$3.1 Million Award Against Highway Department for Defective Highway
A husband and wife were riding a motorcycle on a highway outside of downtown Kansas City, Missouri when they encountered an unmarked “S” curve on an elevated portion of the highway causing the husband to lose control of the motorcycle. The husband and wife were ejected from the motorcycle and fell between a gap in the median instantly causing the death of the wife and serious injuries to the husband. Investigation revealed there were no warning signs informing the driver of the existence of a sudden sharp right curve and there was inadequate lighting at night. An arbitration panel awarded a combined sum of $3.1 million dollars for the wife’s death and the husband’s serious personal injuries.