Alton accident caused injuries, suit claims

A Madison County woman has filed suit against two men and one of the men's employers, alleging she was seriously injured after the driver of the car in which she was riding was involved in a collision.

Shelly Dickerson claims she was riding in a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix Danny R. Pruitt was driving north at the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Godfrey Road on Oct. 12, 2007, at about 1 p.m. when the collision occurred.

At the same time, Tad Lamb was driving a vehicle north on Martin Luther King Boulevard for his employer, Bob Lamb Company, according to the complaint filed July 28 in Madison County Circuit Court.

"As Danny R. Pruitt stopped, waiting to make a lawful merge from Martin Luther King Boulevard onto Godfrey Road in Alton, Defendant, Tad Lamb, negligently breached the aforesaid duty he owed to Plaintiff, Shelly Dickerson, violently colliding his employer's motor vehicle into Danny R. Pruitt's 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix," the suit states.

Because of the collision, Shelly Dickerson has suffered permanent physical injuries, disability, disfigurement, great physical pain, suffering, mental anguish and an impairment in the enjoyment of everyday life activities, the complaint says. In addition, she has incurred significant medical costs and lost large sums of money that would have otherwise accrued to her, according to the complaint.

Lamb negligently drove too fast, failed to exercise due care, failed to obey a traffic signal, failed to obey the Illinois road provisions, failed to drive with due regard for the safety of all people, failed to keep his vehicle under control, failed to keep a proper lookout and failed to reduce his speed to avoid a collision, the suit states.

Bob Lamb Company is liable for the actions of its employee, the complaint says.

Danny R. Pruitt negligently failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to look and see visible objects, failed to keep his vehicle under control to avoid a collision and failed to use every precaution to avoid a collision, Dickerson claims.

In the five-count suit, Dickerson is seeking compensatory damages of more than $250,000, plus costs.

She will be represented by S. Russell Meyer and Amy M. Meyer of the Meyer Law Firm in Alton.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-774.