Central Point man crushed in truck crash sues trucking company for $4.5 million

By Stuart Tomlinson, The Oregonian The Oregonian

View full size Tom D'Amore William Geary was seriously injured when his pickup truck was crushed beneath the second trailer of a tractor trailer in Central Point last December.

A Central Point man whose pickup truck was crushed when a double-tractor trailer rolled on top of it last December, is suing the trucking company and driver for $4.5 million.

William Geary, 60, was waiting at a red light to make a left turn on Biddle Road in Central Point on Dec. 21, when the double-tractor driven by Phillip McCulloch turned right onto the highway off Table Rock Road. The second-trailer tipped over directly onto Geary’s truck. T he suit was filed this morning in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Geary’s attorney, Tom D’Amore, said the case was filed in Multnomah County because the defendant in the case, Express Transport Corporation , does business all over Oregon and firm’s attorney and D’Amore are both based in Portland.

 McCulloch was cited for reckless driving, D’Amore said. The suit also alleges that the truck’s rear trailer axle brakes were out of adjustment and had mismatched brake slack adjusters. Adjusters make sure the brakes continue to work as they wear out.

D’Amore said Geary, the manager of a grocery mart, suffered crush injuries, including leg fractres, a broken arm, internal injuries and fractures to his vertebrae. He was hospitalized for 15 days, and faces additional surgeries.

“He will probably never work again,’’ D’Amore said.

The suit seeks damages for all of Geary’s medical expenses, all medical care in the future, and wage and income loss, or about $1.5 million. The suit seeks another $3 million in non-economic damages, including pain and suffering.

The crash was captured by a Jackson County Sheriff's Office surveillance video camera trained on the intersection.

“It’s an unusual case because we see what happened during the accident,” D’Amore said.

Copyright 2011 OregonLive.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

You must accept the terms of service before you can post a comment.