Mediator awards $1.5M to sleeping driver injured in Illinois truck crash

Scott Lauck//September 20, 2019//

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A woman injured in a trucking accident in Effingham County, Illinois, received $1.5 million after entering binding mediation with the responsible party, according to her attorney.

Attorney Kevin J. Roach said his client was asleep in her cab when she was hit by another truck driver, leaving her with a serious lower back injury requiring a lumbar fusion, as well as a head injury and PTSD.

Another woman was injured in a separate vehicle and was represented by a different firm. The defendant driver’s company had insurance limits of about $1.9 million after paying property damage claims. Roach said the parties could not agree how to split the proceeds, so they agreed to mediate the case prior to litigation.

The mediator entered a judgment for Roach’s client of $1,500,000 and awarded the remainder to the other injured party. The defendant company didn’t admit fault.

Roach asked that his client not be named.

MOTOR-VEHICLE COLLISION
Venue: Effingham County, Illinois
Case Number/Date: Not filed/July 8, 2019
Plaintiff’s Experts: Kent Jayne, Iowa (vocational); Rebecca Summary (accounting, damages, economics)
Caption: Confidential v. H & H Freight, Northland Insurance, Hallmark Insurance
Plaintiff’s Attorney: Kevin J. Roach, Law Offices of Kevin J. Roach, Chesterfield