Plaintiff, defendant reach million-dollar settlement in motor vehicle collision suit

A $1.105 million settlement was reached in a motor vehicle collision case that left the plaintiff with alleged spinal injuries.

The defendant was found 100 percent at fault for the rear-end accident, which occurred in December 2023. The plaintiff, a 49-year-old nurse, previously had disc replacement surgery in January 2023 for injuries from a separate December 2021 motor vehicle collision. At the time of the 2023 accident, the plaintiff had been released from medical treatment and was back at work.

After she was rear ended, the plaintiff began experiencing neck problems again, which led to a second surgery. The second surgeon said the surgery was more difficult due to the previous surgery, scar tissue and placement of the previous disc replacement.

The plaintiff was represented by Tarun B. Rana of the Rana Law Group in St. Louis; the defendant was represented by Debbie Champion of Rynearson, Suess, Schnurbusch & Champion in St. Louis.

According to Rana, “complicating the case was that the defendant was an individual and not a commercial defendant.”

“With the inability to discuss insurance would be paying the damages, juries sometimes sympathize with individual defendants,” he stated.

According to Rana, both parties wanted to “amicably” resolve the case close to the defendant’s policy limits. The defendant obtained a full release within his policy limits with the settlement paid in full by his insurance, State Farm.

The plaintiff received a total settlement of $1.1 million from the at fault party, and $5,000 in medical payments from her insurance company.

Rana said the settlement gave the plaintiff certainty and “allowed her to move on without having to file a lawsuit and litigate the case.”

Champion declined to comment.

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Motor vehicle collision

Amount of settlement: $1.105 million

Breakdown and distribution of total value: $1.1 million settlement defendant’s insurance, $5,000 from plaintiff’s insurance for medical payments

Allocation of fault: 100 percent defendant

Type of action: Motor vehicle collision

Venue: Missouri

Case Number/Date: Not filed, 10/17/2025

Caption: Marie Long v. Leo Reid

Injuries alleged: Head, brain, neck, back spine

Injuries detail: Plaintiff had a C6-7 disc replacement with C5-6 decompression surgery. Before this collision, plaintiff previously had a disc replacement at C5-6 and had been doing well and was working full duty prior to reaggravation

Special Damages: $244,570

First pretrial demand: $1.25 million

First demand detail: Policy limits for the at-fault party, who was an individual, not a commercial policy

Last pretrial demand: $1.15 million

Last demand detail: Plaintiff and defendant were motivated to obtain a prelitigation settlement, but plaintiff was not willing to give too much of a discount from the policy limits

First pretrial offer: $700,000

First offer detail: Defendant made a serious, good faith offer to begin negotiations, which was important at resolving the case

Last offer: $1.1 million

Plaintiff’s Attorney: Tarun B. Rana of the Rana Law Group in St. Louis

Defendant’s Attorney: Debbie Champion of Rynearson, Suess, Schnurbusch & Champion in St. Louis

Insurance carrier(s): State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company for the defendant