… A 49-year-old high school football coach, recovering from open-heart surgery, returned home to find a car crashed into a tree in his front yard. The female driver was trapped in the car. There was an odor of gasoline and lit cigarette on her chest. The coach forced the driver’s door open enough to reach in and remove the lit cigarette. He injured the nerves in the back of his neck because of his rescue efforts. The driver was sued because she negligently created this careless situation which resulted in the coach’s injuries. Because she had low automobile liability insurance limits, the coach’s underinsured motorist carrier was also sued. Both lawsuits were settled shortly before trial.
