A late Saturday night car crash on the south side of Chicago left a 3-year-old boy dead. The incident occurred in the 3900 block of West 47th Street on the southwest side of Chicago and authorities report that the boy was not in the vehicle but rather a pedestrian at the time of the accident.
Emergency personnel responded to the scene and transported the child to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for treatment but he did not survive his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after 11:00 p.m. Saturday. The Chicago Police Department confirmed that they arrested the driver and currently have him in custody but they have not stated how the accident occurred or what crimes have been levied against the driver.
Any car accident that involves an injury can be devastating, but it always seems worse when the victim is a child. Not only did this young child lost his life, but his family and community lost one of their own. When a child is killed, the loss extends to all of those who surrounded the child during life, including teachers, neighbors, daycare employees, and friends.
Accidents involving children or minors, who are those under the age of 18, can happen in all the same ways that accidents to adults occur. Some of the most common types of accidents and injures involving kids are car accidents, school bus accidents, lead poisoning, broken bones, playground injuries, bicycle accidents, swimming pool accidents, and accidents while a child is a pedestrian. The law recognizes that children do not have the same ability to make rational and safe decisions as adults so the law requires all adults to exercise care when it comes to the safety of children.
When an adult or other person fails to act with caution around a child, an accident might occur and the child might get injured, or worse, killed. An injury or death to a child will leave the child’s family with certain rights, including the right to make a financial claim for damages against the person responsible. Depending on the specific accident and the injuries that result, these claims can be small and minor or large and complicated. When a child is injured, the last thing parents should have to worry about is whether they can afford to get their child the medical treatment the child needs to recover.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we understand how an accident can affect an entire family and we make it our mission to help those families and children as they begin a path towards recovery. Our firm is made up of dedicated Chicago lawyers for injuries to children and we have decades of experience to put to work for your family.
We offer a free telephone consultation 24 hours a day at (312) 924-7575 or toll free at (855) 529-2442. If you prefer to meet with us in person but your child is too injured, we also offer free in-home and in-hospital telephone consultations. There is no obligation associated with the free consultation and we never charge a fee unless we make a recovery for your child. Call us today and let us help you understand your legal rights and options.
Prior Blog Entries:
Speeding Hit-And-Run Driver Kills Gresham Man, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published July 19, 2013.
Motorcycle Passenger Killed in I-80 Crash, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published July 17, 2013.
Resources:
Boy, 3, Killed By Vehicle On SW Side, CBS Chicago/Sun-Times Media Wire, published July 21, 2013.