Can a business owner recover losses and pay for property damage through a lawsuit in the Chicago area? – Budin Law Offices
Car accidents can cause severe property damage that destroys other vehicles, or even a person’s business or home. The services of an attorney who specializes in cases such as personal injury or motor vehicle accidents can help people who find themselves in this unfortunate situation. Their expertise will help victims rebuild their lives after experiencing a tragedy.
The Chicago Police reported a one car hit and run accident near the Midway Airport area that resulted in significant property damage.
SUV plows into Panda Express
It seems that the driver drove their SUV into a Panda Express restaurant, then left the scene sometime shortly afterward. Early on a Thursday morning at about 1 am, the driver went through the entire external wall of the restaurant and into the inside dining area.
The police believe the driver was proceeding eastbound on 65th Street, and then tried to make a sudden right turn onto Cicero Ave. After the impact, the driver left a female passenger in the vehicle and ran away. She sustained minor injuries but refused medical treatment from the emergency personnel on the scene. No one else was believed to be hurt in the crash and the restaurant was empty at the time.
When the building was initially evaluated, it seemed that it had sustained serious structural damage. A man from the maintenance crew assigned to clean up the building said the business looked like a total loss due to the high rate of speed of the driver. He also believes that not much can be done to fix the building beyond an entire rebuild. Much of the machinery inside was destroyed and the walls still standing inside may not be able to stay in place.
The driver was not in police custody at the time the accident was reported and police do not think vehicle theft or other crimes are involved. No one was at the residence where the license plate was registered when attempts at contact were made.
Paying for property damage
When car accidents happen, there may be insurance claims or lawsuits related to the damage and injuries. While some property and business owners prefer to merely contact their insurance company to settle issues regarding the damage, these companies often also have their own lawyers who negotiate during this process as well. In other words, civil lawsuits are a part of most accidents and car crashes whether the people involved realize it or not.
Even if someone has business insurance, it is still beneficial to contact an attorney to make sure you are receiving an appropriate amount of compensation. This is especially true considering many insurance companies do not always have the best interests of their policyholders in mind, and attempt to minimize their losses instead.
Lawsuits that calculate large amount of damages
The most important aspect of most civil lawsuits is the calculation of the amount of money that the defendant will owe the plaintiff. This is done in most cases by totalling the value of things like property damage or payments for medical care that are related to the same incident. In a situation like the story above, the total value of the physical space that housed the business and any loses that are caused by gaps in operation may factor into the amount of damages requested by an attorney.
While the laws that regulate civil lawsuits are different in each state, Illinois has its own set of rules that will allow victims to collect money through various means. If there are any specific state or local laws that will affect your case, your attorney can discuss this with you. Illinois also has its own doctrines related to negligence and contributory negligence that are relevant to all kinds of accidents.
Related crimes
While things like stolen vehicles and other crimes may be tied to an accident such as this, it is still possible to file a civil lawsuit and receive compensation regardless of the outcome of these cases. This is also true if criminal charges are never filed, dropped at a later time, or dismissed. In other words, whether the car was stolen or not, the business owner can still attempt to sue the person responsible.
If the defendant is convicted, this may be used as evidence of negligence in a related civil case. However, it does not prove fault, as this issue is still left to the jury at the end of the civil trial.
Speak to a lawyer who specializes in these kinds of cases
For more information or help from an attorney after any kind of accident in the Chicago area, contact Budin Law Offices. They will do their best to make sure you receive the most compensation allowed by law in Illinois.