Three Injured in Rollover Accident on State St in Chicago, IL
Chicago, IL — September 3, 2022, three people were injured in a rollover crash involving a tow truck at a Chicago intersection.
Authorities say the incident happened around 1:40 a.m. at North State and West Monroe streets in the Loop. Preliminary investigation suggests a tow truck driver ran a red light at an intersection and crashed into another vehicle, causing it to overturn on the roadway.
Three people in the flipped vehicle ages 37, 41, and 17 were taken to an area hospital where they were listed in stable condition. The tow truck driver, unhurt, was taken into custody.
The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Chicago Tow Truck Accident at State and Monroe
Reports seem to have the tow truck driver dead-to-rights here, but I've lost count of the times I've had to tell people that preliminary reports, damning though they may seem, are rarely if ever enough to ensure that people hurt by a truck driver's negligence get the help they deserve.
People might argue with that here. The news says the trucker ran a light and flipped the victims' car, so what else could there be to say? As it happens, plenty. For one thing, the cause of a crash and the cause of the victims' injuries are legally distinct. Most of the time they're the same thing, but trucking companies know if they can just divert attention away from their guy when it comes to causing the damage, they might walk away owing the victims nothing.
Defenses run the gamut from malfunctioning traffic lights to sudden and mysterious brake failures in the truck, all the way up to the victims not being buckled up or speeding through the intersection. They're not shy about pointing fingers wherever it takes to get them spotlight shone anywhere but on their employee.
To make sure that can't happen, victims must realize that a blurb or two in the news coupled with a possibly-incomplete or inaccurate police report (which the company will poke holes in with gusto) aren't enough to ensure they get help. An independent investigation is often the best way to fill in remaining blanks and find the necessary proof to keep a company from avoiding its responsibilities.
