On Feb. 2, Johnson, Vorhees, and Martucci lawyers secured a substantial verdict for a 20-year-old Kansas woman who was critically injured while trying to park her car at home. After a five-day jury trial, a Cherokee County, Kansas jury returned a verdict for plaintiff Kara Hansen for $38.5 million. Roger Johnson and Anna Sanderson of the law firm represented the plaintiff.
Ms. Hansen was catastrophically injured on April 9, 2014, when her custom 1966 Ford Mustang was struck in the rear by Corbin Hamilton, formerly from Pittsburg, Kansas. Ms. Hansen had been stopped in the northbound lane of Alt 69, waiting for a southbound vehicle to pass by so that she could turn into her own driveway. The impact to her rear propelled her into the approaching southbound vehicle, driven by Marty Atnip. Struck at highway speeds, she suffered burst fractures in her neck and injuries to her spinal cord, ultimately resulting in tetraplegia. Mr. Hamilton denied fault, blaming Ms. Hansen, Mr. Atnip and a used car dealership from which he had just purchased his vehicle. The jury found Hamilton 100% at fault.
Jurors afterward, in speaking with the attorneys, voiced their hope that the verdict would help secure funds needed by Ms. Hansen to best give her a chance at a meaningful life. They also emphasized the need for Mr. Hamilton to be held accountable, particularly given his unwillingness to accept that his inattention while driving had led to this tragic accident. Roger Johnson credited Ms. Hansen’s tremendous daily courage and positive spirit, which had become clear to the jury both through her testimony and that of her friends and caregivers, for the jury’s decision to give this verdict.