$3.8 Million Settlement to Severely Injured Lehigh County Man

A 27-year-old Lehigh County man will receive a $3.8 million settlement to compensate him for severe injuries he received when two tractor-trailers smashed into his SUV on a Pennsylvania Interstate highway in July 2010.

Kyle Kelly, who was 23 at the time of the crash, was driving home from work in his SUV early on July 30, 2010 in the southbound lanes of Interstate 380 in Coolbaugh Township when his SUV was struck head-on by a northbound tractor-trailer that crossed the grass median, according to an Oct. 29 story in The (Allentown) Morning Call.

After that impact, Kelly’s SUV sat disabled in the right southbound lane of the highway, where it was then struck by a second tractor-trailer, according to the story.

Kelly, an auto mechanic, suffered “devastating injuries” from the impacts, including two fractured eye sockets, a fractured jaw and palette, traumatic brain injuries, a broken leg and a broken foot, the story stated. The injuries, which are expected to have lifelong impacts on the victim, have so far required 16 surgeries and a long rehabilitation. In addition, Kelly suffers from crash-related cognitive impairment, has difficulty walking and is likely to suffer arthritis as he ages, the story reported.

The $3.8 million settlement will be paid by the companies that own the two trucks that smashed into his SUV. The first tractor-trailer was being driven by Isabel Lopez, who drove the vehicle for Proud-2-Haul Inc. of Kearny, N.J, while the second truck was operated by John Charles Bonyea, who drove his vehicle for Leonard’s Transportation of Farmington, N.Y., the story reported.

Kelly’s lawsuit alleged that both truck drivers were negligent for failing to safely operate their trucks, that they and their companies violated federal motor carrier safety regulations and that they failed to keep accurate driver logs, the story reported. The lawsuit also alleged that the defendants failed to properly maintain their vehicles.

The crash involving Kelly then set off a chain reaction pile-up that killed a married Bucks County couple, John and Christine Inscho, both 58, of Nockamixon Township, who died  when a third tractor-trailer rear-ended their sport utility vehicle as it stopped for the original crash that involved Kelly, the paper reported.

Lopez, the driver of the first tractor-trailer that struck Kelly’s SUV, told state police that he took his eyes off the road to search for an apple that he had dropped in his truck’s cab, the story reported.

The case was settled by the two trucking companies before a Nov. 17 trial ever got under way in Lackawanna County Court.

These kinds of injury cases occur every day when innocent victims are severely hurt or killed in vehicle crashes through no fault of their own due to the actions, inattentiveness or indifference of others. That’s why it is critical to have a legal team on your side that uncovers every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award.

We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a vehicle incident or accident anywhere in the United States. We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.