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MADISON - ST. CLAIR RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Surgical boot-wearing truck driver blamed for Lebanon accident

A man has filed suit against the driver who he claims rear-ended his vehicle at an intersection while operating a commercial vehicle without the proper license.

George Vaughn claims he had operated his vehicle at a four-way stop at the intersection of St. Louis and Madison Avenues in Lebanon on July 11, 2012, when defendant William H. Goodman, who was driving a 2008 International truck behind him, rear-ended his vehicle.

“Goodman did not have a valid commercial driver’s license at the time and was wearing a surgical boot on his left foot and ankle,” the suit filed Oct. 22 in St. Clair County Circuit Court states.

Because of the collision, Vaughn suffered back injuries, requiring significant medical treatment and eventually surgical repair, and endured great pain, according to the complaint. He also incurred medical costs, lost wages and suffered significant disability, the suit states.

Vaughn blames Goodman for causing the collision, saying he negligently drove inattentively, failed to yield the right-of-way, failed to warn of his approach, failed to control his vehicle, drove too fast and drove while his license was suspended.

In addition to Goodman, Dolphin Line is named as a defendant. It owned the truck Goodman was driving at the time of the collision and negligently entrusted its vehicle to a driver who it knew had an unsafe past, failed to train its driver in the safe operation of commercial vehicles, retained Goodman as a driver when it knew he did not have a safe past and hired Goodman without adequately investigating his driving history, the complaint says.

In his two-count complaint, Vaughn is seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs.

Joseph R. Hillebrand of Brown and Crouppen in St. Louis will be representing him.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 13-L-544.

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