Levin, Riback & Adelman recently secured a $5.3 million settlement for a young man who suffered a severe brain injury in a crash near the Hubbard’s Cave underpass in Chicago. The crash involved a drunk driver who slammed into the back of a construction truck that had stopped in a live traffic lane without displaying warning devices or lights. Our firm’s investigation revealed that the truck driver had an invalid commercial license and had brushed off drug testing for months. This evidence helped us establish shared fault for the accident and led to a significant recovery for our client.
The Crash Near Hubbard’s Cave
Before the crash, our client was riding as a passenger while the driver of the vehicle, who was drunk at the time, sped down the highway at about 100 miles per hour. The driver lost control and slammed into a truck that had stopped in a live traffic lane around 4 a.m. The truck driver had parked there to set up for nearby construction work but hadn’t taken any steps to warn other drivers of his presence. He had no hazard lights, cones, or reflective devices to alert oncoming traffic in the dark.
The collision tore through the front of the car, and the impact shattered our client’s skull and caused him to develop a severe brain injury. Doctors diagnosed him with a LeFort fracture, a type of skull dislocation that splits part of the facial bones. Surgeons had to remove a section of our client’s skull to relieve the pressure from internal bleeding and swelling. He now lives with profound cognitive damage and can only retain new information for a few minutes at a time. The driver suffered relatively minor injuries.
A Promising Future Cut Short
Prior to the accident, our client worked as an artist who painted custom sneakers. He had begun building a name for himself and was even selling his designs to professional athletes, including a player for the Chicago Bulls. The crash ended his creative career and his independence.
Building the Case
When Levin, Riback & Adelman took on this case, we knew it would be difficult. Since our client was in the car that caused the rear-end collision, it seemed that proving another party’s fault would be a tall order. However, in the course of our investigation, our attorneys, through our work with trucking experts and accident reconstructionists, uncovered key evidence that changed everything. Through depositions, we learned that the truck driver lacked a valid commercial driver’s license at the time of the crash. We also discovered that his employer had waited several days to order his most recent mandatory drug test, and that the driver had ignored the testing requirements for a full nine months afterward.
Our firm also learned that the trucking company had failed to follow safety regulations that required reflective warning devices for stopped vehicles. This missing safety equipment played a major role in the crash. We were able to prove through mathematics and physics that the truck driver was stopped at the time of the crash rather than moving as he claimed in his sworn testimony. The evidence we gathered allowed us to establish that both the drunk driver and the truck driver contributed to the collision.
The $5.3 Million Settlement
The evidence that our firm developed was compelling enough for us to obtain a substantial settlement on behalf of our client. For years after this accident, the insurance company refused to offer our client any money, claiming their truck driver was not at fault. Our lawyers proved the opposite. As a result, just before trial, we reached a settlement agreement with the trucking company for $5.3 million.
This outcome reflects the years of work we undertook to hold the negligent parties accountable and secure funds for the lifelong care our client will need. The driver who caused the crash had only a $25,000 insurance policy, so the trucking company’s resources became the key to our recovery. Levin, Riback & Adelman built this case piece by piece—through accident reconstruction, trucking standards of care, medical evidence, depositions, and persistence—to achieve a result that will help our client live with dignity and allow him to get the medical help he requires following the devastating injuries he suffered.
Contact Our Cook County Injury Attorneys
Levin, Riback & Adelman stands up for people whose lives have been turned upside down due to others’ negligence, and we’ve recovered millions in fair compensation for our clients. If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury, our lawyers can review your case and help you explore your legal options. Contact our law firm now for a free consultation with an attorney who will take your case seriously.