Loves Park, IL — A woman was sent to the hospital in critically condition after being hit by a dump truck in Loves Park, Illinois, on Thursday, October 30, 2014. The accident took place near the intersection of North Second Street and Theodore Street, around 8:45 in the morning.
Reports say that the woman — identified by police as Kimberly Dezarn — was in a crosswalk when the accident occurred. Emergency workers transported her to the intensive car unit at Rockford Memorial Hospital.
Officials have said that the driver of the dump truck did not appear to be impaired in any way. The investigation into the accident is ongoing, and charges are pending against the man. His name has not yet been released.
No other injuries were reported.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
How an accident like this plays out is going to depend a great deal on who the dump truck is owned by. If it was a private company, they’re definitely going to be liable. If news reports are accurate and the woman was in the middle of a crosswalk when the accident happened, the company is going to be hard-pressed to come up with any believable excuse for what happened. Things may look a little differently if the dump truck belongs to the city. Municipal entities are typically protected by sovereign immunity following accidents like this, which makes filing suit against them much harder to do. It isn’t impossible, mind, but there are very strict rules that have to be followed, and there are typically limits to amount of compensation that can be recovered. A robust legal strategy is going to be needed following any accident like this.
— Grossman Law Offices
