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Recent Court Decisions on Illinois Personal Injury Lawsuits

Although every case is different, this page highlights some recent decisions by Illinois courts on personal injury lawsuits.

Elderly driver liable for injuries caused by collision with disabled bus.

An 89-year-old woman ran her car into the side of a disabled CTA bus, injuring the driver. The woman admitted that her negligence caused the accident, but denied that it was the cause of the plaintiff’s injures. The jury returned a verdict of $395,858.

College student injured when a car struck her bicycle.

A company vehicle driven by an employee struck the bicycle of a college student who was riding in the approved bicycle lanes. The impact caused her to be thrown over the handlebars, landing on her head. As a result, she suffered brain damage, which included cognitive impairment and personality changes. $1,200,000 was awarded to the plaintiff.

Utility worker severely injured at a city construction site.

On the roadway, a utility worker was marking underground cable locations at a city construction site. The worker was standing at the back of his truck, when he was struck by a driver that swerved to avoid the construction site. He was pinned by the car, and his leg was severed, requiring an amputation above the knee. The worker claimed that the city did not properly mark and secure the construction site with barricades or flaggers, to help drivers to maneuver properly around the construction and workers. The verdict was for $6,952,000.

Taxi strikes man who was walking his dog.

A 28-year-old attorney was walking his dog. He attempted to enter the crosswalk, when he was struck by a taxi. He claimed that the taxi driver did not properly yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The defendant argued that the man ran out into the street with his dog and ran into the side of the taxi while it was stopped. The jury found for the plaintiff and awarded him $505,108.

Bat Mitzvah party guest slipped on dance floor and suffered injuries.

During his niece’s Bat Mitzvah party at a nightclub, a man slipped on the dance floor where there was a wet substance. He suffered a hip fracture requiring surgery. The man claimed that the nightclub staff knew of a spill on the dance floor but did not clean it completely or warn of a wet floor. A verdict of $450,000 was handed down.

Dump truck struck and dragged a woman riding a bicycle.

A 49-year-old housekeeper was riding her bicycle on a sidewalk, and then attempted to cross at the crosswalk. She was struck by a dump truck, and dragged under the truck. The woman suffered multiple injuries. There was a dispute as to whether the woman waved to the truck driver to let him know she was entering the intersection, or whether she left the curb suddenly and went into the path of the dump truck. A verdict was decided in her favor for $1,500,965.

Defective forklift crushes its operator.

A forklift operator was attempting to lift and lower heavy materials, when the forklift tipped over and crushed him. Among other injuries, his right foot and ankle were crushed, requiring an amputation to part of his leg. The man claimed that there were defects in the forklift that caused his accident and injuries. The jury returned a verdict for $3,079,000.

Civil damages for the murder of a pregnant woman.

Multiple gun shots killed a 42-year-old pregnant woman and her fetus. The defendant was convicted of murder for her action in the shooting. This case was a civil lawsuit for damages. The defendant did not appear in court, and a default judgment was entered regarding her liability. A jury trial was held on the issue of damages. The jury found the defendant liable in the amount of $40,000,000.

Struck from behind while stopped for passing ambulance.

An ambulance was proceeding through and intersection, with its siren and lights activated. A man stopped behind two other cars to wait for it to pass. Another vehicle failed to properly stop, and rear-ended the man, causing neck and back injuries that will require surgery in the future. The jury awarded $600,000, which included payment for future medical expenses.

Man dies from injuries stemming from rear end truck accident.

A semi-tractor trailer rear-ended a man’s vehicle while traveling on the highway. He suffered multiple serious injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. His condition deteriorated over a number of years, eventually leading to his death. He was survived by his wife and 5 minor children. The jury returned a verdict of $1,700,000.

Catastrophic condition created by train derailment.

18 tanker cars containing ethanol derailed at an intersection causing a large explosion. A pregnant teen and her parents were the first car waiting at the intersection. The teen and her father were severely burned, and the mother died. The baby was born at only 24 weeks gestation, and died shortly after. The jury found the defendants liable in the amount of $12,950,000, however just prior to the reading of the verdict, a settlement was reached for $13,750,000.

Utility truck collided with a car in an intersection.

At an intersection where a storm had disabled the traffic signals, an off-duty police officer was involved in a collision with a utility truck. The officer claimed that the truck driver did not stop or yield at the intersection. The case settled for $975,000.

Collision involving elevated blood alcohol level.

A 20-year-old college student was a passenger in a vehicle that collided with a semi-tractor trailer. The driver had an elevated blood-alcohol level. Both the truck driver and the driver of the student’s vehicle were defendants in this case. The case was settled for $465,000, the majority of that being paid on the truck driver’s behalf.

Manufacturing plant accident due to equipment failure.

A 62-year-old man was killed in an accident at a manufacturing plant, when there was an equipment failure. Many aspects of this case remain confidential. It was settled for $4,500,000.

Tree from golf course falls and strikes woman.

A woman was walking her dog near a golf course close to her residence. A tree from the edge of the property fell, striking the woman and causing back and ankle injuries. She required surgery for both conditions. The woman claimed that she had previously notified the defendants of the problems with the condition of some of the trees. The defendants, which included the golf course and the country club that operated the course, were found liable in the amount of $4,520,000.

Pedestrian stuck by car on side of highway.

A vehicle swerved to avoid debris on the highway that had been dropped by a truck. As a result, the vehicle struck a 30-year-old man who was standing on the shoulder of the road at the time. He sustained severe injuries, including brain and spinal trauma. The parties reached a settlement, which remains confidential in part, in the amount of $4,875,000.

A flier in a puddle caused a woman to slip and fall.

In the parking lot of a store, a flier had blown into a puddle where a woman was walking. She slipped on the flier, and damaged her knee severely, requiring surgery including a knee replacement. The case settled for $2,250,000.

Propane truck runs light and strikes vehicle.

A vehicle was turning left when it was struck by a propane truck that did not stop at a red light and proceeded through the intersection. A 57-year-old man was a passenger in the vehicle, and sustained serious injuries which led to his death a few days later. A settlement was reached in the case in the amount of $7,026,000.

Father on motorcycle killed by driver of car.

A 49-year-old man on a motorcycle was cut off by a car that made a left turn in front of him. The impact of the collision killed the man instantly. He was survived by a son, who was 8 years old at the time of the accident. A verdict by the jury was reached in the amount of $614,935 for the grief and other emotional injury sustained by the son because of his father’s death.

If you have any questions about these cases or need an Illinois personal injury attorney, please contact us at any time. All calls are confidential.