When a Mother and Child Were Hit by a Car in Bronzeville, They Called Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers for Help

On June 20, 2018, at around 10:30pm, a mother and her three-year-old son were walking on the sidewalk in Bronzeville when a Jeep turned a corner on Michigan Ave. Unfortunately, there was a Nissan driving in the opposite direction on Michigan at the time, and the Jeep driver failed to yield. In an attempt to avoid a crash with the Jeep, the driver of the Nissan swerve, but the Jeep pushed the Nissan forward anyway – up on to the sidewalk, where he hit both the mother and her child.

The driver of the Jeep was ticketed, and the mother decline medical treatment, but her son was taken to University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital with a broken leg. The Nissan driver was taken to Mercy Hospital.

Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers is proud to represent both the mother and the injured child in this car accident case. When you are injured through no fault of your own, but instead through the negligence of another, it is our honor to fight for justice for you.

Pedestrian accidents continue to increase in Chicago

The Chicago Tribune reported in February that “Pedestrian deaths in Chicago have risen over the last five years, up to 46 fatalities in 2017 compared with 27 in 2013.” (We saw a slight dip in 2016, but the overall trend is rising.) Despite Chicago’s “Vision Zero” plan, more and more pedestrians are at risk of being seriously injured. The largest increases have been in the South and West sides.

It is not just in Chicago, either. A recent piece from NPR uses data from the Governors Highway Safety Association, which said that the rate of pedestrian deaths is holding steady at around 6,000 a year – a 25-year high. According to Melody Geraci, deputy executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance here in Chicago, “After speeding and the failure to yield, distractions are the number three cause [of pedestrian fatalities], particularly by electronic devices.”

Making a claim for damages after a car/pedestrian collision

What happened to our clients is a bit different, because it was technically a multi-car accident. It is telling, however, that the driver of the car which physically hit the mother and child was not ticketed; rather, it was the Jeep driver who failed to yield.

Under other circumstances, however, we might need to rely on a few things in order to build a case. Eyewitness statements can be helpful, but footage from traffic cams often plays a critical role in these types of cases, because you can see for yourself what happened. We also review the police report and medical records, to see how a crash could have led to specific types of injuries. Finally, if we think it is best, we will bring in an accident reconstructionist to explain to a jury how, exactly, the car crash occurred, and how it could have led to the injuries our clients sustained.

We are grateful that this collision did not lead to more critical injuries, because pedestrian accidents often do. But we are horrified that a three-year-old child was injured at all, simply because someone decided not to follow the rules. That is why we will fight for the best possible outcome for our clients, so they can get the help they need and focus on their recovery and healing.

Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers handles complex car accidents claims throughout the Chicagoland area. If you were hit by a car, or involved in a multi-car accident, we want to help. Please call our Chicago injury lawyers at 312-600-9585, or fill out our contact form, and schedule your free consultation today.