CHICAGO (March 13, 2025) – A Cook County jury has awarded $10.5 million to the widower of a kindergarten teacher who was struck and killed by a dump truck in Arlington Heights in 2022.
Around 7:20 a.m. on September 29, 2022, 45-year-old Sylwia Jarosz was riding her bicycle to work along northbound Wilke Road near the intersection of Lake Cook Road. Sylwia came to a stop at a red light on the southwest corner of the intersection. As she was waiting for the light to turn green, a truck owned by AJD Concrete Construction attempted to make a left-hand turn from Lake Cook Road onto Wilke Road. The driver did not stop before entering the intersection over the speed limit and collided with another vehicle, causing the truck to veer off the road and strike Sylwia on her bicycle.
Sylwia was transported to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, where she later died.
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of Sylwia’s husband on March 24, 2023. The defendants admitted liability just prior to trial and a damages-only trial in the case began on March 11 before the Honorable John P. Kirby.
On March 13, 2025, a Cook County jury awarded the family $10,500,000 for her husband’s past and future loss of society, grief, sorrow, and mental suffering, and loss of spousal benefits and services.
“Sylwia was a beloved kindergarten teacher at Long Grove Country School and the cherished wife of her husband, Krzysztof. Krzysztof and Sylwia were college sweethearts in Poland and moved to the U.S. together in 2005. Krzysztof has suffered an unimaginable loss, and every aspect of his life has changed since losing his best friend,” Plaintiff’s attorney Lance D. Northcutt said. “It was not easy for Krzysztof to relive the worst moments of his life, but we are thankful to the jury for listening to his story and recognizing his grief.”
The Plaintiff was also represented by Jennifer L. Ashley and Emily T. Art of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.
The Defendants were represented by Daniel Costello and Shipra Mehta of Costellos Ginex & Wideikis, P.C.
For more information, please contact Marcie Mangan at (312) 372-1227 or mmangan@salvilaw.com.
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Case No.: 2023 L 002948 [Krzysztof Jarosz, As Independent Administrator of the Estate of Sylwia Wagner Jarosz, De-ceased, Plaintiff, v. AJD Construction Corp.]
