St. Clair County Illinois Circuit Court Judge Awards $37.5 Million in Deadly Drunk Driving Case
GAINESVILLE, FL; March 13, 2018 – A St. Clair County Illinois Circuit Court judge has awarded plaintiff Lucas Williams $37.5 million for the death of his wife and his own complete disability as the result of a horrific drunk driving crash in 2010.
“This was a tragic event that destroyed and changed lives forever,” said Mark Avera, Partner, Avera & Smith, LLP. “It’s a stark reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.”
The compensatory damages were secured by law firms Avera & Smith, LLP (Gainesville, Fla), Corboy & Demetrio (Chicago) and Cook, Bartholomew, Shevlin & Cook, LLP (Belleville, IL). The verdict arose from a collision on Interstate 64 east of St. Louis on November 17, 2010. Mr. Williams and his wife, Jessica, were working as an
over-the-rode trucking team with Celadon trucking company. They were traveling eastbound during the pre-dawn hours when a drunk driver driving east in the westbound lanes hit their truck head-on, causing the truck to careen into a steep ravine in the highway median. The truck turned on its side and caught fire. Mr. Williams and his wife tried to escape the cab of the truck, but his wife was not able to make it and perished.
Mr. Lucas suffered severe burns over half of his body, was hospitalized for six months, but did survive. He has permanent injuries as a result of the crash, including being totally disabled and unable to return to trucking. The verdict includes damages for Jessica’s wrongful death and Mr. Williams’ personal injury claim.
Mr. Williams was represented by Mark Avera (Avera & Smith, LLP), Robert Bingle (Corboy & Demetrio) and Greg Shevlin (Cook, Bartholomew, Shevlin & Cook, LLP).
Avera & Smith has represented Floridians and residents of other states for more than 60 years, with a legacy of personal service and genuine care for clients and the local community. Visit www.avera.com for more information.
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