Car crash with uninsured driver devastates one Illinois family
On behalf of of Frederick & Hagle posted in Car Accidents on Tuesday, August 21, 2012.
An Illinois man devastated by a car accident is receiving donations from a generous community. The accident occurred almost four years ago when the man was traveling to the city of Elgin to visit his hospitalized wife. He was struck by a drunk driver, causing him to suffer a broken back. The man’s four children and his father-in-law were also injured in the car crash.
The injuries suffered in the crash have prevented the man from being able to work, and have also caused severe financial troubles for him and his family. Their home was foreclosed on and sold at auction last month. As a result, the family will be forced to move soon. The community has donated over $12,000 to the family, which will help them cover the expense of moving to a new home. They were also awarded a judgment of $2.7 million as a result of a lawsuit against the driver who was responsible for the crash.
While the judgment may seem like a significant amount of money, the driver had no insurance when the car crash occurred, making it unlikely that the family will see any of the money they were awarded in court. The driver is now serving eight years in prison for aggravated DUI. The victim will never again be able to work in the construction field and is in constant pain.
Uninsured drivers in this country can wreak havoc on families who are involved in a car crash. While this Illinois family secured a judgment against the man, the fact that he doesn’t have insurance could mean the family will have difficulty collecting the judgment. However, they may have additional legal avenues they could pursue to receive the damages they are entitled to.
Source: DailyHerald.com, “Donors’ $12K to family devastated by drunk driver not enough,” Harry Hitzeman, Aug. 13, 2012
