NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The attorneys with Janae Edmondson have settled her civil case after a man ran over her at an intersection, which resulted in her losing her legs.
Janae and her family were there for a volleyball tournament when police said Daniel Riley, 21, drove into her. Police said Riley drove into Edmondson while illicit drugs were in his system. The incident first happened in St. Louis in 2023.
The Edmonson family City of St. Louis paid them $450,000.
“Janae and her family are better off settling for this amount rather than paying the expenses of a trial and then waiting to be paid while the case would work its way through years of appeals,” said Simon Law Attorney Kevin Carnie Jr. “Janae needs this money now to cover medical expenses — waiting isn’t a good option — especially when you consider all the interest they would lose out on by waiting years to be paid.
Carnie said the Edmondsons decided to settle the case for $67,000 less than the capped amount in part because of the cost of taking it to the trial, which was scheduled to kick off March 3. Carnie said the family settled in court because of Missouri, which sets a state cap on damage settlements.
Edmondson’s medical costs are in the millions, with her prosthetics each costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, her attorney said. They will need replacement and constant maintenance for the rest of her life.
"Janae and her family are better off settling for this amount rather than paying the expenses of a trial and then waiting to be paid while the case would work its way through years of appeals,” Carnie said. “Janae needs this money now to cover medical expenses — waiting isn’t a good option — especially when you consider all the interest they would lose out on by waiting years to be paid. It’s disappointing that the city would not agree to settle for the maximum amount."
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Breaking barriers and moving to the beat! One local dance company is making it possible for young people in wheelchairs to move and groove like everyone else. Good for your mental health, good for your physical health and good for your dose of positive news today. I hope you check out what they're doing!
-Rebecca Schleicher
