The family of Lauren Mallory Elder has settled a lawsuit in regard to an automobile crash that took place in Grundy County and resulted in the tragic death of this 28-year-old woman. The crash took place at an intersection controlled by a two-way stop sign. The stop sign controlling the direction of travel of the vehicle occupied by the decedent was angled 35º away from the roadway (as opposed to the standard 90º angle). The vehicle in which Lauren Mallory Elder was a passenger entered the intersection without stopping and was struck by a vehicle entering the intersection from their right. The defense argued that the decedent and the driver of the car she was in were high on drugs and that their impairment was the reason the driver didn’t see the plainly visible stop sign and entered the intersection without stopping. The other vehicle paid its full policy limit of $1,250,000.00. The Grundy County Highway Commissioner paid $250,000.00. The Plaintiff’s uninsured motorist policy paid $100,000.00. The deceased was survived by her 5-year-old daughter. This is the fourth highest wrongful death settlement on record in Grundy County. David J. Gallagher and Robert J. Napleton , LLP., represented the 5-year-old girl. The case is SUSAN R. MALLORY, Special Administrator of the Estate of LAUREN MALLORY ELDER, Deceased v. GRUNDY COUNTY, IL; JOHN E. JOHNSON, et al. Grundy County Court No. 14 L 36.
Napleton & Partners
