Passenger sues driver after 1-car accident in St. Clair County

On Behalf of Johnston Law Offices P.C   |   Dec 27, 2012   |   Car Accidents ,

When a car accident results in injuries here in Illinois, victims can file personal injury lawsuits against the drivers who are responsible, should they so choose. This is a way to both hold negligent drivers responsible for their actions as well as obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other costs related to the accident. However, what happens when the person who is injured was riding as a passenger in the negligent driver’s car?

Victims can still sue drivers even if they were both in the same car during the accident. Such an accident has recently led to a case in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

A Lebanon, Illinois, man is suing the person who was behind the wheel when he was injured as a passenger in a car accident in 2010. The two were northbound on Hagemann Road in December 2010 when the driver drove the vehicle off the right side of the road, hitting a sign and landing in an irrigation ditch, according to a news article about the lawsuit.

The passenger has said the driver was negligent by driving too fast for the conditions. He is requesting more than $50,000 for his medical expenses, loss of income and court fees.

The nature of the injuries he sustained in the accident was not included in the report published by The Madison-St. Clair Record.

In the aftermath of car accidents like this, some victims may be uncomfortable suing because the negligent party may be a friend or even a family member. However, it is often necessary to talk to a car accident attorney about one’s options after such an accident. Often, the claims will be paid out by the driver’s insurance company, rather than the driver personally, and filing a claim may be necessary in order to avoid incurring significant expenses related to medical care.

Source: The Madison-St. Clair Record, “Passenger blames driver for ending up in irrigation ditch,” Andrea Dearden, Dec. 26, 2012

  • More information about personal injury claims like the one mentioned in this post is available on our Southern Illinois law firm’s Car Accident page.