Personal Injury Law

Chicago Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Checker Taxi Company and Cab Driver by Daughter of Elderly Pedestrian

In Chicago, the daughter of an 89-year-old man who died after he was hit by a taxi in the city?s North Side is suing cab driver Mac Grempong and the taxi?s owners, the Checker Cab Company and Abdulah Abukatab, for her father?s wrongful death. Minh Pham was crossing Sheridan Road at Ainslee Street on February 7 when he was hit by a taxi driven by Grempong.

Now, Nicole Lynn Roberts is seeking over $50,000 in damages. According to her Chicago wrongful death lawsuit, Grempong failed to keep a proper lookout and slow down the speed of his cab while driving toward and crossing an intersection. The Illinois civil complaint also accuses the Chicago cab driver of failing to yield the right of way to an elderly pedestrian and failing to warn Pham that he was approaching by sounding his horn.

The Chicago pedestrian accident occurred just one block from the elderly victim?s home. Chicago police cited Grempong for failing to exercise due care when there was a pedestrian on the road and for driving his taxi without insurance.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

? 903 of the 4,654 pedestrians that were injured in 2007 were over 65-years-old.
? 60% of elderly pedestrian deaths that year took place at non-intersections.

Many older people are more easily prone to pedestrian accidents because of poorer eyesight or hearing, slowed reflexes, walking difficulties, prescription medication that can cause drowsiness, and the tendency to fall more easily. It is important that Chicago drivers exercise caution when operating their vehicles around pedestrians to prevent such catastrophic Illinois traffic accidents from happening.

Daughter Sues Cab Company Over Fathers Death, WBBM.com, February 25, 2009

Street Smarts for Senior Pedestrians, Safety.com

Related Web Resources:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Pedestrian Safety in Illinois

Full post as published by Chicago Injury Attorney Blog on February 26, 2009 (boomark / email).