Woman sues to recover expenses from uninsured driver

A Beaumont woman claims she had to pay medical expenses out of her own pocket because her auto insurance company refused to reimburse her after an uninsured driver struck her.

Anita Becker filed a lawsuit March 30 in Jefferson County District Court against Farmers Texas County Mutual Insurance Company.

Becker claims she drove a motor vehicle in Jefferson County on Jan. 5, 2009, when Latrina Lewis struck her vehicle. Becker's daughter, Malaina Seegers, rode as a passenger in her vehicle at the time of the collision.

Because of the accident, Becker incurred medical expenses for herself and her daughter, suffered property damages and lost wages, according to the complaint. She and Seegers also sustained mental anguish and physical impairment, the suit states.

Becker blames Lewis, an uninsured driver, for causing the accident, saying Lewis failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to maintain control of her vehicle, drove too fast, failed to exercise ordinary care, failed to turn to avoid a collision, failed to keep such a distance that a person exercising ordinary care would have done, failed to yield to a vehicle on a public street, failed to obey a traffic signal, failed to yield and grant use at an intersection, failed to proceed into the intersection only when it was safe to do so and drove with wanton disregard for the safety of others on the road.

At the time of the accident, Becker and Seegers should have been protected by a Farmers Texas County Mutual Insurance Company auto policy that should have covered any damages resulting from a collision with an uninsured driver, the complaint says. However, Farmers refuses to pay Becker for her damages, she claims.

In her complaint, Becker seeks a judgment in excess of the minimum jurisdictional limit of Jefferson County District Court, plus costs, pre- and post-judgment interest and other relief to which she may be entitled.

B. Adam Terrell of Weller, Green, Toups and Terrell in Beaumont will be representing her.

The case has been assigned to Judge Gary Sanderson, 60th District Court.

Jefferson County District Court case number: B186-431.