On Sept. 12, 2008, Garfield Teddy was driving a semi-tractor-trailer westbound on Route 36 in Tuscola, Ill. He was stopped at a red light at Main Street when his truck was rear-ended by the defendants’ westbound tractor-trailer rig.
Teddy was 56 years old at the time and maintained that the impact of the crash caused numerous injuries including a herniated cervical disc, which required surgery. He also claimed to have developed pneumonia, which led to multiple hospitalizations. Teddy incurred $225,575 in medical expenses.
The defendant truck driver, Gary Miller, admitted that he briefly took his eyes off the road while checking his passenger side rear-view mirror as he was about to change lanes. When he looked in front of him he saw that the plaintiff’s truck had stopped and he slammed on his brakes but was not able to stop in time.
The defendant conceded liability but disputed the nature and extent of Teddy’s injuries. It was pointed out by the defense that Teddy exited his truck after the crash and was able to walk around the scene taking photographs.
The attorney representing Teddy, David Jasmer, made a demand to settle the case before trial of $825,000. In closing argument, Jasmer asked the jury to return a verdict of $1,500,000. The only offer made by the defendants was $175,000.
The defendants presented post-trial motions that were granted, which vacated the jury’s verdict, and the trial judge granted a new trial. In the meantime, the parties agreed to settle the case before the retrial date for $275,000.
At this trial, the plaintiff presented a medical expert in neurosurgery while the defendants presented an expert in the same field of medicine.
Garfield Teddy v. Koehn Trucking, Inc. and Gary Miller, 10 L 8718 (Cook County, Ill.).
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling car accident cases, truck crash cases, bicycle accident cases, motorcycle accident cases, premises liability cases, pharmaceutical product defect cases, dietary supplement injury cases and pedestrian accident cases for individuals and families who have been injured or killed by the negligence of another for more than 40 years, in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas including, Calumet City, Crystal Lake, Cicero, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Deerfield, Wilmette, Winnetka, Oak Park, Joliet, Romeoville and Mundelein, Ill.
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