Estate of man who committed suicide awarded $4.65M

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The estate of a man who committed suicide after being severely injured in a car accident was awarded $4.65 million last year, an attorney for the plaintiff has reported.

According to Austin Crosby of Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth Detrick in Hampton, a jury on Sept. 1 awarded Crystal Wickersham, personal representative of her husband’s estate, $2.025 million for loss of consortium, $1.375 million for wrongful death, and $1.25 million for survival action.

According to court documents, John Wickersham, who worked as a pharmacist, intentionally overdosed on prescription medication about 1 ½ years after crashing his Ford Escape into a tree. Wickersham had a history of mental illness and suicidal thoughts, but his wife contended that the pain and suffering brought on by the wreck caused him to kill himself.

John Wickersham crashed his vehicle in February 2011 while attempting to make a left turn through an intersection. He suffered a broken rib, broken jaw, broken cheek bones, a fractured skull and a ruptured left eye, which he eventually lost.

John Wickersham underwent numerous surgeries and treatment for his injuries and depression. He committed suicide in July 2012.

Crystal Wickersham contended that her husband’s injuries and eventual suicide were caused by a defective airbag restraint system in his 2010 Escape. Data from the car’s “black box” reportedly proved that the airbag deployed too late.

Ford countered that Wickersham had a long history of depression and suicidal thoughts and that his death was unrelated to the accident. It also said that Wickersham, who was wearing a seatbelt, was not seated properly in the vehicle and had his head too close to the steering wheel during the crash.

Crosby noted that John Wickersham was found to be 30 percent comparatively negligent and that the awards were reduced accordingly.

VERDICT REPORT – WRONGFUL DEATH

Amount: $4,650,000

Case name: Wickersham v. Ford Motor Co.    

Court: U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina

Case No.: 9:14-cv-0459-DCN

Judge: David Norton

Date of verdict: Sept. 1, 2016

Attorneys for plaintiff:  Ronnie Crosby, Austin Crosby and Mark Ball of Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth Detrick in Hampton; Kathleen Barnes of Hampton; and Donnie Gibson of North Charleston   

Attorney for defendants: Joseph Kenneth Carter Jr., Nicholas W Gladd, and Carmelo Sammataro of Turner Padget Graham & Lacey; Andrew Kunz of Elliott & Phelan in Georgetown; David Christopher Marshall of Lanier & Burroughs in Orangeburg; and Wendy Frank Lumish of Bowman & Brooke in Coral Gables, Florida

Follow Heath Hamacher on Twitter @SCLWHamacher