Judge reduces lawsuit award against Mercer County agency
Issue date: 1/2/10 Section: Community News
January 23, 2010
HERMITAGE, Pa.-A Mercer County judge has scaled back a $1.6 million verdict won by the widow of a motorcyclist killed when he collided with a Mercer County Housing Authority truck.
Judge Thomas Dobson reduced the verdict Friday because the various types of damages against government agencies are capped at $250,000.
As a result, Joan Klages will get $250,000 in survival damages-which compensate the widow for her husband's lost income-and just $241,950 in wrongful death damages, for a total of $491,950.
A jury last week awarded Klages more than $1.1 million in survivor's damages and $483,900 for the wrongful death.
The judge halved the wrongful death award because he said 52-year-old Earl Klages contributed to the fatal 2007 crash with a Mercer County Housing Authority truck.
HERMITAGE, Pa.-A Mercer County judge has scaled back a $1.6 million verdict won by the widow of a motorcyclist killed when he collided with a Mercer County Housing Authority truck.
Judge Thomas Dobson reduced the verdict Friday because the various types of damages against government agencies are capped at $250,000.
As a result, Joan Klages will get $250,000 in survival damages-which compensate the widow for her husband's lost income-and just $241,950 in wrongful death damages, for a total of $491,950.
A jury last week awarded Klages more than $1.1 million in survivor's damages and $483,900 for the wrongful death.
The judge halved the wrongful death award because he said 52-year-old Earl Klages contributed to the fatal 2007 crash with a Mercer County Housing Authority truck.
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