fled the scene and was seen traveling westbound on Diversey.
Paramedics were called to the scene in order to tend to the victim. She was suffering from serious injuries and taken to the hospital.
A full investigation into the Lincoln Park hit-and-run crash remains ongoing.
Liability For Chicago Hit-And-Run Car Accidents
Thousands of people are injured in hit-and-run collisions every year. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, “There were an estimated 737,100 hit-and-run crashes in 2015 (NHTSA, 2016). This translates to a hit-and-run crash happening somewhere in the U.S. every 43 seconds. The 2,049 fatalities that resulted from hit-and-run crashes in 2016 were the highest number ever recorded (NHTSA, 2017).” The vast majority of hit-and-run collisions involve some amount of human error.
- A driver may have been traveling too fast for the prevailing conditions.
- A driver may have failed to properly scan the road ahead of them.
- A driver might not have checked their blind spots before turning.
All drivers have a legal obligation to exercise due care in order to avoid hitting bicyclists. According to Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/11-601, no person shall operate a motor vehicle at a speed greater than would be reasonable or prudent given the prevailing conditions of the roadway. When a driver fails to slow down and hits a bicyclist, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. If a driver flees the scene of a collision, they could also face criminal penalties.
Depending on the facts of any case, liability for a car accident could extent beyond any driver. Generally speaking, companies are liable for the wrongful actions of their employees -insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a utility truck driver may have been transporting materials when they were involved in a crash. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any hit-and-run collision.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Fragments of the fleeing vehicle should be sought.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- A thorough investigation should be conducted.
It can be hard to know where to begin after any hit-and-run collision. Many victims sustain very serious injuries and may need to take months off of work. Any person that is injured in a hit-and-run collision may be able to seek some measure of justice through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help with many of the costs that come with a serious injury.
Investigating Lincoln Park Truck Accidents
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to the woman injured in this Lincoln Park bus accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. The driver responsible for this crash should do the right thing and turn themselves in.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a hit-and-run utility truck accident? Our team of experienced bicycle safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
