Judge finds more than $6M in damages for woman severely injured in Fourth of July rollover

A Clay County judge found more than $6 million in damages for a woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a vehicle rollover, triggering an ongoing effort to recover the judgment from an insurance company.

Courtney Paulick was injured on July 4, 2021. Paulick was a backseat passenger in a Honda Accord at the time of the collision. Audrey Allinder, the driver, struck another vehicle, overcorrected and rolled the car.

EMS resuscitated Paulick at the scene. She now suffers from frequent headaches, memory issues, balance and vision problems, hearing loss requiring hearing aids, post-traumatic stress, insomnia and neck and back pain

Allinder was a permissive driver under the Auto Club Inter-Insurance Exchange (AAA) policy insuring the vehicle. According to Paulick’s attorneys with Davis, Bethune & Jones, after the suit was filed in May 2022, AAA did not provide Allinder with a defense.

Judge Tim Flook entered an interlocutory order of default as to liability on Aug. 3 after the defendant didn’t appear at a hearing. Following a bench trial on damages on Sept. 20, the judge entered a judgment the next day for $6,040,846.

Soon after, AAA argued that it should be allowed to intervene in the case and vacate the judgment. Flook denied the request. Paulick has since filed an equitable garnishment action in Clay County, seeking to collect damages from AAA.

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$6.04 million judgment

Motor Vehicle Collision

Venue: Clay County Circuit Court

Case Number/Date: 22CY-CV04019/Sept. 21, 2022

Judge: Timothy Flook

Plaintiffs’ Experts: Dr. Ameet Deshmukh, Healthpoint Physicians PA, Leawood, Kansas (Life Care Planner); Brooke Liggett, Liggett Forensic Accounting & Economics, Springfield (damages)

Insurer: Auto Club Inter-Insurance Exchange

Caption: Courtney Paulick v. Audrey Allinder

Plaintiff’s Attorneys: Scott Bethune, Wes Shumate and Jared Brown, Davis, Bethune & Jones, Kansas City

Defendant’s Attorney: None at trial