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Pedestrian Accident

Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Wheeling Claims Life of 60-Year-Old Man

pedestrian accidentA 60-year-old man has died at a hospital following a pedestrian accident in northwest suburban Wheeling, a tragic incident that highlights the heightened vulnerability of pedestrians in traffic accidents.

Pedestrian Death Days Later at Area Hospital

On August 1, 2019, at about 8:45 p.m., police officers responded to calls of a pedestrian having been hit by a car on Wolf Road near East Strong Avenue in Wheeling, IL. The officers arrived to find a 60-year-old pedestrian lying in the road with serious injuries.

According to the Wheeling Police Department, the pedestrian was rushed to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in serious condition. He subsequently died from his injuries at the hospital on Sunday, August 4. The medical examiner’s office ruled the pedestrian’s death an accident following an autopsy.

Multiple witnesses and the driver of the vehicle that struck the pedestrian reportedly remained at the scene of the car accident and cooperated with the authorities. The investigation into the cause of the fatal pedestrian accident remains ongoing, though the vehicle reportedly had the green light when it entered the intersection.

Pedestrians at High Risk in Traffic Accidents

While tragic, this fatal pedestrian accident is far from an isolated incident. Each year, tens of thousands of pedestrians suffer serious injuries or even death in traffic accidents in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 129,000 pedestrians were treated in American emergency rooms for non-fatal crash-related injuries in 2015.

In 2016 alone, 5,987 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States – an average of one crash-related pedestrian death every 1.5 hours. And while pedestrian deaths only accounted for 16 percent of total traffic fatalities in 2016, the likelihood of a pedestrian being killed or seriously injured in any given car accident can be far greater. The CDC reports that pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash.

Even at low speeds, the impact of thousands of pounds of metal against an exposed human body can result in catastrophic injuries, while higher vehicle speeds increase both the likelihood of a pedestrian being struck by a motor vehicle and the severity of any injuries. Though all pedestrians are vulnerable to traffic-related injuries, the CDC reports that the elderly and young children are especially at risk. Pedestrians age 65 and older accounted for twenty percent of all pedestrian deaths in 2016, while one in five children under the age of 15 who were killed in traffic crashes that year were pedestrians.

Contact an Illinois Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today

Given the potential severity of pedestrian accidents, it is vital that you seek out a knowledgeable attorney to help you obtain fair compensation if you have been negligently struck by a motor vehicle, such as the Illinois pedestrian accident attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers.

With over $2 billion recovered for our clients and more than four decades in the business, GWC is one of the premier Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. We have the experience, the determination, and the proven record of success you need to help you and your family get the justice you deserve.

If you have been wrongfully injured because of somebody else’s negligent actions, please contact GWC today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our attorneys. Call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.

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