Woman with permanent brain injury awarded $1.16M after crash with city worker

A woman was left with permanent brain injuries after a head-on collision caused by a city worker. A jury awarded her a $1.16 million verdict.

The plaintiff, Tara Straussner, was represented by Lisa Tsacoumangos and Abbey Walquist of Brown & Crouppen in St. Louis.

Tsacoumangos said Straussner was struck by a city concrete worker driving a city truck. The driver was driving on Loughborough Avenue near Conduit Park when he began to drive over lawns, took out a light pole and crossed the centerline. He then hit Straussner head-on before swerving and coming to rest on another lawn after hitting a few cars parked in the driveway.

Tsacoumangos could not say why the accident occurred but said the driver could not recall anything from the incident.

Straussner suffered: “traumatic brain injury; torn meniscus; three herniated lumbar discs; lacerations requiring sutures; cognitive impairments; permanent anterograde amnesia and post-concussive syndrome,” Tsacoumangos said.

The jury trial was short with the defense — The City of St. Louis — admitting no evidence and Straussner’s attorneys presenting their evidence and opening arguments in one day, with final arguments on the final day.

“I wanted to emphasize my client’s injuries, because it’s largely an invisible injury. So, I wanted to show the jury as much as you can in such a short time how this injury affects her on a day to day,”  Tsacoumangos said. “She wasn’t completely aware of how much her injury was impacting her until she got demoted at work nearly a year after the collision itself.”

After her demotion, Straussner was evaluated by Dr. Sean Markey with Neurosurgical and Spine Specialists who also served as her expert witness during the trial. Markey discovered white matter on her brain and conducted testing that showed pathways once in her brain before the accident had died off.

“He had confirmed her worst fear that she was going to be more likely than not, permanently this way,” Tsacoumangos said.

The jury awarded Straussner with $1,162,229 in personal injury damages, $6,600 for property damage, $7,680 past for lost wages and $85,449 in past medical bills.

I think that with mild traumatic brain injuries like this, listening to your client and the symptoms that they have is really important, because it’s very subjective most of the time, we were lucky in this case that we had objective scans that showed the injury, but most of these injuries are subjective and they’re diagnosed that way,” Tsacoumangos said. “It really is a tricky thing to paint a picture for the jury as to what a day in the life of your client looks like. And I think listening to your client and all of their struggles is the best way to achieve that.”

The city’s attorney could not be reached for comment on the case.

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Amount of verdict, judgment or settlement: $1,168,829

Type of action: Motor vehicle collision

Breakdown: $1,162,229 in personal injury damages and $6,600 for property damage

Venue: St. Louis City Circuit Court

Case Number/Date: 2322-CC09653 / 06/25/2025

Judge: Jason Sengheiser

Plaintiffs’ Experts: Dr. Sean Markey with Neurosurgical and Spine Specialists

Defendants’ Experts: Steven Stahle Dr. Primary Care Sports Medicine with Advanced Injury Care

Injuries: Head, brain, neck, back, spine, leg, knee, ankle, foot, neurological

Special Damages: $7,680 past lost wages; $85,449 past medical bills

Last Pretrial Demand: $517,306

Insurer: Defendant self-insured, worked for the City of St. Louis

Caption: Tara Straussner v. City of St. Louis

Plaintiffs’ Attorneys: Lisa Tsacoumangos and Abbey Walquist of Brown & Crouppen in St. Louis

Defendants’ Attorneys: Nathan Puckett, St. Louis City Counselor’s Office