$1.4 Million Jury Verdict for Injury to Student Hit by Truck in Crosswalk

Sean McFly, a 29-year-old student at the University of Florida, was heading to class from a campus parking lot. As he was walking in the crosswalk, a truck driven by Billy Harrison, a University of Florida employee, hit him. He suffered cervical disk herniation at C5-6 and C6-7 that resulted in nerve damage to his hands.

McFly suffers ongoing pain and will require spinal fusion at a later date. His past medical expenses totaled $36,000.

McFly sued the University of Florida alleging liability for Harrison’s choosing not to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. McFly claimed that Harrison had been using his cell phone at the time of the incident. It was also alleged that Harrison failed to slow down before the impact.

The University of Florida, for Harrison, argued that McFly’s injuries were pre-existing and that he should have gotten out of the way of the oncoming truck.

The jury signed a verdict for $1.4 million, which was increased with interest to more than $1.45 million.

The attorneys successfully handling this case for Sean McFly were Julie Aleve Fine and Cherie H. Fine.

McFly v. University of Florida Board of Trustees, No. 01 2016 CA 004086 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Alachua County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling pedestrian accident lawsuits, premises liability cases, truck accident lawsuits, traumatic brain injury cases, spinal cord injury lawsuits and wrongful death cases for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including River Grove, Bellwood, Hillside, Berkeley, Villa Park, Lombard, Oakbrook Terrace, Hinsdale, Downers Grove, Naperville, Lisle, Wheaton, Winfield, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Bensenville, Bolingbrook, Elk Grove Village, Romeoville, Waukegan, Park Ridge, Morton Grove, Niles, Chicago (Wildwood, Jefferson Park, Sauganash, Mount Greenwood, Old Irving Park, Roscoe Village, Avondale, Logan Square, Lakeview, Old Town, Near North Side, Fulton River District, Ukrainian Village, Humboldt Park, West Loop, East Garfield Park, Little Italy, South Loop, Chinatown, Bridgeport, Armour Square, Grand Boulevard, Archer Heights, Woodlawn, Washington Park), Willow Springs, Evergreen Park, Blue Island, South Holland, Palos Heights, Palatine, Hickory Hills, Alsip, Bedford Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Evanston, Country Club Hills and Addison, Ill.

Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.