Ben is being sued by a crash victim for injuries.
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Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop was sued in Lucas County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday for damages relating to a 2007 chain-reaction car crash that he caused while driving without insurance.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091202/NEWS02/912029994
Case Number
G -4801 -CI -200908518-000
for those interested.
Odd that the plaintiff waited two years to file the lawsuit. I wonder if she first tried to collect under the uninsured motorists fund.
http://historymike.blogspot.com/
that mean Ben did not have any insurance or could not pay her? We know he was driving without insurance at the time of the crash, but did that mean he did not offer to help her at all?
The story says Ben paid cash out-of-pocket for the "fender-bender" damages. The lawsuit is for injury claims - I just find it odd that two years would go by before filing a lawsuit for an injury. She is also seeking in excess of $25,000 for injuries, which would be a heck of a lot of physical therapy, lost wages, and pain-and-suffering if this was indeed a "fender-bender."
With my limited experience in being sued as a former business owner, claims usually work their way pretty quickly through the pipeline. The fact that two years have elapsed makes me think that this person has been trying other avenues to collect without success. This would include her insurance carrier, the state uninsured motorists fund, and/or personal requests to Ben Konop.
Of course, the suit could have been filed just to get Ben's attention, and he might settle out of court for a couple of grand to make the PR headache go away.
http://historymike.blogspot.com/
Much as I dislike Konop this sounds like the typical "sue to see if I can get some free money" BS.
Was the accident in December of 2007? because IIRC there is a two year statute of limitations on such things.
"We're all riding on the Hindenburg, no sense fighting over the window seats"-Richard Jenni
Yes, perhaps it's because the two year statue of limitations is coming up. But don't think Young Ben has stalled settling any injury claim, since he knows it's coming out of his pocket. It may be a "free money" claim, but it may also be a legitimate injury from the accident. Young Ben obviously feels it is not legit. Court is the right place for it to be determined. Just be cause he paid out of pocket for the damages to her vehicle doesn't give him any excuse not to pay for legitimate injuries. As an attorney, Young Ben knows this. It's amazing what he forgets when it is not convenient for him.
I don't really care for Ben either, and i agree that its Bull&hit. I can't stand people who sue like that, drives me crazy.
If "uninsured motorists" coeverage was provided, then it would be the insurance company who would sue for "reimbursement" of claims. This sounds like a money hungry greedy &itch!