North Chicago & St. Louis Injury Updates
A driver’s worst nightmare is to be involved in an accident involving not one, but two semi trucks. Unfortunately, this became a reality for a family from Merrillville, Indiana, when their Jeep was rear-ended by semi and then pushed into another one in front of them. The accident occurred in Demotte, Indiana, a little over an hour outside Chicago, Illinois.
The Aug. 15 truck accident happened on I-65 and killed seven family members, four of them children under age 8. Two women – the children’s parents – and an uncle were also killed in the crash. The accident, which occurred at around 10 p.m., left the Jeep greatly compacted and burnt beyond recognition.
The crash occurred when traffic slowed down for road construction. The truck driver who caused the accident had been cited for speeding five separate times since 2006 and has previously received other tickets. The truck driver, who was hauling food for Griffin Transportation, was not seriously injured.
It is very unfortunate that multiple members of a family were killed due anther driver’s negligence. Due to its sheer size, driving a semi truck requires a great deal of skill and focus. When a person is behind the wheel of such a truck, his or her focus needs to be on the road and driving at a safe speed. With his multiple speeding tickets, the truck driver should not have even been on the road.
The family of the victims should consider legal action against the truck driver and his employer. They could be charged with a wrongful death lawsuit for their negligence. Allowing the man to drive was negligent and inconsiderate. Now a family is mourning the loss of not one or two, but seven members of their family – a huge loss that no family should have to deal with. If your family faces a similar situation, seek legal help to obtain the compensation you deserve for your grief, pain and suffering.