Pickup Truck Collision with Mother Leads to $935,000 Settlement

A woman who suffered severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, when she was struck by a City of Trenton pickup truck after pushing her daughter’s stroller out of the vehicle’s path and saving her life, recently settled her lawsuit against the driver and the City of Trenton for $935,000. She was represented in her lawsuit by Stark & Stark shareholders Evan J. Lide and J. Robert Bratman.

On December 9, 2019, while Heidi Us-Chan was walking and pushing her daughter in her stroller within the crosswalk of Prospect Street near its intersection with Bellevue Avenue in Trenton, and crossing into the westbound lane of the latter with the traffic signal in her direction giving her the right of way, a City of Trenton pickup truck operated by a municipal employee traveling on Prospect Street turned right into the same lane. When Ms. Us-Chan saw the pickup truck heading towards her and her daughter, she pushed her then-baby daughter’s stroller out of the way. Immediately after doing so, the truck hit Ms. Us-Chan on her right side, pushing her several feet before she landed on the road, striking her head and face.

“Our client heroically pushed her daughter out of harm’s way as a City of Trenton pickup came barreling toward her,” said Lide. “If she had hesitated for a second or two, the pickup would have struck her daughter, catastrophically injuring her and likely killing her. That she did what any other parent would have done in such a situation does not make her act any less valiant.”

Ms. Us-Chan suffered a traumatic brain injury, a herniated disk, a fractured ankle and several other fractures, and multiple fractured teeth from the pickup truck hitting her. In addition, she suffers from emotional distress, and both she and her daughter are apprehensive when crossing a street.

“Our client paid a steep price when she risked her life to save her daughter’s life,” said Bratman. “She is totally occupationally disabled from substantial, gainful employment, and the pain she feels now is likely to be with her for the rest of her life. But, because of her courage, hopefully her daughter will be too.” Pickup truck