Today’s post continues Coffman Law’s “Illinois Injury Report” blog series, which summarizes and reports the latest news in Illinois concerning the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, and more. Most recently, this series has discussed a series of multi-million dollar personal injury and medical malpractice settlements that were being challenged in Illinois. In this blog, we provide two brief descriptions of recent motorcycle crash settlements agreed to in Illinois courts. Specifically, the post first discusses a Honda Dealership paying out a massive settlement to an amputee crash victim before turning to another recent settlement achieved in a tragic car crash case in northwestern Illinois.

Honda Dealership Pays $16M to Man Hit While Riding his Motorcycle

On September 14, 2020, Muller Honda of Gurnee agreed to a $16M settlement with motorcyclist Tim Walsh. The accident leading to this lawsuit occurred in June 2018 when Defendant Muller Honda sent out its porter to fill a car with gas before it was to be sold. Shortly after the porter left the dealership, he approached an intersection where he faced a stop sign but crossing traffic did not. The porter rolled through the stop sign without checking the crossing traffic and proceeded to strike 56-year-old Tim Walsh, who flew off his motorcycle and onto the sidewalk.

Paramedics immediately took Walsh to the hospital, where his left leg was amputated from the knee down. Walsh apparently suffered complications from the amputation and also went through surgeries to repair tears in both of his shoulders. Walsh subsequently sued the porter and the dealership in the Circuit Court of Lake County, Illinois. These defendants’ main contention did not concern its own liability, but rather what constituted reasonable compensation in light of similar settlement amounts in Illinois. After approximately two years of litigation, the parties agreed to settle Walsh’s claims for $16M. According to statements by Walsh’s counsel, this is the highest leg amputation ever recorded in Lake County.

Family of Deceased Motorcyclist Receives $3.6M After Crash with Whiteside County Deputy

On August 19, 2020, the parties to a fatal crash case out of Whiteside County published that the matter had settled for $3.6M about a month before. Specifically, the case related to the death of William G. Damhoff, a 56-year-old Morrison man who was struck by a Whiteside County sheriff’s deputy while on his way home from work. The accident occurred on June 25, 2016 in Hopkins Township, Illinois, where Whiteside County sheriff’s deputy Jeffrey Wunderlich was traveling on his way to relieve other officers in Sterling.

Wunderlich was recorded driving at a speed of 90 MPH before he approached the intersection of U.S. 30 and Emerson Road. When he arrived at the intersection, Wunderlich turned down Emerson Road, which was marked by a “Do Not Enter” sign (as it is a one-way street). Wunderlich immediately struck Damhoff on his motorcycle after turning the wrong way down this one-way road, and Damhoff died as a result of the crash. Damhoff is survived by his wife Lynette, three children, and nine grandchildren.

The Illinois State Police Traffic Reconstruction report emphasized that Wunderlich was traveling at high speeds at night without his emergency lights on to warn other drivers. In fact, the report concluded that “Damhoff did not have enough time to react to Wunderlich turning in front of him. Also, Damhoff or any other motorist traveling at the intersection at that time would not have expected Wunderlich to turn prior to the intersection and go the wrong way up a one-way turn lane.”

If any readers are involved in a car, truck, or motorcycle crash, do not hesitate to reach out to Coffman Law. Owner and Founding Partner Brian Coffman has handled virtually every type of crash case, and through his experience defending corporate insurers for years prior to founding his own firm, Brian has also come to understand the strategies typically employed by insurance companies in these types of cases. Click HERE to contact our office for a free consultation.

About Coffman Law Offices, P.C.

Coffman Law is Chicago’s leading personal injury law firm and is committed to providing superb legal representation for people who are suffering from severe personal injuries or are dealing with the loss of a loved one due to negligence or misconduct. Coffman Law is a results-driven law firm focused on ensuring that clients receive the compassion, attention, and consideration that they need to seek adequate compensation for injuries or loss. The firm is led by Owner and Founding Partner Brian Coffman, who has dedicated his career to helping accident victims navigate the legal system and obtain compensation for their injuries. If you have been injured or lost a loved one, contact Coffman Law today for a free consultation.