Personal Injury Law

Truck crashes into CTA el station

By Barry Doyle

A truck speeding down the Cermak exit to the Dan Ryan expressway left the roadway and crashed into a CTA bus stop and el station at rush hour today.  Commuters waiting for the bus and leaving the trains at the CTA's Cermak Red Line station were struck by the truck as it jumped the curb and plowed into pedestrians.  Two commuters were killed and at least 20 more were injured, some critically.

Mass accidents such as this require more than a rush to action.  Prompt action is certainly required, and victims and their families are advised to obtain legal representation as quickly as possible so that lawyers can begin securing evidence such as statements from witnesses, photographing the scene, and obtaining court orders to ensure the preservation of the truck and its component parts. 

In cases such as this, even where there is a well-insured defendant like a trucking company, there may be insufficient coverage from the easily identifiable defendants to allow all of the victims of the accident to be fully compensated.  This is because the large number of injured people results in many claims against an insurance policy with finite limits.  The facts of this case speak to an apparent loss of control of the truck, which should raise questions about the maintenance of the truck and its component parts, including the trailer.  The role of every entity involve din putting that truck and that driver on the road must be carefully examined to ensure proper compensation for the victims of this accident.

Full post as published by Cook County Personal Injury Lawyer on April 25, 2008 (boomark / email).