Madison County jury awards $35M in 2022 head-on collision case

A Madison County jury awarded more than $35 million in damages to a plaintiff injured in a 2022 head-on crash on U.S. Highway 50.

A jury in Madison County Circuit Court returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff Tracy Deadmond May 15 against defendant James Wildhaber, awarding $5.95 million in compensatory damages and $29.5 million in punitive damages.

Deadmond suffered a traumatic brain injury in the collision, which also caused head, brain and neck injuries, according to the complaint.

The crash occurred Feb. 6, 2022, in Clinton County. According to the Illinois State Traffic Crash Report, Wildhaber was driving westbound on the highway when he crossed the center line into the eastbound lanes. He struck the passenger side of an eastbound vehicle before colliding with the vehicle driven by Carolyn Deadmond; Tracy was a passenger. The vehicle spun out, became disabled in the westbound lane and was struck by another vehicle while Tracy was still inside. They were then airlifted to St. Louis University Hospital. Wildhaber was charged at the scene with improper lane usage, failure to reduce speed, leaving the scene of an accident and DUI.

Before trial, the plaintiff demanded Wildhaber’s insurance coverage limits of $250,000. State Farm, which insured Wildhaber, offered $4.5 million a week before trial, followed by a proposed high-low agreement of $6 million to $18 million during trial. Deadmond rejected both offers.

The jury’s compensatory award included $2.1 million each for future medical and caretaking expenses and for pain and suffering, $840,000 for loss of normal life, $700,000 for past medical expenses and $210,000 for emotional distress, according to the judgment order.

Deadmond was represented by lead attorney Zane T. Cagle and Andrew G. Mundwiller of The Cagle Law Firm in St. Louis. Wildhaber was represented by Jack Kiley of Kiley Klein in Decatur, Illinois.

Cagle said while the verdict appeared large, it reflected the extent of Deadmond’s injuries and the long-term care they will require, adding that the verdict demonstrated the jury’s recognition of the severity of the accident, and its long-term impact on Deadmond’s quality of life.

Kiley could not be reached for comment.

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Motor Vehicle Collision

Amount of verdict/settlement: $35.45 million verdict

Breakdown and distribution of total value: $5.95 million compensatory damages, $29.5 million punitive damages

Type of Action: Motor vehicle collision

Venue: Madison County Circuit Court

Case number/date: 22-LA0545, 05/15/2025

Caption: Tracy Deadmond v. James Wildhaber

Injuries alleged: Traumatic brain injury; head, brain, neck injuries

Plaintiff expert(s): Michael E. April, physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor from Bradenton, Florida; Hector A. Miranda-Grajales, brain injury and pain medicine doctor with Medical Injury Rehabilitation Specialists from West Lake Hills, Texas; Valarie Rundle-Gonzalez, brain injury medicine and adult neurology doctor, Medical Injury Rehabilitation Specialists, from West Lake Hills; Andrea George, clinical endocrinology doctor with Medical Injury Rehabilitation Specialists in West Lake Hills; John R. McGowan, emeritus professor of accounting from the Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University in St. Louis

Defendant expert(s): Linda K. Schwieger, RN, CNLCP, life care planning, of Equitable Medical Legal Consulting in St. Louis; Kevin Puckett, underwriting specialist, Underwriting LLC, in Sellersburg, Indiana; Stan V. Smith, Ph.D., economics, from Smith Economics Group in Chicago

Last pretrial demand: Plaintiff demanded policy limits of $250,000; rejected State Farm’s $4.5 million pretrial offer and $6–18 million high/low agreement during trial

Plaintiff’s attorney(s): Zane T. Cagle and Andrew G. Mundwiller of The Cagle Law Firm in St. Louis

Defendant’s attorney(s): Jack Kiley of Kiley Klein in Decatur, Illinois