Son, mother, grandmother allege injury-related North Avenue car crash caused by cab driver

A mother, her son and the son's grandmother have sued a cab driver and his company after being injured in an accident allegedly caused by the driver.

Samantha Santiago, her son, Keanne McFadden, and Santiago's mother, Lavatus McCullough, filed suit May 5 in Cook County Circuit Court against Vitaliy Mykhats, Evgeny Freidman, Iceland Taxi Dispatch Affiliation, Dispatch Management, Dispatch Dispatch and GFST Inc.

According to the complaint, on June 22, 2013, Santiago was driving her vehicle on North Avenue in Chicago, near its intersection with Humboldt Boulevard, with her mother and son as passengers, when Mykhats, driving his cab west on North Avenue, tried to turn left onto southbound Humboldt Boulevard. When he turned, the lawsuit states, Mykhats collided with Santiago's car.

The complaint alleges Mykhats operated a vehicle at an unreasonable speed; failed to decrease his speed; failed to warn oncoming vehicles; turned into traffic; failed to yield the right-of-way; and failed to keep a safe lookout.

The lawsuit states the three plaintiffs suffered injury, pain and suffering, medical expenses and longtime loss of enjoyment of life.

The other defendants are cited for being owners of the vehicle and for allegedly failing to adequately train drivers.

The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages in excess of the court's minimum amount jurisdiction. They are are represented by attorney Brian Spencer, of the Spencer Law Offices in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No.: 15-L-4668.