Driver injured in red-light crash settles with driver, own insurer

A woman injured when another driver ran a red light settled for a total of $350,000, according to her attorney.

David N. Poe of Cantor Injury Law said his client, Debra Johnson, was traveling northbound on Route M in Franklin County. According to Poe, she was making a left turn onto westbound Highway 100 when an eastbound vehicle violated a red traffic signal and crashed into Johnson’s vehicle on the driver’s side. Multiple independent witnesses confirmed this account of the crash.

Emergency medical personnel at the scene noted that Johnson’s head had struck the A post of her vehicle, leaving a hematoma on the left side of her forehead. She also suffered a laceration to the left lower leg.

Johnson was transported to an emergency department where imaging revealed soft-tissue contour irregularity in the infrapatellar region of the left knee. A CT of the facial bones revealed fractures of the left zygomatic arch and zygoma, left lateral orbital wall, all walls of the left maxillary sinus and fracture extension to the TMJ fossa.

Johnson followed up with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who performed surgery to repair the facial fractures. She also required multiple cosmetic filler procedures with a plastic surgeon.

Poe said the settlement consisted of a $100,000 from the defendant driver’s insurer and $250,000 from Johnson’s underinsured motorist coverage. Both were reached without suit, as liability was never challenged, he said.

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$350,000 settlement

Motor Vehicle Collision

Breakdown: Liability limits of $100,000, UIM limits of $250,000

Venue: Franklin County

Case Number/Date: Not filed/May 11, 2022

Insurer: Nationwide (for defendant Gina Cullum); AAA (plaintiff’s UIM carrier)

Caption: Debra Johnson v. Gina Cullum

Plaintiff’s Attorney: David N. Poe, Cantor Injury Law, St. Louis

Defendant’s Attorney: None