Manny’s Delicatessen, Petterino’s, Gold Coast Dogs, multiple Starbucks locations, and most recently the Wilmette Public Library and the Glenview Post Office. Those are just a few of the local businesses that have been hit by cars in the Chicago area. Further, there has been several homes that have been the victims of Chicago auto accidents.
A Wilmette, Illinois library employee was recently hurt after a 56-year-old female driver lost control of her car and drove through a glass and brick wall on the North side of the building, according to Tribune Local. She apparently hit the gas instead of the brakes by mistake and accelerated into the library. The motorist was uninjured, and there was no evidence to suggest that drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident.
The vehicle crashed into a staff room where books are organized to be placed back on shelves. A library employee was working in a desk when the accident occurred, and her desk was moved by the collision impact.
The worker was taken by ambulance to Evanston Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. She was treated and released the same day. No one else was injured in the accident.
In a situation like this the library worker could potentially have two separate personal injury claims. First, due to the fact that she was injured on the job, she would have the right to pursue an Illinois workers’ compensation claim. Further, due to the fact that she was injured by a third-party, she will also have the right to pursue a negligence claim against the at fault driver and her auto insurance carrier.
The Wilmette Police Department handled the crash investigation.
The most recent automobile vs. building crash took place on Tuesday in North suburban Glenview around 8:40 AM. There an elderly woman hit the front entrance to the post office with her car, causing $35,000 in damage, that according to the Glenview Patch.
The motorist was driving a 2011 Toyota Avalon in the parking lot at 1400 Patriot Blvd. At that time the vehicle accelerated for unknown reasons and drove over a curb and sidewalk before colliding with the building.
The Glenview police and fire department responded to the accident. The driver was transported to Glenbrook Hospital for medical attention, but the exact nature of her injuries were not reported.
Luckily, no pedestrians or post office customers were injured.
According to Tribune Local, the driver was 84 years old. Due to the woman’s condition after the accident, police were not able to interview her at the scene or at the hospital.
So, if you’re ever sitting in a restaurant or library, or any other type of establishment and a car drives in and hits you, call the injury lawyers at our office for free case evaluation. I know it sounds silly, but you wouldn’t be the first person to have called us.
In the past we have represented a restaurant patron that was injured while sitting in a downtown eatery. An elderly driver lost control of his vehicle, crashed into the restaurant and struck several customers. The case recently settled after litigation involving our client, several other injured restaurant patrons, and the driver’s insurance carrier.