BELLEVILLE -- The father of a boy injured in a vehicle collision is suing the driver of the car in which his son was a passenger.
Craig Wellen filed suit in St. Clair County Circuit Court on behalf of his son and himself against Estrellitta Wellen.
A lawyer for the plaintiff did not return messages from the Madison Record asking for comment, and to confirm the relationships between the parties.
The case centers on a collision that occurred June 10, 2017, on state Highway 50, close to the intersection with state Highway 5 in St. Clair County. According to the complaint, Estrellita Wellen was driving a vehicle westbound on Highway 50 and the child was a passenger in her car.
It is alleged Estrellita Wellen committed several acts, one or more of which amounted to negligence.
She is accused of failing to "keeping a careful lookout for other automobiles," crossing the center line into the eastbound lane and crashing into another vehicle. The complaint further states Wellen failed to stop, swerve, or maintain control of the car that she was driving.
The minor child was "severely and permanently injured," the suit alleges, as he suffered injuries to "numerous parts of his body" and to his nervous system, which has left his functions impaired. He has suffered pain, disability, and the "loss of enjoyment of life," the complaint states.
As the father and guardian of the child, Craig Wellen is asking the court damages that a "reasonable, proper, and sufficient." The father is also suing on his own behalf, alleging his son has needed "a great deal of medical treatment," which has cost a substantial amount of money.
Craig Wellen is asking the court to order a judgment that covers medical treatment costs.
The plaintiff is represented by Robert Nelson of Nelson and Nelson Attorneys at Law PC in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court Case number 19-L-435.