BELLEVILLE - A motorist is sung a law firm she claims failed to timely file a complaint alleging a police officer under the influence of alcohol and driving a marked car ran a red light and crashed into her vehicle.
Heather Doty Schwartz filed suit June 1 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Brown & Crouppen and one of its attorneys, Seth Hicks.
Schwartz claims she entered into agreement with the law firm less than three weeks after the alleged collision on July 29, 2018.
But she accuses the firm and the attorney of failing to file an action against the City of Centralia, its police department, and officer Michael Sensel within a one year statute of limitations.
As a result, the plaintiff claims she lost any chance of recovering damages for personal injuries due to the alleged negligence of the proposed defendants.
The complaint against the law firm and attorney includes details of what the plaintiff claims led to the crash.
Schwartz states that she was crossing the intersection of Elm Street and Broadway when she was struck by the patrol car, which was driven through a red light without any warning lights or sounds.
"On information and belief, at the time of the occurrence Sensel was operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol," the complaint states.
The plaintiff, who is seeking in excess of the jurisdictional limits of this court as well as costs, is represented by Thomas G. Gorman of GWC Injury Lawyers and Elliot R. Schiff of the Schiff Law Firm, both of Chicago.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 2020-L-0431