A female pedestrian was struck and killed in a Palos Hills Pace bus accident, according to authorities investigating the incident.
Palos Hills Bus Accident at Intersection
The fatal Palos Hills Pace bus accident took place on Sunday, April 11, 2021. At approximately 10:19 a.m., officers from the Palos Hills Police Department were called to the intersection of 107th Street and 88th Avenue for an accident involving a pedestrian death.
They found 42-year-old Agata Gorz of the 8700 block of Taos Drive in Palos Hills, who had reportedly been struck by a Pace bus at the scene. Ms. Gorz died from blunt force trauma sustained in the Palos Hills Pace bus accident, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
A spokesperson for Pace said that the agency was cooperating with the Palos Hills Police Department as it conducted its investigation. No additional information was immediately provided about the incident.
The Challenge of Public Transportation Accidents
People in the Chicagoland area take more than 500 million public transportation rides each year. Many of these rides are on Pace buses, of which there are more than 800 serving the Chicago suburbs. With this many trips taken on an annual basis, the risk of accidental injury to patrons and others is very high, as in the case of the Palos Hills Pace bus accident. Somebody who has been injured on or by a Pace bus could potentially recover damages from the at-fault party, as could the surviving family members of a person who has been killed in a Pace bus collision.
But obtaining compensation in public transportation accidents can prove to be more difficult than in other types of personal injury claims. The challenge stems from the fact that there may be multiple potential causes for these types of incidents, including distracted operators, defective traffic signals, mechanical failure, or overloaded vehicles. Sometimes, an outside vehicle could actually be responsible, making its driver financially liable for any injuries that result from a collision with a public transportation vehicle. Given this potential uncertainty, it is crucial for a plaintiff to begin an investigation as soon as possible to determine the cause of an incident and identify the responsible party or parties.
Beyond the usual difficulties involved in pursuing any personal injury claim, municipal entities like Pace also enjoy heightened protections under the law. Among these protections is a shorter “Statute of Limitations,” which is the time in which a victim has to file a lawsuit or otherwise resolve a claim. The Statute of Limitations for most personal injury cases is two years, but it is only one year for cases involving municipalities (with certain exceptions). Plaintiffs who do not file suit or resolve a claim within this abbreviated timeframe would most likely be forever prevented from doing so.
Fighting for Victims of Public Transportation Accidents
Given these challenges, Pace bus accident victims often find that they could benefit from seasoned legal counsel, such as the kind they would receive from the Chicago public transportation accident attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers LLC.
With more than $2 billion recovered in verdicts and settlements, GWC is one of the premier Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. We will work swiftly to investigate a Pace bus accident and identify the root causes and the parties who may be responsible in order to maximize the amount of compensation that you receive. Our Chicago car accident lawyers have the experience, the determination, the resources, and the reputation of success necessary to get you and your family the justice you deserve.
If you have been injured because of somebody else’s negligent actions, contact GWC today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our dedicated attorneys. You may call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
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