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A motorist who underwent five surgeries after his vehicle was struck head-on agreed to a $1.1 million settlement in his Morris County suit, Mosher v. Yanakas, on Dec. 7.

Justin Mosher was driving north on Route 206 in Andover on Aug. 8, 2016, when a vehicle driven by Nicholas Yanakas crossed the center line and struck him head-on, the suit claimed.

Mosher sustained bruises to his lungs, a fractured sternum, a bowel injury, fractures of the right leg and left forearm, and anemia due to acute blood loss. He also suffered an intestinal obstruction and blood clots, a fracture and torn ligament in the left knee, and fractures of the pelvis, said his lawyer, Michael Paragano.

Mosher had surgery to resection the small bowel and colon, and surgery to remove part of the stomach and colon. He also underwent operations on the left ankle and posterior cruciate ligament, as well as the achilles tendon, the suit claimed.

As a result of his injuries, Mosher experiences gastrointestinal problems and has to be close to a bathroom at all times, according to Paragano, of Nagel Rice in Roseland, who represented the plaintiff along with the firm's Bruce Nagel.

Mosher walks with a limp and experiences pain and soreness from walking, and is no longer able to play with his three young children or pick them up, Paragano said. Mosher recently returned to his job as a project manager, but instead of traveling to various work sites, he works from home, Paragano added.

Yanakas said in a deposition that he couldn't explain why he crossed the center line and struck Mosher, but might have fallen asleep, according to Paragano.

On the eve of trial, Yanakas agreed to settle for the limits of his $100,000 auto policy and his $1 million umbrella policy, Paragano said.

Yanakas' lawyer, Thomas Griffin of Litvak & Trifiolis in Cedar Knolls, did not return a call about the case.

— Charles Toutant

$860K Med Mal Verdict in Union

Tedder v. Carrieri: A Union County jury has awarded the family of a woman who died in her sleep $860,000 in a suit claiming her doctor failed to diagnose her aneurysm.

The jury awarded the damages to the children of the decedent, Marisha Tedder, on July 26, said one of the family's attorneys, Jordan Goldsmith of Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrmann & Knopf in Saddle Brook.

The children are now between the ages of 8 and 21, Goldsmith said.

Union County Superior Court Judge Camille Kenny presided over the trial.

Tedder, 37, was found dead on Nov. 17, 2014. She lived with her children and fiance, Ephraim John, in Plainfield. John had slept on the couch because Tedder was experiencing chest pain, and he found her the next morning, Goldsmith said.

The lawsuit alleges that, on the day before, Tedder went to an emergent care facility,  Medemerge in Green Brook, complaining of chest pains. She was treated by the defendant, Dr. David Carrieri, according to Goldsmith.

The lawsuit claimed Tedder had an X-ray, but that Carrieri negligently failed to detect a widening of the mediastinum, a membrane in the chest cavity, as well as other critical warning signs which should have called for the patient being referred for further advanced tests at a hospital, Goldsmith said.

The defendant, according to Goldsmith, contended that the X-ray showed no abnormalities indicating that more advanced treatment was necessary.

The lawsuit was filed by Tedder's mother, Lorine Tedder.

Goldsmith handled the case with his father, Lee Goldsmith, also of Cohn Lifland.

Carrieri's insurance provider, Coverys, retained James Vasios of Vasios, Kelly & Strollo in Union. Vasios didn't return a call seeking comment.

— Michael Booth