Illinois Auto Crash Settled for 2.93 Million – Cox v. Phillips

An Illinois personal injury lawsuit settled for $2.93 million in Lake County, Illinois. The Illinois lawsuit of Jeffrey Cox v. Anthony S. Phillips, et al., No. 08 L 488, arose as a result of a 2006 car accident. The lawsuit carried claims not only of the personal injuries sustained by the plaintiff driver, but also involved a workers’ compensation claim for the plaintiff’s lost time from work following the Illinois truck accident.

In 2006, the plaintiff, 51 year-old Jeffrey Cox, was driving his pickup truck near the intersection of Hardigan Road and Rte. 12 in Lake County, Illinois. At the time of the Illinois truck accident, Cox was driving through the intersection with a green light. According to his Illinois personal injury complaint, Anthony Phillips t-boned Cox’s vehicle after running a red light at the Lake County intersection.

Phillips was traveling at high speeds at the time of the t-bone truck collision, causing fairly severe injuries to Cox’s shoulder and leg. While Cox’s shoulder healed without any major interventions, Cox’s leg injury required surgery, thereby increasing the time required for his healing process.


Cox brought an Illinois personal injury lawsuit against the defendant driver, seeking compensation for the shoulder and leg injuries he sustained as a result of the Lake County trucking accident. In addition, Cox brought an action against Phillips’s employer since Phillips, a lawn maintenance worker, was driving his employer’s utility truck at the time of the t-bone accident. Typically, if an employee gets in an accident when he or she is using a company vehicle within the scope of his or her employment, then the company is also liable for any injuries sustained as a result of the car accident.

In addition, Cox’s lawsuit involved claims for past and future lost time from work. Cox, a sewer and water laborer, was unable to return to his normal union job following the Illinois trucking accident. Cox was employed by Berger Excavating Contractors, Inc., a Wauconda company which installs water and sewer lines both in homes and for businesses.

Prior to going to trial, Cox’s personal injury claim was sent to mediation with a retired Cook County judge. Mediation is a process in which both parties can negotiate a settlement in front of a neutral party. If a settlement is reached, it then needs to be approved by the court in order to be official.

In Cox, a settlement of $2.93 million was reached between all parties, which was then approved by the court. The settlement not only included Cox’s personal injury claim against Phillips and his employer, but also included his Illinois workers’ compensation claim for time missed as a result of his leg and shoulder injuries. The workers’ compensation claim with his employer resulted in an additional $100,000 to Cox and a waiver of the remainder of his workers’ compensation lien.

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Illinois truck accident cases for more than 35 years in and around Chicago and Cook County, including Chicago Heights, Wheaton, Forest Park, and Crestwood.

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