One driver has been killed and at least one other has been injured in a recent Naperville multi-vehicle crash on I-55.
Naperville Multi-Vehicle Crash Flips Jeep
26-year-old Naperville resident Hunter G. Johnnic was driving a silver 2011 Volkswagen on southbound I-55 in the early evening of October 6, 2020. At approximately 6:23 p.m., Johnnic was just south of Lemont Road when he crashed into the rear of a gray 2012 Honda driven by 23-year-old Juan D. Castillo-Tobar of Bolingbrook. While Johnnic’s vehicle was disabled in traffic, it was struck by a gray 2017 Jeep operated by 46-year-old Shorewood resident Mitchel R. Jacoby, causing Jacoby’s vehicle to flip over.
Johnnic was killed in the Naperville multi-vehicle crash, while Jacoby was transported to an area hospital with reportedly non-life-threatening injuries.
The Illinois State Police are still investigating the cause of the Naperville multi-vehicle crash, though Jacoby was issued a citation for his failure to reduce his speed to avoid an accident.
Who Is Responsible for a Multi-Vehicle Crash?
Multi-vehicle crashes occur when the force of one collision causes other vehicles to crash into each other. These incidents can occur for any number of reasons, including poor weather conditions, distracted or impaired driving, or defective equipment, though following too closely is the most common cause. While the investigation in this particular matter remains ongoing, incidents like the Naperville multi-vehicle crash can make assigning liability especially challenging.
In most cases, the driver who causes the initial collision is usually at fault for the entire multi-vehicle crash, as in the following situation:
D1 => D2 => D3
Here, D2 and D3 are at a complete stop. D1 approaches D2 but cannot brake in time and collides with D2’s vehicle. In turn, the force of this initial collision causes D2 to crash into D3’s vehicle.
But in other cases, more than one party may share blame, as in this case, which seems to mirror the Naperville multi-vehicle crash:
D3 => D1 => D2
In this situation, D2 is at a complete stop. D1 is approaching D2, cannot brake in time, and crashes into the rear of D2’s vehicle. While D1 and D2 are at a complete stop following the initial collision, D3 then approaches the scene, also fails to stop in time, and crashes into the rear of D1’s vehicle.
Though D1 may be primarily at fault for D2’s injuries and damages, D3 may be responsible for D1’s injuries and damages, along with any additional damages or injuries for D2.
In stark contrast to the first scenario, the second case is considerably murkier in terms of assigning blame and assessing the degree of financial responsibility. This uncertainty can prove to be a serious obstacle to multi-vehicle crash victims seeking to obtain full and fair compensation for their injuries.
Burr Ridge Car Accident Lawyers Fighting for You
As you can imagine, multi-vehicle crashes offer defendant insurance companies a unique opportunity to assign blame to other parties in order to minimize their own financial exposure. To counter their objections, it is important to construct a rock-solid case built upon a strong factual basis, one that may draw from:
- Police Reports
- Traffic Citations
- Eyewitness Accounts
- Physical Evidence (Vehicle Damage, Debris, Skid Marks, etc.)
Given the complexity of gathering relevant materials and using them to construct a successful personal injury claim, you might consider doing what so many others have done before you and retain the knowledgeable Burr Ridge car accident attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers LLC.
With over $2 billion recovered in verdicts and settlements, GWC is one of the premier Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. No other firm in the state is more respected – or more feared – by its adversaries, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Our Burr Ridge car accident lawyers have more than four decades of experience overcoming insurance company objections in order to get our wrongfully injured clients and their families the justice they deserve.
If you have been hurt because of somebody else’s negligent actions, whether in a multi-vehicle crash or in some other way, please contact GWC today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our dedicated injury attorneys. You can call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
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