Woman Injured In Lake County Semi-Truck Accident On Interstate 94

Truck Accident - February 10, 2022

Woman Critically Injured In Lake County Truck Accident Along Interstate 94 Freeway Near Wadsworth and Gurney

Woman Injured In Lake County Semi-Truck Accident On Interstate 94

LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS (February 9, 2022) – A woman was seriously injured in a semi-truck accident on Interstate 94 not far from Wadsworth and Gurney.

Illinois State Police are saying that the collision took place around 5:49 p.m. on Sunday. A woman in an SUV collided with a semi-truck that was parked by the side of the road.

Photos of the crash site appear to show the truck without its hazard lights on and and well within lanes of freeway traffic. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim.

She was taken to the Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with serious injuries. A full investigation into the Interstate 94 collision remains ongoing at this time.

Liability In Lake County Truck Accidents

Thousands of people are killed or seriously injured every year in truck accidents. According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), “Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. The main problem is the vulnerability of people traveling in smaller vehicles. Trucks often weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger cars and are taller with greater ground clearance, which can result in smaller vehicles underriding trucks in crashes.” Trucks parked by the side of the road can be especially hazardous at night. There are a number of steps that a truck driver should take if they do need to pull over.

  • First, truck drivers should only pull to the shoulder of the road in the event of an emergency. Some truck drivers pull over when they are tired or to eat a meal.
  • Truck drivers should activate their hazard lights and place reflective triangles to warn other drivers of their presence, according to Code of Federal Regulations 392.22. Emergency triangles should be placed within ten minutes of stopping.
  • Truck drivers must ensure that the truck is completely out of lanes of traffic.

Depending on the specific facts of any case, the driver of a truck could be partially at fault for an accident. It will depend on the reason that the truck was parked and whether the truck driver followed FMCSA regulations for parking on the side of the road. A truck driver could potentially be entirely at fault if they were rear ended if it was extremely difficult or impossible to see the truck.  Consider the following scenarios:

  • The truck is parked partially in lanes of traffic, thereby making it difficult to spot.
  • The truck is stopped in the middle of an extremely sharp curve in the road.
  • The truck has its lights turned off making it extremely difficult to see.

If the driver of the truck was working at the time of a collision, the company that they were were working for could be held at fault. Generally speaking, companies are liable for the negligent actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. However, many truck drivers work as “independent contractors.” It is important to determine the employment status of a truck driver at the time of a collision. There are a number of other steps that should be taken.

  • Medical records should be preserved.
  • Photos of the accident site should be taken.
  • Surveillance footage should be sought.
  • The reason that the truck driver pulled over should be determined.
  • An experienced truck accident attorney should be consulted.

Many people wrongly assume that the driver that hits a parked vehicle will always be held at fault. But this is not the case! There are exceptions. Any person that is injured after an accident with a parked truck may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. The FMCSA requires commercial trucks to carry liability policies between $750,000 – $5,000,000. An experienced Illinois truck accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.

Investigating A Lake County Truck Accident

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to the woman injured in this truck accident on Interstate 94. Any person that may have information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash. Among other things, why was this truck driver parked there?

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a truck accident? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of personal  injury attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they deserve. Whether you just have questions about the law or need more information about an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.