Suit claims negligence in crash that killed couple, injured daughter
Colleen Muff is missing several hours of her life.
It is bittersweet, she said, since she has no clear memory of the tragedy that unfolded July 16, but also no memory of the last moments she ever had with her parents.
"There's still pain, but I don't know if the effects are physical as much as they are emotional," Muff said. "I do wonder why I'm still here and they're not."
The 52-year-old Elk Grove Village woman suffered neck and head injuries, including a concussion, in a crash that killed her 82-year-old father, Robert Fridlund, and 77-year-old mother, Norine Fridlund. The couple were a few weeks away from celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary when they were killed.
Muff and her parents were on their way to Chicago for a family member's high school graduation party when the crash occurred. Muff was driving with her father sitting next to her and her mother directly behind her. All three were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, Muff said.
Illinois State Police said Muff's 2013 Nissan was stopped in traffic on eastbound Interstate 290 just past North Avenue near Elmhurst when a 2008 Acura driven by 28-year-old Indiana resident Nikola Isakovic crashed into the back of Muff's car, smashing it against a moving van in front of Muff's car.
On Thursday, Muff filed a lawsuit claiming negligence against Isakovic and Villa Park-based Motorcar Solutions, which the suit says employed him and owned the car.
The suit claims Isakovic failed to operate the car responsibly. Messages left at the company's office seeking comment about the suit were not returned Thursday. Attempts to reach Isakovic were also unsuccessful.
While Isakovic has not been charged in connection with the crash, Muff's attorney Tim Cavanagh said he expects to amend the suit in a few days to add wrongful death counts.
Muff came to in a hospital several hours after the crash. She was surrounded by her family.
"I don't recall ever being told my parents were dead," Muff said. "There were just a lot of family members around and the atmosphere of the room, I just knew they were gone."
Muff was released from the hospital the next day.
Since then, she has relied on a network of friends and family to take care of her as she deals with the effects of the concussion.
"Everyone has been really phenomenal," she said.
Muff's suit seeks damages in excess of $50,000. Cavanagh said he hasn't received all the reports from the Illinois State Police regarding the crash, but he believes Isakovic "was not paying attention" when the crash occurred.
"As a family, we just feel very strongly that we want there to be an awareness of the damage that can be caused by distracted or impaired driving," Muff said, "and we want to do what we can to ensure this doesn't happen to someone else."