Highway Crash With Admitted Negligence Results in $12,350 Jury Verdict

On Oct. 25, 2013, Joseph Wasielewski and Anthony Stazak were in a car that was eastbound on Interstate 80 near Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park, Ill. It was then that the defendant, Cindy Guttman, 18, drove a car that rear-ended their vehicle.

Wasielewski claimed a cervical strain, lumbar strain and aggravation of spondylosis at L3-4. According to the report of this case, his medical expenses were $39,736.

Stazak claimed that the rear-end collision caused aggravation of his prior L4-S1 fusion requiring revision surgery and lumbar radiculopathy. At trial, it was shown that Stazak’s past medical expenses were $15,461 with future medical expenses expected to reach $125,000.

The attorneys representing the defendant admitted negligence, but denied that the plaintiffs were injured in the collision or that they were injured to the extent claimed.

At trial, the plaintiffs presented expert testimony in neurosurgery, while the defendant presented an expert in the same field of medical practice.

According to the report of the case, the demand to settle the case before trial was $100,000 for Wasielewski. At trial, the jury was asked to return a verdict of $109,736. For Stazak, the demand to settle was $100,000. The jury was asked to return their verdict for $240,461.

Before trial, the defendant offered Wasielewski $38,000 and offered Stazak, $10,000.

The jury’s verdict was significantly lower at $12,350 in total with $7,850 for Wasielewski for his past medical expenses only and $4,500 to Stazak for his past medical expenses only.

The attorney representing the plaintiffs was Lauren A. Buchanan.

Joseph Wasielewski, Anthony Stazak v. Cindy Guttman, No. 14 L 371 (Will County, Ill.).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling truck accident lawsuits, catastrophic injury cases, intersection car accident cases, bicycle injury cases and motorcycle injury lawsuits for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the negligence of another for more than 40 years, in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Naperville, Orland Park, Libertyville, Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect, Forest Park, Crestwood, Lincolnwood, South Barrington, Chicago Heights, Blue Island, Worth, Alsip, Maywood, Chicago (Hyde Park, Greek Town, Little Italy, Lakeview, Jackson Park, Washington Park, Irving Park, Midway, Wrigleyville, North Lawndale), Waukegan, Crystal Lake, St. Charles, Wilmette and Lake Zurich, Ill.