2 women drown in terrible Illinois car accident

On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Car Accidents on Friday, June 7, 2013.

A recent late night car crash has left two families grieving while Illinois authorities struggle to conclude what caused the incident. The car accident took place in a rural section of Pike County at approximately 12:29 a.m. Authorities believe that the driver of a 2007 Chevrolet lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway, entering a body of water.

Along with the 53-year-old woman driving the vehicle was a 48-year-old female passenger. Neither woman was able to escape the vehicle, and both drowned while still inside the car. Police assert that neither victim was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Multiple departments responded to the scene to provide emergency assistance.

Illinois police are continuing to investigate the incident, and have not released a statement concerning the causal factors of the crash. A standard aspect of an accident investigation involves toxicology screenings, and it is expected that such testing and analysis will play a role in this inquiry. In many cases, police are able to determine the cause of a fatal auto accident, which can help the grieving families gain a sense of closure in their loss.

Should it be determined that negligence on the part of the Illinois driver is a causal factor in this car accident, the family of the passenger will have the right to pursue civil litigation against the estate of the deceased driver. In such instances, the surviving family members can file a wrongful death suit, which can help them to recover some or all of the financial losses associated with the fatal accident. While nothing can return their loved one to their lives, a successful lawsuit can help them avoid financial devastation resulting from the loss of a family member.

Source: Quincy Herald-Whig, “Two die in Pike County traffic accident,” June 1, 2013