The Chicago Tribune reports on a recent lawsuit settlement involving wrongful death caused by an automobile accident. Here is what happened. Seven years ago Gregory Jones, 8, and Datondra Mitchell, 11, were hit by an unmarked police car. Jones died shortly thereafter, and Mitchell suffered serious injuries.
The officer who hit the children claimed that he was in pursuit of a vehicle, after he had seen a man in the vehicle pointing a gun at a pedestrian. However, police investigation never located the suspect, or the car Officer Mark Delboccio was chasing.
Recently, the City Council Finance Committee awarded $6.5 million to settle the lawsuit as a result of this horrific incident – $590,000 to the girl, now 18, and the remaining to the boy's family for their losses. The full council will vote on the settlement this upcoming Thursday.
As a Chicago auto accident attorney, I see tragic cases like this that may call for a wrongful death lawsuit. Wrongful death claims mean that a person, or an institution, wrongfully causes the death of someone else. Families who are dealing with tragedy of this sort have legal rights to financial compensation. A person who is negligent should be held accountable for their wrongful behavior that causes the loss of a loved one, pain, and suffering. A wrongful death claim may arise in many types of law including medical malpractice cases, nursing home cases, and like in case of Gregory Jones, auto accidents.
The Chicago car and truck accident lawyers at HM&M believe that when you are involved in a collision, you have rights against the driver who caused the incident. We believe you have the right to be compensated for the negligence of a driver that causes pain and suffering to you or your family.
