In July of 2018, a 41-year-old Missouri man was struck while mowing next to a road. The 16-year-old defendant was driving northbound on a highway when another vehicle stopped at the intersection in front of him, heading in the same direction. The defendant was unable to stop his vehicle, so to avoid rear-ending the car in front of him, he swerved to the right, colliding with the man on his riding lawnmower in the ditch. The man succumbed to his injuries not long after.
After a thorough investigation, it was found that the defendant’s breaks were sufficiently worn. The defendant was cited for careless and imprudent driving.
The plaintiffs reached settlements of $175,000 from the two drivers whose vehicles were parked in the intersection. The plaintiffs also recovered $75,000 in uninsured motor vehicle coverage due to the fleeing automobile that triggered the collision. The defendant’s mother was held liable for $50,000. The teen driver’s mother allowed the defendant to drive a defective automobile. Additionally, the plaintiffs also recovered $2 million in their wrongful death claim.
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