Sara Hendricks, 32, was driving her passenger vehicle through an intersection when Matthew Mullin, who was driving a farm truck hauling grain for his employer, pulled out from a stop sign into Hendricks’s path. Her car hit the side of the farm truck driven by Mullin.
Hendricks suffered fractures to her right ankle and femur near her knee. She underwent multiple ankle surgeries, including a fusion, and surgery to repair the femur fracture.
Hendricks’s past medical expenses totaled $276,000. She was a special education teacher and lost $69,000 in earnings because of her injuries. Because of the injuries and surgeries, Hendricks has a fused ankle, which has made it difficult for her to participate in activities requiring her to stand or walk for an extended period of time.
Hendricks filed a lawsuit against Mullin alleging that he chose not to yield the right-of-way. The lawsuit also named the small farm that employed Mullin, claiming that it was liable for his negligence.
Mullin argued that Hendricks failed to keep a proper lookout, and she was responsible for the crash.
Before the trial and after depositions were taken, the parties settled the case for $900,000, which was paid by the farm’s insurer.
The Waukesha, Wis., attorney representing Hendricks was Douglas E. Swanson. In addition to the parties who testified at deposition, the parties engaged experts in orthopedic surgery to opine as to the extent and permanency of Hendricks’s injuries.
Hendricks v. Mullin, No. 2013 CV 00356 (Wis. Dodge Co. Cir. Jan. 15, 2015).
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling intersection car and truck crashes, automobile accident cases, bicycle accident cases and rear-end automobile crash cases 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 Antioch, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Evanston, Frankfurt, Gurnee, Highland Park, Inverness, Joliet, Lincolnwood, Maywood, Naperville, Orland Park, Palos Heights, River Grove, Schiller Park, Tinley Park, Vernon Hills and Morton Grove, Ill.
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