EDWARDSVILLE – The passenger in a pickup truck is suing over injuries she allegedly suffered in a crash after the driver fell asleep.
Susanne Woods filed the suit April 4 in Madison County Circuit Court against Wayne Woods, Woods Basement Systems Inc., and unknown driver John Doe.
Wayne Woods is the general manager of Woods Basement Systems Inc., located in Collinsville, and was provided a pickup truck as part of his compensation, the suit says.
On Oct. 29, 2014, he was driving the truck eastbound on Silver Creek Road in New Douglas and the plaintiff was a passenger in the vehicle, according to the suit.
Acting as an agent of the defendant company, Wayne Woods allegedly committed acts of negligence including driving at an excessive rate of speed, failing to keep the vehicle under control, falling asleep while driving and failing to see a truck allegedly driving in his lane of traffic.
The plaintiff also alleges Doe was negligent in driving too fast, driving into the path of the pickup truck, failing to observe the pickup truck, and driving west in the eastbound lane of traffic.
As a result, the plaintiff suffered bruised and collapsed lungs, head injuries, a fractured jaw, broken ribs and several other severe injuries, the suit says.
The plaintiff has accumulated substantial medical bills, cannot attend to her regular duties, has lost income and wages, and has experienced loss of quality of life, according to the suit.
The plaintiff seeks judgment from all three defendants in an amount of $1 million plus court costs. She is represented by Rhonda D. Fiss in Belleville.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 16-L-436