Adams
Port Arthur resident Vesta Babineaux, who sued three motorists for causing a pile up on US 69, recently reaped more than $34,000 in damages for injuries she sustained in the wreck.
On Jan. 5, 2011, Babineaux filed suit against Jesse Rink, Nicholas Smith and Zachary Mills in Jefferson County District Court.
The case went to trial in late May in Judge Donald Floyd's 172nd District Court.
According to the charge of the court filed May 28, jurors assigned 95 percent of the blame to Rink and the remaining 5 percent to Smith. No percentage of negligence was assigned to Mills.
Jurors awarded Babineaux $25,914.83 for her medical expenses, $7,500 for her physical pain and $750 for her past physical impairment.
No damages were awarded for Babineaux's alleged mental anguish, the charge states.
According to her petition, on Oct. 5, 2011, Babineaux was traveling north on US 69 in Port Arthur when her vehicle came to a complete stop due to heavy traffic.
"Although defendants had plenty enough time ... they failed to stop their vehicles to avoid colliding with plaintiff," the suit states.
"The momentum of all the defendants' vehicles, which struck each other then plaintiff, caused the damages made the basis of this suit."
Babineaux alleges the defendants negligently failed to keep a safe distance between vehicles and apply their brakes in a timely manner.
She sued for her alleged past and future mental anguish, medical expenses, lost wages, impairment and disfigurement, plus actual damages.
Port Arthur attorney Langston Adams is representing her.
Case No. E189-065