Driver causes accident after crossing lanes, suit claims

A woman has filed suit against the driver who she claims drove a car into her lane, causing a collision.

Kathryn Klippel claims she was driving a 2005 Buick Rendevous east on Illinois Route 161 in Shiloh Valley Township on Sept. 22, 2009, when defendant Nicholas Elser, who was driving a 2003 General Motors Sonoma in the opposite direction, struck her.

Because of the collision, Klippel suffered injuries to her face, eyes, head, neck and back and experienced severe pain and suffering, according to the complaint filed Oct. 14 in St. Clair County Circuit Court. In addition, she was hindered from attending to her normal activities, lost large sums of money and incurred substantial medical costs, the suit states.

Elser negligently drove into Klippel's lane, failed to apply his brakes, failed to decrease his speed to avoid a collision, failed to keep his vehicle under proper control and failed to stop in time to avoid a collision, the complaint says.

In her suit, Klippel is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.

She will be represented by George R. Ripplinger of Ripplinger and Zimmer in Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-540.