Few people like to consider the worst case scenario when they head out on the road in Illinois. The reality, however, is that there are inherent dangers when a person is in a motor vehicle as a passenger or a driver. A car accident can lead to severe injury and even death. It can be even worse when a fatal car accident is caused by a drunk driver. Those who have suffered the loss of a loved one in a fatal drunk driving accident need to know how to proceed after it has happened.
A recent report detailed an accident that happened at around 3:00 a.m. which led to the death of a 28-year-old woman. According to the investigation, a 30-year-old alleged drunk driver was speeding at 70 miles per hour in a Chevrolet Malibu when she rear-ended the 28-year-old woman’s Volkswagen Beetle. The car then hit a light pole and ran up an embankment. The victim had head trauma, her pelvis was broken and a bone in her neck was broken. When the other driver was tested, she allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration of .24 percent – three times the legal limit of .08 percent. The driver is also said to have been speaking in a slurred manner and smelled of alcohol. The victim died later that evening at around 6:30 p.m. Her male passenger suffered a concussion and other injuries, but was released from the hospital.
With a fatal car accident, the family left behind will undoubtedly have to learn to deal with the difficult and untimely death. After that, there might be financial and personal ramifications that also have to be addressed. While financial compensation will not bring the loved one back, it can help with certain issues, such as the funeral expenses and other costs that can arise after so unexpected an occurrence. When there is a fatal drunk driving accident, it is even more egregious because it speaks to another person’s irresponsibility and lack of care about others.
In this incident, a young woman died when an alleged drunk driver crashed into the back of her car. The driver was placed under arrest. Although this case seems clear-cut, that doesn’t mean that a full investigation from the perspective of the victim’s family is not necessary.
Source: DNAinfo, “Woman Seeking ‘Better Life’ in U.S. Killed by Driver with .24 BAC: Court,” Erica Demarest, Sept. 26, 2015