St. Clair County jurors awarded a motorist $7,500 following a Cahokia collision.
On April 9, the jury entered a verdict in favor of plaintiff Renee Goree.
Goree was awarded $1,237.96 for pain and suffering, $3,995 for medical expenses, and $2,267.04 for property damages.
Goree was represented by Earl W. Hubbs of the Law Firm of Reed and Bruhn PC in Belleville.
Defendant Iyana Odom was represented by Roger Wilson of the Law Firm of Zimmer & Associates in St. Louis.
Goree originally filed the three-count complaint with co-plaintiff Kendrick Hundly on Sept. 2, 2016. The suit alleged Goree was operating a 2002 GMC Envoy on Jerome Lane in an easterly direction near its intersection with Lee Street in Cahokia on May 18, 2016 with Hundly as a passenger. Goree alleged she was following a 2001 Pontiac Sunfire being operated by Odom.
Goree claims Odom was negligently driving her vehicle in such a manner as to cause it to collide with the plaintiff's vehicle, injuring both Goree and Hundly.
The suit stated that Odom negligently failed to keep her vehicle under proper control, failed to see and observe Goree's vehicle, failed to drive at a reasonable speed, failed to reduce speed to avoid a collision, and failed to make a safe U-turn.
Odom had previously denied liability in her answer to the complaint, alleging Goree contributed to her own injuries by failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to keep her vehicle under proper control, and failing to avoid a pending collision.
However, according to the statement of the case, Odum admited that she was negligent, admited she caused the collision, and admited Goree was injured. She denied Goree was injured to the extent claimed.
On Oct. 9, 2017, arbitrators found Odom liable for the collision and awarded Goree $10,000 and Hundly $6,000.
Odom rejected the award on Nov. 6, 2017.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 16-AR-726