On Jan. 21, 2009, Jasmine Crawford was driving northbound on Bruce Avenue in Flossmoor, Ill. Her vehicle was hit on the driver’s side door by the defendant, Christine Rothchild, who was traveling eastbound on Wallace Drive.
Crawford, a 32-year-old homemaker, suffered neck/back soft tissue injuries and a dislocated right shoulder, which required two surgeries. Ms. Crawford also underwent a Bristow Procedure (open surgery) in November 2009 to stabilize the shoulder and to prevent further recurrent dislocations. The Bristow Procedure is an operation in which the biceps muscle at the top of the shoulder joint is moved down slightly to repair the injured area. Because she continued to have shoulder pain, she later had arthroscopic surgery in October 2012 to remove scar tissue that developed following the first surgery.
Ms. Crawford argued that Rothchild chose not to yield the right of way at the uncontrolled intersection. Crawford’s car was to the right of Rothschild’s car at the time of the collision.
Rothchild, age 38, is a lawyer who contended that Crawford was travelling at a high rate of speed and was distracted while she was on her cell phone. The defense also argued that Crawford suffered merely a sprain or a strain in the collision and that her two shoulder surgeries were unrelated to the crash.
Before trial, the defendant Rothchild offered $5,000 to settle the case. The demand to settle by plaintiff pretrial was $350,000. Counsel for Ms. Crawford asked the jury to return a verdict of $403,121.
The jury’s verdict of $133,121 was made up of the following damages:
- $78,121 for medical expenses;
- $40,000 for pain and suffering;
- $15,000 for loss of normal life;
- $0 for disfigurement.
The attorney for Jasmine Crawford was Brian C. Thomas. Both the plaintiff and the defendant presented expert medical testimony to support their cases.
Jasmine Crawford v. Christine Rothchild, No. 10 L-8524 (Cook County, Illinois).
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling automobile accidents, truck accidents and bike accidents for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 37 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Evergreen Park, Harvey, Markham, Hazel Crest, South Holland, Chicago Heights, Western Springs, Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Crystal Lake, Woodstock, South Elgin and Oak Lawn, Ill.
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