This document summarizes 8 auto collision cases from Illinois jury verdict reports in May 2014. Case 1 involved a state trooper who was burned alive after his squad car was rear-ended by a semi truck driver who had worked 12 hours and fell asleep. The trooper's family was awarded $10.9 million. Case 2 involved a woman killed when a prison van crossed the center line and hit her car head-on, resulting in Nebraska ending its inmate van driver program and paying $2 million. Case 3 involved injuries to a pilot's finger and shoulder from a T-bone collision, settling for $450,000.

1. ~Settlements by Category
ILLINOIS
JURY VERDICT REPORTER
'May 30, 2014
May 2014 (Issue i)
VolumeSFFF
1-A TO 1-L AUTO COLLISIONS (Total 83 cases. $60,091309: average $723.992)
$10,949,939 (SFFF i/1) 13L-14623 (IL Cook-Law) Attys Timothy J. Ashe and Kristina K. Green. Just after 11 pm
on the night of March 28, 2013 Illinois State Trooper James Sauter (28) had parked on the left
shoulder of southbound I-294 to monitor traffic when his squad car was rear-ended at high speed
by a United Van Lines semi tractor-trailer driven by Andrew Bokelman, who apparently fell asleep.
Bokelman had worked 12 hours loading/unloading trucks before getting behind the wheel. Sauter
survived the crash but was trapped in his cruiser and was burned alive. He is survived by his wife
(lost wages of $4.6-$6.2 million claimed). Allegedly, he suffered conscious pain for up to 60 seconds.
Paid $8 million for United Van Lines ($2 million by UniGroup; $5 million by Interstate Fire &
Casualty; $1 million by National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh), plus $2,949,939 by
Vanliner Insurance for Bokelman (net available after reduction for damage to the squad car).
$2,000,000 (SFFF i/2) CI14-641 (Nebraska Lancaster 3d Jud Dis) Attys Timothy J. Cavanagh and Jeffrey B.
Lapin. June 25,2013 Joyce Meeks (47) was driving home on Van Doren Street in Lincoln, NE when
a passenger van owned by the Nebraska Dept. of Corrections--operated by prisoner Jeremy Dobbe
pursuant to the state's Inmate Van Driver Program--crossed the center line at 70 mph and hit her
car head-on, killing her instantly. She is survived by her husband and adult son (LT $16,298/year
as a CNA; $7661 funeral). This action faulted clefts for allowing Dobbe to drive other inmates to
work detail sites despite several convictions for reckless driving and DUI. Self-insured State of
Nebraska paid $2 million and ended the Inmate Van Driver Program as a result of this case.
$450,000 (SFFF i/3) 1:12-CV-1718 (USDC Indiana So-Indianapolis) Atty Jeffrey J. Tallis. Pltf M-58,
, southbound on Indiana State Road 67 in Martinsville, T-boned deft, who pulled out from her stop
sign on Wilbur Road, failing to yield. Pltf, a pilot, suffered a fractured left clavicle (pins
inserted/removed), plus an intra-articular spiral fracture of his left middle finger (ORIF
done--fixation later removed) during the December 15, 2011 crash. Pltf's finger has permanent
range of motion limitations and his grip strength is diminished ($130,181 medl. expense; $8367 LT).
Note, however, that pltf is right-handed. Paid by Farm Bureau Insurance.
$403,400 (SFFF i/4) 12-559 (VA Chesterfield 12d Jud Cir) Atty Bryan J. O'Connor, Sr. Pltfs' vehicle was
rear-ended by deft's pickup truck while stopped for a red light at Courthouse Road and Smoketree
Drive in Chesterfield County, VA. F-45 claims the impact aggravated pre-existing lumbar arthritis,
which resulted in sporadic urinary incontinence ($18,000 medl. expense--epidural steroid injections
done for back pain, plus specialized therapy needed for the incontinence). F-54 suffered a
concussion, C5-C6 herniation (PT and chiropractic care required), and aggravation of a prior
lumbar fusion ($50,000 medl. expense). F-51 cites only a neck strain ($1500 medl. expense).
Settlements, paid by State Farm, were $186,000 to F-45, $185,000 to F-54, and $32,400 to F-51.
$284,000 (SFFF i/5) No Suit Filed. (IL Cook-Law) Atty Tony S. Kalogerakos. Deft's left-turning vehicle
struck pltfs' car. F-70 driver's right ankle was fractured (surgery done--$99,634 medl. expense). Her
passenger, F-74, suffered fractured ribs ($43,661 medl. expense). Paid by State Farm: $204,000 to
F-70 and $80,000 to F-74.
$175,000
$82,500
$15,000
(SFFF i/6) 12L-3753 (IL Cook-Law) Attys Gerald J. Bekkerman and Jonathan D. Treshansky. July
22, 2011 pltf's vehicle was rear-ended by deft's in stop-and-go traffic on eastbound I-90 near Harlem
Avenue (Chicago). Unemployed M-43 claims the incident aggravated C6-C7 stenosis (discectomy
and fusion recommended, but not done), and caused low back and shoulder injuries that
necessitated physical therapy ($27,914 medl. expense). Paid by State Farm.
(SFFF i/7) 11L-6 (IL, De Kalb 23rd Jud Cir) Atty David W. Olivero. Deft failed to stop at his stop
sign and struck pltf's vehicle in the intersection. F-34 teacher's aide was 37-weeks pregnant and,
due to the impact, had to undergo an emergency C-section. Pltf had planned for natural childbirth,
so her claim for medical expense consisted of the difference between the average cost of the two
methods of childbirth ($4719 medl. expense; no LT sought). Paid by Geico.
(SFFF i/8) lOL-272 (IL, Winnebago 17th Jud Cir) Atty G. Kimball MacCloskey. F-18 claims
December 8, 2008 rear-end collision at Strathmoor and Mulford Road (Rockford) caused an L5-Sl
herniation, L4-L5 spondylosis and pars defect ($33,524 medl. expense; $3960 LT as a grocery clerk).
Paid by Progressive Insurance.
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