An elderly woman in a Chicago suburb crashed into a supermarket, injuring several people. The accident highlights the issue of negligence in car crashes.
An elderly driver reportedly lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a supermarket in a suburb of Chicago, injuring several shoppers. According to CBS Chicago, the auto accident occurred on August 20 in Northfield.
The Northfield Police Department says that the driver, an elderly woman in her 80s, accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake and rammed into a market. Witnesses estimate the car was traveling at approximately 45 mph at the time of the crash. Fortunately, no one was critically injured, but several shoppers suffered bumps and bruises and were transported to local hospitals. The grocery store was closed immediately after the accident due to the residual damage.
Claims for negligence in a car accident
Every day, millions of people get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Although most of the time these people go about their day without incident, there are situations in which a serious car crash may occur. After a collision, it may be necessary for injured people to determine who was at fault and explore the possibility of seeking compensation.
To make a case that negligence occurred, claimants typically must show that a person owed them a duty of care and failed to perform this duty, and significant injuries were caused by this breach. In most situations, motorists have a duty of care to operate their vehicles in a safe manner that reasonably protects others on the road.
In this recent example, there were numerous people injured in the accident. Although the driver likely breached her duty of care to all of the shoppers, only those who were injured as a result of her breach would be able to pursue a claim for negligence against her. Negligence claims always require that a plaintiff has suffered injuries due to a defendant’s failure to carry out a duty of care. Just because someone could have been hurt in the accident is generally not enough to substantiate a successful claim.
Pedestrians and other motorists are injured every day because of the negligence of motorists. In many of these cases, the injured parties may be able to bring a civil suit for negligence and other claims against these drivers. If you or someone you know has been injured in a serious car accident, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney in Chicago.