A motorist claims a semi truck driver hit his parked vehicle while he was on the side of the interstate in a construction zone.
Leron Lewis Jr. filed the complaint Dec. 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Hirschbach Motor Lines Inc. and Eric Jerome Campbell Sr.
According to the complaint, Campbell was driving a semi truck and its attached trailer southbound on Interstate 57 near its interchange with Illinois Route 149 in Browning Township on Dec. 13. He was acting in the course and scope of his employment with defendant Hirschbach Motor Lines. At the same time, Lewis was in or near his vehicle and stopped on the side of the interstate in an active construction zone.
Lewis alleges Campbell negligently operated his vehicle in the construction zone, causing it to collide with the plaintiff’s vehicle.
Campbell is accused of operating the semi truck at a speed too great for conditions, failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to avoid a collision, failing to slow or stop when danger to the plaintiff was imminent and failing to properly maintain his semi truck.
Hirschbach Motor Lines is accused of knowing Campbell was unfit to operate the truck, allowing Campbell to operate the semi truck, failing to properly train Campbell, failing to ensure Campbell was properly trained, failing to discipline or re-train Campbell when it knew he failed to comply with various rules and regulations, failing to remove Campbell from his duties and failing to properly supervise the defendant.
As a result, Lewis claims he sustained bodily injury, disfigurement, pain and suffering, mental suffering and disability. He also claims he lost earnings and incurred expenses.
He seeks a judgment in his favor in excess of $75,000, plus court costs.
He is represented by Kenneth Levinson of Levinson and Stefani Injury Lawyers in Chicago.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:20-cv-1355