Careless turn leads to $1.6M settlement

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A woman injured after crashing her moped into a tractor-trailer seven months ago has settled her case against the truck’s driver and his employer for $1.6 million, her attorney reports.

According to Roy Willey IV of the Anastopoulo Law Firm, Nicolle Burns was riding along King’s Highway in Myrtle Beach on the morning of Dec. 5, 2016, when she and defendant Christopher Trent, driving a truck for Tennessee-based trucking company Burkhart Enterprises, were approaching an intersection. Trent, Willey said, “decided to turn right.”

After passing Burns’ moped, which was traveling in the right lane, Willey said Trent swung his truck deep into the left-hand lane before cutting his wheel hard to the right and turning onto a side street.

“The cab of the Burkhart Enterprises truck passed directly in front of Nicolle,” Willey said. “It completely blocked her lane of travel, cutting her off and causing the collision.”

Willey said that Burns broke her pelvis and her left leg in the crash.

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SETTLEMENT REPORT – NEGLIGENCE

Amount: $1.6 million

Injuries alleged: Broken left leg, broken pelvis

Case name: Nicolle Burns v. Christopher Trent and Burkhart Enterprises

Court: Horry County Court of Common Pleas

Date of settlement: June 19

Attorneys for plaintiff: Roy Willey IV, Eric Poulin and Matt Nall of the Anastopoulo Law Firm in Charleston and Myrtle Beach

Attorney for defendant: Settled pre-suit