A drunken driving accident that caused the death of a 77-year-old man has now resulted to a lawsuit against both the driver and the bar that served him the drinks that led to his intoxication.

Josef Brzek’s daughters, Pawe and Anna, and his wife, Ewa, are the plaintiffs in the seven-count suit filed in Cook County court. It alleges wrongful death and negligence in Brzek’s death. Ewa was at the wheel and Josef was a passenger in their 2002 Ford Taurus when 42-year-old Nicholas Raspanti drove into oncoming traffic and hit the Brzek’s car in a head-on collision.

The accident occurred at 6:45PM on July 1. Josef Brzek died at 9:19AM the following morning. The autopsy showed that multiple injuries caused his death, with heart disease cited as a secondary factor. The medical examiner ruled the death an accident.

The wrongful death action seeks at least $350,000 in damages and names both Raspanti and the establishment that served him, Kowal’s Bar and Grill in Hickory Hills, as defendants. According to Cook County Sheriff’s office and the police, Raspanti has been charged with two counts of aggravated DUI and is being held with bail set at $500,000.

Under Illinois law, plaintiffs can sometimes recover damages from a bar if they can prove, among other things, that the bar sold alcohol to a patron who harmed them; that the alcohol caused the patron’s intoxication; and that the intoxication had a causal role in the harm the plaintiffs suffered.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by the negligent conduct of others, you may be entitled to damages, both from those directly responsible and from those who played a contributing role. The personal injury attorneys at the law firm of Ryan, Ryan & Viglione have experience handling all types of accidents and injury claims, including lawsuits for wrongful death after an automobile accident. For a free consultation, call us today at (847) 416-1989.