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The police are looking for the driver of a vehicle that struck a pedestrian in the Chatham neighborhood at the end of December. At around 9:15 p.m. on December 30, a gray two-door 2018 Dodge Challenger struck a male pedestrian at East 76th and South Martin Luther King Dr. The driver drove off after the accident, leaving the pedestrian with life threatening injuries in the street. The Dodge Challenger’s front bumper and grill fell off of the vehicle and were discovered at the scene, along with the vehicle’s license plate. The current condition of the pedestrian struck is unknown.
Pedestrian Accidents in Chicago
With millions of people living in Chicago and walking to school, work, shopping, friends, and more, it comes as no surprise to most that more pedestrian accidents happen in the city than anywhere else in the state of Illinois. Pedestrian accidents involving a vehicle can be particularly devastating because of the lack of protection the pedestrian has when being struck by a car, truck, or motorcycle. In fact, according to Chicago’s Transportation Department, the number of pedestrian injuries and deaths in Chicago has increased every year over the last five years, with a record breaking 46 fatalities in 2017.
Many pedestrians injured or killed in Chicago were walking in areas known as “High Crash Corridors” or “High Crash Community Areas,” and most of the accidents involve drivers that were either speeding or lost control of their vehicles and hit pedestrians on the sidewalk. Additional factors that led to a number of pedestrian injuries and deaths in the last year were intoxication, distracted driving, running red lights, and failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
Types of Pedestrian Accident Injuries
The injuries sustained by pedestrians involved in accidents with a vehicle are often severe and in many situations can be permanent. This can involve a lifetime of disability or around the clock care, while the driver in most pedestrian accidents walks away unharmed or with only minor injuries. Some of the most common types of injuries seen in pedestrian accidents includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Face lacerations and trauma
- Neck injuries
- Bulging or herniated discs
- Broken bones
- Internal organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputated limbs
- Soft tissue damage
- Disfigurement
- Paralysis
- Death
Given the extreme nature of some of these injuries and the lengthy medical treatment it takes for recovery, having an experienced personal injury attorney by your side is critical to your case. It can mean the difference between the financial security you need to recover or a lifetime of stress and pain for you and your family.
Talk to Our Office Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident in Chicago, our office is here to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call the office or contact us today to schedule a free, confidential consultation of your case with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys at Harvey L. Walner & Associates.
