Drunk driving accident kills mother and unborn child

Drunk driving accidents in Illinois are always preventable. When people make the choice to operate vehicles while under the influence, they are risking unnecessary injuries and tragic deaths in the event that their reckless driving results in collisions. It is known that the fatalities stemming from these types of incidents are often not the intoxicated drivers who caused them but, instead, the unsuspected victims in their paths. Recently, in Illinois, a drunk driving accident resulted in the unfortunate and sad death of a mother and her unborn child.

In the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 21, a suspected drunk driver made a turn to travel southbound on Illinois 48 when he collided into another car. The other car contained an engaged couple, and the female passenger was several months pregnant. Sadly, both the mother and the unborn child died as a result of the accident.

The suspected drunk driver was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but he was physically able to appear in court to receive his charges. The driver was charged with aggravated driving under the influence that resulted in the death, along with reckless homicide. His bond was set at half a million dollars.

Developing an understanding that Illinois law allows for victims of drunk driving accidents to seek punitive damages, in addition to personal injury and wrongful death compensation, is beneficial for a victim’s family members. Losing a loved one in a drunk driving accident can leave a family overwhelmed with medical and end-of-life expenses in a time of unexpected grief. An experienced attorney in Illinois can help a grieving family navigate a wrongful death case in civil court. 

Source: sj-r.com, “Man faces DUI charge after wreck kills woman, unborn son“, Jason Nevel, Oct. 24, 2016