A Cook County jury has determined that Brelinda Walker, age 58 and retired, was traveling northbound on Michigan Avenue in Chicago and while waiting to make a left turn on westbound Adam Street was hit from behind by the defendant, Adam Riley, age 21. Those facts were straightforward. The jury also had to consider the medical evidence and the parties’ testimony about what each believed had occurred in this car crash.
Walker contended that the impact from the crash caused her cervical and lumbar disc aggravations, requiring emergency room care, MRIs, chiropractic treatment and epidural injections into the cervical and lumbar spine. She claimed that the crash drastically changed her normal life.
The defendant Riley admitted liability in causing the impact. However, he also maintained that Walker merely sustained neck and back strains, which required only a visit to the emergency room, MRIs and 6-8 weeks of physical therapy.
Before trial, the demand to settle the case was $90,000. The offer to settle the case by the attorney for defendant Riley was $33,000. The jury was asked by Walker’s attorney to return a verdict of $101,000.
The jury’s verdict of $58,061 was made up of the following items of damages:
- $28,061 for medical expenses;
- $15,000 for pain and suffering; and
- $15,000 for loss of normal life.
The attorney for Brelinda Walker was Jacqueline Fernandez.
Brelinda Walker v. Adam Riley, No. 11 L 9705 (Cook County, Illinois).
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling car accident cases, motorcycle accidents and bicycle 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 38 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Chicago (McKinley Park, Lakeview, Kenwood, Irving Park, Jackson Park, Hyde Park, Humboldt Park), Aurora, Arlington Heights, Barrington, Bloomingdale, Grayslake, Round Beach Lake, Elgin, Elmhurst, Geneva, Vernon Hills and Forest Park, Ill.
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