Venue: Buchanan County Circuit Court

Case Number/Date: Not filed/July 11, 2012

Special Damages: Larry Pettibon: medical bills originally charged $25,718, reduced to $23,634. Thelma Pettibon: medical bills originally charged $16,432, reduced to $12,122.

Insurer: Carolina Casualty Insurance Company

Plaintiff’s Attorney: James Montee, Montee Law Firm, P.C., St. Joseph

Defendant’s Attorney: None

Plaintiff’s Expert: Stan Oglesby, Concordia (accident reconstruction)

St. Joseph, Missouri auto accident attorney James Montee has reached a settlement on behalf of his clients for injuries received in a Gower, Missouri automobile accident.

On September 10, 2011, Larry Pettibon was driving his wife Thelma east on Frederick Avenue in St. Joseph, Missouri in the couple’s 2007 Ford F-150. A Jack Cooper Transport semi with two trailer units in tow turned left in front of the Pettibon’s and their pickup struck the second trailer.

The Pettibons were transported by ambulance to Heartland hospital. Larry Pettibon suffered a large hematoma on his right forearm, a rib fracture and lumbar spinous process fractures. Larry stayed at the hospital for three days and followed up with physical therapy and a TENS unit. Thelma Pettibon was treated in the emergency room and diagnosed with neck and back strain and chest contusion. A follow-up chest CT scan later revealed a nondisplaced subacute manubrial fracture.

The driver for Jack Cooper Transport alleged that the Pettibon vehicle was traveling too fast. The police report measured 64 feet of skid from the Pettibon pickup prior to the collision. The Crash Data Retrieval Module on the Pettibon pickup was corrupted in the collision and data was not retrieved to determine the pickup’s speed.

The Pettibons agreed to settle their claims for $150,000 prior to filing suit.

Breakdown: $100,000 for Larry Pettibon; $50,000 for Thelma Pettibon