This intersection at Covert and 19th streets in Parkersburg is where David Harding says he was injured following a car wreck with another motorist in 2009. (Photo by Lawrence Smith)
PARKERSBURG – A Wood County man alleges the city of Parkersburg is to blame for the injuries he received in a car wreck two years ago.
David Harding filed a personal injury suit against the city in Wood Circuit Court. In his complaint filed May 6, Harding, a resident of Parkersburg, maintains the city could have prevented an accident between him and another motorist by prohibiting parking on a busy side street.
According to the suit, Harding on May 7, 2009, was driving his car on Covert Street preparing to turn onto 19th Street. The suit does not specify whether he was traveling north or southbound on Covert which feeds one-way onto 19th Street from each side
Nevertheless, as soon as he turned onto 19th Street, Harding says he was struck by another motorist. The collision resulted in not only the loss of his vehicle, but also him incurring "temporary and permanent physical injuries to his neck, back, chest, arms, legs and other parts of his body."
The suit does not give any further details about the collision including what actions, if any, he took to receive compensation from the unidentified motorist or his or her insurance company. Nevertheless, he maintains it was enabled "in the form of allowing parking along said city street so as to obscure the vision of motorists and substantially increasing the risk of collision of vehicles turning onto 19th Street from Covert Street."
Because the city "failed to take reasonable precautions to prevent injury resulting from the existence of said dangerous condition and further failed to warn the public," the suit alleges Harding suffered pain, mental anguish, the loss of capacity to enjoy life and lost income. Also, Harding's wife, Tammy, who is listed as a co-plaintiff in the suit, suffered a loss of consortium.
As a result, the Hardings seek $300,000 in damages plus court costs and attorney fees. They are represented by St. Marys attorney Keith White.
The case is assigned to Judge Robert A. Waters.
Wood Circuit Court case number 11-C-185
