All drivers are held to a certain standard by the law while on the roads. This is done to prevent accidents, injuries, and property damage. Commercial drivers of trucks are usually held to even higher standards, as they are considered professional motor vehicle operators.
A delivery truck was involved in an accident at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
Delivery truck is wrecked and fuel spill is left behind at the international airport
The Chicago Fire Department released a statement that said the crash happened when a delivery truck and one other car were on an access road to the airport at about 5 am. The department also said that one person involved in the accident needed to be taken to the Park Ridge area to Lutheran General Hospital for treatment. The victim was in serious condition at the time. No information was released about the condition of the other driver involved.
There was also a fuel leak at the scene that required an emergency response to secure the area. The hazardous materials crews were able to clean and reopen the area within a few hours. The local fire department was still investigating the accident afterward.
Trucking businesses and the duty of care
Delivery companies and their drivers do have a serious responsibility. Commercial drivers are tested and regulated by various agencies to prevent the possibility of accidents. When they are at fault for a truck accident, they can be sued by the victims in civil court for any losses that the company caused. This same standard is also applied to transportation companies that own trains or buses, which can also cause severe problems on the roads.
All negligence lawsuits begin with a relevant duty of care. In situations where driving is involved, this basically means that all drivers must obey relevant traffic laws and not collide with other vehicles or objects. When there is a breach of this duty, the first element of a negligence lawsuit is met.
In most cases, the driver who is found to be at fault during an accident investigation will be in breach of this duty. Fault can be used to establish which driver caused the accident as well. This concept of fault is one of the reasons why the official accident report given to drivers at the scene is so important for the purposes of insurance claims or civil lawsuits.
Learn more about taking legal action after an accident
There are attorneys in the Chicago metro area and nearby parts of Illinois who focus their practice on helping victims after truck collisions. The listings on USAttorneys.com contain everything you need to find a local lawyer and get started.