Court Awards $6,544 To Driver Injured In Street Sweeper Debacle
by
Joseph C. Maya on May. 03, 2017
Accident & Injury Car Accident Accident & Injury Personal Injury Government State and Local
Summary: Blog explaining the state's liability for a street-sweeper backing into a driver's car.
A court could award economic damages for medical expenses and non-economic damages for pain and suffering to an individual injured in a motor-vehicle accident.
Driver injured when a street sweeper backed into her motor vehicle awarded $1,544 for medical expenses and $5,000 for pain and suffering. Jennifer Kee alleged the following facts. On June 18, 2013, Kee was driving in Waterbury and a street sweeper that lacked a rearview mirror allegedly backed up into her. Kee alleged that she was unable to back up her motor vehicle, to evade the street sweeper, because another motor vehicle was behind her. The hood, front bumper, front grill and front side light of her motor vehicle were damaged. Kee went to the emergency room the following day and complained about back and shoulder pain. Emergency personnel prescribed ibuprofen and flexeril, and Kee decided to take Motrin during the day and a muscle relaxer at night. Kee visited a chiropractor 19 times between June 27, 2013 and Feb. 17, 2014. Although she experienced pain, Kee did not miss any work days and was able to work with young, disabled children at a rehabilitation facility without difficulty. She was not rated with any permanent partial disability. The City of Waterbury did not properly equip the street sweeper. Defendant driver, wrote the court, "violated C.G.S. §14-243(b) in that he backed his vehicle without ascertaining that such movement could be made with reasonable safety and without interfering with other traffic." The court awarded economic damages of $1,544 for medical expenses and noneconomic damages, for pain and suffering, of $5,000.
At Maya Murphy, P.C., our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to achieving the best results for individuals and their family members and loved ones whose daily lives have been disrupted by injury, whether caused by a motor vehicle or pedestrian accident, a slip and fall, medical malpractice, a defective product, or otherwise. Our attorneys are not afraid to aggressively pursue and litigate cases and have extensive experience litigating personal injury matters in both state and federal courts, and always with regard to the unique circumstances of our client and the injury he or she has sustained.
Source: J.T.R. Sheedy, Driver Struck by Street Sweeper that Lacked Mirror Awarded $6,544, 42 CT. L. TRBN. No. 22, 17 (May 30, 2016)