Fault divided between plaintiff and defendant in motor vehicle collision verdict

In a motor vehicle collision that left one woman injured, the plaintiff was found to be 33 percent at fault, and the defense 67 percent at fault in this St. Louis County jury trial.

The plaintiff, Angie Long, was struck by the defendant, Louise F. Satlzman’s vehicle and left with injuries to her occipital nerve. The accident occurred when the defendant failed to yield when crossing Manchester Street to get to the doctor’s office, said Robert L. Devereux Jr of Watters Wolf Bub and Hansmann in St. Louis who represented Satlzman.

Long struck the rear of Satlzman’s vehicle, which Devereux said the defense used as evidence of her partial fault in the collision, considering that she would have had the better vantage point to spot the oncoming vehicle and take evasive action.

The defense did not call any witnesses; the plaintiff’s attorneys called Long’s treating physicians who testified to her head, neck and back injuries. The main medical concerns at the heart of the case that led to the plaintiff’s $115,000 verdict were an occipital nerve injury requiring two surgical procedures, a facet joint injury and ongoing vertigo complaints.

Chris Finney of Finney Injury Law in St. Louis, who represented Long, said they would be filing for a new trial, claiming an improper jury submission.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to try a case before the court and the jurors. We appreciate the time and effort on behalf of the court and the jurors in hearing this matter,” Finney said in a statement to Missouri Lawyers Media. “While we congratulate the defense on the result, we are disappointed with the outcome, and we do believe that we will be able to obtain a new trial based on an improper submission to the jury. It is difficult to get a case to a jury trial these days, and anytime we are able to, we are grateful for the opportunity.”

RELATED: Click to search for and submit your Verdicts & Settlements

Amount of verdict, judgment or settlement: $115,000

Type of action: Motor vehicle collision

Allocation of Fault: 33 percent to Plaintiff and 67 percent to Defendant

Venue: St. Louis County Circuit Court

Case Number/Date: 19SL-CC05512/10/10/2025

Plaintiffs’ Experts: Dr. Robert Hagan, peripheral nerve specialist with Neuropax Clinic & Dr. Matthew Ruyle, a radiologist with Greater Missouri Imaging, both are based in St. Louis.

Injuries: Head, brain, neck

Last Pretrial Demand: $1,500,000

Last Pretrial Offer: $500,000

Caption: Angie Long v. Louise F. Saltzman

Plaintiffs’ Attorneys: Chris Finney & Alex Ledbetter of Finney Injury Law, St. Louis; Noel Sevastianos of Rogers Sevastianos and Bante, St. Louis.

Defendants’ Attorneys: David P. Bub & Robert L. Devereux Jr. of Watters Wolf Bub and Hansmann, St. Louis.