A pedestrian hit and injured in a collision with a tractor-trailer is suing the driver and his employer.
Demetrice Williams filed a complaint June 23 in Cook County Circuit Court against Dedicated Logistics Inc., Total Logistics Inc., and Dedicated and Total employee Charles Campbell, alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, Williams lived in Bensenville when this incident occurred, but currently lives with his mother in Villa Park, while going through rehabilitation for his injuries at Rush Presbyterian Hospital.
The suit says at 3:30 a.m. March 24, Williams was walking home from his job as a manager at Burger King, 436 N. York Road, Elmhurst, and because the sidewalks on York and Fullerton Avenue were covered with ice and snow, he began walking on the shoulder of the road. The lawsuit states Charles Campbell, as an agent of Logistics, was driving his Peterbilt truck "in an unreasonable and unsafe manner, and struck [Williams] with such great force that [he] was sent flying through the air some 10 to 15 feet, where he landed further northbound on the sidewalk." The suit also states that Campbell left the scene and did not report the incident to authorities.
The suit charges the driver, and his employers by proxy, with negligence for failing to keep a proper lookout on a well-lit street, operate at a safe speed, keep his truck under control, properly apply his brakes, sound his horn in warning, take proper evasive action, maintain his vehicle on the road and drive in his own lane of traffic.
As a result, the suit says, Williams suffered permanent personal injuries, pain and suffering and medical expenses.
Williams seeks damages in excess of the court's jurisdictional limits, plus costs. He is represented by attorney Elliot R. Zinger of Elliot R. Zinger & Associates in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L006387.