Woman says car accident kept her from dream job

CHARLESTON - A woman is suing JLK Incorporated after she claims she was allegedly injured during a car crash and couldn't return to work.

JLK is doing business as JL Knight Inc.

Terry Lilly was also named as a defendant in the suit.

On March 15, 2012, Loralie Hissam was traveling on U.S. 60 East from Charleston to Fayetteville when a utility truck owned by the defendants and operated by Lilly pulled out in front Hissam, according to a complaint filed Nov. 20 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Hissam claims Lilly was attempting to make a lefthand turn onto U.S. 60 West when he suddenly pulled out directly in front of her. She says she attempted to avoid the collision by hitting her brakes and taking evasive maneuvers, but instead, she slipped on accumulated coal dust and impacted the utility truck.

Lilly was issued a citation for failure to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic by the West Virginia State Police, according to the suit.

Hissam claims the crash caused extensive damage to the front end of her vehicle and fused to door closed. Hissam had to be removed from her vehicle by the assistance of others on the scene, she says.

Hissam was transported to a hospital, where she received treatment for her injuries at the emergency room, she says. She was treated and released on the same day, according to the suit.

Hissam claims when she woke up the next day, she was in extreme pain and could not stand, walk or bend her neck without assistance.

Originally, Hissam was supposed to be off work for one week, but was unable to return to work due to her severe pain and over the next one-and-a-half years, she continued to struggle with severe pain, which prevented her from successfully returning to work, according to the suit.

Hissam claims on Oct. 29, her treating physician declared that she would never return to her dream job of being a patrolwoman and shortly after that, she was terminated from her employment by the Fayette County Sheriff's Department.

The defendants breached their duty of care owed to Hissam by failing to properly watch for oncoming traffic, according to the suit.

Hissam is seeking compensatory damages. She was being represented by Michael O. Callaghan and Joshua R. Martin of Neely & Callaghan.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James C. Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 13-C-2177