Sauter Sullivan Obtains Judgment of Over $800,000 Against Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission
Matthew Sauter of Sauter Sullivan was hired to represent a family who witnessed the tragic death of a loved one. The family lived on Highway 47 in Bonne Terre, Missouri. Prior to the accident, the Bonne Terre area had received 6-10 inches of snow. The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission (MODOT) had cleared the snow and had piled the snow on an elevated curve not far from our clients’ house. The snow melted during the day, and then froze on the road at night in what is termed “refreezing”. The Plaintiffs were standing in the front yard, when a lady hit the ice, catapulted from a ditch, and landed on the decedent. The decedent’s grandsons were standing right next to him when this happened.
Sauter Sullivan sued the driver of the automobile and MODOT. After depositions, Sauter Sullivan settled the claim against the driver for the policy limits. Sauter Sullivan was able to get favorable testimony from MODOT employees that helped make the case against MODOT. Sauter Sullivan took countless depositions of every MODOT employee involved in the snow and ice removal on Highway 47. This hard work paid off.
MODOT did not offer any money prior to trial, and indicated to Matthew Sauter that his clients did not have a case. Sauter Sullivan tried the case on behalf of its clients and received a judgment of over $800,000. Approximately 50% of the judgment was for the wrongful death case, and the other 50% was for the negligent infliction of emotional distress claims brought by Sauter Sullivan’s clients who were the grandsons of the decedent. Both grandsons were diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after the accident. Matthew Sauter and his team at Sauter Sullivan rolled up their sleeves and went to work because they believed MODOT was responsible for the accident. Although MODOT kept putting up roadblocks to recovery along the way, Sauter Sullivan fought through these tactics and was able to make a case for their client.
A lot of law firms that advertise for personal injury case try to settle the cases with the least amount of work. When Sauter Sullivan accepts a difficult case, they expend whatever time and money is necessary to achieve a just result. All of the attorneys at Sauter Sullivan regularly appear in courtrooms in the State of Missouri and Illinois, and have tried lawsuits before juries and judges. We are experienced trial attorneys. When searching for an attorney to handle your personal injury case, make sure to ask them how often they have trials and the results achieved at trial. Do not hire an attorney whose object is simply to take whatever offer is made by the insurance company. At Sauter Sullivan, if we do not receive an adequate offer, we take the case to trial.