Tractor trailer caused multi-vehicle accident, suit claims

The mother of a minor girl claims she and her daughter sustained serious injuries after a tractor-trailer caused a multi-vehicle collision.

Cari Kleinschmidt filed a lawsuit Dec. 18 in Madison County Circuit Court on behalf of her minor daughter, Tessa Kleinschmidt, against Motor City Express Inc., Challenger Motor Freight, James Group International, James Group International II, James Group Midwest and Nicolae Valeanu.

Cari Kleinschmidt claims she became stopped in traffic in the right-hand, eastbound lane of Interstate 270 at mile post 13.5 when a tractor trailer being operated by Valeanu struck a vehicle sitting behind Cari Kleinschmidt. That caused the vehicle to crash into Cari Kleinschmidt and Cari Kleinschmidt to strike the rear of another tractor-trailer, according to the complaint. At the time of the collision, Cari Kleinschmidt's younger daughter rode as a passenger in the vehicle.

Because of the accident, Cari Kleinschmidt experienced pain and suffering and incurred medical costs.

She blames Motor City, Valeanu, Challenger Motor Freight and the James Groups for a number of negligent acts including their allowance of a tractor trailer to be operated without a proper lookout and at an excessive speed, Valeanu's failure to decrease his speed to avoid a collision and his failure to yield to vehicles in front of him.

In the four-count suit, Cari Kleinschmidt seeks a judgment of more than $200,000.

James T. Comgan of Onder, Shelton, O'Leary and Peterson in St. Louis will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-1371.