$3.4 Million Settlement to Two Teenaged Boys Injured in Head-On Collision

On January 31, 2020, at approximately 8:25 p.m., Clients, aged 16 and 17, were the operator and occupant of a 2002 Chevrolet Impala westbound on U.S. Highway 36 in Macon County, a four-lane divided highway, when a 2008 Ford F250 pickup truck crossed through the median and westbound lanes of the roadway, striking their vehicle head-on. The collision occurred in the right-side westbound lane; Clients’ vehicle had come to a near complete stop at the time of impact.

Both Clients suffered horrific injuries. The driver, who was restrained at the time of the crash, suffered fractures to both knees, both ankles, and his left elbow. The passenger, who was also restrained, suffered a closed head injury, a traumatic brain injury, a displaced fracture of the left femur, a collapsed lung, and multiple injuries to his internal organs, which resulted in the partial removal of his colon. The driver of the Ford F250 pickup walked away from the crash.

In the months that followed, both young men underwent extensive hospitalization and surgeries, followed by physical therapy. For one, this meant missing a large part of the latter half of his senior year of high school. For the other, it meant playing catch-up with his peers to ensure that he could graduate the following year. Both Clients suffered injuries severe enough to have a lasting impact on their lives and futures.

Plaintiffs filed suit in the Circuit Court of Macon County, Missouri, against the driver who was operating the Ford F250, and his employer. The case settled following mediation.

Type of Action:     Bodily Injury Claim/Motor Vehicle Collision

Court:     Circuit Court of Macon County, Missouri

Settlement:     $3,400,000.00 ($1,700,000.00 Settlement to Each Plaintiff)

Attorneys for Plaintiffs: Jay Benson (Kirksville, Missouri), Tim Dollar (Kansas City, Missouri)

Attorneys for Defendants: John Beseau (St. Louis, Missouri), Joseph Swift (St. Louis, Missouri)