A school bus driver who suffered severe neck and back injuries in a crash while on the job received a $2 million settlement in her Essex County suit, Haynes v. Reese, on Sept. 11.

Lisa Haynes was operating a school bus on Forest Avenue at Oradell Avenue in Paramus on Dec. 11, 2014, when she collided with a van driven by Harlin Reese and owned by Wood Artisans/Norwood Kitchens. Reese went through a red light before striking the left side of Haynes' school bus, said John Keefe Jr. of the Keefe Law Firm in Red Bank, who represented the plaintiff along with the firm's John Gregory Jr.

Haynes felt pain in her back immediately after the crash but did not go to an emergency room until two days later, Keefe said. She was found to have extensive damage to her cervical and lumbar spine, and required multiple procedures and surgeries, the suit claimed. She was diagnosed with chronic cervical and lumbar strain, cervical radiculopathy, cervical stenosis with aggravation, aggravation of preexisting lumbar degenerative disc disease, and a cervical herniated disc at C5-C6.

In July 2015, Haynes had an anterior cervical discectomy at C4-C7 with application of a biomechanical cage and an anterior cervical plate with fixation. She experienced severe pain and discomfort following the surgery, and the fusion failed at the C6-7 level, Keefe said. As a result, she required a revision surgery in April 2016, and has regularly received pain management and physical therapy treatments since the accident, he said, adding that, as a result of the accident, Haynes, now 60, is unable to return to work.

The settlement was reached Aug. 26, and payment was received on Sept. 11.

The settlement was reached after mediation with Jack LIntner, a former Superior Court judge now with Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus in Bridgewater.

Joseph Kelley of Zirulnik, Sherlock, & Demille in East Hanover represented Reese and Wood Artisans/Norwood Kitchens. He did not return a call about the case.

— Charles Toutant

$1M in Middlesex UIM Case

Pecce v. Progressive: A business operator who suffered neck and back injuries when his van was struck from behind agreed to a $1 million settlement in his Middlesex County under-insured motorist suit on Sept. 18.

Plaintiff Vincent Pecce was operating a commercial van owned by his business, Vincent's Dry Cleaning, on Aug. 20, 2016, when he was struck from behind by a car driven by Huma Mansuri.

Pecce suffered disc herniations at C3-C4 and C6-C7, as well as aggravation to a preexisting lumbar disc herniation, and he required a three-level cervical fusion surgery, the suit claimed.

He does not have a history of preexisting neck pain, but his MRIs showed preexisting, age-related degeneration in all areas of his neck, said his attorney, Nicholas Leonardis of Stathis & Leonardis in Edison.

Mansuri had $15,000 in coverage with GEICO. Pecce made a claim on the van's policy with Progressive Insurance, through which he had $1 million in under-insured motorist coverage.

Pecce is no longer able to operate his dry cleaning business as a result of the crash, according to Leonardis. A medical expert for the defendants claimed Pecce, now 63, needed neck surgery as a result of the preexisting degeneration, Leonardis said.

Ultimately, Mansuri paid $15,000, and Progressive paid $985,000, he said.

Mark Trudeau of the Law Office of Robert Raskas in Piscataway represented Mansuri.

Christopher Ferraro of Cooper Maren Nitsberg Voss & Decoursey in Iselin represented Progressive.

They did not return calls about the case.

— Charles Toutant