Completed in 1960, the Kennedy Expressway has been a mainstay for most of those who call Chicago home. It can be a convenient means of transit between the West Loop and O’Hare, or a means to get to anywhere between those two locations. With approximately 327,000 vehicles using the Kennedy on any given day, it is clear that the Expressway’s importance and prominence in the Chicago transit landscape cannot be overstated.
Yet while the Kennedy can be a convenient means of moving around town, it can also be an incredibly dangerous one as numerous car accidents happen on the Kennedy each and every year. Some of those collisions are minor and, fortunately, do not cause injuries to the drivers and passengers involved, but others are critical or even fatal and the harm they cause cannot be undone.
The Kennedy, like other expressways in Illinois, poses a particularly high risk of collisions for a few reasons. First, traffic is often heavy and congested on the Expressway which can lead to stop-and-go traffic, rear-end collisions, and other situations where crashes are likely. Second, many people use the Kennedy as part of their workday commute and therefore are in a rush. Statistically, drivers who are rushing or who are traveling too fast for conditions are more likely to cause a car accident, putting other drivers on the Kennedy at risk. Third, motorists on the Kennedy travel at a relatively high speed of transit and traveling fast means that there is less time to react to a hazard or changing conditions, which in turn makes it more likely that a car accident will result.
But unfortunately, the bad news does not end there. Not only are collisions more likely on the Kennedy Expressway, but when they happen, they are more likely to cause injuries or death than those collisions that happen on other roads. The high speeds mixed with the large number of vehicles present on the road mean that collisions that take place on the Kennedy can cause maximum damage and can alter the lives of those involved forever.
If you were involved in a car accident while on the Kennedy Expressway in Illinois, know that the laws in the state may entitle you to financial compensation for your damages. From lost wages to medical expenses, pain and suffering to the permanency of your harm, you may be able to recover for the full extent of your losses. However, to recover anything, you must act within a time period specified by law or your right to relief will be barred.
The personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. have helped countless victims of interstates and expressway accidents over the years and if you were injured, we want to help you as well. We offer a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation to all victims who call us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and we have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to speak with you.
If we represent you in your case, we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf and we will fight for the best possible outcome for you.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we understand that a collision can affect every aspect of your life and the lives of those you love. If you need help, call us today and let us get to work for you.
Prior Blog Entry:
What Happens after a Multi Vehicle Car Accident?, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published January 4, 2016.