On February 8, 2002, a Cook County Circuit Court jury awarded Fidel and Francisca Velarde and their daughter a total of $55,715,406.65 for injuries suffered in a January 9, 2001, car train collision. Fidel, 73, and Francisca, 73, were passengers of an SUV driven by their daughter that was struck by an 8-million-pound train at 50 miles per hour. The crossing gates and lights were not working, and the dispatcher erroneously told the train crew that the crossing was protected. The plaintiffs suffered traumatic brain injuries in the collision. The total award to the Velardes and their daughter, who was the driver of the car, totaled $55.7 million, a state record in Illinois for a railroad crossing collision case.
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