Driver suffering seizure caused accident, suit claims

A woman claims she sustained a concussion and lost consciousness after a driver suffered a seizure and struck her.

Tabitha Sorrell-Sanders filed a lawsuit Jan. 8 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Bradley Rowald.

Sorrell-Sanders claims she drove on Frank Scott Parkway and made a left turn onto Illinois Highway 161 when the left turn signal flashed green as Rowald ran a red light and collided with her automobile.

Because of the accident, Sorrell-Sanders suffered a number of injuries, including contusions to her face, abdomen, chest, knees, ribs on her left side, right upper leg and left lateral hip; a bite mark to her bottom lip; tendonitis on her rotator cuff; and an abrasion to her left lateral hip, according to the complaint. She also experienced sprains and strains to the connective tissues of her neck, shoulders and upper and lower back, according to the complaint.

In addition, she experienced a straightening of the natural lordotic curvature of her cervical spine. The curvature is imperative to help a person with his/her balance, flexibility and stress absorption and distribution. Because of the straightening, Sorrell-Sanders' preexisting degenerative disc disease has been aggravated, the suit states. In addition she suffered radiculitis, which is pain radiating down her sciatic nerve and into her upper extremities, the complaint says.

Because of her constant pain and injuries, Sorrell-Sanders claims she finds it difficult to sleep at night, has incurred medical costs of $28,500 and has lost wages of $1,765.

Sorrell-Sanders blames Rowald for causing the accident, saying he violated a red traffic light, failed to keep a careful lookout, drove too fast, failed to comply with his medication for seizure disorder and drove his automobile knowing of his epilepsy and risk of having a seizure.

Sorrell-Sanders seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

Walter L. Floyd of The Floyd Law Firm in St. Louis will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-8.