Three car pile up causes woman's head, neck, back and ear injuries

A woman is suing the driver of a vehicle who she says rear-ended the car behind hers and caused her to receive severe and permanent injuries to her head, neck, back and ears.

Kathleen LaCroix claims she was driving a 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier west on Illinois Route 157 in Caseyville and was slowing down in traffic as she approached the road's intersection with Brookside Drive.

According to the complaint filed July 20 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Tiffany Moore who was driving a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix some distance behind LaCroix, failed to stop for the car Julie Huffman was driving behind LaCroix.

"The Defendant negligently drove her vehicle into a violent collision with the rear of the vehicle owned by Julie Huffman, thereby knocking the Huffman vehicle into the rear of Plaintiff's vehicle and both vehicles moved a considerable distance forward on Illinois Route 157," the suit states.

In addition to her injuries, LaCroix claims the accident caused her to suffer great pain and mental anguish, to be hindered from her usual affairs and to incur medical costs.

She blames Moore for failing to keep a proper lookout, for failing to keep her vehicle under control, for failing to bring her vehicle to a stop before the collision, for failing to reduce her speed to avoid an accident and for failing to apply her brakes when she saw Huffman's vehicle.

LaCroix is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

Ronald S. Motil of Beatty and Motil in Glen Carbon will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-384.