Harley passenger sues Farmers for under-insured benefits

A Belleville woman claims she suffered injuries to her spine, shoulders and other body parts after a car rear-ended the motorcycle on which she rode.

Paula Barker filed a lawsuit June 23 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Farmers Insurance Group.

In her complaint, Barker claims she rode on a 2005 Harley Davidson, which Anthony Week was driving west on South Belt West in Belleville on June 25, 2009, when Gale Reinheimer, who drove a 2004 Dodge Intrepid in the same direction, struck the rear of Week's vehicle.

In addition to her injuries, Barker suffered great pain and mental anguish and incurred medical costs, according to the complaint.

Barker blames Reinheimer for causing the collision, saying she negligently failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to reduce her speed to avoid a collision, failed to keep her vehicle under proper control and failed to maintain a reasonable speed.

At the time of the collision, Weeks had insurance through Farmers Insurance Group, which was supposed to provide under insured motorist benefits to anyone injured in a collision on Weeks's bike, the suit states.

In her complaint, Barker seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.

Rhonda D. Fiss of The Law Office of Rhonda D. Fiss in Belleville will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-327.