PLAINFIELD, IL — A Minooka woman who became paralyzed after a 2022 crash on pothole-ridden Interstate 55 near Plainfield received a $60 million settlement, the law firm representing her said Monday.
On Aug. 30 nearly four years ago, Sarah Grasser, 31, was driving on northbound I-55 near Renwick Road, which was under construction at the time, when another driver swerved to avoid a two-lane-wide, several-inches-deep pothole. The car hit Grasser's, causing it to roll over and land in a ditch on the side of the highway, Clifford Law Offices said in a news release.
Grasser suffered permanent injuries to her spine, leaving her paraplegic.
The case was settled shortly before the trial, which had been set to begin on Monday.
The law firm argued the crash was preventable, saying a clear hazard was left in the road, creating a danger for drivers.
"Under those conditions, the roadway should not have been open to traffic without appropriate safeguards or corrective measures," Bradley Cosgrove, a partner at Clifford Law Offices, said in a statement. "Instead, despite multiple entities being involved in the construction and inspection of the site, the roadway remained in use while exhibiting conditions that posed a foreseeable risk to motorists."
The lawsuit named 10 defendants, including multiple construction companies and traffic control agencies. Attorneys said crews milled too deeply into the structural layers of the road, weakening the pavement and disregarding "the planned staggered milling sequence by milling all three lanes to a full five-inch depth."
"This settlement will help Sarah cope with all of the physical, mental, and emotional needs for decades to come," Cosgrove said. "She led a normal life until that fateful evening. Had people been doing their jobs properly, she would be enjoying life with her friends and family today."
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