Lawsuit Over Illinois Car Crash
The Chicago Personal Injury Blog has posted an article about a car crash that resulted in a lawsuit and then a settlement of $2.5 million.
According to Robert Kreisman, author of the article, in November 2006, three minors were drinking beer at one of their homes and the minor's parents were present. The parents then allowed two of the minors to drive themselves home. The car crashed into a utility box and injured both of them...of the passengers is now paralyzed from the chest down.
The parents that were present and allowed the drinking to take place were sued with the claim that their lack of involvement in stopping the drinking and driving is negligence.
The lawsuit was brought under the 2004 Illinois Drug or Alcohol Impaired Minor Responsibility Act, which allows for civil penalties against adults who serve alcohol to minors and then injure someone else.
While we can certainly question the judgment of minors drinking, the law does impose strict penalties and standards on adults who serve alcohol to minors or to those who are intoxicated. Hopefully these kinds of settlements or verdicts will stress the danger of alcohol and minors and save innocent lives as most often those who are drunk injure and kill others, not just themselves.
