Injuries claimed in Millstadt accident, suit claims

A man claims he sustained serious, severe and permanent injuries after two drivers rear-ended him.

Ashgar Soltanipanah filed a lawsuit April 23 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Richard A. Cummings and Debra S. Wells.

Soltanipanah claims he drove his 2006 Nissan west on East Washington Avenue near Gemstone Drive in Millstadt on April 27, 2008, at about 9:30 a.m. when Cummings, who drove a 2004 Jeep Liberty in the same direction, rear-ended him after Wells, who drove a 2000 Toyota Sienna, rear-ended Cummings.

Because of the collision, Soltanipanah suffered mental pain and anguish, incurred medical costs, lost large sums of money because of his usual employment and experienced a damaged earning capacity, according to the complaint.

Soltanipanah blames Cummings, in part, for causing the collision, saying he failed to keep his vehicle under proper control, failed to keep a proper lookout for other vehicles, failed to take evasive measure to avoid a collision, drove too closely behind Soltanipanah's vehicle, drove without adequate brakes and drove too fast.

He also places some of the blame of Wells, who he says failed to keep her vehicle under proper control, failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to stop or take evasive measures to avoid a collision, drove too closely behind another vehicle, drove without adequate brakes and drove too fast.

In his two-count complaint, Soltanipanah seeks a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs.

Thomas B. Cannady of Cannady and Katz in Shiloh will be representing him.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-195.