Train Commuter Hit By Vehicle

A train commuter in his mid-40s was crossing a busy downtown street with other commuters after disembarking from the train that brought him from the suburbs to his workplace in downtown Chicago. As he was in the middle of the street with a dozen other pedestrians, a vehicle accelerated and fishtailed, striking him, catapulting him, and causing catastrophic injuries. Our client sustained a compound fracture (where the bone fractures through the skin) of his left femur (the largest bone in the human body; the thigh bone) and a serious fracture and dislocation of his right shoulder. He spent weeks in a rehab center following surgery on his leg, in which a titanium rod and multiple screws and plates were placed. The shoulder was not operated upon. Both injuries required months of therapy. Since our client was a very fit marathon runner, he was able to overcome both injuries and resume an active life. His wife testified about how devastating the injuries were to him, but also to her. Three eyewitnesses, two of whom were high-ranking bank executives, were deposed. All corroborated that despite our client crossing in the middle of the block, it was the vehicle who was at fault for this crash. Despite three years of intense litigation, this case settled for $600,000 prior to trial.