As a southern Illinois car accident attorney, I frequently work with families of people who were killed or badly injured by drunk drivers. That’s why I was disappointed to read in the Bellville News-Democrat about a 33-year-old Greenville man killed in a head-on collision with an allegedly drunk driver. Robert Reavis, 23, is accused of driving drunk on the night of Nov. 7, when he swerved across Illinois 140 and hit a car head-on. The collision killed Brock W. Adcock, 33. Chemical test results are pending, but Reavis is already charged with aggravated DUI resulting in death.
The accident took place around 2 a.m. on the morning of Nov. 7, a Sunday. Adcock was driving his Dodge Stratus east on Illinois 140, a two-lane road, in Bond County. According to Illinois State Police, Reavis, of Smithboro, was traveling west on the same road in a Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Allegedly under the influence, he veered off the right side of the road into a cornfield, and then back across the westbound lane, crossing into the eastbound lane about 50 feet east of Linder Boulevard, near Greenville. There, he smashed head-on into Adcock’s car. Reavis suffered minor injuries, but when police arrived at the scene only a short time after the accident, Adcock was already dead. As of Sunday evening, Reavis was being held at the Bond County Jail, and bail had not yet been set.
It’s almost too obvious to repeat that drunk driving is illegal and unsafe. Nonetheless, I see the sad results all the time in my work as a Missouri car accident attorney. In many of my cases, prosecutors have already filed criminal charges against the driver, although that’s not always the case — especially in Missouri, which media reports have shown has a patchy and ineffective license suspension system. However, regardless of whether there’s a criminal case, victims have a legal right to hold the drunk driver responsible in civil court as well. When a driver ignores the law and common sense and then injures or kills someone, that’s a form of negligence. The law recognizes that victims should not have to bear the costs of accidents caused by someone else’s negligence, which is why victims may sue the perpetrator for all of their financial and personal losses.
No amount of money can ever replace a lost loved one or reverse a disability. But frequently, victims find that finances are unfortunately a practical consideration. High medical bills, funeral costs, temporary or permanent loss of an income and other considerations can leave victims scrambling for money while they’re already dealing with grief and shock. As a St. Louis car crash lawyer, I help victims and their families recover compensation for these financial costs, as well as their physical pain, emotional trauma and loss of a loved one’s care, comfort and support. In addition to helping families pay off high bills related to the accident and make ends meet in the future, this kind of claim can help them seek justice — whether or not local prosecutors decline to pursue a criminal case.
If you or a loved one have been hurt by someone else’s negligence, please call Carey, Danis & Lowe for a free consultation. We specialize in helping victims and their families learn about their rights and how they can get justice. You can call us toll-free at 1-877-678-3400, or send us a message online.
