Illinois Bus Company Settles in Death of Woman

 Posted on September 05, 2013 in Personal Injury

As reported by the Chicago Tribune, Justyna Palka was killed while crossing the street in 2011. She was struck by a tour bus that was driven by a driver who claimed that he did not see her.

 Palka was crossing an intersection on her way home from work. She had the right of way when David Soto, who was a driver for Pontarelli Group Charter at the time, turned right at the same intersection. Soto ran over her and stated that he did not see her crossing the street. There were two glaring issues of negligence in this situation, according to Palka's family. The first is that the driver tested positive for cocaine, which is clearly illegal. The second issue is that Soto is a convicted sex offender.

The family members and legal counsel representing the case have plans on working to get "Justyna's Law" passed. If this law passes into legislation, it will prevent convicted sex offenders from being able to drive the charter buses such as the one that hit Palka. The family was awarded a settlement of $6.75 million for the loss of their daughter.

Palka graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2009 and the family plans to establish a scholarship in her name to honor her memory. They would like to be able to help the young talent that may need the money follow their dreams. Friends and family of the deceased all remember her as being a bubbly and inspirational spirit that could light up any room with her presence.

If you have lost a loved one or suffered injury because of a company not taking the proper measures to make sure that their employees are acting responsibly, you may have the basis of a law suit. While no amount of financial award can undo the situation, it can certainly bring some justice to the situation. Contact a Hinsdale personal injury attorney today to discuss your options.