Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog
The Illinois car crash attorneys at Abels & Annes have recently settled two cases on behalf of motorists involved in collisions. Both clients were injured and required multiple visits to healthcare professionals before their symptoms were under control.
In one case, on March 23, 2010, our client was the victim of an Illinois hit and run accident. She was traveling southbound on Oakhurst Drive in Aurora, Illinois when she came to a stop in the left turn lane. When the light changed to green, she proceeded to turn left onto New York Street when a 1999 Chevy Blazer traveling westbound disregarded their red light and T-boned the woman’s 1999 Honda Accord. The at fault driver immediately fled the scene.
The Aurora Police Department responded to the scene and began to interview witnesses who confirmed that the victim was obeying all traffic laws when the hit and run driver ran the red light and crashed into her. Police soon found the vehicle involved in the crash, but the driver had left and the registered owner could not be located. The police report described that victim as dazed and confused when they arrived, and she was transported to Rush Copley Hospital for an examination.
At the hospital, the plaintiff complained of left-sided rib pain and right knee pain. After diagnostic tests and x-rays were administered, she was diagnosed with a left rib contusion and a right knee sprain. She was prescribed pain medication and instructed to follow up with her primary care physician.
The victim sought follow up medical treatment on March 25, 2010 due to ongoing and increasing pain, especially in her left ribs. She was diagnosed with a severe left rib contusion and ordered to refrain from heavy lifting and to stay off work for several weeks. She was also instructed to seek further medical attention if the pain persisted.
After the rib pain did not subside, the woman sought additional medical treatment on April 9, 2010. An x-ray of her left ribs found non-displaced fractures of her left fourth, fifth, and sixth ribs. She was ordered to continue to refrain from heavy lifting and to stay off work until after April 26, 2010. The pain was still persistent when she visited a doctor again on May 14, 2010, and she complained that the injury was aggravated with movement, which made sleeping very difficult. Finally, on June 11, 2010, the victim reported that her condition was improving.
Her inability to work due to the injury resulted in a lose of income. In addition, the lingering pain made it difficult for her to conduct simple tasks in her daily life.
Our law firm pursued an uninsured motorist claim against our client’s own insurance carrier due to the fact that the at fault driver fled the scene of the crash. We were able to negotiate a settlement of $20,000 to compensate the plaintiff for her expenses and lost wages, as well as her pain and suffering.
In the second case we settled, a woman was driving northbound on Winfield Road in Winfield, Illinois when she stopped for a red light at the intersection with Highlake Road. Another motorist traveling in the same direction failed to stop for the red light and crashed into a car idling at the intersection, which in turn rear-ended the victim’s car. The man admitted to Winfield Police officers that he did not notice that the vehicles in front of him had stopped because he was lost at the time and not paying attention.
Following the collision, the victim had an immediate onset of pain and received initial medical treatment at the scene by Wheaton Fire Department EMTs. She later sought follow up medical treatment due to ongoing and increasing pain. She complained of left shoulder pain, chest pain, headaches, and neck pain due to whiplash. The doctor prescribed her pain medication and recommended physical therapy, which she completed 15 sessions of.
The case settled for $8,500 pre-litigation.
If you have been injured in a collision that was the fault of another driver, contact Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. You will never pay a fee unless a recovery is made on your behalf. Call us at 312-924-7575, or contact us online to speak directly to a lawyer today.